by JD Monroe
“You don’t have to clean up for me,” she said.
“I didn’t get to fight, so this will be my contribution,” Virnan said. “Please, go rest.”
“You sound like Velati.”
“He’s lived this long,” he said mildly. “Maybe you should heed his advice.”
Now she was getting lectures from her bodyguards. She nodded. “Thank you, then.”
Leaving Virnan to clean up, she trudged to the cozy corner and knelt on her bedroll. She rooted in her small personal bag to find a small mirror she used for her hair. Horror knotted in her belly at the sight of her reflection. Her left eye was splotched with bright red, as if blood pooled on the white.
Maybe she was weaker than she thought. She watched for a few minutes as the others gathered around the prisoners. This was the aftermath of five of them attacking. There had been thousands of soldiers gathered around the ruined city.
What chance did they have?
“Firsa,” she said, her green eyes wide and dreamy. “My name is Firsa.”
Kaldir would never get used to seeing Marlena’s power unleashed. Their prisoner had gone from defiance to reverence with a simple word.
“And you serve Master Sidran directly?” Marlena asked. The other woman nodded. “What is he planning?”
“We will attack Farath soon,” Firsa said. “Plans are already in motion.”
Kaldir glanced up at Velati, whose face was an icy mask. “What kind of plans?”
Firsa shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Answer him,” Marlena said. A pulse of power radiated from her, raising gooseflesh on Kaldir’s neck. He took a tentative step back from her.
The other woman groaned. “I don’t know. I promise. Master Sidran tells me what I need to know when he is ready for me to know.”
“When will he attack?” Velati asked.
“Soon,” Firsa said.
“Be specific,” Velati said.
She frowned at him. “I really don’t know. Sidran just told us to be ready soon.”
“What about Ironhold?” Kaldir asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t know anything about it.”
He glanced down the ravine. She was out of sight, but Sohaila slept there, with Virnan sitting on the edge of the crate to guard her. The younger man was alert, his eyes constantly moving. “What about Ayla Mara? The Marashti healer he took. Does she live?”
“Yeah. She’s not as good as the one with the fucked-up face,” she said, her lip curling into a sneer. “But she gets the job done.”
Before he realized what he was doing, Kaldir lunged for Firsa. She had hurt Sohaila. No question in his mind. An icy hand grabbed his forearm and pulled him back hard enough to wrench his elbow. “Curb your temper. She’s trying to distract you,” Velati said. “What do you mean, she’s not as good?”
“The one with the scars could turn the white dragons without them losing their minds. She taught the others, but this one can’t bring them down like she could,” Firsa said. “Master Sidran is angry about it.”
“Is he looking for Sohaila? The one with the scars?”
Firsa shook her head. “He said it wasn’t worth the trouble, and that this one would have to do.”
Marlena continued to question Firsa, but more of her answers became I don’t know, even as Marlena pushed her harder. Finally, Velati touched her shoulder gently, preventing another al-Serra situation. “That’s enough,” he said. “We’ll take her with us. Send the others back with the story we discussed.”
She turned her attention back to the other two prisoners, both males. One was Kadirai, and the other was human. She grabbed the Kadirai first, fixing her gaze on him. “Look at me,” she ordered. Already weakened, he lifted his eyes, his jaw going slack. “You tangled with a couple of the Skyshatter dragons who were scavenging nearby. They had Edra scouts, which is what you smelled in your camp. They took a few of you down and ran off, headed for the coast. You chased them for a while but lost them. You looked a while longer before returning. There’s no sign of them. Nothing to worry about.”
The man nodded. His pupils were huge, blacking out his irises. “We looked a while longer before returning,” he repeated, his voice distant and dreamy. “Nothing to worry about.”
“Good,” she said. She sank back on her heels and let out a heavy sigh. Her tattoos glowed bright, pulsing like flickering flames embedded in her skin. She repeated the process with the human prisoner, then glanced back at Velati.
