“Are you sending men to hunt down the Dragonborn who escaped?”
Harlow waved his hand. “The city guard will pick her up quickly enough. I need to change tactics. We need to sweep the city.”
Fox’s chest tightened.
“Sir?”
“Every Dragonborn home needs to be searched for books, drawings, and written materials. We can’t keep relying on what we happen to find during arrests. There is an answer somewhere in this city. I’ve already sent men out to make the announcement. The lower city will remain on lockdown until we can search every house.” He looked back at where Eha laid, straining against her binds.
“I will discover your secrets,” he continued. “You will bow to me. I will not let this city fall because of a witch and her magic.” Harlow turned to Fox, and there were tears in his eyes. “Your father died protecting this city. Too many of us have died. We’re so close to finding true peace.”
Fox’s chest ached for the idea. True peace. Though what did that even mean?
“Kings, Fox, you look exhausted,” Harlow said, his eyes suddenly focusing. His hand came up to rest on Fox’s shoulder, the weight of it making Fox stumble. “Go home. You’ve been working nonstop and once the sweeps bring in more materials, there will be plenty more to do. Take the next few days to rest and prepare.”
“Sir, I can?—”
“No, no,” Harlow said, turning away from him, his mind already made up.
Fox looked at Eha, his stomach churning. He felt her pain and anger as his own and he wanted to go to her—soothe her.
“Go,”she said, her voice suddenly hard, and Fox realized he’d taken a step toward her.“I will be fine.”
Fox hated himself for listening—for turning away even as Harlow strode toward the weapon rack and the whip that just last night he’d scrubbed of blood and hung back up.
“Go,”Eha urged again, her thoughts practically pushing against him.
“I’m sorry,”he said, hating how pathetic the words were.
“I know. But there will be an end to this.”
He swallowed and trudged with leaden feet up the stairs and away.
There would be an end. And he had no idea how to make sure it was the end he wanted.
CHAPTER FOUR
SOFIA
Sofia argued for two hours with Micael before he finally agreed to let her, Flor, and Javi speak with the shapeshifters. He noted that at least this way, if the shapeshifter tribe attacked on sight, they’d only lose three allies. She knew he wasn’t joking. Sofia wasn’t sure how Clarita and the others would react to her showing up, but she didn’t think they’d be welcomed with open arms.
“There she is,” Javi said, looking over the lip of the cenote. Flor was carefully making her way up the stairs. It was just after sunrise, the rest of the cenote still sleeping. Micael had thought it better to not mention Sofia’s mission to the others. No one needed false hope after Jacinta and Delio’s failed mission.
When Flor finally crested the cenote and came into view, it became clear why she was running late.
“You can’t bring all of that with us,” Sofia said, eyeing the two daggers and the sharpened walking stick Flor was holding. She also had a bow flung over her back, and Sofia could only assume she had arrows tucked somewhere.
“You said these people might think you massacred the rest of their tribe. I’m not showing up unarmed.”
“We’re showing up on the back of a dragon,” she noted. “I wantthem to see that we’re coming in the name of peace. As much as we can.”
“Peace means nothing if we get an arrow in the neck before we have the chance to speak.”
“Then bring a shield,” Javi said, raising an eyebrow.
She pulled a small hand-carved shield from her back. “I have that, too.”
Sofia shook her head. “One dagger and one shield. I promise, Chalia is prepared to protect us if things take a turn for the worse.”
