Shadow of Flame

by Caitlyn McFarland

  Juli’s hand tightened, her nails digging into his skin. “If you touch Kai,” she hissed, “I swear on the Stars you and Ashem are always talking about that I will hurt myself to hurt you.”

  Kavar tightened his grip on her fingers until she yelped and jerked away. He ignored the choking need that rose up inside him as soon as her hand left his flesh. “You’re not the only one here willing to die for your friend.”

  “Who, Owain?” Juli laughed, a cold, hopeless sound. “The three of us deserve each other. We’re all the same, once you get to the inside. Loving enough to kill.”

  Yes. It was easy to see why Ashem loved her. Her control was excellent, but the urges and thoughts and passions she leashed roiled just there. Powerful. Beautiful.

  Kavar took her wrist again. “Set me free.” He pressed need into the statement. Anguish. Suffering. He let Ashem’s face flash through his mind. Relived the pain of his brother’s torture.

  Juli inhaled sharply.

  “Free me, delbar-am.” The endearment fit. One who has stolen my heart. He hesitated, and then against his will, added, “Come with me.”

  Juli jerked her head up. They were already standing so close, it was easy to lower his head just a little more, until their breath mingled and his bound fingers tangled with her free ones.

  Her mind raced. I shouldn’t. I can’t. I love Ashem. I love him.

  He kissed her.

  * * *

  Kavar’s kiss was fierce and rimmed with chaos. Darkness met darkness, their minds folding together in a hurricane of fears and unfulfilled desires, and it seemed they would devour each other.

  A sharp, bright pain lanced through Juli’s mind, a heartbroken “No” and an inaudible, keening cry. She broke from Kavar’s lips with a gasp. His silver eyes were luminous with desire, but he let her go and lifted his eyes, as if he could see through the hundreds of yards of stone that separated them from the summit. “He’s awake.”

  His voice and mind were a storm of too many emotions for Juli to understand. Everything had been hazy since she’d heartsworn. Like a dream in soft focus. But this...she had done this. Ashem. Oh, sweet heaven, Ashem.

  Juli forced herself to back away, to open the door calmly. The sight of Kavar, chained and alone, was like lead in her feet.

  Kavar stood, watching her, and Juli felt his...could it be guilt?

  Kavar sensed the thought. Whatever had made him open up to her a few minutes ago was gone, as if the forbidden contact, brief as it had been, had made them both a little more themselves. “Guilt? I’m not the one who claims to love him.”

  Horrified, Juli darted out of the cell and pulled the door shut behind her. She put the key back on the sleeping guard’s key ring and ran, pulling a barrier over herself so that no one would remember she had passed.

  It took her a long time to reach the top of Eryri. Ashem was waiting for her just out of sight of the guards at the bottom of the stairs that led to the rotunda. His broad back was to her, his arms folded and forehead against the wall as if he were praying.

  Tentatively, Juli reached out.

  “Don’t.”

  The word was quiet, but she felt as if he’d slapped her. She put her hands over her face, sobs ripped from her throat. “I’m doing my best, Ashem. I need him, and I can’t make it stop.”

  Ashem turned to face her and took a breath, as if he would shout, but all that came out was a choked, hoarse sound. “You kissed him. You let him touch you. You wanted him to.” He seemed to crumple against the wall. “Hamsar-am—”

  He didn’t finish the thought out loud, but Juli felt it. Profound betrayal. Ashem had given her everything, and she’d taken half of herself back and given it to Kavar.

  But that wasn’t true. She loved Ashem. What she felt for Kavar was nothing but empty magic.

  She reached for Ashem again, and this time he crushed her to him. She buried her face in his neck, reaching for him with her mind, but he held back. Something dark had wedged itself between them, and Juli couldn’t get him close enough to make it disappear.

  She pulled back far enough to look at his face. He wouldn’t meet her gaze. “I’m sorry. Jāné del-am. Please. Please look at me.”

  He didn’t.

  “I love you.” She stood on tip-toes and pressed a kiss to his lips, but he didn’t kiss her back. Instead, he pushed her gently away. Juli’s heart cracked. Hot tears flooded her eyes.

