Page 89 of Between Fear and Favor

I said nothing, walking over to check on Traekka. The collar had been removed while we waited for the council, but Em was right—she was smaller. Only barely larger than Ryo was, the obsidian shackle had done damage. It was likely she could reverse it with her shadows and more memories, but the idea gnawed at me. I didn’t want her to lose any more than she already had.

The fact the council already had collars for the dragons told me this wasn’t a new idea.

They were afraid.

They were lucky they hadn’t been able to get the collar around Irses’ neck. It had clearly been designed with his much smaller frame in mind; he would have choked to death.

“What if we send them to Elora?” I suggested, waiting for her anger to redirect toward me.

“You’re not seriously considering sending them away, are you?” Em asked, and I felt a tremor beneath our feet.

“Control, dear heart,” I reminded her, and the ground stilled. Squatting beside the sleeping dragon, her shade of sapphire blue appearing black in the low light, I pressed my hand to her neck. Her scales were strangely smooth where the collar had once been, but there was nothing to heal; my divinity wouldn’t latch on to anything.

“They’re frightened. They watched Lux burn down a quarter of the city, and they saw shadows pour from Irses’ mouth. A horse was snatched in the street. What if they were right? What if they took a person?”

Though I hated it, I had to be fair. The council was chosen to represent our people. If they were all terrified, perhaps there was merit in listening to their concerns.

“They wouldn’t do that,” Em said, only the uncertainty bubbling along the bond amongst all her rage told a different story. I stood, turning to face her. She leaned against Irses, looking so tired and so very beautiful. “What if we just close off the Hollow—like it was before? They won’t be afraid if the dragons can’t get out.”

I pondered the idea. It didn’t seem fair. “We both know Irses will not leave your side.” The dragon in question adjusted at his mention. “And Lux can defend us if the Supreme returns before we are ready.”

“You’re going to make me send the rest of them to Elora, aren’t you?” she said, hands limp as she stared down at her feet.

“Do you really think I’m capable of making you do anything you don’t want to do, dear heart?” She didn’t look at me, so I went to her. Taking her hand in mine, I squeezed. “I think this might be the best compromise. This way, Elora doesn’t have to cross the sea.”

The slow breathing of Irses beside us was soothing, and I felt my own heartbeat slow as my breaths matched his.

After a moment, watery blue eyes finally met mine. “I thought the whole point of being king was getting to do whatever you want.”

“That might have been the case before. But we are destined for so much more than that, don’t you think? My father will be remembered as someone who only stoked war. We will be remembered as those who brought peace. Our legacy lies amongst the stars.”

Em only stared, mouth parted. After a long moment, she stepped forward, giving me a wavering smile.

“Tomorrow,” she said, and then she pressed her lips to mine.

Chapter 42

CYRAN

“Dewalt will be pleased oncewe return,” Thyra said, and Elora beamed at the praise. I sighed, knowing what was coming next. As Thyra stepped toward me, I wished she was just a bit shorter. I didn’t like that she looked me directly in the eye as she gave scathing criticism. “But with you, he might decide to take my ax from me. Somehow you have gone backwards, princeling.”

“I didn’t watch my entire family die gruesomely for you to call me princeling,” I retorted with a smile, though I was secretly irked by the critique. Swords were not my preferred method of defense; words and shadows had been more than enough my entire life.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Elora’s wince. I hadn’t meant to engage in macabre humor, but I couldn’t help it sometimes. Ismene’s was the only death I was sorry over, but the fact remained—I was alone. Although, I supposed I did have a niece who was older than I was. Without being raised as an Umbroth, she actually had a chance at being decent.

“Kingling does not have same sound to it,” the warrior woman said, grinning, as she reached forward and adjusted my grip. “Your wrist knows your mind and heart not in agreement.”

“And how can I convince it otherwise? My wrist does not have ears, Mistress Thyra.”

She snorted, and I didn’t allow myself the pleasure of looking for Elora’s reaction. For whatever reason, I took an obscene delight in making her roll her eyes in irritation.

“Desire, kinglet,” Thyra retorted.

“Kinglet? Is this because Mairin called me a piglet? I hardly think that’s fair.” When she grinned, I sighed. “I was hungry, and she was quite fearsome.”

“It sounds better than kingling,” she supplied, though the corners of her lips twitched. “Now, desire is how you trick the wrist.”

“So, I have to want to do this? Sadly, I must admit I do not. Will my wrist know I am a liar?”

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