Page 3 of Court of Lies and Deceit

“Ryat.” Isera’s voice cracks through the room like the strike of a whip. “Stop and think for a moment.”

Draven whirls back around to face her. She is still standing by the bookshelf that he shoved her up against earlier, but she has now brushed her silver tunic down properly again. Her arms are crossed over her chest as she holds Draven’s gaze.

“If you—” Draven begins, fury lacing his voice.

But Isera cuts him off. “Rin Tanaka is in the Ice Palace.”

He jerks back slightly, as if he had completely forgotten that.

“Along with all the other clan leaders,” Isera continues, her voice hard. “We escaped during that ridiculous allegiance ceremony where you were all supposed to renew your oaths of loyalty. Remember?” Her gaze is unwavering as she stares him down. “To get to Tanaka, you would need to fight your way back in through the entire might of the Silver Dragon Clan, along with all seven other clans.”

“Then that is exactly what I will do!”

“And how long will that take? Huh? Can you win a war against the entire world in a matter of hours?”

“She’s right,” Galen interjects before Draven can reply. I still can’t see him, but his voice is soft and gentle. As if he is trying to calm down a feral beast. But there is a hint of sadness in it too. “You know better than anyone how destructive their ice flames are. Selena will be long dead before we can win a battle against the Silver Clan alone. And with all other clans there too, we would never be able to break through and convince Rin to help us before the ice flames have spread through Selena’s entire body.”

Draven looks like someone just ripped his heart out. His mouth works up and down, but no sound makes it out. As if he wants to argue but knows that it is hopeless. The sight of it makes me want to wrap my arms around him and never let go. But I can’t even push myself up from the table.

“There is another option,” Lyra suddenly says into the ringing silence.

Everyone snaps their gaze towards her. I wish I could turn my head to look at her too, but the freezing, searing pain in my back is making it difficult to even cling on to consciousness.

The dragon shifter doctor finally seems to notice that, because he snatches a vial from one of the shelves and hurries towards me. A faintpopsounds as he pulls out the stopper.

“This will help with the pain,” he whispers as he brings it to my lips. Helping me tilt my head, he pours the reddish-brown liquid into my mouth.

I swallow, wincing at the bitter taste.

Draven, who was watching the doctor like a hawk, at last shifts his attention back to Lyra and demands, “What other option?”

“Yes, what other option?” Galen cuts in. “The Orange Clan is the only one who has healing magic, so there…” He trails off, and he sounds completely stunned as he finally blurts out, “Wait. Don’t tell me you’re about to suggest what I think you’re about to suggest.”

Glass bottles clink as the doctor hurries over to another shelf and rifles through it. It makes Draven focus on him again, a fact that surprises the doctor enough that he almost jumps when he turns back around and finds Draven’s sharp eyes on him.

Holding up a small green bottle, he explains, “This is like… liquid food. But twenty times stronger. It will give her body a burst of energy to help it heal the damage from the shard faster.” His gaze darts to me. “So that she will be able to talk without coughing up blood.”

“Then give it to her,” Draven snaps. “Fast.” His eyes, so full of pain, linger on me for a moment longer before he turns back to Galen and Lyra. “Stop speaking in riddles and just spit it out.”

“Remember that skirmish outside the Unseelie Court five years ago?” Lyra begins. But she doesn’t wait for them to reply, she simply continues speaking in a hurried voice. “After theyhad dragged their people back in through the wards, I watched a woman heal them right there on the grass. Watched her heal serious wounds that are beyond the capabilities of a normal doctor.”

Draven goes unnaturally still. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that there is a fae with healing magic in the Unseelie Court.”

Shocked silence descends on the brightly lit room for a few seconds. The doctor ignores them all as he instead gently tilts my head again and brings the bottle to my lips before pouring pale green liquid into my mouth. I swallow it quickly, coughing again when a few drops hit my windpipe instead. But at least this potion tastes much better than the last did.

The sound of my coughing shatters the stunned silence, and Draven lurches into motion. Closing the final distance to the table, he very carefully moves my body and then picks me up without touching the wound in my back.

“Then we’re going to the Unseelie Court,” he declares.

His incredible scent of night mist and embers envelops me as he cradles me in his arms. My heart almost shatters at the way he is holding me. Like I’m the most precious thing in this world.

Leaning down, he brushes his lips over my forehead in a soft kiss and once more promises, “You’re going to be okay.”

Now that Draven is holding me, I can finally see Galen and Lyra for the first time since falling off Draven’s back earlier. Lyra looks cautiously hopeful, her orange eyes lingering on my face for a moment before she looks back up at Draven. Next to her, Galen is watching me with violet eyes that are filled with worry. He drags a hand through his blond hair as he shifts his gaze back up to Draven.

“The Unseelie King has never let a dragon shifter through his wards,” Galen says carefully.

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