Page 38 of The Dragon's Promise

At least Kiki slept. Her paper wings didn’t even twitch as I twisted anxiously in my bed.

Hours passed, and when the first glimmers of light touched the water, I blinked an eye open. In the corner of the room, the Wraith’s pearl was suspended, bathed in shadow. As I rose, it glided to my arm and rested in the crook of my elbow.

I cradled it, brushing my knuckles against the deep crack in its center.

“Is that why you haven’t led me to the Wraith sooner?” I asked the pearl. “You’re lost, like him. Trapped between two worlds, and unable to find your way out.”

The pearl was still.

“I know that Raikama was more powerful, and more capable, and you miss her,” I told it. “But let us come to an understanding: I need you just as much as you need me. If you want to find the Wraith again, you have to help me when I ask. No more games, no more ignoring me. Or else I won’t trust you.”

No answer. Of course.

With a sigh, I rolled the pearl off to a corner of the room. Why should I put my trust in a dragon pearl that was half demon, anyway? I doubted even Raikama had been that foolish.

There was a tray floating beside my door, and I fetched it, hoping Elang had sent new clothes.

He hadn’t.

Nor had he sent the starstroke net, but my promised potion had arrived, bubbling from the open lips of a spiky shell. Underneath was a note, sprawled in basic Kiatan: Drink this.

Curious that I hadn’t heard a messenger come and go, and I’d been awake most of the night.

I raised the shell cautiously to my lips. The potion smelled of sulfur, and it prickled my nostrils.

It smells disgusting, Kiki remarked, flittering over my shoulder.

Her voice startled me. “Well, good morning,” I said. “I thought you were asleep.”

Sleeping is an indulgence, not a necessity, she replied with a yawn. Her nose pinched. Are you really going to drink a concealment potion without asking what it’ll conceal you as?

“Elang told me to.”

What if you turn into a goblin shark or, worse yet, a blobfish? Caution is the creed of the wise, Shiori. Even the pearl agrees with me.

The pearl was pulsing, but I doubted it had anything to do with the potion.

“Something’s not right.” With a frown, I set down the shell, but the pearl continued to pulse.

Then again, maybe we shouldn’t trust you, Kiki was musing to the pearl. Bad enough you’re a dragon heart, but turns out there’s demon in you, too. Wouldn’t surprise me if you killed us in our sleep.

The pearl was silent and unreadable, its lustrous black surface reflecting my bird’s scowl.

“That’s enough, Kiki.” I beckoned her onto my shoulder. “Let’s look for Seryu.”

The problem was, Seryu was nowhere to be found. In fact, the entire castle seemed empty. The turtles guarding the halls had vanished, and the floating bauble lights were dim, casting a leaden sense of gloom over the cavernous halls.

I knocked on Seryu’s doors a third time. “Seryu!”

“He isn’t here,” Elang said, stepping out from behind the shadows. “He left last night.”

I nearly jumped, startled by the half dragon’s unexpected appearance. As usual, he was scowling.

“Seryu wouldn’t leave without telling me.”

Elang ignored my words. “You aren’t very good at following instructions.” His mismatched eyes bored into me. “I told you to drink the potion.”

“Where did Seryu go?”

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