“Get them out of here,” Velati said. Kaldir hauled the Kadirai man to his feet, removing the heavy silver collar from his neck. Both were sluggish, but completely docile. It made his blood boil to watch the dragon transform and fly away with the rider on his back. But Velati had made the right call. If Sidran’s scouts didn’t return with word, he’d send more to find out what had happened.
“So, what now?” Kaldir said to Velati. He turned back to see him gently squeeze Marlena’s shoulder. With her head bowed, she rubbed her temples slowly.
“Put her to sleep and make sure someone keeps watch,” he said quietly. Marlena knelt by Firsa again, speaking quietly to her. As the prisoner slumped, mouth hanging open, Velati returned his attention to Kaldir. “Honestly, the stupid part of me wants to fly in there and find Sidran right now. But that would be a death mission. One of us might get in but we’d never get back out. And someone else would probably take up his mantle.” He shook his head. “At first light, we move out. We’ll send a messenger to Ironhold. The rest of us will return to Farath immediately. Whatever we do, we can’t do it with a dozen dragons that just got their teeth kicked in. Not against those numbers.”
“Agreed,” Kaldir said. His heart thumped. “Can I speak to you alone?”
Velati squeezed Marlena’s arm, and she silently pulled away, giving them the space. It was more symbolic than anything. With dragons’ sensitive hearing, they would need much more distance to actually have privacy. “Yes?” he asked.
“You’re being unnecessarily hard on Sohaila,” he said.
“Am I?” He tilted his head. “Are you sure you’re not being overly indulgent with her?”
His heart thumped. “What do you mean?”
He chuckled. “I’m not an idiot,” he said. “There’s a weight in the way you both look at each other, though never at the same time. I asked her about it before I agreed to bring her out here.”
“I’m not biased,” he said.
The older man rubbed his temples. “I have no place to criticize you for it,” he said. He glanced down the ravine, a faint smile on his lips. “I was ready to risk everything because I believed in her. It was stupid, but it was right in the end.”
“What’s between us is in the past,” Kaldir said. “I do care a great deal for her, but she’s one of the Marashti now. The future holds nothing for us.”
“I wouldn’t be so certain,” Velati said, raising an eyebrow. “Even the Marashti have desires. In any case, don’t let your feelings cloud your judgment. She’s strong, but she’s naïve and stubborn. Have you ever seen one of the Marashti heal themselves to death?”
“No,” he said.
His eyes dimmed. “I have. I’ve seen a lot of terrible things, but watching a holy woman die like that is one of the worst. There’s very little warning, and once it starts, there’s nothing that will bring them back. To say nothing of the poor bastard who has to live with knowing he was the last one she healed. Trust me when I say that is not something you want burned in your memory, Dawnblaze.” He shook his head. “We’re more replaceable than she is. She may not like it, but that’s reality. I’ll hurt her feelings gladly if it keeps her alive.”
“And if it was Marlena dying? That wouldn’t affect your judgment at all?”
Velati grinned, though there was a curl to his lip. The temperature around them dropped, and Kaldir could see his own breath in front of him, proof of the older dragon’s anger. “Dawnblaze, a bit of advice. Don’t talk about things you don
’t comprehend. And do not attempt to pin me in a corner. It would be unwise.”
“Hmm,” Kaldir said. He was quiet for a moment, debating how far he would push the issue. Velati’s eyes narrowed slightly, like he was watching for Kaldir’s next move. The man had a point. Sohaila was certainly wiser, but she was still as stubborn as she was fifty years ago. It would do her no favors for him to protect her from a scolding she had well earned. The sting would fade, but the lesson would linger. Instead, he asked, “What do you need me to do tonight before I rest?”
Velati’s shoulders relaxed, his expression softening. “Write a message to the queen at Ironhold. You know her better than I do. Assign whoever you think is fastest to carry word.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Kaldir said.
Velati nodded to him. Before he walked away, he cleared his throat. “Dawnblaze, as a man, I admire you for standing up for her. I want her to stay safe as well.”
