I had no clue.
I blew out a heavy breath. I should get going. I’d spent a little too long standing here, so I shadow-stepped to Safir’s room, still wondering how one went about changing one’s self-worth.
I was pretty sure it wasn’t something I could do overnight.
And I had no more time to ponder it. I needed to put those thoughts from my mind if I was going to survive a covert trip to the capital.
Instead, I told myself that this mission finally showed I had skills Safir needed, that I could do useful things and wasn’t just another shifter ground down and killed by his own kind.
Maybe this mission itself was the key to proving my worth, to myself and to others.
That gave me hope, which I carried with me into my meeting with Safir.
There were twelve others there when I arrived, a mix of races. I didn’t know what the others could do, but I assumed they all had some form of stealth or listening or related abilities.
The briefing was simple, even if our task was not: We’d be flown close to the capital by dragons. Since they’d bedetected flying in, they’d shift between realms quickly, to Urval or Elysial and back, drop us off, then vanish once again back to another realm.
Those of us being dropped off would then have to get as far from that location as we could as fast as we could, since other dragons and guards would have sensed the appearance of the dragon. We were to remain hidden, then head to specific locations to listen and gather information as Valnea began to mobilize her forces.
My destination was the palace. A high value target. I guessed it had something to do with my shadow-step ability. Teleportation like that was rare, so being able to get in and out unseen was a valuable asset.
We were also given extraction times and locations.
After the meeting Safir took me aside.
“I’m sending you on one of the most dangerous missions, only because I believe you have a good chance of success. Your power will let you get into the palace, find useful information, and get out alive. Izzy will flay me alive, if you die. So… don’t. If I could send anyone else to do this, I would, but I needyou.”
This was new. Maybe I’d been wrong about Safir and what he’d thought of me?
Maybe I’d assumed he thought I was a tool… because that’s how I saw myself?
Maybe I did have value?
I let that thought inspire me as I was handed over to my dragon and the two of us left the building. The big woman didn’t talk as we made our way back outside, except to ask, “you ready?”
I nodded and she put a hand on my shoulder.
The world spun into darkness.
Time to prove my worth… to the world… and myself.
VYNSIEL
I sensedher coming before she knocked on my door. Izzy’s spirit washed through me, a dark tide, not her usual radiant waves of light and life and power.
“Come in,” I said before the knock actually hit my door.
Izzy slid the door open and slunk to the side of my bed, sitting heavily.
“Myel?” I guessed. The shifter hadn’t seemed thrilled about the addition of Bayn to Izzy’s ever-growing circle of lovers.
She nodded. “I need…”
I sat up and wrapped her in my arms.
“Yeah… this,” she whispered. “And now, he’s off to the capital on some covert mission and I’m afraid…” She drew in a shuddering breath. “I’m afraid.”
I held her tighter.
