Call of the Dragon

by Jessica Drake

  My stomach plummeted. Could that really happen? Horror chilled my blood as I turned to look at Lessie. She’d landed on her wings. How far had we fallen, exactly? Far enough to break bones, to tear membranes? Dragon’s breath, what if I’d damaged her wings? Would she be able to recover?

  “Tsk, tsk,” Aria said from behind me. I turned to see her staring at Lessie, her face a perfect marriage of false sympathy and smugness. “I do hope your poor dragon pulls through. It’s not her fault you decided to ignore protocol and fly her without permission.”

  “No, it’s not,” I said through gritted teeth. Dragon’s balls, the pain in my side was unbearable. It felt as if I’d busted a rib. What the hell had happened to me? Had a bird flown into my side? “If you’ve come to offer your condolences, spare me.”

  “Suit yourself.” Aria shrugged. “Perhaps your dragon will get used to being grounded. After all, she did choose a ground-dweller to be her rider, didn’t she? Maybe the two of you can lead the cavalry together.” She smirked.

  If I hadn’t been in such agony, I would have hauled off and punched Aria right between the eyes. But it was all I could do to stand. “She’ll get better,” I said. “We both will, and we’ll fly again. You’re the one who’s been grounded, Aria, not me.”

  Aria sneered at me. “We’ll see about that.” As she turned away and walked off, she tucked something into her pocket that made my blood go cold.

  No. It can’t be.

  But the pain in my ribs flared bright again, and I knew deep in my bones that I hadn’t imagined it. It wasn’t a bird that had struck my ribs, it was a stone.

  And Aria had fired it from that slingshot.

  16

  “I can’t believe you’ve been suspended,” Rhia seethed. “What happened back there wasn’t your fault!”

  “It absolutely was my fault,” I said tiredly, leaning my head against the cab’s upholstery. “I was the one who got on Lessie’s back and flew her without permission. Everything that happened after that was completely on me.”

  The carriage rumbled over the cobblestone streets, speeding toward the elevators that would take me back down to Zuar City. “That’s not true,” Rhia protested. “You’re not responsible for what Aria did. She almost killed you, Zara! If Lessie hadn’t caught you, hadn’t taken the brunt of the fall, you could have died.”

  “Yes, and I’m the one who put us in that position!” Anger made my words sharp, and Rhia flinched at the vehemence in my voice. “I made myself an easy target, going up there without armor or a saddle. Of course Aria took advantage of that and tried to shoot me out of the sky. I didn’t think the bitch had it in her, but I’ve got to applaud her for having the stones to go through with it. I just wish her hatred wasn’t directed at me.”

  Rhia sighed, and a heavy silence settled over the cab. Anger and sadness mingled in her eyes, and I immediately felt guilty for having yelled at her. After all, she was here by my side, trying to be supportive. I couldn’t say the same about anyone else. Jallis hadn’t even tried to come and see me in the infirmary.

  “I’m sorry,” I finally said, meeting Rhia’s eyes. “I didn’t mean to take my anger out on you.”

  “It’s all right.” Rhia patted my hand. “I understand. I’m surprised you’re not angrier, to be honest. If I’d been suspended for two weeks because my nemesis hit me with a slingshot, I’d be furious.”

  I lifted my right shoulder in a shrug. “It could have been a lot worse, honestly.” I’d only cracked one rib, and though Lessie had injured her wings, she mostly suffered from bruised tendons and a sprain. A mage had been summoned to Dragon’s Table, and he’d managed to heal the both of us for a hefty fee that had been billed to Lord Tavarian.

  I’m sure he’s going to be thrilled about that.

  “You know, my offer is still open,” Rhia said. “You’re more than welcome to come and stay at my family’s estate. My mother has been dying to meet you, and I don’t mind taking the time off. We can both be in exile together.”

  Her eyes twinkled, and I smiled despite myself. “No, it’s fine. Really. I could use the time to catch up on work at the shop. Maybe I can even get a short expedition in.”

  Rhia’s eyes lit up. “If you do, bring me back something.” She leaned her head back against the seat with an envious groan. “I wish I could go with you. You make being suspended sound so cool.”

