Wings of Stone (The Dragons of Ascavar Book 1)

by JD Monroe

  “Is this a request or an order?” he asked evenly.

  “A request,” the queen said mildly.

  His heart pounded. “Then I must respectfully decline. Would you allow me to return at a later date?”

  Her lips quirked. “You wish to go back and be close to her.”

  There was no point in lying. “Yes. I know that it is frowned upon, but—”

  “Then your service will be most valuable at the Gate. Rebuilding will take time, and I will need a capable commander to develop a more effective defensive strategy in the human realm, as well as to carry out our attempts to investigate the source of this attack.” She nodded to him. “Would that suit you?”

  “You aren’t angry?”

  “I have known you for quite a while, Tarek-ahn. And in the nearly forty years I have known you, you have never smiled the way you do when that Vak woman is in your sight.”

  “But she is Vak.”

  The queen simply shrugged. “Who is queen?”

  “You are.”

  “Then do not concern yourself with the gossip of my inferiors,” she said. “Do you accept my offer to oversee Broken Stone Keep?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “Good,” she said. “Then all will be well.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  Gabby’s whole body thrummed with anticipation. When she’d made her daily trip to visit Tarek, the queen’s guards had turned her away. Disappointed, she’d returned to her room only to find Raszila had been waiting and buzzing with excitement.

  “There’s to be a party,” she said. “This is wonderful.”

  “Why is it so wonderful?”

  “That means things are getting back to normal,” Raszila said. “Now, let me do something with that hair.”

  But Gabby wasn’t certain things were going back to normal. The number of armed guards in the citadel had doubled since before the ambush, and there were constant patrols of dragons circling the skies. It didn’t seem that things would return to normal until the Stoneflight had more solid answers on who had attacked them.

  Nonetheless, she allowed Raszila to throw caution to the wind and carry out her master plan of hair, makeup, and clothing for another feast. The servant woman wouldn’t tell her what the occasion was, but insisted that she had to look her very best.

  After what seemed like hours of pampering and primping, Gabby was dressed in a sparkling gown in a dozen shades of blue. Raszila had dusted every inch Gabby would let her get to with fine, shimmering powder. With her hair elaborately braided and woven through a silver headpiece, she looked like a queen herself.

  When one of the queen’s attendants came to escort Gabby to the grand ballroom, Raszila kissed the air on either side of her cheeks, careful not to smudge her handiwork. “Good luck.”

  “Why do I need luck?” Gabby asked, nerves fluttering in her stomach.

  Raszila shrugged. “You’ll be fine.”

  Her nerves hadn’t calmed any by the time she reached the grand ballroom, standing before the heavy curtains with shaky legs. The last time she’d been here, a naked man interrupted the party, the queen lost it, and both the guests of honor got arrested. When it came to parties here, she was zero for one.

  The uniformed guards at the door nodded to her, even giving her a faint smile. She frowned at the unexpected expression, a marked change from the usual cool or even disdainful reception she’d come to expect from the guards. Then she realized she probably looked ungrateful, so she smiled back and gave them her best regal nod.

  After a polite smattering of applause, one of the guards pulled back the heavy blue curtain for her.

  “The queen graciously welcomes Lady Gabrielle efana Maria, friend to the Stoneflight,” the herald announced.

  Friend to the Stoneflight?

  She entered, walking down the central aisle. With hundreds of eyes watching her, she suddenly knew she was going to fall. Don’t trip, she thought. Her gaze went to the queen’s table, where several guests already waited, including the one she’d been wanting to see.

  Tarek stood behind his seat, chest puffed out and arms locked behind his back in a stern position. His golden skin was paler than normal, and his cheeks looked too hollow. But the sight of his smile felt like a warm spotlight tracking her as she walked down the central aisle. A servant helped her up to the dais, where she took the empty seat next to Tarek. “You look lovely,” he murmured. Though he kept his tall posture, he took a step closer to her, so his arm pressed against her back and anchored her.