  “We should go to bed. Tomorrow will come early.” He turned from her and headed up the passage, not stopping to see if she followed.

  Juli hugged herself, gripping the jeweled armband Ashem had given her at their pledging. Sobbing again, she made her way up the passage. Inside her, something beautiful had broken, the pieces of it dissolved in shame. Even if she found the ones that were left and fit them together again, it would never be the same.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The Jade Dragon

  Kai stood in the stone circle next to Rhys, who had taken the form of the crimson dragon. The weather was clear and dragons were thick in the air, swooping around the mountain and skimming the small lake. Several more dragons, most with the long, snake-like bodies of the Lung, surrounded the circle, twining in and out of the standing stones.

  Jiang bowed before Rhys, graceful and precise. Rhys had made an executive decision. Since Jiang was Kai’s bodyguard and his vee was depleted, he was moving her from the Invisible to his own vee.

  Rhys sat back on his haunches, using one of his huge, white claws to slice across the pad of his...paw? Hand? Kai had no idea what they called them. Bright blood the same color as his scales welled from the cut, and he smeared it across either side of Jiang’s muzzle, speaking words in a rumbling language Kai didn’t understand.

  The red blood turned black on Jiang’s scales, but stood out on the headdress of gold chains and pearls draped over her horns and cheeks. When Rhys had finished speaking, Jiang raised her head, and the dragons who had been watching began to disperse.

  “Thank you again, Majesty,” Jiang said. “I can’t express what this means to me.”

  Rhys inclined his head. “It was the only appropriate way to express my gratitude for everything you’ve done.”

  Jiang dipped her head.

  Wiping away sweat and shading her eyes from the sun, Kai looked longingly toward the mountain and the wide archway that led inside and down to the subterranean lake. To her surprise, Juli stood just inside.

  “She looks ill.”

  Kai jumped. Jiang had come to stand beside her, still a dragon. Rhys was speaking to some other dragons Kai didn’t know—she thought they might be the Lung councilmembers.

  “Yeah.” She wondered if she should tell Jiang about Juli and Kavar, now that Jiang was part of the vee. She glanced around and decided there were too many people. “She’s been pretty sick. I’m surprised to see her up.”

  The jade dragon blinked. “If you’d like to speak to her, I’ll go with you. Even here, you shouldn’t be without a guard..”

  “If you want.” Apparently Jiang did, because she followed. When Kai reached the cave, the dragon coiled in on herself and lay down a few paces away.

  “Hey, Jules.”

  Juli’s eyes were narrowed as if she were concentrating. “Shh. I’ve almost got it.”

  Kai raised her eyebrows. “Got what?”

  “Shh!”

  Sighing, Kai sat in the sand to wait, watching her friend. She and Rhys were supposed to leave later in the afternoon, but if Juli was still having problems, they’d have to stay.

  Ten minutes of silence later, a man cleared his throat just behind Kai. She leapt to her feet and whirled. Henry Harrow stood in the deeper shadows of the interior.

  “Oh! Hey, Henry.”

  Jiang looked over, blinked, and went back to wa
tching the dragons in the sky. Juli didn’t react, just stared at nothing with slitted eyes.

  Henry gave her a short bow, touching his fingers to his forehead. “M—Kai.” He stepped closer, dropping his voice. “I’ve come to report.”

  Startled, Kai looked around. The beach was teeming with Wingless and dragons, but at the moment, all eyes were on Rhys. She turned to Henry, feeling like there was a stone in the pit of her stomach. “What did you find?”

  He gave her half a smile. “Morwenna isn’t up to anything that I can see so far. If she gets online at all, it’s to check stocks or do legal research.”

  Kai sighed, not sure whether to be frustrated or relieved. “Thanks.”

  He bowed again. “Of course.” Smiling and flipping hair out of his face, he asked, “So, have you met any of the other Wingless?”

  Kai shrugged. “Sarangerel, just briefly, because she’s on the Council. I haven’t even met the other one. What’s her name?”

  Henry snorted. “Athena. As if anyone on the Council gives either of them the time of day.”

