I squirmed in my seat, and took my eyes off of her to scan the crowds around us. But as we passed through the final wall,into the central ring of the city—the Crown District—to my surprise, instead of the road clearing as grass appeared, wide rolling lawns patchworked between estate homes and stable buildings, we were suddenly bracketed by dozens of coaches. Flashy, expensive vehicles drawn by snorting, high-stepping horses whose eyes rolled and their pace picked up at the sight of the dragons. I feared some of them might bolt before we were done.
While there was no screaming, well-dressed men and women still hung from the windows of their carriages, gaping at the dragons, and calling to Lady Faye, who preened in response.
It seemed so strange to be paraded into a city that we entered as spies. But that was the nature of this particular mission.
These people knew who and what we were. What they didn’t know, waswhy.
As I watched an open coach roll up next to Kgosi’s right wing and its inhabitants call up to Lady Faye, I wondered how these people would regard us in a few weeks. As new friends? Or outright enemies?
Would we be revealed and imprisoned? Or would we maintain our façade and be heralded by the very people we were investigating?
Apprehension trilled in my stomach.
Akhane did jog then, as if my fizzing nerves had communicated to her.
The Crown District was massive. Many miles wide, and holding more than a dozen estate houses, with the castle reaching for the sky at its northernmost point.
As we approached the impressive structure, it became clear that the twin flags of each turret had been replaced, so each flew one royal banner for Fyrehold, and one flag for Vosgaarde.
An assurance of friendship? Or a balm to soothe us into a false sense of security?
I was scared—and a little excited—to find out.
Eventually, the dragons’ heavy steps crunched on the pebbles of a wide, circular drive that looped in front of the castle then returned back to the road between estates. Many of the nobles had whipped their horses into a run, so they could be at the expansive, castle steps to receive us.
My stomach tightened, churning.
This was it. The beginning. What I’d been working towardssince the day Akhane chose me.
I swallowed hard when Kgosi and Akhane lumbered to a halt at the foot of the castle stairs, which were twice the width of our barn at home.
A spearhead of polite people awaited us. Nobles, servants of the crown, all lined up in two rows that led upwards, directly to the king and queen at the peak.
As we dismounted, a crier called from the top of the stairs, his voice echoing over the land, and through the marble entry behind him.
“The King and Queen of Fyrehold, the crowns and thrones, welcome General Donavyn Arsen to our humble lands, and beg his favor. And we the people exalt the divine ones, Kgosi and Akhane, the Primarch and his mate, and bid you welcome among us!”
What a mouthful.
My cheeks heated as I turned from Akhane’s side and hurried past Kgosi to meet Donavyn at the base of the stairs.
He had offered his hand to Lady Faye, to assist her safely up the steps towards the king and queen, who only saw her front. Which was a good thing, because the layers of herseatwere haphazard, pulled and ripped and looked like nothing more than a bird's nest. She hadn’t torn through all of them, so her undergarments weren’t bared. But her backside looked likesomething had exploded from her, sending the fabric pieces in every direction.
It was very unfortunate. And funny enough that I nervously struggled to keep a straight face as I followed her and Donavyn up the steps.
The servants and Benji stood in a line behind me, all of us waiting as Donavyn greeted the king and queen formally, and introduced each of us.
When it was my turn, Donavyn reached back for my hand and pulled me forward, no doubt relieved to finally let go of Lady Faye.
“Your Majesties, I present Brennan Kearney, my assistant. She helps with Akhane—the grayscale dragon you see on the lawn, who is Kgosi’s mate. Without Brennan’s help we couldn’t have been here so quickly. Kgosi would be greatly disturbed to travel without his mate.”
I’d been told to bow because I was in leathers, so I did—and registered the shock and curiosity on the face of the queen.
But before I could speak, Lady Faye leaned in as if she were a close confidante of the queen. “She’s verycapable.Very skilledwith thebeasts,”she murmured.
The queen smiled at me and nodded, though there was something cold in her eyes. But there wasn’t time to consider what she’d heard in Lady Faye’s words, because the king clapped his hands and everyone turned to face him as he called for all the guests to be offered refreshment and rest so we could prepare for the evening’s welcoming banquetto celebrate the return of our Lady Faye and the arrival of our new friends.
Faye went into paroxysms at that announcement, hurrying—somewhat stiffly—to climb the stairs at the queen’s elbow, jabbering about all the dragon riding she’d done, and how it pleased her to bring us back for the royals.
