“He’s fighting borgons. I’m joining him. Back off.” Since I knew Surren wouldn’t try to grab me, I rushed toward him. As expected, he stepped out of the way before I made contact. I continued across the wide-open stone platform and leaped down the many layers of stairs, only stopping when I reached the bottom.
Faint cries echoed from the city below, a chorus of misery, of flesh tearing and lives being wrenched apart. I suspected blood would soak the streets by the time I arrived. But Iwouldarrive.
Merrick used to walk to the harbor, but he said it took a while. From the ride here, I knew it would take at least an hour for me to travel the distance on foot. Even now, I could hear the cries of my people dying, the snarls and roars of the borgons as they ripped them apart.
I whirled around to find Surren directly behind me, my guard spreading out to flank him. Each stared at me with grave concern. I didn’t want to worry them, but I couldn’t hide. Didn’t they see?
“Call for a zephyl,” I said. “Immediately.” My voice quaked as energy surged within me.
“They’re gone. All taken,” Surren said. “We only have a few serving the castle, and they’ve already left with defenders.”
I wanted to kick him for sounding so smug. Fury clawed at the back of my throat. He knew if I walked, the battle could be over before I could reach the city to help.
Dragging in power, I bunched it within me, and with the pier in my mind, I flitted. Except it didn’t work, and the power fizzled,sliding out of me to float around my legs in varying shades of purple mist.
I tried to coax in the silver-lavender power I’d used to cast the nullification spell, but the fine ribbons slithering around in the periphery of my vision wouldn’t come at my call.
Victory favors those who wield it like a well-honed blade, and if nothing else, I knew my blades.
And my dragons.
“Where’s the aerie?” I asked softly.
Surren’s gaze darted toward the castle. “Aerie? Why would my queen wish to go there?”
“Never mind.” Vaguely remembering someone mentioning where it was, I raced past him and kept going, taking the path weaving through the pretty gardens on the left side of the castle. I burst out into an open, grassy stretch and raced toward the sparse woods on the other side, following a maintained path that must lead to the cliffs and the aerie. This was why I should’ve visited the dragons right away. At least then, they’d know me.
If nothing else, I was going to see if one of them would give me a ride.
Finally, I spied the low building ahead, built much like those back where I came from. I wretched open the outer door, grimacing when the hinges shrieked. With my guard a rippling stream behind me, I ran down the passage with secured gates on my right.
Pausing, I listened, finally hearing the unmistakable sound of a beast shifting beyond one of the doors. Striding over to it, I unlatched it, though I left it closed for now.
I spun and nearly ran into Surren.
“What do you intend, my queen?” he asked, and I was grateful he didn’t sound patronizing. “The dragons are resting. We should leave them be.”
I rushed back down the hall, finding the tack room. Inside, I grabbed a saddle and flung it over my shoulder, turning to find Surren blocking the open doorway with his palms braced on the frame.
“You cannot do this,” he said. “The king will have my head if I allow you to leave.”
“Back away, Surren,” I growled.
He did, only to shut the door in my face. The click of the lock rang out as I slammed myself into it.
“Let me out of here,” I bellowed.
“I’m sorry, my queen. I’ll take your punishment later, when you’re still alive.”
Well fuck him. If there was ever a time to make power work for me, it was now. Closing my eyes, I sorted through the various strands of energy floating along the edges of the room, coaxing in a dark purple ribbon. After bunching it up, I sent it back out, begging my flitting ability to work.
I remained inside the tack room.
With a huff, I tried again, using a lighter purple strand of power. An almost white one. That didn’t work either. I wanted to snarl, but I was better than that. Merrick had proven this in all aspects of our life. He believed in me. Lorant believed in me.
It was time I started believing in myself.
Spying the silver and lavender one I’d used to nullify Erisandra’s spell on the diary scooting into view before darting away, I held out my mind’s hand.
