A sense of acceptance came to her, and her moon-mark pulsed once, tingling warmly, before returning to normal.
Wreylith? I’m not positive, but I think you may be able to come through the barrier now.
I will attempt to do so.
Syla couldn’t see the red dragon in the sky any longer—having a metal tent over her wagon didn’t help—but she imagined Wreylith diving toward a bog bear with her fangs ready.
“As long as she shows up if we need help,” Syla murmured.
Fel was peering into the streets with his hand on his mace, but he glanced at her.
“We’ll find out soon, I suspect, if Wreylith is able to fly down to assist us.” Syla wondered if the stormers who couldn’t be found were gathered somewhere, planning a second attack. Since she knew where the shielder was, she would be a target.
“That would be helpful,” Fel said.
As the wagon continued across the city and uphill from the river, Syla gazed into alleys and onto rooftops visible out the back. The wide waterway was also visible as they climbed in elevation, their surroundings changing from industrial factories and warehouses to residences that either looked toward the river or the sea. Perched on top of one of the last warehouses, a lone figure peered down at them. A lone figure in black riding leathers with tousled black hair.
Syla straightened. Was that Vorik?
Across the distance, his sharp emerald eyes met hers. She grinned. ItwasVorik.
Relieved that the weapon hadn’t gotten him, she almost waved, but she didn’t want to draw attention to him. Besides, she reminded herself, he was trying tokidnapher. He was her enemy.
As if he could guess her thoughts, he smiled and blew her a kiss.
She stuck her tongue out at him.
Fel noticed and followed her gaze, but Vorik had ducked out of view. “What are you doing?”
“Wreylith may be hunting bog bears instead of joining us promptly,” Syla said, though that probably wasn’t a suitable explanation for her tongue gesture.
Fel squinted at her, but someone called out for the wagon to halt, and it rolled over something that made the wheels wobble, then pulled to a stop. They had reached the gates for the palace.One of those gates had been ripped off and lay in the street. It was what they’d rolled over.
“It looks likedragonshelped with this attack,” Syla said as she climbed out and eyed the destruction, “but that’s not possible, right? The barrier was up.”
“The dragonridersare formidable foes,” a soldier said from the side. “Welcome, Your Majesty.”
The soldier wasn’t one of hers. He wore the maroon uniform of the palace guard. Abrasions and bruises darkened his face, and his hair was matted with blood, but he stood in the gateway, weapons in hand.
“Last night, I was on duty when a female with silver hair ripped the gate off, as if the hinges were made from twine instead of iron. And she didthat.” The guard pointed across the courtyard toward what should have been the grand entryway of the palace, but the carved doors had been torn from their hinges and smashed against the marble stairs. Those stairs were cracked, as if the gods had hurled lightning bolts at them. Or an irritated rider with a gargoyle-bone sword had employed all her strength and magic on them…
“I’ve witnessed the power of the riders bonded with dragons,” Syla said, remembering Vorik’s broken shackles.
Silver hair—that had to be Captain Lesva. Her dragon was dead, but maybe the magic from her bond would linger for a time.
The guard shuddered, then whispered, “That woman threw me across the courtyard as if I were a toddler.”
“Dragon!” someone called in alarm from one of two towers framing the palace rooftop.
A magnificent red dragon with what looked like purple berry stains on her belly soared over the city, heading in Syla’s direction.
“She’s an ally!” she called to the guards in the yard and in the towers. Silently, she asked Wreylith,Did you visit a bog on your way here? One full of ripe berries?
I visited the bogbearson my way. The fat one I caught ran through the brambles, flinging berries everywhere, but I caught it, and it was as delicious as I’d hoped. Hunting here will be glorious. Will you stay many days? Perhaps weeks?
Probably not weeks.Syla still had shielder components to acquire.
But days.
