“I only learned it recently. While I appreciate your offer, I don’t believe I’ll ever take and work with a hatchling again.”
“There are trained dragons around. You can ride one of those.”
“Maybe.”
“You collected your sword, and you rode into battle,” he said.
“That’s just it. I didn’t need to go to the armory for a sword.” I could barely push my words past the sadness clogging my throat. “Someone gave that one to me.”
“I can tell by your voice that this person is special.”
So special.
“I loved him, and I loved that sword because he gave it to me.” And there it was. I was exposing myself, laying out my grief for this man to mock.
“I’m sorry I took it then.”
“You returned it in better form than it was when I received it.”
“I can turn it back to what it was before. I wouldn’t do anything to tarnish your memories.”
“I like what you did with it.” Though I didn’t like how he was bridging my memories of Kinart with new ones of him. “He died, and I miss him.”
His arm wrapped around me, and he tugged me snugagainst his side. I sensed no sexual intent, only comfort. “I’d swallow your pain if I could.”
“My pain is the only thing that has kept me alive for a very long time.” Yet it felt distant now. Still raw and lashing but as if the scab life kept scraping away at had finally toughened enough to hold true.
“Is the pain all thatstillkeeps you going?”
I tipped my head back, resting it on his warm chest. I could stay here forever, though I suspected I’d have to creep away soon. This closeness disconcerted me, and I couldn’t allow myself to like it too much. “Now, I feel hope.”
“I’d swallow that too if you’d let me.”
We stayed there, silent but together for a very long time. The moon slid lower, and clouds obscured the stars.
“I’ll see you tomorrow night?” I finally said, easing out of his embrace I was growing much too comfortable with.
“Tomorrow night.” His teeth flashed brightly in the night. “Let me help you down into the room.”
“I can do it. As you said, I’ve taken on bigger challenges before. Stay up here. Enjoy this place in the way you always have.” Without me.
What I’d taken from him was borrowed. It could never belong to me, so I was giving it back.
I didn’t wait for him to agree or insist he would help me. I scooted down the roof and turned to lay on my belly, stretching my leg out to the first jutting stone.
I didn’t look back up as I made my way below the roof, dangling from the last stone and smacking my heel onto the ledge. I climbed into the window, and when I heard himstarting to follow, I ran across the stone room and took the stairs in a whirl.
Reaching the bottom, I slammed out into the hall lit only by the muted light from the moon. They didn’t dust up here often, and it showed in the windows where only murky light could claw its way through.
Rushing through the stone hallway, my heartbeat thrummed in my ears. I turned a corner but came to a stop, frowning at a shimmering spot farther ahead, hovering in the air like a muted mass of light. It darkened, flickering with tiny bolts of lightning and coalesced into something about the length of my forearm and gleaming on one end.
A dagger erupted from the mass.
It blasted down the hall, shooting toward me, aiming for my heart.
41
REYLA
