Page 104 of Of Flames and Fallacies

“Is there something youwantto say?”

“Give him some time. He’ll come around. War and death is hard,” she calls.

I nod, peering down at my hand and where his was moments ago. I’m still wearing his mother’s ring. On my other hand, my middle finger is stained with a dark circle. I clench both hands closed and turn toward Marge.

“Marge…you want to go to the Dragon Lands. But there are dragons and rebels. What makes you think you’ll be safe there?”

She chuckles. “Getting right to the questions today, aren’t we?”

“Howdid you know about that water dragon at the lake?” I press.

“Because dragons have been around for thousands of years. And our elders were responsible for sharing all of that information. Books can be rewritten and destroyed but memories cannot. Words cannot. My grandmother used to tell me about dragons and their riders when I was a young girl.”

“Riders?” I murmur.

“Before the King came into rule, humans and dragons shared this realm equally. Some dragons would bond humans as dragon riders. It’s a mystery as to how dragons chose their bonds, but some used to think it had to do with your blood.”

Blood of power…perhaps that was why it was written in my father’s journal.“Like if you were a Spoiled?”

“Oh, no. I don’t think dragons take to Spoileds very well. In fact, I think if they sensed that you were one, they might try to kill you. They must have some sort of scent or sense to know if you’ve been Spoiled…I’m not exactly sure what the translation is.”

“What do you mean by translation?”

“In the olden days, before the King ruled, there was an ancient tongue. When Aaric came to rule, he burned all of the books and libraries. There are few elders that still whisper of the forgotten language.”

“And you know the language?”

She chuckles, the motion of it shaking in her shoulders. “You sure ask a lot of questions.”

Was I annoying her? Or was she avoiding the question because she was suspicious I might turn her in? By now, I imagine shemust trust me, considering how much she’s shared. At least a little.

“You’re the only one I can talk to,” I whisper. It’s not a full truth, but I have to protect Cole. And now Archie. “How do you know whom to trust?”

She shrugs, her focus still fixed on preparing a salve. “You don’t.”

“Then why are you sharing all this information with me?”

She pauses and turns to me. “Because I trust you, Katerina.”

Our eyes lock, and my heart skips a beat. I try not to smile too hard.

She snorts. “Don’t make me regret that. As I imagine, you must trust me now that you know I haven’t turned you in.”

I dip my head. “Yes, I do.”

“And if you’re asking me all these questions,” she adds.

“Sorry,” I say sheepishly but not seriously.

Since the battle at Blackfell, the camp has buzzed with an extra liveliness from housing the civilians we rescued. Temporarily, anyway, as Cole worked with Carlisle on plans to relocate them. I imagined having extra mouths to feed and people to protect is stressful on Cole. Every time he catches my stare, he disappears or looks away.

I’ve started to wonder if he’s avoiding me.

We are all crowded around the tables for dinner. With this many extra people, we’ve been designated certain meal times and rations. A little girl spins circles near one of the tables with a long branch in her hand. She screeches as she swings the stick back and forth. Every swipe hits the edge of the table or the sideof a tent. My gut drops in horror as she swings it straight into Darian’s calf, who sits at the table taking sip after sip from his flask.

He whips around with a glare and tears the branch from the girl’s grasp.

I spring forward, ready to rescue her. “Darian—”

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