One of the riders snickered and whispered just loud enough for Anna to hear, "Oh, how the mighty have fallen."
Someone snorted.
"Shut your holes," the captain snapped. He looked at Moondagger. "Where is Lord Layne now?" he asked.
"When I last saw him, sir, he and Captain d' Rent were in the lower stables. I believe it was their plan to return to the High Keep."
The captain frowned. For a moment, he seemed even more suspicious. Then he shook his head and smiled at her falsely. "So be it. Give your message to me, girl. Then get you and your beast gone. I will deliver it to Terreden."
"Forgive me, sir. I was asked to give word to Captain Terreden directly. A personal matter, sir."
"And what personal matter is that, exactly?"
Moondagger growled. It was a deep, mature sound.
The Tevéss riders started at the noise, their smiles gone, hands going instinctively to their guns. The captain's bronze rose off his haunches. Dagger's eyes were mean moon-slits.
"Easy," Anna said calmly, so that they could see she had things well in hand.
Our time will come.
Dagger settled a bit, but Anna could feel his energy vibrating the air like a high, silent note.
"Calm yourselves," the captain snapped. He patted his dragon low on the neck and whispered something in its ear. Then he glanced at Moondagger, turned back to Anna, and smiled. "Give me your message, girl. I will take it to Captain Terreden. Sara and I are old friends. On my honor, you and she shall have my discretion."
"Forgive me, sir. I cannot disobey my orders. A private matter from her sister—."
"Her sister?" a rider laughed. "You been chasing the Dradón ladies again, Hendo? Need to keep your nasty mitts off the High House's womenfolk."
"For the moment, at least." The pig-nosed rider, Hendo, grinned. He stared at Anna, his nostrils flexing.
"I was unaware Terreden had a sister, girl," the captain said.
"Yes, sir." Anna nodded. "Three sisters, sir. Captain Terreden is a friend of my family. For this reason, I was sent, sir."
"What is your name, girl?" the captain asked.
"Anna Dyer."
Dead silence.
The riders stared at her. All of them. Even the war dragon looked at her for a long moment, something new in its green eyes. The riders looked from her to their captain, who seemed a little taken aback himself. Had she made another mistake? She'd have to get better at this. Moondagger glared at them, his eyes glowing with contempt. He turned his gaze to the pig-nosed Hendo and licked his fangs wickedly.
"Who is your Father, squire?" the captain asked.
Anna's face went warm.
"My father was Erik Dyer," she said.
The captain nodded soberly, as if his suspicions were confirmed. The riders glanced at each other, then back at Anna.
"I knew him well," the captain said. "He commanded the Sun Daggers under the late Lord David. Your mother, she led the White Demons before Terreden."
It was not a question, but Anna answered anyway. "Yes, sir."
The captain nodded. "Your people are fine soldiers, squire. A clan of the highest honor. House Dradón's best riders, by far."
"Thank you, sir," Anna said. "And might I ask your name, sir?"
"I am Stephen Corónd, Captain and Dragon Master of House Tevéss." He spoke as if his name should mean something to Anna. It didn't.
"My honor, sir." Anna said, with a formal bow. "Your name is well-known to my family."
Captain Corónd cleared his throat. "You cannot deliver your message today, dragon squire. Terreden has taken eight of her squads along with eight of ours southwest this morning for maneuvers. They ride for the Hengén Cleft and will meet Lord Oskor as he arrives. They'll be gone at least a week—perhaps more. Your message will have to wait."
Anna nodded calmly.
But her mind raced.
Hengén Cleft. One week. It was critical intelligence, to be sure. Lord Layne had said three days. A week meant they had more time. But even so, if Terreden was gone, then who would deal with these enemy riders and their dragons? Who would release Voidbane? How would Master Khondus's plan move forward? How could they secure the Drádonhold without their dragons? And
why
was the captain telling her this? Could this intelligence be trusted? Or was the captain feeding her bad information because of her slip-up regarding the Pretender King's cannon? Most importantly, if House Dradón's dragons were already gone, then how would they be able to attack Lord Oskor's column before it arrived?
Anna glanced again at the riders' war gear, their guns, their blades, and their armor. A squad of armed riders. A trained war dragon bannered for battle. Blocking the barracks' door.
That cold suspicion that had been lurking in Anna's mind began to crawl up out of the dark. And there was no putting it back.
Moondagger hissed softly.
She
must
see inside the barracks.
"Perhaps, sir." Anna cleared her throat. "I could leave a note on her bunk? For when she returns? That might be—."
Captain Corónd shook his head, still smiling. "Not a good way to communicate a private message, eh, squire? I think it best for you to wait on her return. I am sure the riders of House Dradón would not disturb your missive, but I cannot say the same for these brigands." He smiled broadly with false warmth, cocking his head at his men.
They didn't smile. Hendo stared at her nastily.
"Of course, sir." Anna nodded. "Forgive my intrusion, sir. May I be dismissed?"
"No, you may not."
Moondagger growled.
It took all Anna's willpower not to bolt for the stairs.
Captain Corónd straightened formally. "Allow me to pass on my respects to your family. Your mother, she still serves here in the High Keep?"
There seemed to be more to his question than simple curiosity.
"No, sir," Anna answered. "She resigned her post and returned with my sisters to the family farm after Father's passing."
"I see." He nodded. "Please give her my best wishes. And the same to your sisters, of course."
"Yes, sir."
"Dismissed." He nodded.
