The Bear's Den.
Chapter Thirty-Six
The Shanba priests—if that's who they really were—had checked out of the Bear's Den early that morning, long before we had begun our search.
“How did they know?” Cyn muttered again. “How did they know we'd be searching the city today?”
“We'll find them,” I said as we rode through the castle gate. “Or, rather, your knights will.”
After finding the priests gone, Cyn and I rode to the city wall, where he motioned his knights over. He sent them out in dragon form to scour the area around Dralbara, including the Tuvasi Forest—the most likely destination for fleeing Shanba. Then we headed to the castle. Sir Rosren hadn't returned from his task yet, so it was only Cyn and me.
Cyn pulled his horse to a stop before the main doors of the keep and dismounted, handing the reins to a stable boy who ran up as we approached. I did the same, then hurried after the furious king. We had just reached the doors when a Brandva man stepped out and bowed. He was in the castle staff uniform, though he had special gold bits on his shoulders.
“What is it, Thomlin?” Cyn asked as he strode past the man.
Thomlin spun on his hooves smoothly, his tail lifting for balance, and said, “You have visitors, Your Majesty.”
Cyn stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder at the Brandva. “Who?”
“Four Shanba priests. They are in the wisteria room.”
“Holy fuck,” I whispered.
“Lock down the castle!” Cyn shouted as he ran. “And send a unit of Horns to the wisteria room!”
“Yes, Sire!” the Brandva didn't even flinch, just strode outside and shouted, “Secure the castle by order of the King!”
The clanging sound of the gate dropping and the clamor of Horns running to the walls followed us through the corridors. The Shanba would know we were coming. But why were they even there?
“Wait! Cyn!” I called after my mate, dread curling in my belly.
But he plowed ahead, barreling into a room and sending the door crashing into the wall. I ran in behind him, then instantly raised my arm to shield my face from the green glare.
“You will obey my every command, King Cynric,” a deep voice said.
I squinted past my arm to see my mate frozen, staring straight into the light. Dashing to Cyn, I shook him, then tried to pull him toward the door, but it was like trying to move a mountain.
“Cyn!” I shouted. “Cyn, look at me!”
“Shift and carry us to the Tuvasi Forest,” the voice said. “Bring your mate as well.”
As the sound of running feet clad in heavy boots came thudding in from the corridor, Cyn shifted. Crimson scales filled my vision as I was pushed into the wall by Cyn's bulk. His enormous body also blocked the doorway, cutting off our rescuers. Luckily, the room was large enough to hold Cyn in dragon form, but just barely.
“Take down the wall and fly us away!” the priest commanded.
Cyn's enormous head bashed into the far wall, and stone gave way to his tremendous strength. Debris fogged the air and set me to coughing as I ducked my head. While I flailed, one of Cyn's talons wrapped around me. Then we were moving out of the castle, and my mate launched into the air.
People shouted, the Horns on the walls gaping at the King as he went flying past, leaving a trail of rock and dust behind him. No one tried to stop us. As far as they knew, the King was in his right mind, even if he had busted through the keep, and they had no authority to stop him. The only people who might have protested were Cyn's knights or Lord Juri, the former of whom were off searching for the men Cyn currently carried and the latter was nowhere to be seen. I wouldn't be surprised if Juri had gotten whammied like Cyn.
But I still had my senses. That was a mistake.
I peered through Cyn's claws and saw the Shanba priests clinging to Cyn's legs, his clenched talons giving them a ledge to stand on. Looking up, I found one of them above me as well. They didn't even glance at me. They kept their focus ahead. I was nothing to them, not strong enough to matter. Again, that was their mistake.
I contemplated my options. We were too high for me to squeeze through Cyn's claws and jump. Besides, I wasn't about to leave him. I could kill the priest above me, but I wasn't sure which one he was. If he wasn't the one giving Cyn the commands, that man could order Cyn to stop me, perhaps fatally. But if I waited until we were on the ground to act, they would definitely set Cyn against me.
There was one hope—the King's Guard. They were out searching for these very Shanba, and a couple of them were flying over the Tuvasi. They'd see us. We were pretty hard to miss.
Then I saw the city gates ahead of us and knew I had to decide. Did I wait and hope for help from one of Cyn's knights? Or did I act now, while we were still over Dralbara? If the Horns saw me struggling against these Shanba, they might do something. But what could they do? Fuck if I knew, but it was worth a shot.