  I laughed at that. In all honesty, I was lucky the headmaster had allowed me to go back to the city. He would have sent me to Tavarian’s estate, but as it turned out, Tavarian wasn’t in residence. A message had been dispatched to him informing him of the situation, but while I waited, they wanted me off the campus. And the only other place I could go was home.

  “I know it’s horrible, but I’m kind of relieved to go back,” I told Rhia as we pulled up to the elevator station. “As much as I love flying and being with Lessie, I don’t belong up on Dragon’s Table. I’m a ground-dweller, Rhia. I don’t think I can change that.”

  Rhia wrapped her arms around me in a hug. “You don’t need to change, Zara,” she said into my hair. “You just need to keep showing up. That’s the only way you can convince everyone else that you belong at Dragon’s Table.”

  Maybe I’m tired of trying to force other people to accept me as I am, I thought. “I’ll see you soon,” I said, hugging her back. “Do me a favor and steer clear of Aria while I’m gone. I don’t need you getting suspended too.”

  As I rode the series of elevators down to the ground, an ache grew in my chest. It was the pain of separation—I felt it every time I took a trip down to the city—but it was more intense than usual, as I felt Lessie’s grief as well as my own. She’d been beside herself when she’d learned I’d been suspended, and it had taken every ounce of my will to keep her from storming the academy. As it was, I suspected she might have burned the entire stable to the ground if the place hadn’t been spelled to be fire-resistant.

  Maybe I’ll write to Tavarian when I get back to the shop, I mused, and tell him my side of the story. If I’m lucky, he might be able to convince the headmaster to reduce my suspension.

  But Tavarian didn’t answer my letter, and even though Carina was happy to have me back in the shop, I couldn’t bring myself to match her enthusiasm. Business was booming, Brolian was staying out of trouble, and we’d taken on several more orphans as employees, including Tiana and Nate. And yet all I could feel was a distinct sense of failure.

  “Zara,” Carina said, her voice rife with exasperation. “Will you please stop trying to hang that shield on that sword mount?”

  “Huh?” I blinked, then blushed when I realized my mistake. “Sorry,” I muttered, lowering the shield. “I guess I’m really out of it.”

  “You’ve been out of it all week.” Carina whisked the shield away from me before I did something stupid with it. “Zara, I know that this entire situation sucks, but it’s only for two weeks. You’ll be back up there with Lessie in no time.”

  “I know, but I can’t help it.” I scraped a hand through my hair, trying to find the words to describe my mental state. “I didn’t realize how important it was for me to stay close to Lessie, because I’ve never been away from her more than a day or two. But it’s been a week, and the separation is driving me crazy. It feels like I’ve got this gaping hole in my chest, and nothing I do gets rid of the ache.”

  Carina’s expression softened. “I can’t say I understand what that’s like,” she admitted as she put the shield in its proper place. “But I know if Brolian and I were forcibly separated, I’d be heartsick. Still”—she placed her hand on my shoulder—“at least you know Lessie is safe.”

  “True,” I admitted. Even from this distance, the bond was strong enough that I could keep track of her well-being, and I knew she was fine. “I guess I just need a distraction.”

  Carina laughed. “And here I thought looking after the shop would keep you occupied.” But a thoughtful look entered her eyes. “Why don’t you head over
to the Blue Daffodil and see if Portina has any news for you?”

  My eyes flew wide open. “Shit!” In my fog, I’d completely forgotten about the trap I’d set up. “Yeah, I should go by there and see if any messages have been left for me.” Wasn’t I supposed to drop by last weekend? The tips of my ears grew hot with embarrassment. I couldn’t believe I’d left Portina hanging!

  “There’s the Zara I know and love.” Carina slapped me on the back. “You’ve got that spark in your eye again. Now get out there and bring back something good.”

  I gathered my things and rushed out the door, opting to take the rooftops. As I ran across gables and hips, jumped over chimneys and danced around turrets, my heart began to lighten. Neither on the ground nor in the sky, this was where I was most comfortable, most familiar. Racing across the city with the gas lamps twinkling below, the winding streets gleaming like dark rivers.

