“Why would he do something like this?”
And here was where this became tricky. She had to know this if she had any chance of helping Nullens on this side of our territory, but how she handled the knowledge could result in her death.
“He hopes to gather enough power to rule the world,” I said. “If I were you, I wouldn’t share this information widely. Get those guards in place and listen but don’t share what you learn. I came here to warn you because what you’ll be dealing with soon is enough to alarm every commander along the border, and that’s where your focus needs to be.”
I expected her to laugh at my words. But she only nodded slowly, her gaze lifting to meet mine. “What exactly do you think we’ll be dealing with soon? More dregs than we’ve ever seen before are already swarming along the border. Some days, we have to send three flights to defend the villagers. Is that what you mean? We lead raids to take back Nullens almost daily now.”
“Ivenrail tried to give them magical power, but it didn’t work.” I’d thought and thought about why it might not have stuck. If they truly were powerless Nullens, it could be that they were not capable of absorbing magic.
“Power?” she gasped. “If they can fight with magic, we’redone. I’m not one to give up easily. You know that. But we can’t battle magic with swords and blades. But wait. You said it didn’t work. Theydon’thave magic. I can be grateful for that.”
“Unfortunately, he was still able to alter the dregs.”
Her head tilted. “In what way?”
“Ivenrail gave them wings.”
She grunted, and her breath whooshed out. “I already knew that.”
11
TEMPEST
“How did you know they have wings?” I asked.
Her head cocked, and she studied my face. “How long do you plan to remain here at the fortress?”
“I’m leaving shortly.”
She stood. “Let me show you something before you magic yourself away.”
I followed her outside. We crossed the compound and continued past the training areas where riders worked with dragons even now. I wanted to stop and watch them, to grasp a tiny fragment of my past to hold onto—no, some normalcy—but it was already too late. I was the Lydel heir, and my role in our terrifying future had changed.
Iasar told me I’d soon start down a new path, one overgrown with danger. If only I could ask him if I’d find my way through it to something better.
We walked down the slope, and Jessia led methrough the sparse woods between the common training areas and the cages we’d only rarely used.
She stopped at the gate of the one farthest away from the fortress and flicked her hand toward a big mound lying in the center of the caged area. “We captured that a few days ago.”
A dreg lumbered to its feet.
My breath freezing in my lungs, I fumbled with my leathers, scrambling past my pockets to pull my blades, while drawing up a large amount of power. Something shifted by my feet, but I ignored it.
They may have been powerless people at one time, but they no longer were.
These eight-foot-tall creatures were tough to kill, though I’d eliminated my share of them over the years. They were monsters, craggy, beastly things with long gray hair and vicious claws. Sharp tails they were eager to drive through our hearts.
Their ability to fly made them nearly indestructible. We’d only gotten lucky while traveling from Bledmire.
This one unfurled its wings, stretching the webbing out to form almost picturesque beauty—if I didn’t know that the spikes at the top of the wing segments would be plunged into every villager’s chest if the creature was given half a chance.
As it flapped its wings and released a feral cry, I tightened my grip on my weapons. It scrambled toward us, the drag of its claws flinging sandy soil in all directions, lifting itself off the ground only to smack back down when its wings wouldn’t extend fully. Undeterred, it galloped our way.
Jessia remained where she was, glaring at the dreg, notbothering to pull a weapon. I had to hand it to her, this woman epitomized bravery.
“We clipped its wings,” she said softly, as if speaking in this tone would subdue the massive creature snarling toward us. “And let me tell you, that was a challenge. We had to dart it multiple times with a sedative one of the dragon healers gave us. Even then, it still tried to kill those who volunteered to attach the clips.”
When would they be told to stop killing us and instead, packusin cages to be brought to the king?
