“Tell me what you’re doing here,” Whisper continues. “I may be able to help you and Rakos. Then you could return with me more quickly.”
“How fast can you get a message back to Greenhaven?” Bellamy asks. “How secure would it be?”
Whisper straightens in his chair, as composed as if his odd coughing fit hadn’t happened. “Two days, but I can’t guarantee security. House Dire’s interception is good, and my connections are still limited.”
Better than Bellamy expected. He takes another sip. “I can risk that. Send a message to Greenhaven, telling Audric and Julien not to stop Rakos’s dragon if she attempts to cross the border.”
Whisper stares. “Pardon?”
“That’s how I’m getting back to Silaise,” Bellamy says.
Whisper continues to stare. “Your Highness, on your brother’s behalf, I implore you to reconsider.”
“No,” Bellamy says firmly. “And you can’t stay here to help me either. I need you to personally take another message to Silaise. It’s imperative this information reaches my brothers, and nobody else.”
Whisper clenches his jaw. “Julien entrusted me with your safety.”
Bellamy barely notices him dropping the honorific. “That’s very thoughtful of him, but unnecessary.” He leans over the table and lowers his voice. “Tell my brothers there’s scalestone beneath Sandrelle.”
“That’s impossible,” Whisper says immediately.
It’s nice not to be the one in shock this time. “That’s what I said, but I’m certain of it.”
Whisper exhales, gaze distant and calculating. “Who else knows about this?”
“Nobody. I haven’t even told Rakos.”
Whisper clearly understands the enormity of the revelation. If Draskora loses their monopoly on scalestone, all of Alantha could change. Bellamy doesn’t know what that means, but Audric, Julien, and Mother need to know about it.
“Deliver that information at all costs,” Bellamy says. “Do I need to emphasize the significance?”
“You don’t,” Whisper says, jaw tense with a stubbornness to rival Bellamy’s. “His Highness still asked…”
But Bellamy’s back straightens with new confidence. “My mother hasn’t named a crown prince. Until she does, my brothers and I are all of equal rank. Since Julien is all the way in Greenhaven, and I’m right here…” He raises his tankard in toast. “Consider this an order.”
Whisper blinks, then relaxes. “I was right. You’re not nearly as young as your brothers think you are.”
“Will you do it?”
Whisper smiles. “As you command, Your Highness.”
Bellamy has never pulled rank like this before. It’s kind of thrilling. Not as scary as he thought it would be. “Thanks. Now, before you depart, could you also help me find an armory? I need to purchase a couple of swords…”
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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Rakos
Sitting across the table from Bell feels like strategy meetings in the dragon corps. The cheap inn room is filled with the spoils of Bell’s shopping trip—swords, climbing boots, and gloves. Bell exudes a confidence that wouldn’t be out of place in the corps. He would be a good dragonrider if he had the right dragon.
Or if he rode double with me.
“Tell me more about this Captain Irenka,” Bell says.
Rakos has already described his conversation with Irenka, as well as her offer to help. “She’s competent and effective. If we find her in the lower barracks, she may be able to send Sarka straight to us. Or we can ignore her and climb to the roost on our own.”
Bell leans back in his chair. “How difficult is climbing to the roost?”
