“How long will it take for Orsa to realize she’s getting better?” I ask as Nipper bounds over to me, jumping up and colliding with my chest so hard that I nearly fall over. I run my hands over her smooth scales, and she nuzzles my cheek like she’s forgotten once again that she’s a dragon, not a kitten.
“A few hours, at the very least,” Azelie admits reluctantly. “But certainly before sundown. She won’t get her chance to order a murdering spree, if that’s what you’re asking.”
I nod and gaze around the ship, determined to make the most of the wait. After all, even if Orsa were cured instantly, going back to Karthia still wouldn’t be possible—we haven’t gotten any closer to figuring out how to stop the metal soldiers.
As the sun climbs higher in the sky, I talk with the mage students who searched the ship for our mystery singer. They had no luck. Icall Simeon and the rest of the students over to one side of the deck, where we toss out ideas for stopping the metal monstrosities: luring them all to a cliff and shoving them into the sea is the only plan we all agree could work. Under water, they wouldn’t be dead, but they wouldn’t be able to do any more harm.
While we try to come up with a way to draw the soldiers to the cliffs, Azelie plays fetch with Nipper, to the irritation of several of Kasmira’s crew bustling about on duty. Some of the Ezorans gather at the rail of their ship to watch, many with smiles or envious looks, and I get the sense that they’d love nothing more than to raid a dragon farm and have their own scaly companions. I wonder if they know about the dragons’ poisonous bites.
Valoria stays at the rail of theParadise, too, watching and waiting for some sign that Azelie’s cure is taking effect on the other ship. Jax tries to draw Valoria away several times, but eventually he gives up, brings her something to eat, and joins her at her post.
Raised voices on the Ezorans’ ship cut short our conversation about whether the metal soldiers would eventually be able to crawl out of the sea.
The sun has half disappeared below the horizon, I realize with a start, putting a hand on my blade as my heart begins to race. Others around me do the same. I thought the Ezorans would wait until evening to attack if our cure didn’t work for them, but maybe they get bored if they haven’t stabbed something for a few hours.
When I glance over to their ship, however, I don’t see anyone with weapons drawn.
Orsa mounts the bridge and quickly walks across to our ship. Alone. I don’t know whether to call that brave or stupid, but I guess I have to admit it makes me respect her. Just a little, though.
Most people on our side lower their blades as Valoria rushes tomeet her. She offers the other leader a hand as Orsa steps onto the deck of theParadise.
But Azelie, it seems, wants nothing to do with this meeting. She disappears belowdecks, looking sickened.
“I’ve come to thank the people who saved my life,” Orsa says stiffly, as though admitting our help was worthwhile causes her pain. “I didn’t believe it was possible, but I’m not coughing nearly as much. And so, perhaps, your story about the metal soldiers is as true as your promise of a cure for the fever.”
“We have a deal, then?” Valoria asks cautiously, clasping Orsa’s hand.
Everyone gathers around them to hear the answer. I have to hold Nipper back by her collar so she doesn’t charge in between them, demanding attention.
“We do. As of today, Karthia and Ezora are allies. We won’t attack or raid, so long as you fulfill your end of the bargain.” Orsa shakes Valoria’s hand, and some of the Ezorans watching from the other ship applaud.
“There’s one other thing I wanted to ask you,” Valoria says hopefully. “Do you suppose your people could help train Karthians to fight?” She glances at me, then back to Orsa, and smiles. “A friend of mine has informed me that your warriors’ skills are without equal, and the things they could show my people would be useful in keeping future threats at bay.”
“We’ll see,” Orsa says. “Once you’ve begun to welcome us into Karthia, perhaps protecting its shores will be in our best interest, too.” She sweeps her gaze over the rest of us, her eyes lingering on Nipper. “Ah. This must be one of the famed Sarralan dragons,” she murmurs, excitement evident in her tone as she moves closer to me. “May I see her?”
“Go right ahead.” I smile grimly. “But I have to warn you, she bites.”
“I’ve heard dragons have incredible magical abilities,” Orsa says as she kneels and pets Nipper’s scales without a moment’s hesitation. There’s a warmth to her eyes that wasn’t there before. “Has yours demonstrated any powers yet? She looks old enough.”
“Not that I’ve noticed.” I shrug. “Unless you count the poisonous bites, the fire breathing, and general trouble-causing?” I shake my head fondly at the dragon, who rolls over shamelessly for more petting.
The Ezoran leader arches her brows. “You haven’t heard her sing yet, then?”
“What?” I wince, not having meant to shout.
Orsa smiles—more of a smirk, really. “In Ezora, we collect knowledge of the world’s most arcane and interesting forms of magic,” she says, raising her voice so others on the ship can hear. “Dragons may be scarce now, but it wasn’t always so. We in Ezora, while we have no dragons of our own, hold the only known scroll ever written on dragonsong.”
Valoria and Jax hurry over to join us. So do Simeon and his students, everyone crowding around us to listen. With Nipper demanding more belly rubs from her, Orsa obliges and continues, “Dragonsong, while often mistaken for the cries of angry spirits, does have one notable use: It may be used to aid a necromancer by momentarily stunning a troublesome spirit, so long as that spirit isn’t already housed in flesh.”
As she goes on to describe different types of sounds dragons can make, including a high, wailing melody, Jax, Simeon, and I exchange stunned glances.
That explains the spirits frozen in place in the Deadlands when I went there with Nipper. It also explains the song Meredy and I kepthearing at night. Nipper must have been trying to protect us when the metal soldiers tried to roam the palace halls.
I shudder. That also means those things were walking around more often than we realized.
Kneeling beside Nipper, I let her put her claws on my shoulders and lick my face, something I rarely do. She coos happily. Just like with Karston, I should have paid more attention to her. Maybe then I would have seen what she could do without the Ezorans telling me. She swishes her tail, whacking me in the head with it and almost making me laugh despite everything.
As I glance up, I catch Valoria beaming at Orsa, clearly grateful for her knowledge. I can’t bring myself to give her any thanks, though. She is, after all, still a murderer, no matter how helpful or pleasant she’s choosing to be right now. Plus, I’m not sure I buy the Ezorans’ claims about once having owned land in Sarral. For all we know, that might be an excuse they made up to try to sweep in and take all the dragons there.