  The Blue Daffodil was quite busy when I walked in, nearly every table full. The air rang with boisterous laughter and clinking glasses, and I smiled, happy to see the place bustling.

  “Zara!” As usual, Portina spotted me nearly as soon as I walked in. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about our little arrangement!” she exclaimed as she ushered me over to an empty table. “Your mail has been piling up!”

  “Sorry,” I said sheepishly as she sat me down. “Things have been busy at the shop. Have there been a lot of inquiries, then?”

  “A few,” Portina said. “Let me fetch them while I get your ale.”

  Portina disappeared into the crowd and came back a few minutes later with a tankard of ale and three envelopes. I was slightly disappointed to see so few inquiries, but then again, that was by design. Since the piece of heart was such a specialized item, I’d been vague about the description in the hopes that only those who were truly on the lookout for it would bite. Doing it this way made it much easier to sort the wheat from the chaff.

  Leaning back in my chair, I drank my ale and let myself relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the tavern. The alcohol slid down my throat into my stomach, loosening me up, and after a little while, I decided to open the letters. I was too comfortable to get up and drag myself back to the shop, but I was also itching to see if I’d gotten any leads.

  The first was from some upper city bigwig who fancied himself a collector. I dismissed him out of hand, knowing that he was merely looking to add another trophy to show off to his dinner party guests and didn’t have any real idea of the item’s value.

  The second was from Barrington, and I hid a smirk. I wonder what he would say if he knew he was trying to buy the heart from me? Barrington probably did know a bit about the heart and its properties, but as an antiquities shop owner, his interest was purely financial. I rolled my eyes at his ridiculous lowball offer, and moved on.

  The third letter was far more cryptic than the first. It was written in a jagged hand, the pen nib pressed sharply to the paper as if in anger. The author left no name and gave no offer, only demanded a meeting. They told me that in no uncertain terms was I to sell the item to anyone else, lest something unfortunate befall me or one of my friends.

  A chill crawled up my spine, and I gripped the letter tightly. Suddenly, I had the distinct feeling that someone was watching me. Could this letter be from Tavarian? His handwriting was more elegant than this, but it was possible he’d deliberately disguised it. I glanced up, sweeping the room for any sign of a familiar face, and gasped as one stepped right in front of me.

  “Jallis?”

  “Zara.” He sat down in the empty chair across from me, looking guilty and relieved. “I was beginning to worry I wouldn’t find you.”

  “What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped, stuffing the letters into my jacket pocket. The last thing I needed was for him to read them. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the academy?” I glanced at my watch—curfew was in thirty minutes, and students normally weren’t allowed to leave the grounds during school days without written permission.

  Jallis waved an impatient hand. “I don’t care about any of that, Zara. I need to talk to you.”

  “Really?” I mocked, pushing to my feet. “Aren’t you worried about upsetting mommy?” I didn’t know why Jallis had made the trip down, and frankly, I didn’t care. “You should run back home before someone sees you. Wouldn’t want you to get a slap on the wrist.”

  “Zara.” Jallis grabbed my arm as I stalked past him, and spun me around. I pulled back my fist, ready to deck him, but something about the look in his eye gave me pause. “Rhiannon told me everything.”

  His words were like a bucket of ice water dumped straight over my head. “Everything?” I echoed, clenching my hands into fists. What did that even mean?

  “About your childhood, and why you stole the egg.” Jallis’s face softened, and the viselike grip on my arm loosened, becoming more of a caress. “Please, Zara. Sit down for a minute, and let me talk. I want to explain myself.”

  Part of me wanted to yank my arm from his grip and storm out the door. I was angry with Jallis for judging me, angry with Rhia for divulging my secrets to him, angry with myself for getting so worked up. But I was also curious. And curiosity was the one vice I’d never been able to deny.

  “How did you find me?” I asked as I resumed my seat.

  “Your friend, Carina,” Jallis explained. “Rhiannon told me that you’d be at your shop, and I managed to catch her as she was leaving. She wasn’t very happy to see me, but I managed to convince her to tell me where you were.”

