And no one plays the wraith. The wraith plays itself.
There are only two players in each game, one sitting on each side of the board.
Are you sure?
I was.
Wasn’t I?
If not the wraith, who else could be playing?I asked.
Those determined to ensure a specific outcome.
The fates?
I swore he shrugged.
You’re the golden dragon, I said.The one I’d seen on the board in Ivenrail’s sitting area.
I beg to differ.Insult came through in Madrood’s voice. Leave it to me to antagonize another of my few remaining allies.My scales aresilver, not gold.
Gold is beautiful.My heart wrenched sideways at the memory of Seevar.
Silver is the best color.He landed lightly on the lawn in front of the manor.
Perhaps the Wraithweave dragon was symbolic. Vexxion was my shield, and my three defenders were Reyla, Brodine—if I could bring him back to us—and . . . Airia?
I needed to watch her. She’d been friendly every time I worked with her inside the castle’s aerie, but she could have an ulterior motive for coming with us.
The others settled on the ground nearby and slid off their dragons, peering around. Drask landed on my shoulder and fluffed his wings before resting them along his sides.
“This is the seat of Weldsbane Court, Vexxion’s court,” I toldmy friends. “We stayed here after the Claiming, before we went to the castle to prepare for the wedding.”
“And to get ready to kill Ivenrail,” Reyla said dryly. “You set out to do that back at the fortress, didn’t you?”
Biting down hard on my lower lip, I nodded.
She huffed. “You could’ve shared your plan. You didn’t need to hold it back from me.” Her head tilted and the sharpness in her eyes cut deep. “Did you think I’d tell or fall apart if I knew?”
“I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
“The lack of knowledge about your plan was what nearly killed me.” Her gaze left mine, focusing on the deep grass beneath her feet, and her voice lowered to a bitter whisper. “And that’s what gnaws on me the most.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Yeah.” An acknowledgement of my apology, but not forgiveness. Not yet.
I wanted to fume, to tell her I didn’t need her, that I had too much to handle already without dealing with her snit. What I needed most was a friend, not another enemy. But she was right. I’d messed up. “I’ll fill you in from now on.” Vexxion held things back from me, and I was equally mad when he did it. I hoped she’d forgive me like I had him.
“Thank you.” Ice could form in her voice.
I held Vexxion and flitted to the grass beside my friends. He remained on his feet, but the way he stared forward blankly hit me like a dagger in the throat, stealing my air.
Reyla appeared ready to slash me with a blade.
Airia watched us with a speculative gleam in her eyes.
Brodine remained as blank as Vexxion.
