Page 47 of House of Ashes
“It’s nothing,” I murmured, glancing back at the dragonbloods.
Maristela had received a letter from the Wyvern-Master; she gave him one of her own. I couldn’t hear their conversation, wishing I could read lips as hers moved. Who was the letter for? The Shadowed Stars were a powerful House; had they sent Maristela afield to send secret missives, plotting new alliances?
The pair headed back to the harness, Gaelin shifting beneath it as Maristela buckled the saddle with the same expert quickness Viros had displayed.
I forced myself to focus on what was important, not my bruised heart.
Maristela was a royal princess, though not a true contender during this Interregnum. Instead, she served as a wake-up call.
The sight of her drove home the fact that I could not match the grandeur of her House, not as I was. Nobody would look at me and think of Princess Serafina, the Drakkon’s eldest daughter.
I needed to work harder. We would not make so much as a dent in Yura’s claim as things stood.
Maristela mounted Gaelin, her fingertips lingering on the barbed ruffs on his spine before she settled in. The dragon rushed down the paved causeway with long, smooth leaps, spreading his wings and soaring into the sky.
Soon they were merely a speck again.
I got to my feet, backing away from the brambles. Rhylan followed me back into the forest, one glowing eye still focused on me sidelong.
Lost in thought, trying without success to strangle the jealous serpent coursing through me like poison, Rhylan nearly managed to knock me over when he nudged his scaled snout against my shoulder.
I braced myself, shooting him a sharp look before catching myself.
A Dragonesse would not snap at her mate.
“I wonder who she was sending letters to,” I said, talking mostly to myself. Rhylan showed no interest in shifting to human form.
He grumbled, a series of clicks interspersed with the lower growls.
“I don’t see them allying with Yura. Their Lady would never willingly take second place.” We reached the clearing where Rhylan had landed. He strolled through it, casually crushing saplings underfoot, and knelt by a large, flat rock.
I used it to climb up into the saddle with ease. “Very kind of you.”
He rose on all fours, eyeing the sky. I was growing used to the safety straps; I hooked them quickly, settling myself in place. Gripping the reins, I braced myself for his sudden take-off. “Ready.”
Rhylan didn’t move. He simply looked at the sky, then the treetops.
Did he see something I didn’t? I craned my head, but there was nothing but wilderness around us. A few birds peeped, those brave souls who dared to announce themselves in a dragon’s presence, but all other creatures had made themselves scarce.
I cleared my throat as politely as possible. “Rhylan…I said I’m ready. We should go.”
He raised a forearm, scratching his scaled neck, and still did not move.
I scowled at the back of his head. “Rhylan.”
He heard me damn well, and we both knew it. The dragon finished scratching, shook his head like he was ridding himself of water, then stretched his wings rather luxuriously…while remaining firmly grounded.
This damn dragon. I thought we’d agreed to peace, but if he was going to refuse to shift and pull this nonsense…
I closed my eyes. Counted to five. What did he want?
When I opened them, he was staring at me with one eye.
I smiled as nicely as I could manage under the circumstances, reaching out to pat his scarred back twice. “Really, we should—”
He launched into the sky, flapping wildly to gain altitude. I clung for dear life and held back a shriek.
It wasn’t until we were well away from the village, my entire body still quivering from the madness of his take-off, that I realized he’d only moved once I’d touched him.