You burned it! Tell them, then send them off after the assailant.
It wasn't a terrible idea. And it would explain the screaming. So, I said aloud, “I was attacked. Go! Now! Find them! They shot a dart through the open balcony. I was poisoned!”
The knights scrambled off as Aras spun to look at the balcony. Then he scanned the room.
“Where's the arrow?” Aras asked.
“Not an arrow.” I groaned as I sat up. “I said it was a dart. Very small. I slapped it, thinking it was an insect, and burned it.” I grimaced as if irritated at myself. “I burned the damn evidence.”
“It has to be someone from Vacrond.” Aras helped me swing my feet over the edge of the bed. “Maybe you should rest a little more.”
My mind still felt foggy, but at least I could think clearly again. With that clarity, the pain in my body faded. I stood up, tested my footing, and took a step. A flash of zooming across the sky filled my head, and I swayed.
“Ly!” Aras steadied me. “I think you should rest. You've just been poisoned. Even Dragons need some time to recover from that.”
I sat back down. I hadn't been poisoned, but I wished that was the case. I would have healed faster from it.
We need to go!the Eye said.
I groaned and laid back.
Now!
Shut the fuck up! I roared in my head.You fucking did this to me!
The Eye went quiet. Blissfully quiet. And still, lights went off and on in my mind. My body went into spasm. A tingling spread over me. I snarled and bared my teeth. Curled onto my side. Groaned.
“I'm here,” Aras said as a pair of warm arms wrapped around me from behind. He pulled me against his chest. “Just breathe, Ly. Focus on your breath.”
It sounded so much like what the Eye had bid me to do that I snarled again.
“Shh.” Aras was utterly unaffected by the snarling. He nuzzled my cheek. “It's all right. I'm watching over you. You can relax your guard.”
Relax,the Eye's voice came again, but this time in my memory. At least, I thought it was a memory. Hard to say.
I growled and made rumbling sounds as I shook my head. I had to get it clear. If I could just shake the crazy out, I would be fine. And no, it didn't occur to me how crazy that sounded. I was fighting my way back to sanity, clawing up to ledges where I could take a few breaths before starting a new climb. I had fallen so far. So deep into nothingness. Into her. And that had just been a few minutes. Divinity, even a small portion of it, was not meant for the minds of Dragons.
“Your Majesty!” a few knights rushed into the room. “Sire, we couldn't find any trace of an invader, and the guards on the walls swear nothing has gotten past them. The assassin must have been a professional.”
“It's all right.” I sat up and climbed out of bed, ignoring Aras's protests. I couldn't address my knights while I lay in my mate's arms. Gathering my strength weakened my mind, but I did it and strode over to them as if all were well. “I know who was behind the attack. Truly behind it.”
“Fucking nobles,” one of the Dragon knights said. “I'll bet they hired a local. Most likely a Raltven. That way, they couldn't be traced to it, even if the culprit were found.”
“It's enough to know they're desperate,” I said. “And the assassin wasn't professional enough to know that Dragons can survive a poisoning. Although, it was an impressive poison. I still feel some of the effects.”
“Shall I fetch the royal physician, Your Majesty?” an Argaiv knight asked.
“No. No. There's nothing he can do.” I waved that suggestion away. “Truly, I'm recovered. Just tell the Commander to double the guards on the walls for now.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The knights bowed and left the room. By the time the door shut, I felt stronger. I turned to face Aras. He was scowling at me.
“I'm fine,” I said. “Thank you for . . . everything, Aras.”
My mate stood up and came over to me. He stared into my eyes, then down my body. “Are you sure you're all right?”
“Yes.” I cleared my throat, then glanced at the sky. The sun was up, the morning growing late. “And I have meetings. City matters. Will you attend me for lunch?”
