She hummed. “That’s plausible. So…just Cethin then?”
He sighed. “The creatures of old are formidable opponents for dragons.”
She hummed again. “That makes sense. Cethin said they were difficult to control until he was born. That would mean your uncle wouldn’t have been able to do so.” She took a drink before she added, “Cethin said they’ve been quieter lately.”
“They have been. It’s why Tybalt has called a few of the Cadre back to Aimonway to help with the Fae deaths,” Razik replied, shaking his head when the server made his round. She did not need another drink, but this was probably the best tavern for her to do this in when he really thought about it. People came here because they wanted to go unnoticed. No one was going to draw attention to themselves by bringing attention to the queen.
“Right,” she murmured. Elbows planted on the table, she rested her chin in her palms. “Do you miss it? The Cadre, I mean.”
“Sometimes,” he answered. “I still train in the mornings, but it’s not the same.”
“Yeah,” she mused. “I miss it sometimes too.”
“Miss what? Training?”
She nodded. “Among other things.”
“You can train whenever you want. You know that right?” he asked.
“Maybe,” she hummed. “But it’d probably give away too many secrets.”
He huffed in amusement as he stood, extending a hand for her. “Let’s get you back before Cethin comes looking and discovers you here.”
“He did try to make me promise there would be no more tavern brawls,” she said, slipping her fingers into his hand without so much as a flinch.
“And you said…?” Razik asked, keeping her steady as she got to her feet.
“I don’t make promises I can’t keep,” she answered. “Just like him.”
Razik wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, but he’d leave that between them. He Traveled them back to the castle, where Kailia promptly fell asleep on the sofa. There had to be more to her mood and demeanor today than simply Cethin. Then again, maybe not. Cethin could put him in a foul mood and make him want to drink simply by speaking.
He settled into an armchair, pulling a book from a pocket realm to research more and try to figure out her power. There was something he was missing in all of this, and it was driving him mad because he knew once he figured it out, it was going to be obvious.
An hour later, there was a burst of magic, and Razik plucked a note from it. He skimmed it once before incinerating it with black flames.
Bram wanted to talk to him about Wren.
Chapter 35
Kailia
The heavy footfalls roused her, and she blinked sleep from her eyes.
Rocky walls. Thin mattress. Small room.
The footfalls were getting nearer, and she scrambled to shove back the thin blanket. The Mark on her arm was there, telling her this was a dream, but she’d woken too late. She didn’t have enough time to prepare for what was about to happen.
She tried though. Gods, did she try when the two males barged into the room. Tall and muscled, she was no match for them as they each took an arm and dragged her from her room, her heels slicing open as she tried to dig them in. She twisted and thrashed, hoping for the tiniest loosening of their hold that she could work with, but their grips were solid and firm.
They passed others in the halls, but they kept their eyes down. No one intervened. She didn’t blame them. She wouldn’t have intervened either. Not back then anyway. Now it was different, but this was a dream.
Dream.
Dream, dream, dream.
She repeated it over and over as she was marched upstairs to the upper levels. It was a dream. None of it was real. She simply needed to figure out how to wake herself up. That was all. She could survive that long.
A door was pushed open, and she was shoved through. She kept her balance easily enough. Even here, she’d already been trained in stealth and silence, given what she was. Or rather, what they wanted her to be.