Then, almost like it was an afterthought, he smiled with what he must have thought looked like sincerity. "And do not forget to get that animal into harness, squire."
"Yes, sir!" Anna crossed her chest with her fist, returning a fake smile of her own.
Moondagger gave the riders and the captain's war dragon a final growl, then dropped from the parapet.
Anna turned and walked across the terrace, down the steps from which she'd come. As she left, she could feel their eyes on her.
The captain said something that she couldn't hear.
Someone replied.
But it wasn't a joke.
All the laughing was over.
17
M
OONDAGGER SAW HIMSELF
ripping the men and their dragons to pieces. He saw lines of blood spraying bright patterns across stone and steel. He saw the men shriek, holding their hands in front of their faces, their silly weapons useless, their open mouths little caves into which he poured silver-white fire, searing their guts, scorching their flesh, cooking them whole in their funny metal suits. He saw the bronze dragon scream as he sank his fangs into its throat.
A wild delight filled Moondagger's heart.
It was a new sensation.
A violent, righteous bliss.
And it felt
wonderful
.
More than wonderful.
It was as if Moondagger had found his purpose.
To fight and war with Anna in the sky.
And as the burning men jerked and danced their crazy dance, as their dragons sang their howling death songs, Dagger's heart was filled with a savage, ecstatic joy—the kind of joy that touches those who have finally found their reason to live.
He would only have to do one thing.
Our time will come.
He would have to wait.
18
A
NNA WALKED DOWN
the steps,
away from the barracks' terrace.
The moment she was out of the enemies' sight, she ran, leapt down the last stairs, and—instead of continuing down towards the Dragon Steps, the way she'd come up—took a hard left, crossing a short bridge, sprinting down the narrow alley that dead-ended at the service door of the upper barracks' kitchen. She tried the handle. Locked. She looked into the small window at the door's center.
Nothing. Empty and dark.
Half a bell's time before the start of breakfast and the place should've been clattering with cooks and servants and apprentices busy preparing the morning meal. But there wasn't even a scullery boy to be seen.
Moondagger swooped into the alley, angling sideways to fit, wing tips brushing the narrow walls. He landed at Anna's side, a bit awkwardly on account of the confined space, and nudged up against her. Anna smoothed the dragon's head absently. His scales were warm under her hand.
Master Khondus thought that
they
had the advantage of surprise, that House Dradón had the initiative.
Anna looked up the face of the terrace's retaining wall.Above her, she could just see the upper barracks' roof.
She had to get up.
She had to be sure.
Dagger inched a bit closer, gave Anna a gentle head-butt, and spread his wings.
"Soon," Anna said. She kissed the foal's wet nose. "Even the fastest learners don't take a rider, even a training squire, until the end of their second week."
Moondagger stretched his wings wide, their tips bending inward as their ends pushed against the alley's narrow walls.
She shook her head and looked to the top of the wall. "Meet me up there."
19
T
HE MORTAR BETWEEN
the wall blocks was in good shape, but there were still a few familiar cracks Anna could use to climb. In fact, she'd climbed this particular wall often—but she was usually climbing
down
to visit the barracks' kitchen for a clandestine snack.
Moondagger was waiting for her when she scraped herself over the parapet. They were in the upper barracks' rear courtyard. The courtyard was filled with clothes drying on a dozen even lines. Most of the laundry was the blue and white livery of House Dradón, but there were a few pieces of maroon gear belonging to riders of House Tevéss as well. A light breeze stirred the empty uniforms. The morning sky was pink, the sun just set to rise.
Above and to her right, the foundation wall of the eastern stables rose up, huge and indomitable. Above that, she could see the retaining wall of Voidbane's lodge. On her left, a narrow gap between the southern side of the barracks and the retaining wall's parapet led back out to the barracks' front terrace, where she'd just left the Tevéss riders.
Anna heard a dragon roar. It was followed by an impossibly deep response. Moondagger cocked his head at the sound, his eyes wide.
Voidbane.
For some reason, hearing the giant dragon made Anna feel better. Voidbane was there. And, no matter what happened, he was a force to be reckoned with. Dagger pointed his nose at the lodge, sniffing and tasting the air.
"Your sire." Anna patted Dagger's side. "You'll meet him soon."
She walked around the courtyard's perimeter, staying out of sight behind the hanging laundry, working her way up to the barracks' back door. A neat stack of empty tubs sat there. Anna tried the door. Locked. But the shutters of the barracks' rear windows were open. Anna took one of the laundry tubs, flipped it over beneath the window, and stepped onto it. Slowly, she lifted her head so she could peek inside.
She was looking into the barracks' rear utility room. There was no one there. On the right side of the room, shelves ran floor to ceiling, filled with carefully folded blue uniforms. On the left side of the room, lines of neatly arranged brooms, mops, buckets, dusters, rags, and other cleaning supplies hung from well-ordered hooks. The wall directly across from her, opposite the window, was lined with shelves carefully stacked with clay dishes, plates, mugs, pitchers, and bowls. There was a narrow staircase in the near corner to her left that descended into the barracks' kitchen. In the far right corner, a swinging door led into the common room.
Anna pushed at the window. It swung open soundlessly. She jumped to the stone sill, slid herself over, and lowered herself into the room. Moondagger thrust his head into the window, his eyes wide, broad tongue tasting the air.
"Stay here," Anna whispered. "Absolute silence."
Dagger's pinkish nostrils flared, but he made no noise.