“But?”
“No but,” he said. “As a soldier, I disagree with your perception, but I understand the urge to protect the ones you care for. And I thank you for handling it discreetly.”
“Good night, sir.”
A soft rustle caught his ear, breaking through the hazy half-sleep. His senses awakened all at once. Kaldir sat bolt upright and caught an ankle as its owner stepped past him. Warm energy washed over him. Instinctively, his left hand filled with flame.
“Let go,” a familiar voice whispered. Sohaila shook her foot, and he pulled away, embarrassed. She knelt next to him. Though it was still dark, with the early purple haze of morning creeping over the jagged seam of the chasm above them, she was already dressed to travel. Her hair was twisted into a tight bun, her face partially covered with the veil. Her left eye was stained with blood-spots.
“What are you doing?” he whispered back. Around them, the other Scalebreakers were still sleeping. Toward the opposite end of the chasm, Inshadir sat next to her sleeping partner and kept a silent watch over the camp.
She gestured down to Azeria. He’d slept next to her last night, one hand on her stomach so he would awaken if she had a coughing fit. “Taking care of your partner,” she replied. Kneeling on the stone, she had a small stone basin and a pestle laid out next to her.
Kaldir shifted over and gestured to the folded linen he’d used as a pillow. “Take this.”
He was certain she would protest. But instead, she moved over to kneel on the offered space. Though it was a small gesture, it felt like a huge step. “Thank you. I have to admit I’m not used to sleeping on stone. My body is shouting at me right now.”
“Are you feeling well this morning?” he asked.
Her brow furrowed. “My head hurts like hell. Like…well, like the last autumn festival, when I drank every glass of wine someone handed me.”
He couldn’t help smiling. “I did warn you about the Theszandi wine being so strong.”
“You did,” she said, shaking her head slightly. “I overdid it yesterday.” She sighed. “I hate that he was right.”
“So you’re already up to exhaust yourself again?” he asked. “That seems unwise.”
She shook her head. “I’ve never had to heal this much in my life. Even when I worked in the hospital at Greenspire, I might deal with someone injured like Romek once a week. And that would be the only healing I did all day,” she said. “I rely far too much on raw power, instead of using my knowledge. It’s never been an issue until now.” She emptied several packets of herbs into the basin, then poured water into it, calmly grinding it into a thick paste. “If I’m going to do this, I have to be more efficient.”
After adding a few drops of thick oil, she placed her hand over the mixture and released a tiny spark. Faint green light emanated from the bowl as she stirred it.
“I hope you don’t mind me saying it, but I’m proud of you,” he said. “You’re very good at what you do.”
Her eyes met his. “Proud. That’s an odd choice of words.”
“Impressed? Is that better?”
Her eyes gleamed. He wished she would take off that damned veil and let him see her actually smile. “I’m glad you two are together. She watches out for you.”
He frowned. “She’s a good partner.” The unspoken implication hung in the air between them like smoke. “But we’re not together.”
“Really?” Was that relief he heard? Or was that the sound of Kaldir Dawnblaze being a damned fool?
He shook his head. “Her husband died when the Aesdar attacked Farath. Caught in the crossfire by one of those beams. As soon as the Firestorm put out the call for people to fight, she was there. We worked well together, so she became my partner.” He chuckled. “The day we were officially assigned together, she told me she’d fuck me if it was absolutely necessary to do the job, but she’d be thinking of him the whole time.”
“Ouch,” she murmured.
He chuckled at the memory. He’d been mildly insulted but appreciated her frankness. “She’s intense. I told her that while she was very attractive, it wasn’t necessary for us to bond. We’re partners. Friends, in a rather strange way, but that’s all.”
Averting her eyes, she dipped her fingers into the paste and dabbed it at the base of Azeria’s throat, then painted a stripe of it up to her jawline. “I know it’s not my business, but is there someone back at Ironhold?”