  “Don’t they?” Kai frowned. “I never noticed that anyone disrespects them.”

  “No one respects them, either. Dragons and humans weren’t meant to live together like this. They can’t help but feel superior because of their magic and their long lives. In any case, if you’re interested, most of the Wingless get together every month or so. It’s not a big deal, but it’s a good chance for all of us to connect and talk and whatnot.” He gave Juli a sympathetic glance. “You should bring her. She looks like she could use some cheering up. It is exciting to have Wingless queen.”

  Kai nodded. The idea of hanging out with other Wingless was actually pretty appealing. She wondered if they were all like Henry, who couldn’t stand his mate, or if they were more like Ashem and Juli. Well, pre-Kavar Ashem and Juli.

  “Great!” Henry grabbed Kai’s hand and kissed it before she could react. Then he winked. “I’ll send you a message when—”

  “What are you doing here, Harrow?”

  Henry’s eyes widened. Ashem stood behind him, arms folded, scowling.

  Henry dropped Kai’s hand. “Speaking to the queen, Commander.”

  “Don’t you have some computer you need to be tinkering with?”

  “Ashem?” For the first time, Juli seemed to wake up.

  Henry nodded. “In fact, I do have some work to do.” He gave Kai another bow. “I’ll see you later.”

  “Bye,” Kai murmured as Henry disappeared into the shadows of the cave.

  “Juliet.” Ashem’s voice was quiet and dark. He moved to stand in front of her. With a hesitation Kai didn’t understand, he held out his hand. Juli made a sound like a whimper and threw herself into him. He cradled her, rocking her back and forth like she was a child.

  They separated, but only enough to lean their foreheads together, both eyes closed and brows drawn in what Kai had learned was their “intense silent conversation” expression. Juli clutched Ashem’s shirt so hard her knuckles were white. At one point she shook her head hard. Ashem put his hands on either side of her face, whispered, “You are still mine,” and kissed her so fiercely that Kai looked away.

  A minute later, Juli sat in the sand next to Kai. Ashem walked past them toward the stone circle.

  “What was that about?” Kai murmured.

  Juli pulled her knees up to her chest and put her head them. “I will control this.”

  Kai frowned. Nearly to the stone circle, Ashem shifted in a flash of darkness into the enormous black-scaled dragon. “Rhys.”

  Rhys turned from a sunset-orange Naga. “Commander?”

  “I’ve been speaking to Tane. The members of the Invisible he sent north are making a little progress in figuring out what Owain is doing with humans. I’d like to take two vees of Unsworn and fly to central Asia. I’ve cleared taking them with the council leaders; I only need your permission to go myself.”

  Rhys twisted his head on his long, sinuous neck, looking back at Juli and Kai. His mental voice troubled, he said, “Now?”

  Ashem’s spiked tail lashed the sand. “It’s necessary.”

  Rhys settled his wings. “All right. Find the Unsworn vee commanders and tell them to send their people to pack. You can leave as soon as you’re ready.”

  Juli wavered, as if she might fall. Kai was by her side in an instant, supporting her.

  “Rhys!” she called. He couldn’t let Ashem leave. Not now, when Juli needed him.

  Rhys turned, but Juli gripped Kai’s arm hard enough to bruise.

  “No. Let him go.” She dropped her voice so low even Kai could barely hear it. “He wanted me to go, but he’s afraid taking me too far could...damage me. But it could be that having him leave will let things settle.”

  “Can’t you just make a shield?” Kai whispered as Ashem took off, spraying sand. He headed for the Unsworn vees, which were drilling a little ways out over the water.

  “No,” Juli said. “I’ve never had to, and now it’s too difficult. Right now, though, I’d really like to go back inside. Clearly...” Her voice broke. She tried again. “Clearly I need to lie down. Ashem will come back in a few weeks. I can survive without him.”

  “Jiang!” Kai called. The green dragon rose from the sand. “Hey, can you take Juli up to her rooms? She needs to rest. I’ll stay by Rhys.”

  “Of course, Majesty.” Jiang uncoiled, and Kai helped Juli clamber up.

