Kaida bounds along next to her, having scratched at the door last night to be let into her room around midnight. She was supposed to stay with Mjolnir for the night, and she’s getting too big for the bedroom now, really—but it was nice to have the company while she tried to sleep.
Mjolnir should be waiting for her outside the castle entrance, so that Skylar can arrive at the duel—and the waiting crowds—with her two dragons in tow. Only Mjolnir is allowed in the cage, of course, but Kaida insisted that she be there to watch, so she’ll be up on the dais with the king and queen. Skylar still isn’t sure that Kaida knows what the duel actuallyis, but where else would she go, anyway?
When Skylar gets outside, however, Mjolnir is not there.
She looks up at the pale blue sky.Mjolnir?
There is no answer. Something uncomfortable prickles under her skin. How could he be late for something like this?
One of the guards clears her throat. “Apologies, Your Highness, but we are to take you to the arena without delay.”
Skylar glares at the guard, who winces, backing away with her hands in the air.
Mjolnir?
Still nothing. She looks down at Kaida.Did Mjolnir say anything to you last night? About where he would meet us?
No.The little dragon cocks her head.He should be here.
I know.
He was sleeping when I left him. His snores woke me.
Skylar bites her lip, glancing around again. But she knows he’s not nearby—she can’t feel his presence the way she usually can. What the Vaar is going on? Has helefther?
You will be okay, Skylar, Kaida says confidently. Skylar reaches out to trail her fingers over Kaida’s head, her red-bronze scales growing more vibrant each day.
“Your Highness,” begins another of the guards.
“Fine,” Skylar snaps, stalking off in the direction of the arena. Outwardly, she tries to appear calm, but her insides are writhing. He can’t have left her. He might be bonded to Zryan, first and foremost, but he promised.
Maybe he’ll be waiting for her there. Yes, that’ll be it.
She hears the noise of the crowd before she sees them, laughter and screaming and evenmusic—like they are being entertained as they wait. Of course they are. And Aldric will be out on the streets somewhere, what remains of the troupe doing their best to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Rows and rows of seating come into view, while sunlight and magic glint off the metal bars of the cage. The spectators’ faces blur—there are so many of them. She knows it can’t be the whole city, but that’s what it feels like. There is a ripple of a cheer as those nearest catch sight of her for the first time. She hates them. All of them. Here to cheer, to bet, to watch them kill. How did it all get so toxic? At what point did this come to be seen as anything other than a tragedy?
Bitterness burns her tongue as she looks toward the dais where the king and queen sit, near the entrance of the cage. They watch her as she approaches—but there is still no sign of Mjolnir. Panic clogs her throat and she tries to breathe, to think.
He’ll be here, she tells herself. He’ll come any second now.
There is no sign of the king or queen’s dragons, either. Are they all planning on making some kind of grand entrance to impress the crowds?
Astrid is already there, at the side of the dais, her mother’s armsaround her. Her eyes are a little red, and she wipes a tear from her cheek as she nods at something her mother says. Their final goodbye. Bastet is there, too, in his panther form, his tail swishing as he looks around at the crowd.
The king and queen, seated next to the Custodian and surrounded by the menagerie and a few Dreki, both stand in apparent greeting as Skylar approaches. She scans the line of guards—and frowns. She can’t see Axel. Where the fucking Vaar is he? She’d thought he’d want to be here, to see this.
And then she realizes. There is one other person missing.
Zryan. Zryan isn’t here.
A high-pitched ringing starts up in her head—a warning. Zryan wouldn’t miss this. He shouldn’t beallowedto miss this, even if he doesn’t want to witness it. Unless… Fuck, has he done something stupid, to try to save Astrid?
Astrid is scanning the line of people on the dais. She’s looking for him, too. Whatever he’s done, he’s done without her knowledge.
The Custodian clears his throat. “It is time.”
The witch queen’s sharp gaze finds Skylar, then does a quick scan of the arena. “I see no sign of your other dragon,” she says.