His heart thumped. If she was asking… “Well, since leaving home, I’ve received several letters from the queen’s ten-year-old daughters demanding that I return to teach them to dance the vizaran,” he said. Written in the spindly, shaky letters of young hands, the earnest letters were a rare treasure.
She laughed, then covered her mouth. “You know what I mean.”
“No,” he said. “There’s no one.”
Her eyes lifted to him again. They were wide and solemn. “Never?”
“A few festival nights over the years,” he said. “But never more than a night.”
“Why?”
Kaldir Dawnblaze was many things, but a liar was not one of them. “Because of you.”
She frowned. “Why?”
“Because I never stopped loving you. And everyone I ever met was measured by you. I would lie awake and think about the fact that they weren’t you. An hour of pleasure followed by days of hollow disappointment. What was the point?” He shrugged. “I gave up. It wasn’t fair to anyone else.”
He wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but it wasn’t what he got. Her brow furrowed. “Why would you say that?”
“Because it’s true?”
Her eyes narrowed. “It’s not true. You left,” she said. “Or did you forget that?”
“I left because I loved you,” he said. Was she insane? How could she think that he didn’t love her?
“But—”
Azeria gasped. Her eyes were wild, flitting back and forth between them. “Hurts,” she rasped, struggling to get her hands under her. Kaldir held her up, cradling her close. Her skin was blazing hot.
“I know,” Sohaila said. She gently traced her thumbs along Azeria’s jaw, leaving tiny green trails of medicine. “Can you breathe?”
Azeria’s brow furrowed, and she drew a deep, shuddering breath. She tried to speak, but could only produce a croaking rasp. Her amber eyes widened with fear, and she clutched at her throat.
“Your voice will come back soon,” Sohaila said. “I focused on getting your lungs working again. With how you feel right now, will you be all right to protect Kal—General Dawnblaze back to Farath?”
Azeria looked up at him, then nodded solemnly. She squeezed his arm tightly to punctuate her agreement.
“Good,” Sohaila said. There was a curious expression in her eyes as she gathered her supplies and rose to her feet.
His heart thumped. “Sohaila, wait.”
“Now is not the time,” she said. Her amber gaze swept over him. The tiny thread that had connected them was fraying, on the verge of snapping. “Later.”
With Kaldir�
��s words still ringing in her ears, Sohaila was grateful for the silk veil that covered her scars and her flushed cheeks. I never stopped loving you. Everyone I ever met was measured by you. Every muscle in her body was tense, trembling with nervous energy as she rifled through her crates for more supplies.
He had left her.
When she first heard the divine call, she didn’t want to acknowledge it. There was no denying it, not when she woke from a vivid dream with soft white flowers in her hands, her hair soaked with the sweet-smelling water of the Sacred Well. Still, she thought she could run from destiny as long as she was chasing him.
Even when the queen’s palace healer, Meirin Mara, showed up at her door and asked if she would answer the call, she wanted to deny it. Because of Kaldir Dawnblaze. Because not even the Skymother herself could burn so bright and beautiful as her love for him, a love she thought he shared.
Though she couldn’t pretend forever that she hadn’t been called, she could have rejected it, and she nearly did. She told him she’d stay with him forever. Kaldir said he loved her more than anything in this world. Like an idiot, she believed him, because Kaldir had never lied to her.
And then he left without saying a word, leaving her cold and alone. And if Kaldir Dawnblaze could lie to his beautiful comet, then nothing was certain anymore.
So, what was his game now? Maybe he felt guilty for her captivity, though it had nothing to do with him. Or maybe he’d said those things to make her feel better after getting scolded by Velati.
Everyone I ever met was measured by you.
With jars and bandages piled in her arms, Sohaila hurried to the bedroll where Romek still slept. Velati was already there, crouched next to him with a sad expression on his face. Her heart thumped as she approached. “He’s not….” she murmured. Trying to clear the Kaldir-induced muddle from her mind, she listened for Romek’s heartbeat. There was a strong pulse that was definitely Velati’s. And there was Romek’s, a bit slower and weaker, but still steady.