“Let’s go inside and eat,” I said, a little numb, turning to the door. “They’re waiting.”
Chapter 3
AMAIA
The pounding thud of my heart was all I could hear as I stood outside the gates of Dothik.
It was early enough that the sun hadn’t yet crested over Bekkar’s Shield. Though the air was crisp, sounds felt muffled, breaths held from the hundreds that had gathered, all anticipating the dark shadows that would appear in the lightening pink sky.
Waiting on the compact earth beside me were the other travelers. Currently only two places accepted Dakkari for the exchanges: a territory in the south called Sarroth and a territory in the east called Grym—which apparently bordered an enemy nation, as my mother had hysterically pointed out to my brother when he’d broken the news to them over supper a few nights ago.
The supper hadn’t ended well. Kiron had left in frustration, and as I’d lain in bed that night, I’d listened to my mother cry, my father and Avis trying to console her, hushed through my bedroom door.
Kiron hadn’t told them about the “spy” part, curiously, which might have soothed our parents’ ire. If they understood I had no choice. But I’d been forced to tell them that it was a direct orderfrom theDothikkar, a high honor considering my position at thepyrokienclosure.
And it’s only for a season,I reminded myself now, dragging in a deep, slow breath, pushing back my shoulders, brushing my arm against the Dakkari male standing next to me.
It was as quiet as a gravesite. Behind me, the families of the travelers made a crooked line in front of the two towering steel doors of the East Gate of Dothik. A neater line of guardsmen were off to one side. And peering through the East Gate, I saw a massive crowd had gathered, all angling for the best view of the impending visitors and their mighty dragons through the steel columns.
Mymrikrohadn’t come. Halna hadn’t said much when I’d given him the missive from theDothikkar. He’d read it over with an expressionless face, and then he’d scanned my face afterward.
“Learn from them,” Halna had eventually murmured before continuing to shovel out one of the enclosures for another nest build. “They have much to teach us about these creatures.”
“They don’t havepyroki,” I’d reminded him. “As far as I know.”
He’d leveled me a stare, a slight quirk of his lips. “All creatures are made from the bones of Kakkari. Elthika too.”
Still, I wished Halna had come, but I knew that it was another birthing day, that he was preparing with his other apprentices. I wondered if a new apprentice would take my place before I could return. If anyone would, it would be Myre. He had been waiting for a chance to pounce at my position, and I’d successfully fended him off for years. My leaving probably delighted him.
Halna was retiring his position soon. He’d hinted that it would be mine to take over. Now? I wasn’t so sure.
But Kiron’s life was more important than any position on all of Dakkar. I would shovelpyrokishit for the rest of my life under Myre’s smirk if it meant my brother was safe. At least I would stillget to work with the creatures I cared for so dearly. Not everyone could boast that.
Suddenly a rippled murmur went through the gathered crowd, and I caught a flinch from a young Dakkari male next to me. My gaze darted over Bekkar’s Shield, and there I saw them. At first they appeared like largethissiebirds, silhouetted black against the sky.
But as my heartbeat built to a crescendo, they grew much, much larger than merethissieand their wings became monstrous things. I could hear the beat of them, like drums, as they worked against the air. I could hear the crackle of joints, the whisper of their scales, the heaved breath from throats that I knew could unleashethrall, a powerful deadly fog.
I’d been frightened stepping out onto this plain. Building up a monster in my mind, for I had only caught a mere glimpse of a dragon, once before, when it’d flown over Dothik. A flash of an image.
But now…
I counted a total of ten Elthika. When they reached us, half landed, while the other unit broke out to fly over the city. Patrolling, I figured, to make certain there was no threat against them.
I’d never thought of myself as a coward. So I was glad that it wasn’t onlyfearthat rose inside me like a crawling, strong vine, gripping onto my lungs and twining around the cage of my ribs. Instead, it wasawe—and I felt it spark inside me until it seared.
The fear was there too. How could it not be when faced with the mightiness of not one but five Elthika, stomping the earth as they landed, sending shock waves out from their weight that made my bones quake in my flesh?
But mostly it was awe, and I was glad for it.
To touch one…to feel them with my heartstone magic…to feel the essence of their souls…
A shuddered breath escaped me, and for the first time, I couldn’t wait to cross an ocean I’d only ever seen the shores of.
The group of Elthika held back. Three Elthika, I noticed, had different saddles strapped around their backs. Ones with strong leathered sides, built up to form half walls, like a sturdy basket. Instead of one rider, they would carry five or six, easily.
Behind me, I turned to look at my parents. My mother’s face was pale, my father’s arm wrapped in support around her hip. My heart squeezed, wishing I could tell them I would be okay. I settled on a smile, hoping it wasn’t like a grimace. I wished I could open my soul to her, so she would know that I was not afraid, that thisexcitedme.
My gaze cut to the line of guardsmen. Kiron was looking directly ahead, hand on the hilt of his sword, his expression impassive, cold. A replicant of all the others. I wished he could look at me.
