Page 49 of Crown of Ashes and Awe

Tearloch pressed. “We prefer to remain together while we’re here.”

Ciro’s eyes glittered when he looked back a second time. "The South Wing is better suited for a DeNoy.”

Lennon spoke up. “Why is that? I don’t need anything special.”

“But you would like to keep an eye on our Kivi, and you can do so from there. Unfortunately, there is not room for all your friends in the South Wing.”

Lennon shook her head, even though the man had turned his back again. “I’m sure you’ll understand that I intend to stay with my dragon.”

“Sadly, not possible. Kivi must be kept safe until the celebration. Even now, she is bedding down in a special drakehouse you will be able to see from your room. And I’m sure she will assure you herself that she’s being made comfortable. Of course, she’ll be guarded as closely as if…as if she were my own.”

Griffon had heard enough and stopped, which stopped us all. Ciro took a few more steps, then sighed and returned to us.

Griffon put it bluntly. “If Kivi is in danger, we are leaving.”

The man closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Forgive me. I should have explained. I intend to keep her hidden until the celebration. More dramatic that way. Moire’s prophecy has plagued us for millennia. You’ve ended that plague. And like a people kept in bondage for so long, we want to commemorate our…liberation. Surely you can understand that.”

Griffon wagged his head slowly. “You don’t need us in attendance for that.”

“Oh, but we do! We do! We want to show our gratitude. And we want to celebrate Kivi. Fate chose her to be special among all the DeNoy, and she deserves our veneration, does she not?” He waved away their response as unimportant. “Only a few of us have seen her. The rest of the DeNoy will want to see her with their own eyes. Surely a few days won’t matter, in the end.”

“Yeah, well,” Lennon said, “the endis what everyone is worried about.”

“One day,” Griffon said. “We’ll give you one day.”

Ciro laughed and started down the hall again, waving for us to follow. “We cannot possibly be expected to plan such a festivity in as little as a day. But we can try.”

23

SOMEONE’S NOT RIGHT IN THE HEAD

The center of the castle opened up into a large foyer with stairs leading up in three different directions, north, west, and south. A mob of servants stood waiting for us, and I was relieved to find other living beings in such a cold, lifeless place.

Ciro tried to send Lennon and Griffon up one stairway with a servant to guide them to their new quarters. But they insisted on coming along to see our lodgings, so they would know where to find us. We continued to follow our unsettling and untrustworthy host along the same straight path, now with a few servants in tow. Only when we were close to running out of hallway did he stop and open a door.

He gestured grandly with his arm and ushered us inside a large apartment furnished nearly as well as the Semels’ keep. “This is all yours, Princess.” His gaze found me. “I thought you might appreciate a great deal of privacy, what with…all your men.”

He waited for me to protest. When I held my tongue, he went on.

“When the little woman has been treated for her wounds, she and the horned man will join you. The next room will accommodate your guards and besotted dragon rider. Surely, between the two rooms, you…Tearloch is it? You should find ample space to prepare…”

"Prepare for what?" Tearloch’s hand hovered over the hilt of his sword.

The DeNoy’s expression darkened, but his voice remained light, too light. "I’ve chosen the wrong word. I meant to saytrain. I assume warriors like yourself train continually.”

Griffon’s wings were tucked tightly behind him, but the tension in his posture was impossible to miss. "And what about food?" Griffon asked, his voice low, wary. "How close is the dining hall?"

Ciro chuckled, a dry sound that grated on my nerves. "You’ll have your meals brought to your rooms. No need to wander the halls. And at night, this castle can be... tricky after dark. High-strung guards and…other considerations. Best to stay where you are."

Tearloch's grip tightened on his sword hilt. "Tricky how?"

“The usual," Ciro said, waving a hand as if dismissing the thought. "Old castles have their quirks. Drafts, creaky floors, doors that close on their own, get stuck for no reason. It’s nothing to worry about, as long as you stay put. Besides, after your harrowing fall from the sky and your long journey on foot, you’ll need to recover."

I watched him carefully. Every word came with something unsaid, something darker. "And what happens if we don't stay in our rooms?" I asked, my voice quieter than Tearloch's, but sharper.

Our host’s smile faltered, just for a heartbeat. "I wouldn’t recommend testing the castle’s patience," he said, his tone flat. "Or mine."

Lennon took a step forward, Griffon at her side. "We don’t like being divided. There is room enough here for all of us."

---