Page 52 of The Dragon Queen

“Delicate…”

I looked down at my own hands and remembered the way I’d been forced to contort them as I stitched finer and finer items. The older I got it seemed, the smaller stitches were required, almost to make the hand of the seamstress disappear and make it look like the decorations just sprang into existence spontaneously.

“Would the construction of a gyroscope require a great deal of strength?” I asked.

“Not especially.” Roland looked me up and down. “You’ve obviously got an idea. Not sure where you would find workers like that at short notice. Everyone’s down men since the king’s recruiters started offering good coin for soldiering.”

But there were some citizens of the city who could never sign up to serve in the army.

Landingon the keep’s roof was a relief I hadn’t expected to feel. It was familiar, evoked a simple, easier time, though it hadn’t felt like it the first time I came here. I was sliding out of Cloudy’s saddle the minute his claws touched the stones, Glimmer flying down to join me.

“Wait, Pip…” Ged looked around as if to see if we had an audience. “Highness, where the hell are you off to? There’s no tannery at the keep. We buy the leather we need.”

“Strong, resilient, tough enough to deal with the Royal Riders,” I said, taking a step towards the stairs that led down into the keep. “And with nimble fingers that are used to serving meals or cooking, but with less riders in the keep…”

“The serving women?” Ged shook his head. “You want to take women from the keep down to bloody Cheapside?”

“I want to ask them if they’d be interested,” I said. “All the men will be away from the city, and the women…” I paused where I was and Glimmer looked up at me in question. “We need to fill those gaps. I won’t try to force anyone to make leather or help construct gyroscopes, but I think it’s an option we need to look at.”

You do that, Glimmer said.I will go to visit Cynane.

Is that wise?I was moving to stop my dragon without even thinking.A queen doesn’t tolerate another queen in her territory, correct?

I saw then that vision I’d been forced to see, of a queen dragon invading another’s nest. Eggs were crushed and dead dragonlings littered the ground as the females duelled.

This is my territory. She said that with such confidence.Cynane knows this, and we have formed an alliance. While Wyrmpeak contains the only sands fit for hatching eggs, it is neutral territory. Dragons may come and go at will, as long as they have good intentions in their heart.I watched her blink slowly, her focus shifting to Cloudy.I will rise to mate when I am of age. I will bear my own eggs one day. My mother should’ve been the one to teach me about the process, but Zafira has gone.

Where? I wanted to ask.

Cynane is the last queen I can consult with in the flesh, Glimmer continued.I can see the births of so many dragons if I trawl through the memories, but that’s not the same as speaking with a dragon in the flesh.

And with that, she turned and flew down the stairs.

“And where’s the little queen off to?” Ged asked, moving as close as he dared so that if we were discovered we would look like rider and queen, not lovers.

“To talk to Cynane.”

“A broody dragon? Pippin?—!”

“I know.” I held up a hand. “I know. Glimmer seems to think she is in control here because this is her territory.”

It is.We both turned around to see Cloudy climbing to the edge of the keep roof, ready to throw himself off.You look after your mate and I will look after mine.

“Well, it looks like that’s decided,” Ged said, forcing himself to smile. “After you, Highness.”

I wanted to tell him not to use my title, not when we were alone,but we weren’t really. The Royal Riders served the throne, helped keep the king in power, and I would never do that by riding into battle. My job was to stand by Draven’s side and become the queen he needed, so that’s what I would do.

“Highness!”

I hated the way everyone stopped what they were doing as I walked into the keep kitchen. Meat still sizzled in frypans, pots still bubbled furiously as they cooked the evening meal.

“Your Highness,” the head cook said, moving forward and curtseying. “We didn’t know you were coming. Is there something we can do for you?”

“In a way, yes. Ladies, I have a proposal for you.” I glanced around the kitchen. “Some of you. I do not wish to strip key staff from the keep. My assumption is that after so many riders… defected to Harlston.”

“Turned traitor, you mean.” Nancy curled her lip, then spat on the floor. “I’m from Harlston myself, and you wouldn’t see me sneaking out of the keep to go back to that place.”

“With dragon eggs, of all things,” the cook said with a shake of her head. “We have got too many hands to keep busy. What did you have in mind, Highness?”

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