Page 88 of House of Ashes
For now, we remained equal: Silvered Embers, Obsidian Flame, and Lunar Tides against Gilded Skies, Razored Cinders, and Bloodied Talons.
The First Claim had ended in a stalemate. Which meant there would be a Second Claim, and by that time we needed more allies. From now until the Second, it would be a delicate dance of making offers and promises, extracting covenants in return.
I felt movement at my side and glanced over at Kirana. Her chin was nearly resting on my shoulder as she whispered to me.
“We will need to send our own emissary to the Wildlands. I don’t think she was lying about that.”
“Would they not be inclined to back your House, given your parents?” I whispered back. Cratus had been a great Horde leader, and Anjali beloved in the Wildlands…surely that held some sway.
“They don’t care for the Houses or the Law there.” Kirana shifted closer to me, and I saw one of Tyria’s sons, a large dragon dappled in shades of jade and forest green, watching her sidelong. “They are very much the epitome of right of might: only the strongest can lead a Horde. If Yura brings a show of force, they might very well respect her enough to join her.”
I exhaled slowly, the air whistling between my teeth. She was right. We would need emissaries, and our own show of force, if family loyalty had no bearing there.
But even as I considered who we might send, and how soon, Yura had turned back to us all.
“I promise you this,” she said, her voice even despite her disappointment. She stared hard at Elinor and Doric, her gaze sweeping to the Shadowed Stars, and then to Undying Light. “If you back my sister, there will be no mercy when I become Dragonesse. I expect to take Koressis by right of might. Think carefully before you commit to her, because she will not be able to save you from what’s coming.”
When she looked at me, her eyes were so full of hate they seemed flat, a shark’s eyes, something inhuman in her otherwise beautiful face.
I refused to look away. Once, Yura had nearly gotten the better of me, but never again.
But before she could sweep out, her final declaration made, the dragons of the Jade Leaves roared, the sound of their bellowing like stones slamming into my eardrums.
Tyria rested a hand on the head of a young dragon; he was smaller than his brothers, and as he shifted into human form, green scales playing against brown skin, I saw he was one of the youngest, no more than eighteen or so.
He gripped his mother’s hand, then released her, stepping into the Circle. I felt Rhylan tense against me once more, and Kirana’s breath audibly caught on a gasp.
Was Jade Leaves making their own play for the throne? My mind immediately spun into disarray, questioning if we’d completely misinterpreted the playing field, but the dragon was not calm.
His eyes were wild with fury, scales shifting over his skin in patches, only a breath away from exploding back into his draconic form.
“Don’t walk away from us,” he bellowed, pointing at my sister and her mate. Yura slowly turned, and Tidas followed her lead. His gray eyes were dead and cold as he took in the Jade Leaves dragon.
Tyria’s son took a deep breath, his chest heaving. His brothers shifted, all focused on Tidas.
“You come here demanding fealty and the right to might,” the dragon said, voice quivering. “But I am here to demand justice!”
Was it my imagination, or did Kirana let out a low groan? I looked at my friend, my brain still muddy with surprise. She was clutching her stomach like she was in pain.
“I am Jaien of the Jade Leaves.” Jaien wiped his face… wiped away tears. “I was the mate of Loralei of Obsidian Flame.”
Was? I looked up at Rhylan, stone-faced, his tan skin pale.
Jaien took a moment to master himself, drawing in deep gasping breaths, scales running over his skin in broad streaks as though he could hardly hold back the shift…and then he screamed.
“You murdered her!”
I was frozen, locked in place, even as gasps and mutters arose from the other Houses. Doric met Rhylan’s eyes from across the Circle, and there was no surprise in his gaze.
But…Loralei was dead? I remembered her, her heart-shaped face, her older brother’s blue eyes…a fourteen-year-old draga, fresh to the Training Grounds when I was in my final year.
Rhylan had not told me. And it all made sense now…that his entire House, even his Ascendant, would join in this charade and risk death for nothing more than the chance to destroy Tidas.
Not for the throne, nor for wealth, nor power.
Simply for revenge.
Tidas said nothing, but it was his mate who tossed back her hair and stared at Jaien.