  Unlike the first feast, Ashariah was announced next. Wearing a filmy purple gown and a thin silver crown, she looked like an entirely different person than the battered Jane Doe Gabby had cared for. As she made a graceful procession around the spiraling stair, she gave Gabby a subtle smile, then nodded to the gathered guests. She took the seat directly to her mother’s right. Finally, the queen entered, wearing a stunning gown of pure white. The music rose to a flourish as she arrived at her plush seat at the center of the dais. She did not sit, but instead raised her glass of dark wine.

  “May we all remember and honor those who have fought bravely for our great city,” she said, her powerful voice ringing through the stone ballroom. “We shall beseech the Skymother’s blessing on those who are wounded. May those who fell in defense of our people be carried swiftly to her side, where they will soar through endless skies.” She raised her glass. “T’oldar!”

  The gathered guests raised their glasses in turned and echoed her in unison. “T’oldar!”

  “Please, sit,” the queen said, though she remained standing. “I wish to honor several who exhibited particular bravery in the ambush upon my city. Varazh, Immila, Nalmarah, and Sharukh, please rise and come forth.”

  Two men and two women in dress uniforms, their armor polished to a mirror shine, rose from the table nearest the dais. They approached the dais in a neat formation. At the queen’s gesture, they turned to face the gathered crowd.

  “Given the responsibility of guarding the gates, these brave souls faced the wrath of the abominations head-on. Despite injury and exhaustion, they worked tirelessly to bring the Vak and the Edra from the city into the shelters below the citadel. Thousands live because of their actions.”

  Two servants approached from either side of the dais, carrying small leather bands with silver medallions. In turn, each of the soldiers presented their left arm, allowing the servant to affix the band over their bare arm.

  “I also ask Commander Alverin of the City Guard and his lieutenants to come forward,” the queen said. Judging by the wide eyes among the guests, Gabby wasn’t the only one surprised to see a trio of humans come forward. “At our command, Commander Alverin mobilized his forces to minimize casualties among the people of Farath. In the initial assault, he lost many soldiers, and we mourn them along with our own.”

  The human man’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he bowed politely to the queen. The two men flanking him bowed in turn. Like the Kadirai soldiers, they were each presented with an armband.

  “Finally, I would recognize one who has been a friend to the Stoneflight,” the queen said. “Her devotion to protecting my daughter equaled that of my trained soldiers, and her keen mind helped us better understand the nature of the enemy as well as to pursue diplomacy. Lady Gabrielle efana Maria is kadizhan, with the respect and honor that accompanies it.”

  There was no medal, but it was probably for the best. Gabby’s entire body trembled as the entirety of the queen’s guests turned toward her and clapped. Some looked skeptical, but others looked impressed.

  “Now, please eat,” the queen said. “It is right to mourn, but it is also right to celebrate those who live. It is right to celebrate that our great city stands and will not be conquered.”

  The music began, and the queen finally took her seat. A happy buzz of conversation filled the room as servants brought out the first course and refilled wine glasses.

  Gabby’s face burned as she turned to Tarek
. “What the hell was that?”

  “She made you kadizhan,” he said. His eyes were wide and surprised, which made two of them.

  “That doesn’t mean anything to me.”

  “It means…it sort of means a little cousin. She has made you equal to a dragon,” he said. He suddenly shook his head, smiling to himself. “She has given you the greatest honor she could possibly give.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you are worthy of it,” he said. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, then let his hand rest on her thigh, caressing gently. “I knew it. Now they do too.”

  Thankfully, the feast was not interrupted by a naked man. As before, they danced, though Tarek politely declined. It was clear that his injuries still caused him a great deal of pain, so he entrusted her to a younger guard who bowed politely and held her hand as if he was afraid he would break it. It was a nice change after being treated like a pariah for the last two weeks.

