Page 161 of House of Ashes

“That’s not…the first time it’s happened.” His voice was low, almost indecipherable. “In Zerhaln, when you fell—all I could see was blood. I didn’t see anything else. I came back to myself when I was on the ground, I think. Everything else was just…gone.”

He pulled me in again, burying his face in my hair. “You did what needed to be done. What I would’ve done if I’d been—fuck. If I hadn’t been useless. Don’t second-guess yourself. Kirana’s still with us, and that’s all that matters. That’s all.”

I slipped an arm around his shoulders and cradled him against me. He rested his head on my chest, cheek warm on sternum, and I stroked his hair like he had done for me before, from the crown of his head and down his back, over and over in a soothing rhythm.

“All right.” I cupped his cheek, holding him closely. “Everything will be fine.”

His lashes brushed my skin as he closed his eyes. We lay curled in silence, the quiet so intense I heard my own heart thumping against him, pounding in my eardrums.

But no matter what I said, if I told him everything would be well a thousand times, I didn’t believe it. This felt like a temporary reprieve.

Like a part of the dream Myst had given me…a little bubble of peace before the world was shattered.

And I was loath to shatter it, though I needed to tell him the things…the terrible things I had remembered. The time for holding back was over.

But with his head pillowed on my breasts, his breathing soft and steady, his arms around my waist…I couldn’t do it right now.

I wanted to preserve this tiny sliver in time for as long as possible.

It lasted an hour, not nearly as long as I’d’ve wanted, but a soft knock on my door roused Rhylan. He sat up, giving me a crooked smile as the door swung open, and Nilsa stepped in and bowed.

“A letter from Lady Elinor has arrived, your highness.” She looked paler than usual, eyes rimmed with red. She gave Rhylan the letter, and left us.

I glanced at the deep blue seal as Rhylan cracked it open, and rested my chin on his shoulder to read the looping handwriting.

“Doric and Elinor are calling for a meeting in the Circle? Tonight?” There was a frown in Rhylan’s mutter, though I couldn’t see his face. “To discuss a ceasefire and potential alliance…with the Shadowed Stars?”

“This smells like another trap. But…” I sighed, draping an arm around his neck and pressing my palm flat against his chest. “Chantrelle must realize they’re too severely outmatched in might to present their case at the Second Claim. Any Court they create has only two Houses. It’s not enough.”

“If we allied long enough to destroy Yura and her ambitions…” Rhylan paused, and without warning, his fingertips erupted into claws, punching right through the parchment.

“Yes. She’s the one who matters now.”

He took several calming breaths until his claws retracted, and smoothed the crumpled letter. “Do we trust them?”

I caught a whiff of peppery violet perfume from the letter. Did I trust Chantrelle not to renege on any agreements we made?

No. Not in the slightest. She was too vindictive, too arrogant.

But after what Yura had done…I would hold to the adage of the old Houses: the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

“Of course we don’t trust them. But we’d be foolish not to consider uniting until Yura is dead. You’re one dragon, Rhylan,” I added softly. “I am the only one left of Silvered Embers. We need these alliances. I have no army, no others of my line to support me. Without more Houses, our Court will fall.”

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, and I kissed a slow trail over his exposed throat. My hair spilled over his chest, obscuring his fresh silver scars.

“Tonight, then. We’re to meet at the Circle before sundown.” He exhaled, lashes fluttering. “I don’t want to leave Kirana, but you’re right. We need dragonbloods. We need armies.”

“That’s my big, strong dragon.” I nipped his earlobe, and managed to pull a more genuine smile from him.

“If I’m the brawn, you’re the brains.” He turned his head, eyes glimmering as our lips met.

I sat up, reluctantly pulling my hands from his warm chest. “I haven’t done too well on that front, but maybe I can make it up to you by securing half the Great Houses of Akalla tonight.”

As much as it galled me to have to play nice with Chantrelle, we needed this tiny speck of hope. It was as deep a need as the air we breathed.

Without hope that we could win, we had nothing.

And if we had nothing—Yura would continue to walk the earth, defying the Laws of the gods, committing atrocities…delving into things better left untouched.

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