Page 57

Chest heaving and heart hammering, I swallow down the next wave of emotion that threatens to drown me. “I love you.”

He skims his knuckles down my cheek. “And I love you. Madly. With every fiber of my being. Too much to let anyone or anything keep us apart for long.”

My heart drops as he turns around and walks away. The others follow.

My sister. My friend. They join Bastian, who is already standing next to Nailah. Though he isn’t going with them, he’s here to help load the dragons with what they’ll need for the journey. That, and to send off my sister.

My stomach cramps at the thought of them braving the dangers ahead. What if they don’t come back? What if I never see them again?

Tanwen extends his foreleg, prompting Sterling to mount. Then the green dragon gives me a knowing look. A very human one. He’s claiming responsibility for Sterling. The two have shared a bond for a long time, and that fact brings me comfort.

Tanwen, Kaida, and Nailah won’t let anything happen to their riders. I project my emotions to the dragons, conveying both my gratitude and concern.

A collective blanket of reassurance washes over me. As if they’re saying, “We’ll be safe, Mother. Stop worrying.”

With a roar that echoes across the palace grounds, Kaida launches into the sky, his dark scales shimmering beneath the waking sun. My pulse stutters as the other dragons follow suit, their powerful wings beating the air.

For a moment, I’m suspended in time, wishing desperately to carve through the heavens with them. To seek answers from the gods and help protect the people I love.

As I watch them disappear into the horizon, a familiar sense of worry sinks its claws into my heart, clenching tight.

Bastian wraps an arm around my shoulders, anxiety flickering in his own eyes. “They’re strong. They’ll figure it out. And they’ll all come back to us unharmed. Have faith, Lark.”

I know his words are just as much for himself as they are for me.

I try to straighten my shoulders. They left, and I’m expected to sit on the throne and serve the kingdom with my imitation of a queen.

I know I need to ready myself to tackle the duties awaiting me, but I’m struck numb by the hollow ache of absence. The void in my heart.

And I don’t see any of that changing until they all return, safe and sound.

The tables in my private sitting room are an ocean of scrolls, papers, reports of alliances, and mundane wedding details that can’t hold my attention. The sun is high in the sky, flooding the space with warm light. I should feel invigorated. Instead, a thousand unattended tasks weigh down on my shoulders like a lead blanket.

For five days, I’ve thrown myself into my duties. Anything to distract myself from the glaring absences in my life.

Words blur together, weaving into a tapestry of scribbles I have no desire to decipher. I rub my temples and will my mind to focus.

Just as I do, a burst of bright energy barges into the room, accompanied by the flicker of a flame sprite.

“Lark! Lark!” Rose bubbles with excitement, her small frame frenetic. “You have to see what Knox is doing.”

I blink, attempting to draw myself back to the present. The guards have given up on trying to keep Rose out, and I can’t say that I mind. No matter how busy I am, spending time with the little girl always lightens my heart.

“What?” With my curiosity piqued, I push aside the burdens of leadership.

She scampers across the room. “Kin can show you. We’ve been practicing.” Rose plops down cross-legged on the chair.

It’s hard not to smile at her enthusiasm. “Show me.”

For a second, I consider if spying on Sterling this way is okay.

Then my concern for his safety—for everyone’s safety—snuffs out any lingering doubts. Five days have passed without an update from them. There’s no way I can say no to Rose’s offer.

With a delighted clap, Rose encourages Kin to expand.

The flame swirls and coils before shaping into a pool of shimmering light. Inside the magical window, vivid images flicker with the fire.

My lungs flatten and reinflate as the view swoops down and centers on Sterling. He’s grappling with the rough terrain alongside Tanwen as they climb a mountain slope.