  When the music ended, most of the dancers returned to their seats to enjoy the dessert that had been brought to their tables. The queen caught Gabby’s arm as she retreated to her seat.

  “Your ma—” Gabby paused, forming the syllables carefully. With a lot of time to kill, she’d been listening and questioning people on bits of language with every chance she got. “Su’ud redahn.”

  The queen’s red lips curved into a genuine smile as she nodded in acknowledgement. “Beautifully said. I rather hope I did not embarrass you with my presentation.”

  “Not at all. Thank you. It’s an honor.”

  “Of course,” the queen said. “I have requested an honor guard to take you home. Should you wish to return in the future, you will be welcome. I hope that the next time you come, you will find my city under more peaceful circumstances.”

  “I hope so too,” Gabby said. “Thank you.”

  The queen gave her a slow nod, then headed toward the stairs to retire for the evening. Many guests still lingered, with dozens dancing and singing loudly with the musicians. But some had begun to trickle out the double doors, and Gabby was ready to join them. As she looked up at the dais, Tarek stood slowly. A faint wince gave away the pain. “Are you ready?”

  “I am very tired,” she said, giving him a chance to save face. “We should go.”

  He nodded gratefully. “I will escort you back. I wouldn’t mind a bit of rest myself.” Despite his exhaustion, he offered his arm, and she rested her hand lightly on it.

  “The queen said you could take me home,” Gabby said as they strolled out of the ballroom and up the moonlight corridor.

  He shook his head. “I will not accompany you right away. I cannot fly just yet.”

  She frowned. “Then who?”

  “Several of the Adamant Guard will accompany you,” he said. “They will be much kinder than on your first trip. They have since secured both sides of the Gate, and will ensure that you arrive home safely.”

  “And what about you?”

  “The queen offered to let me return here permanently,” he said.

  She was silent, her body going cold as they walked in uncomfortable silence. “Well, that’s good, right?”

  “Is it?”

  She paused and looked up at him. His face was unreadable. “Are you messing with me?”

  “No,” he said mildly. “She made the offer.”

  They reached her door, and she pushed it open to find candles already burning courtesy of Raszila. A hot bath had been drawn, filling the room with a pleasant heat. Tarek lingered in the doorway. “Well, what did you tell her?”

  “I told her no,” he said.

  Warmth spread in her chest. “Why?”

  He eased the door shut behind him. “Well, quite a few reasons,” he said. With one hand, he pulled her tight to him, forcing her to look up at him. “There was…” He kissed her, his lips hungry on hers. He broke away for a second. “And I mustn’t forget this.” He kissed her again, his tongue searching and dancing against hers.

  She broke away from him. “You’re coming back for me?”

  He frowned. “Does this displease you?”

  She laughed. “It pleases me very much,” she said.

  “Good,” he said. “I enjoy pleasing you.”

  “Do you?”

  In one single deft motion, he unpinned the carefully arranged fold of fabric over her shoulder and let it fall to the floor. “Indeed,” he said as he plucked the fabric away from her and let his hands roam across her breasts. As a pleasant heat crackled across her skin, she reached for the wide belt and unfastened it, tugging at the fine linen shirt. Her hands brushed across the thick bandages across his back, and he sucked a breath sharply through his teeth.

  “Sorry,” she said, looking up at him.

  “Vazredakh,” he cursed. He gingerly reached to pull his shirt over his head, but winced at the motion.

  “You’re still hurt,” she murmured.

  “Yes,” he said. He sighed heavily. “I am afraid I will be of no use.”

  “Well,” she said, pushing him back gently. Limiting her touch to his shoulders, she nudged him back gently until his legs bumped against the edge of her bed. He eased himself down, putting himself on eye level with her. With her heart thumping, she untied the laces on the front of his trousers and slipped her hand downward. “Does this hurt you?” she asked, stroking him gently.

  His eyelashes fluttered. “Not at all.”

