Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
“There’s not a thing we can do to her.” Xaden pockets my patch, and the others slowly agree, four of them with more than a little anger in their eyes.
“Excellent.” Queen Maraya offers the Senarium a smile, then pulls me aside and lowers her voice. “Viscount Tecarus spoke of the deal you made. You truly risked your king’s wrath, your kingdom’s defenses, all to keep my fliers here?”
“Yes.” My stomach clenches. “It was the right thing to do.”
“And in return, you only asked for unfettered access to his library?” She studies me closely, but I hold her gaze.
“It’s the best on the Continent and our best hope for any historical record of how we defeated the venin centuries ago.” And how we can cure them.
“Tell me you didn’t do this for me.” Xaden’s chair creaks against the stone floor.
“I thought we promised never to lie to each other.”
“You endangered yourself—” His tone tightens.
“And I have no regrets.” The sooner he gets it through his head that I’ll do anything in my power to cure him, the easier this will be on both of us.
“Fascinating.” The queen’s smile warms. “But his is not the best. Mine is. I have thousands upon thousands of volumes secured in my summer home, and you are now welcome to any and all of them. I’ll have my steward send you a full catalog, though I warn you, we have yet to come across any such historical record.”
“Thank you.” Hope fills my chest. If I don’t find it, Jesinia will.
She nods once, then heads toward the table, effectively dismissing me.
I quickly take my leave, escaping before King Tauri—or Halden—can appear.
“This discussion isn’t over,” Xaden warns as I rush into the hallway, nearly taking out Rhi and Ridoc in the process.
“But it is for now.” I catch my balance as the door slams behind me. “What are you doing here?” Every second-year in our squad seems to have pushed their way through the guards.
“We were kind of worried they’d haul you behind the school and turn you to ash.” Ridoc rubs his hand over the tattoo of a dragon on the side of his neck.
“I’m fine. Anything we did up until this morning has been pardoned. Did you skip the rest of Battle Brief?”
“There wasn’t much to brief us on, since information is coming in from the border at a trickle. One active combat zone that they know of—” Rhi pauses, her eyes flying wide. “Vi.”
“You will face consequences!” Aetos roars from the left and I pivot, putting myself between him and my friends as he charges down the thick red carpet at us. Anger rises, swift and strong, bringing power rushing to the surface of my skin.
“Not from you she won’t.” Brennan steps through the line of guards directly in front of me and shakes his head.
“You.” Aetos recoils. “This whole time…”
“Me.” Brennan nods, and I move to his side.
“You lost.” My fingers brush the hilt of a dagger at my thigh as I glare up at the man I’d once considered a role model. “You tried to kill us at Athebyne, sent assassins after me in the fall, and even sicced Varrish on me, and I’m still here. You lost. We’re pardoned. We’re here.”
“And yet I’m the one the king appointed to take over as commanding general of Basgiath”—he gestures to the busy hall around us—“so maybe it’s you who has actually lost, Cadet Sorrengail.”
My heart gallops, the edges of my vision turn dark, and I wobble. No. Anyone but him. Anyone. I shake my head as Brennan grasps a fistful of fabric at the back of my uniform, steadying me.
“You’re unfit to sit at her desk,” Brennan snaps.
“But here I am.” He stands a bit taller. “The Senarium may abide by the pardon, but I assure you that you will not get away with altering a stone none of us fully understand—with endangering our kingdom.”
“But here I am,” I reply softly, anger quickly replacing shock. “Your threats are just threats. I’m no longer the scared first-year, unsure if I’d survive Threshing or be capable of wielding.” I take a single step in his direction. “One of my dragons is among the most powerful on the Continent, and the other is the rarest. I didn’t realize it last year or even a few months ago, but I do now: you can’t afford to kill me.”
His face—so like Dain’s—twists into a scowl.
“You can’t afford to lose either of my dragons, let alone my signet, and you sure as Malek can’t afford to lose Lieutenant Riorson’s—or should I call him the Duke of Tyrrendor?” I hold out both arms at my sides, exposing my torso. “Do your worst, but we both know I’m now beyond your reach, General.” Slowly, I let my arms fall.
“Do my worst?” Heaving breaths raise and lower his shoulders as he looks to Brennan, then behind him. “I know exactly where to strike in order to bring you to heel, cadet. Your siblings may be out of my chain of command, but your friends are not.”