My heart eased at the sight of her, but my body tightened. It was strange to see her in the same kind of clothing she’d worn when she arrived—very humble and practical, yet, in the upright posture and efficient movements of a soldier. I would have to tell her to take care with that. While the citizens of Fyrehold might not knowwhatthey saw, a farmgirl marching through the streets as if prepared to draw a blade would attract attention.
‘What are you grinning about?’Bren muttered in my head as I took her hand and led her away from the camp, towards the dragons.
‘You. You’ll need to… shrink a bit when we reach the city, else the men may wonder which powerful woman has disguised herself as a commoner.’I hated even joking about that with her. She’d taken a new step forward since confronting her father—an altercation I wouldn’t have chosen for her, but I could see God’s wisdom in bringing it. She was steadier, suddenly. And I loved it. The idea of coaching her to reduce herself felt entirely wrong. But for the purposes of this mission, weallhad to adopt manners and postures that weren’t natural.
Bren shook her head, but remained silent as we slipped through the trees. In truth, the only person from which we needed to hide this excursion was Lady Faye, but it was helpful to keep the servants and other non-Furyknights in the team ignorant as well. These people had been chosen for their loyalty to the crown, and I didn’t believe any would knowingly betray us. But because they thought they were on nothing more than a political visit, they may inadvertently share details with our hosts that could lead a sharper mind in directions we did not want them to go.
As we crept through the trees towards the nearby meadow where the dragons rested, Bren’s grip on my hand tightened and my belly clenched. Touching her was a balm.
We hadn’t shared a bed since we left Vosgaarde a few nights ago, and because we’d been flying our dragons, and I’d been doubling Lady Faye, I hadn’t touched her during travel, either.
Lady Faye believed we snuck into each other’s tents when everyone was asleep. She pretended to be discreet for the servants, but everyone had heard her comments. Bren and I had agreed not to complicate matters with the team until we’dentered the city of Emberholt and the castle of the king, so kept our tents—though not our minds—separate.
Neither of us coped with the distance well. We had improved our abilities to send detailed images and sensations to each other. Still, I had some very intentional plans for her when we finally took our rooms in the castle. Let the whispers start in genuine ways when we cohabitated there.
Despite the grim nature of this mission, and the role Bren was to play, that was one tiny piece that eased my heart. Sharing space with her, without need to hide, would be a comfort in the stormy sea of political maneuverings.
When we reached the dragons, I hurried to harness Kgosi only. We attempted stealth, and in the darkness he was virtually invisible. Not to mention that hidingtwodragons within a mile of the city walls would take a miracle of God.
I sent Bren up his side first, knowing it was more of a climb than she was accustomed to, and I had the strength for the awkward mount with her body already seated. Plus, she dealt with those skirts. We’d toyed with the idea of her flying in leathers, then changing, but we were now deep in Fyrehold territory. If we were intercepted on this trip, I needed any eyes to brush over her and not ask questions about who she was—or why she wore men’s trousers.
Let the Fyrehold nobles be impressed by a female who could fly dragons. No need for her to be connected to rumors of a strange woman in the city.
By the time we took off, my arms firmly around Bren’s sides, and doing my best to keep my eyes from her legs that were bared to the knee by the skirts catching on Kgosi’s spine, my body hammered for attention from my mate. But it wasn’t the time or place, so I made do with holding her to me and anticipating our time in the castle.
‘I feel like you’re carrying too much,’Bren said, looking behind us as Kgosi flew away from the meadow and the dragons below were obscured from sight.‘We should have brought some of my brothers. Hidden them among the servants.’
‘We couldn’t risk it.’
We couldn’t bring more dragons into Fyrehold. More than two battle furies and a transport dragon in an envoy was considered a threat. The transport dragon, a great, hulking bluescale capable of carrying up to twenty men and their wares, but far too cumbersome for battle, had carried the servants and Benji.
Theservantswere mostly guards, and a few of the older stableboys to help with Kgosi and Akhane and give us backup in the event we were found out. But we couldn’t bring any other Furyknights or their dragons without sparking political retribution.
Bren didn’t know it, but I had assigned orders for Voski and Gil to be in a state of readiness just in case. I couldn’t shake thoughts of the team in Draeventhall and what must have happened there. And while I was certain Akhane and Kgosi weren’t about to turn on us, the risk ofFyreholddragons causing problems wasn’t small. I wanted allies for both the kingdom, and Bren personally, ready to ride in the event we felt things unraveling here.
But our best protection was our cover while in the castle, and for me at least, this mission would be easier than any I undertook in my earlier service. I didn’t need to pretend to be anything less than what I was, though I’d adopt the expected arrogance of a man of my station. Even Bren could be honest about her knowledge and proximity to the dragons, though she had to hide the true nature of her role.
But while the Fyrehold nobles would be inquisitive about our dragons—Vosgaarde possessed the strongest and mostmighty dragon army, and it was natural for anyone who didn’t work with the creatures to be fascinated by them—it was my relationship with Bren that would keep eyes on us.
The highborn in any kingdom enjoyed gossip, and for a man of my status in Vosgaarde, so close to the king, to keep Bren alongside me in another Kingdom’s society would be a lewd thrill. More entertainment and distraction than scandal. But if the rest of the court held even a fraction of Lady Faye’s fascination with us, it would be our entrée into these circles beyond the king.
But all of that was still to come. This morning—or was it still night?—Bren and I had an important task of whichnoneof those persons should ever be aware.
Holding Bren on that flight felt like the beginning of the end, and I didn’t like it. But when Kgosi wheeled to land in a small clearing a mile from the city walls, my stomach dropped.
I helped Bren maneuver her skirts and get safely down the mounting strap, then dismounted myself.
‘Thank you, Kgosi, we’ll be as quick as we can.’
Then I took Bren’s hand again and began to walk.
When we reached the road, by unspoken agreement, we let go of each other, but still walked close. The dirt ruts were packed hard enough that our heels clipped with every step, but if we were seen now, we were merely travelers on the road.
I sighed and broke the thoughtful silence we’d been enjoying.
“On every mission you’ll be given the names of trusted sources of assistance, and safe houses. Never forget them—we have them placed in every major city and town. And in the event you’re ever forced to flee, you’ll need to know every place between you and the safety of Vosgaarde.
Bren nodded. “Voski gave me the list. I’m memorizing it.”
