Technically the only person that outranked a dragon-ridden was the emperor.
In reality, the nobles and officials of the government resented the power they had and went out of their way to create restrictions. See the ridiculous rule on not changing into their dragon form in their own headquarters without permission.
Tate mentally shook herself, leaving such thoughts behind to find Dewdrop looking at Thora with admiration.
Neither of them were accustomed to the commander of the Dragon Corps playing fast and loose with the rules. Usually, he was the one lecturing Tate about her tendency to color outside the lines.
Honestly, she didn’t expect the old grump to have it in him.
“The emperor was quite clear in his desire for the children to become functioning members of the Corps,” Thora added.
Smart. Link their actions to the emperor and make it seem like they were only obeying his orders, thus absolving themselves of any wrongdoing.
Tate could see why Thora was the leader. She wondered how many years it had taken him to learn that little trick.
Judging by the sour expression on George’s face and the accepting one on Ben’s, it looked like Thora was going to get away with it too.
That was a relief.
Tate didn’t want to imagine the punishment that would have resulted from her indiscretion. Last time she’d done something like this, the emperor sent her to Silvain where she’d prevented an ancient ally of the Creators from obtaining a weapon created by the Savior Jax Kuno.
It might not have been so bad if not for the fact she’d been kidnapped, separated from her friends, and forced to march across the desert with no water and no supplies. When she finally arrived at her destination, it was to find most of her party held hostage by a Harridan who’d lost her mind and Nathan, someone who’d once been a friend but had since gone to the Creators’ side, waiting for her.
She’d nearly died. Multiple times.
At the end, all she got for her trouble was a cube containing a warning from Jax that the Creators thought long gone weren’t as dead as everyone assumed.
Yeah, Tate would prefer to avoid any more ‘punishments’.
“While I personally find your failure to obey the rules of the palace inexcusable—and concerning, I don’t have the power to hold you responsible,” George started.
Dewdrop leaned over to Tate. “Do you find it as worrying as me that she has her hand resting on the pommel of her sword while she says that?”
“You took the words right out of my mouth.”
It was concerning to say the least. Tate expected this sort of behavior from the Black Order, a guild that often acted as an arm of the law when the Lord Provost’s people were spread thin.
The thing that separated them from the Lord Provost was that they required payment for their services. You don’t pay; they don’t work. As a result, only the wealthier areas of the city relied on them.
They’d lost some power in recent events but they still were held in high regard by many—
especially among the upper echelons of society. The fact they considered any with a tie to the Creators, no matter how small, as an impurity to be purged from the rest of Aurelia had a lot to do with that.
It was disturbing to find someone so close minded within the Lord Provost’s ranks. Those she’d met before had struck her as honorable and reasonable even as they performed a difficult job. The Lord Provost was the same.
George hid her flinch well at Dewdrop’s words, but Tate and the others still caught it.
She’s got pretty good hearing,Night observed from his vantage on the roof.
Very good. Enough to rival even Night’s, she’d suspect. That was saying something. Night and his people were designed to be scouts and act as a forward assault force when necessary. Heightened senses and stealth came as part of his makeup.
Tate studied George with new eyes. If her senses were that good, Tate was betting she had an ancestor related to the sleepers. Of course, she could also have Silva in her family. The Silva were like Night. They’d been designed as soldiers by the Creators. Increased strength, superior speed, things that made them hard to kill.
“There is another reason for our presence,” George said in an even tone. “Since Lady Fisher has so much free time, the emperor has summoned her to court. His majesty looks forward to her presence.”
Well, damn. It looked like Tate had been relieved too soon. She hadn’t escaped her punishment after all—it had only changed its form somewhat.
“When?” Thora asked tersely.