  She tugged the snug fabric away to free him, still caressing the delicate skin slowly. This had never been her favorite thing, but Tarek was different. She knelt in front of him, looking at him pointedly. “Then let me take care of you.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  One Month Later

  She wouldn’t have thought it possible, but in the weeks that passed, Gabby found herself missing the breezy stone citadel and the delicious bread Raszila used to bring her in the morning. And it went without saying that she missed the presence of one certain dragon who had warmed her bed and stolen her heart.

  As promised, the Adamant Guard had carried her home through the Gate. Upon their arrival, the guards on the human world side had taken over and escorted her all the way back to Reno. One of them was a younger man named Shazakh, who looked uncomfortable at the prospect of driving but was pleased to ride in the passenger seat. He was the one who had taken over the responsibility of texting her mother to maintain the illusion of her vacation, and was very proud to show off the Spanish he had learned in the process. Pale-faced, he told her about being sent out for a short leave, only to return and find the posted watch slain. He and one other guard were the only survivors of the attack.

  Shazakh and a female guard named Khazelya had alternated checking in on her once each day. As ordered, they’d left her a phone number to call if she saw or sensed anything suspicious.

  When she returned to work, it was as if nothing had happened. The nurses asked her about her trip to the cabin, then filled her in on their own trip to the beach. In the aftermath of the attack on the hospital, much of the regular staff had taken vacation time to clear their heads. No one seemed to think much of her absence.

  And whatever Shazakh had told her mother, it had worked. When Gabby called her upon returning home, her mother had been bubbling over with excitement to actually hear her voice. Maria had wanted to call, but she knew Gabby wanted some time away and was happy to get her nightly text confirming that she was well. After visiting home and letting her mother cook everything she felt Gabby needed to fatten up, all was well in the Rojas family.

  Things had returned to factory settings, which meant she was alone again. Each evening, Shazakh or Khazelya knocked politely on the door, wearing the oversized bathrobe she now kept on her back patio for them. If she’d ordered dinner out, Khazelya was always ready to eat, but as soon as the Kadirai woman had polished off two-thirds of the food and filled her in on the progress of the rebuilding at the Gates, she said her goodbyes and returned to her post. Each night, Gabby found herself sittin
g on the patio, looking up at the sky for Tarek’s graceful silhouette.

  She worried that he had changed his mind, deciding instead to stay home in Ascavar. And she could hardly blame him. That was where he’d lived most of his life, and his people were there. But that didn’t mean she had to like it. It had meant something that he chose her, and she fervently hoped she wasn’t being a fool by hoping he would still want her.

  She started to wonder if the whole thing was a vivid dream, until an incident about two weeks after her return. Still half-asleep, she knocked a coffee cup out of the cabinet and onto her foot, where it shattered. After unleashing a string of profanity in English, Spanish, and what was probably badly mangled Kadirai, she bent over to find a puddle of blood on the floor and a shard of patterned ceramic sticking out of her badly bruised foot. After cleaning it thoroughly, she took some ibuprofen and headed to work. The rush of the day distracted her, and she didn’t check it again until coming home. But when she peeled off the white gauze, the cut was closed. The skin around it was the healthy pink of a cleanly healed wound. The dark bruise was almost gone. It was impossible, but she had just come from the land of impossible.

  When Shazakh arrived to check on her that evening, she showed him her foot and asked what it meant. His amber eyes narrowed as he inspected it. “This is strange,” he said.

  “You think? What does it mean?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. I would think this would be a good thing. Why are you concerned?”

  “Because this isn’t what humans do,” she said. “Is this because I was in Ascavar? Is there something in the water?”

  He threw his hands up. “Miss Gabrielle, I assure you that I am not hiding anything. I do not know. I would simply be thankful that you are much more durable than before.”

  Her mind didn’t want to let go of it that easily. Her scientific side wanted to know the long-term implications. But neither of her guardians knew the answers, and the one person who might was nowhere to be found.