Page 10 of The Flame King's Queen

“Zabriel is sleeping. His breathing is easy.”

“That is wonderful to hear,Ma’len’smate,” the Temple Crone murmurs while bowing her head.

I once asked for the priestesses to call me Isavelle, notMa’len’smate, but they never took to it. I suppose I’ve been called worse things.

Sundra says, “The dragonmaster sends his regrets that he isn’t here to speak withMa’len’sproxy, but he is seeing to the well-being of each of the dragons that entered the ethereal plane.”

“Are the dragons all right?” I ask anxiously.

“My dragon Merrex is in good wing, and the others look well to me, but the dragonmaster is protective of his flare. I will relay to him your orders for the dragonriders.”

All three of them are gazing at me expectantly.Ma’len’sproxy can’t mean me, can it? “My orders?”

Captain Ashton inclines his head. “After the last time he was injured,Ma’lenmade it clear to us that you are his proxy as well as his mate. He trusts you to do what is best for Maledin if something happens to him.”

I feel a lurch of panic at the thought of something happening to Zabriel, but I remind myself that he’s not in danger anymore. “Zabriel never told me. I haven’t thought about any orders. I’ve only been thinking about him.”

Nervously, I glance from Sundra to Ashton to the Temple Crone, wondering what they expect from me. Battle plans? As soon as Zabriel is well enough, we can discuss how we will breach the protective southern barrier and defeat Emmeric so there can finally be peace in Maledin. I can’t begin to imagine how we’d do it without Zabriel. I certainly can’t order any attacks on his behalf.

Just as I start to panic, I remember that if Zabriel were on his feet, he wouldn’t only be thinking about war. There are people who need our attention. Everyone we rescued from the ethereal plane today, my family among them.

I take a moment to gather my thoughts, and then say, “Two things are important right now. We must settle the rescued villagers in the castle until it’s safe for them to go home, and we must find whoever hurt my mate so they can’t hurt him again. The dragonmaster saw Godric furtively speaking with the wingrunner Leibel and the spellbreaker Elysant this morning. Have they been caught?”

Ashton’s expression is grim. “Leibel’s wyvern returned to the eyrie without her rider. The wingrunner has deserted his post, or he’s dead.”

“Elysant has also not returned,” the crone tells us.

I glance at Zabriel’s sleeping form. He may already have killed Leibel and Elysant before he fought his way back to us, but I wish I could be sure.

On Zabriel’s other side, Esmeral lifts her head and blinks sleepily. Esmeral has been permitted to stay with us, partly as a comfort to me as I watch over Zabriel, and partly because of the big doe eyes that she gives anyone who suggests she might want to return to the flare. Esmeral yawns noisily, and then an image forms in my mind, seen through my dragon’s eyes. Zabriel, covered in blood and killing Leibel with the wingrunner’s own halberd. Then my dragon shows me another picture of Elysant fleeing from Zabriel toward a portal.

“Leibel is dead. Esmeral saw my mate kill him. But Elysant fled, and it looks as though she made it out of the ethereal plane. We need to track her down.”

Sundra nods sharply. “I can send scrolls to every town with her description, and the soldiers will be on their guard for her. Meanwhile, the City Guard has been strengthened at every gate, and we have posted more castle guards within the walls. You andMa’lenare safe.”

“Thank you,” I tell her.

“Wingrunner patrols will hunt for Elysant,” says Captain Ashton.

“Elysant may have fled to one of the many sacredHratha’lentemples,” the Temple Crone tells us. “My Temple Mothers will search them.”

“This is good. Thank you. My fellow former Veiled Virgins will remember what it’s like to be strangers in this castle and fearful of the dragons and wyverns in the skies. Will you please ask them to care for the rescued villagers? Santha and Posette will know how best to comfort everyone.” I name the two young women who’ve been working as my lady’s maids.

Sundra bows her head. “Yes, Lady Isavelle.” She hesitates, and then blurts out, “I am—was—Godric’s second. I’m so angry with myself, Lady Isavelle. I should have known that Godric was a traitor. There was no one closer to him than me.”

“Don’t blame yourself. Zabriel trusted him completely.”

She presses her lips together ruefully. “I’m a dragonrider, but I have always worked closely with the foot soldiers. Now that Godric is dead, I will lead the City Guard for now, but I understand if he no longer has faith in my judgment.” Sundra bows her head respectfully and turns away.

The Temple Crone withdraws and goes to stand by my mate’s bedside, but Captain Ashton hesitates before me. He’s dressed in his black and silver wingrunner uniform, and his handsome face is troubled. “Lady Isavelle, I deeply apologize for my actions earlier. I should never have approached you with my personal concerns in the middle of an important mission.”

“I also want Ravenna to come home,” I say softly. “You needn’t apologize for worrying about her. It makes my heart hurt to think how she must be suffering with that monster.”

He inclines his head and stares at the ground. After a moment he says, “I’m grateful that you were able to bring your family home, Lady Isavelle. Every moment spent missing those who should still be here is torment.”

I watch the captain leave with a heavy heart. As soon as Zabriel has his strength back, he’ll do everything he can to end this war once and for all. Until then, the waiting will be painful.

I return to my mate’s side, slipping my hand into his now warm one and holding it tightly as I sit by his side. With my free hand, I gently comb my fingers through the tangles in his long black hair. There’s a small towel and a bowl of water at my elbow, and I gently daub flecks of dried blood from his cheeks and throat.

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