Page 26 of Crown of Ashes and Awe

“I’ve decided to believe you when you say your friend was turned by the power he took. So, it is the power that is my enemy, not your friend. Besides, I have something on my mind more important than revenge now. Something that has nothing to do with your brother.”

Tearloch’s eyes narrowed further. “Care to elaborate?”

A sigh escaped me when I remembered the way he’d looked at me…just before he called me Yora. It was a pity I wouldn’t have that kiss to remember him by. But then, there wasn’t much chance of me forgetting him anyway.

“Thank you for bringing me this far.” I pressed a small bundle of dragonspice into Sweetie’s hand, then stepped back. In the night, I’d dumped the stash of shattered flowers out of the small, closeable bag and replaced it with the spice.

Sweetie seemed to guess what was inside and inclined his head. “Thank you for saving me from your monsters.”

“Keep that with you.” I winked. “They seemed to like the taste of you.”

He smiled sadly, then scowled at Tearloch, who ignored him.

I faced the brothers. “Good luck. May your brother be whole again.”

Dower hesitated, then nodded in return. “And you.”

Minkin took my hands in hers and squeezed. “May you find what you are looking for.”

I took a deep breath to stave off oncoming emotions and leaned close to whisper in her ear. “You should tell him. He may never catch on unless you do.”

“I’ll think about it. After all, we wouldn’t want to die without him knowing.”

I bit my tongue. I didn’t want to give her false hope. And a lone woman against a millennia-old prophecy didn’t stand much of a chance. But I had to try. I also took comfort in the fact that the Guardian Riders were hunting the blue dragon, so I wasn’t the only one hoping to change our fate…

I gave a final nod to Tearloch…and turned away before he might read the pain on my face. Leaving them made my chest heavy and knotted my stomach. No doubt it was some instinctual response to losing Demius that made me attach myself to them, but I’d learned my lesson. I wouldn’t make that mistake again. When I did carefully choose my “family,” it would only include people who trusted me.

“Come on,” I heard Tearloch say behind me. “She thinks some map in her head will keep her safe…”

He was right. It would.

13

THE QUEEN OF HAGGLE

Ididn’t know what cities might have looked like before theAthrú Ash,thechange back.It had happened over a century ago,when the king and his counsellors concluded that technology was detrimental to our existence. At that point, all traces of it were buried beneath Dragon’s Mountain in the capital city.

The stone and red-mud walls of Sunbasin looked several centuries old, but there were recent structures as well, as if its number of residents had doubled in the past decade or two. Since the sighting of the dragon, the population had likely multiplied again as people from the outlying territories had decided there might be safety in numbers.

Even in the middle of the night, people bumped into one another and seemed surprised that the passages didn’t accommodate everyone as they had a mere eight days before. Finding a safe place to sleep was out of the question, but luckily, I wouldn’t need sleep for another day or two. And the people I needed to find did their work at night…

Apprentices are invisible, Demius told me. Even with my stark colorless hair, most people and magical creatures saw my white robes as a sign that I was not yet worth much, and thus unworthy of their attention. Dusty robes meant I was even less than unworthy. So, Serpent Square was just the place for a nothing like me to skulk around unnoticed.

Wary souls watched me only until I passed, just to be sure I didn't steal something from them. If I robbed the next guy, they wouldn't care. I made eye contact when necessary—to offer assurance that I meant no harm. A nod here and there and I was forgotten.

I was careful not to turn my back on anyone nearby. Rather, I was the one sidling up behind others, listening to conversations, waiting for the mention ofTelemond. It was known by many names—Time, Dragonflight, Star-chaser, etc. I knew it wouldn’t be long before I heard one of them. Those who peddled the stuff would be here. Those who purchased the same were fools to look elsewhere.

With the end so near, the thing most sought, after satisfying hungers, would be finding escape from the terror that had been festering in every heart for eight days now.

And that was where I had value.

I came across two men speaking aboutTimein a round-about way. “Not muchtimeleft.”

“Who knows? Maybe we canbuy more.”

“What a miracle that would be.”

“Don’t need Moire to tell me how much I have. But the price is dear these days.”

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