Page 72 of The Fifth Heir

“How quickly?”

“Quickly enough to drown anyone without gills.”

Dragons could hold their breath much longer than humans, but Leander had nowhere to shift. His full Frost form would not fit inside the chamber.

“What happens if you freeze the upper water instead?”

“The heat melts it before it stabilizes.”

“Can you redirect the meltwater toward the lower channels?”

He examined the walls. “Possibly.”

“Torren can delay lighting the third brazier.”

“I need more than a delay.”

“I’ll tell him.”

Leander’s gaze fixed somewhere beyond the connection. “Talia.”

“Yes?”

“If the routes are designed to hinder one another, helping him may prevent me from reaching the gate first.”

The words landed harder because he said them without cruelty.

Every one of them had been raised for this. Trained to win it. Expected to put the crown ahead of the men beside him.

“I know,” I said.

The Frost view blurred.

He had not agreed.

I moved to Storm.

Rafe had activated the third vane. Shadow covered most of his platform now, leaving only a narrow ring of visible stone around his feet.

“Rafe.”

“Talia.” Relief crossed his face before his usual expression returned. “If you’ve found a comfortable observation room, I’m going to be offended.”

“I’m sitting on a stone floor.”

“Better than falling off this platform.”

“Stop the vanes.”

“Then the gate doesn’t open.”

“Your wind is spreading Sebastian’s shadows. He nearly stepped into a hole.”

Rafe glanced at the darkness around him. “His shadows are covering my platform.”

“Yes.”

“So he stops putting out lamps.”