  “I’ll see you later,” Kai said.

  Juli nodded, fisting her hands in Jiang’s cream-colored mane. She turned to Kai, her eyes narrow. “Don’t put off that trip with Rhys. Go. Today.” She stopped, her brow furrowing, and looked down at Jiang, but then shook herself and continued. “Don’t worry about me. I’m going to help Ffion do her research.”

  “Oh. Um. Okay.”

  Jiang lifted off and the two of them disappeared above the cliffs.

  “Her power is still growing.” Rhys approached from the beach.

  “I know. It worries me.”

  “It can’t be good for her mind,” Rhys said. “I’ll talk to the Derkin and Naga about assigning some of their historians, if I can find a way to do it without raising suspicion.”

  Kai touched his scaled nose. “Thanks.”

  He leaned into her, which nearly knocked Kai over. “So...our trip?”

  Kai thought of Juli, and the misery of Henry Harrow, and of being stuck in a loveless relationship for several thousand years. Her heartbeat kicked up at the thought of being with Rhys, alone. “I guess we’re going.”

  * * *

  Kavar looked up when the door opened. Ashem was gone, and the woman at the door was not Juliet King.

  It was her.

  “Majesty.” Kavar rose onto his knees and pressed the fingers of one bound hand to his forehead, bending at the waist until his head almost brushed the ground. Hatred writhed in a hot, seething mass in his chest. “How may I serve?”

  The woman, tall and slender, her sleek black hair pulled back from her face and decorated with combs of moonstone and carved jade, peered around the cell in disgust. She didn’t give him permission to rise.

  “You’re enjoying your visits with your brother?” she asked, her voice low and melodic.

  Kavar bunched the muscles of his arms, pulling against the chains. Sometimes, when he pulled hard enough, he thought he felt them give.

  Not that it mattered. He would never touch her. Jiang was, after all, his queen.

  “Sit up.”

  Kavar raised his head.

  “Your brother is gone. There’s talk of his heartsworn taking over the questioning.” Though her voice was cool, Jiang’s face was as hard as a mask. “That will be interesting.”

  For a moment, Kavar froze. Then he relaxed, forcing himse
lf to be calm. If he wasn’t calm, Jiang’s Lung magic would pick it up, and she would be suspicious. If Jiang found out, she would kill him outright. And probably Juli. He couldn’t lose all he’d sacrificed because of some random act of fate.

  Kavar smiled, though his heart had gone cold. “Juliet King, isn’t it? She is her own special brand of torture.”

  Jiang watched him through narrowed eyes for a long moment, considering. “She’s quite strong. Shockingly strong, in fact.” She twisted an obsidian ring on her hand, shaped like a slender dragon biting its own tail. “I’m glad this is strong enough to counter her. Earlier, I thought it might not be.”

  Kavar shrugged lazily. “Do you have the cordial?” He’d been wondering if she would come down and give him any. With the cordial, he could resist even Juli’s power.

  Jiang withdrew a small vial from her pocket and tossed it to him. Kavar uncorked it and threw the bitter drink down his throat. His magic surged.

  “Will it be enough to keep you from answering her questions? Or do I finally have an excuse to kill you? She’s pretty. I know that can affect a man.”

  Kavar’s lip curled. “I have never betrayed the king I serve. Unlike some.”

  Jiang laughed. “You are, as always, idealistic. My loyalty is to myself. It’s better to be Owain’s queen than it is to climb the ranks as Rhys’s spy. Owain trusts me. But I don’t trust you. And you haven’t answered my question.”

  He considered that, feeling the power of the potion swell within him. “I can keep Owain’s secrets. And yours.”

  “That’s all I came for.” Jiang rustled toward the door, then paused and looked back at Kavar. “Have you learned your lesson?”

  Kavar raised an eyebrow. “What lesson?”

  She came close to him again. “You may have been Owain’s lieutenant for years, but I’m his queen. If you want to have a place by his side in the future, don’t cross me. If you can keep my secret, I may set you free. I’ll even make it easy for you and frame Morwenna—Kai already thinks she’s the spy. Maybe they’ll ease up on you once they have her.”