  I shook my head. Another traitor. Was there no loyalty among friends? “Fine,” I said. “You’ve got five minutes, and then I’m out of here.”

  Jallis took a deep breath. “First of all, I’m sorry that I didn’t come visit you in the infirmary. I wanted to, but I honestly thought you’d kick me out. And judging by your reaction when I walked in here, I think I was right.”

  “I might have,” I admitted. “But before the mage got there to heal me, I was in pretty bad shape. Aria got me good with that shot.”

  Jallis grimaced. “I still can’t believe she actually went that far. When Rhiannon told me what happened, I was furious.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I never did tell you why I ended our relationship, did I?”

  “No.” I leaned in, suddenly much more interested in the conversation. “Why did you break it off with her?”

  “There were a number of things going wrong,” Jallis said tiredly. “She’s one of the most beautiful girls at the academy, and I was completely infatuated with her. During our first year, I’d do anything and everything to make her happy. But after that honeymoon phase wore off, I started to see the flaws. She’s possessive and demanding, and while I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing in a woman, it was getting to the point where I couldn’t even hang out with my buddies without getting her permission.”

  “Ugh.” I made a face at the thought. If a guy had told me I wasn’t allowed to hang out with my friends or spend my time as I wished, I would have kicked him to the curb. “And you put up with that?”

  Jallis gave a helpless shrug. “Like I said, I was infatuated. And when Aria isn’t being a bitch, she’s really charming. She had me wrapped around her finger. But some of that was wearing off, and I started saying no to her more often, and putting distance between us.

  “Things came to a head at Tavarian’s party—the night we ‘met,’” Jallis said with a small smile. “Aria wanted me to spend all my time with her, of course, but a friend of mine from Caravar was at the party. He was the son of a diplomat my father did business with, and he rarely comes to Elantia, so when I found out he was at the party, I went off to play a few rounds of cards with him. When I came back to find Aria, she’d disappeared.”

  “Uh oh.” A bad feeling was forming in the pit of my stomach. “Did she leave the party?”

  “I thought she had, but her parents were still there. They’d thought she was with me. So I went out to the gardens and found her in th
e hedges, necking with some foreigner from Kindar.” His face went blank. “She looked up at me, her tits hanging out of her dress, and asked if I was enjoying the view.”

  “Oh, Jallis.” The armor on my heart finally cracked, and sympathy came spilling out. “I’m so sorry.”

  He shook his head. “Later on, she told me that she was just trying to make me jealous, to show me what I was missing.” He clenched his jaw. “I thought I had given her everything, but apparently that wasn’t good enough.”

  “No,” I said vehemently, covering his hand with mine. “She wasn’t good enough. Not for you.”

  Jallis gave me a crooked smile. “Look at you. Already trying to make me feel better, when I’m the one who hurt you.”

  I huffed. “I can’t help it. You’re a good guy, Jallis, and Aria dug a knife into your ribs and twisted it for no good reason. Of course I’m angry on your behalf.”

  “I don’t know that I’m that good of a guy,” Jallis said ruefully. “If I was, I wouldn’t have let you walk away that day.” He took my hand in his. “I was wrong to allow my mother to cast doubt on you, but when I found out you’d stolen the egg, all I could think about—”

  He broke off, looking chagrined.

  “I get it,” I said softly. “If I’m so lacking in morals that I have no qualms about stealing a dragon egg, then what’s to say that I might not stab you in the back, just like Aria did?”

  “You have the right of it.” Jallis’s shoulders sagged. “It was wrong of me to assume that, of course, but—"

  “No, it wasn’t.” I laid a hand on top of Jallis’s. “Storybooks like to romanticize thieves, but most of us aren’t good people. We’re selfish and cutthroat, and we cause grief and strife to those we steal from, even when we do it with the best of intentions. That’s why I gave up thieving to become a treasure hunter instead. I was tired of taking, of skulking in the shadows. I wanted to make my mark on the community, to show them that I was capable of being more than just an unwanted street rat.”