"In the restricted archives?" Captain Odinah's voice cut through Hadrick's protests like a blade. "I think not."
"Quickly!" I hissed.
Morek was already in action, scooping up the journals we'd been examining and practically flying to the shelves, sliding them back into place with impressive speed and accuracy. Codric and I grabbed the remaining books, shoving them onto random shelves just as footsteps reached the top of the stairs.
By the time Captain Odinah appeared at the top of the spiral staircase, we were sitting at the tables with innocent expressions and a few of the manuals we had brought along open.
Her cold eyes swept over us. "What are you doing here?"
"Studying, ma'am," I said, proud that my voice remained steady. I wasn't lying. We had been studying. Just not what was implied by the open manuals. "Master Hadrick said we could?—"
"Master Hadrick does not have the authority to grant you access to the library's restricted area." Her gaze could have frozen dragon fire. "You are not supposed to be in the archives. Take your things and get back to your dorms."
"Yes, ma'am," Morek said as we scrambled to our feet. "Sorry about that."
"Go. Now," Odinah commanded, but with a little less venom. Morek's apology had worked, or maybe she just had a soft spot for a handsome guy.
We filed past her, keeping our heads down, but as we descended the stairs, I caught Codric's eye, and he winked at me. "I memorized the names," he mouthed.
Master Hadrick was at his desk, looking distressed. "I'm so sorry, young ones."
"It's fine," I assured him as we passed. "Thank you for allowing us to study in your library."
He smiled and nodded.
We maintained silence until we were back on our floor, safely in Codric's room with the door closed.
"That was intense," Morek said, sinking onto Alar's bed.
I began pacing, energy crackling through me. “Four dragons with a pattern of riders dying suspiciously. That can't be a coincidence."
"The question is, what do we do with this information?" Codric asked. "And how do we get back in there to finish our investigation?"
"First, we need to find out who those dragons are bonded to now," I said. "If the pattern holds, those riders could be in danger."
"Or they could be part of whatever is going on," Morek said.
"I don't get it," Codric said. "Why would they kill their riders? Did they discover something they weren't supposed to? Maybe a dragon rebellion?"
"That's possible." I smoothed my fingers over my ponytail. "Or maybe they were looking for riders who were easy to manipulate or those who sided with whatever those dragons' agenda was."
After all, dragons were just as smart as people, maybe even more, and assuming that they all held the same beliefs and desires was unwise. I would be surprised if they didn't have factions that were unfriendly toward one another.
9
KAILIN
"The dreaming mind casts nets across worlds, catching echoes of distant truths."
—From 'The Dreamer's Path'
By Shaman Erasme Kaine
The Circle of Fate materialized around me with the peculiar clarity that only comes in dreams. The massive standing stones rose from the mountaintop like ancient fingers reaching toward the aurora-painted sky, their surfaces carved with symbols that shifted and writhed in the strange dream-like light. I stood at the center where Saphir had stood during our Fate ceremony, but he wasn't there this time. I was alone.
No, not alone.
Thousands of pilgrims surrounded the circle, their faces turned toward me with expectant expressions. They wore thesame cream and brown camouflage fatigues I'd worn on my own trek up Mount Hope, but their features blurred together, and I couldn't tell them apart. Only their eyes remained sharp and clear—thousands of pairs of eyes, all waiting, all looking at me.
