Page 33 of Court of Secrets and Flames

His lips twitch. “Indeed.” He yawns again, then saunters toward a dusty table. “I’m just going to have a seat for a bit.”

“Rough night?” Though I hardly know this man, I can’t keep the teasing tone from my voice. There’s something about his youthful face and kind brown eyes that put me at ease.

He quirks a brow. “Rough morning. The prince had me up early doing drills.”

He doesn’t elaborate, instead crossing his arms and shutting his eyes.

I step farther into the cavernous room with a mixture of awe and trepidation.

Though I’m confused as to why Jasper granted me permission, I intend to capitalize on the advantage that unfettered access to the kingdom’s secrets could provide.

The king’s archives hold all the histories, surveys, even correspondences and journals of past monarchs. Normally, those would be under the watchful eye of an archivist. Except no such person is in this room to act as protector.

Cobwebs cling to the spines of ancient tomes, and I wipe a layer of dust from a nearby shelf with a grimace. It’s clear that this once-great library has been left to languish, its secrets long forgotten by those who should have cherished them. Inspecting the books, I can tell they’ve been shelved without any sense of order. Diaries mixed with genealogy, next to treatises on herbology, stored between historical battle documents.

All this information, yet no way to make use of what I find until I can sort the chaos.

Leaving the rows of shelves, I search for a catalog. Some way to make sense of all the information I’m surrounded by. There are tables placed every dozen paces or so, but none with anything resembling a categorical system.

“Are you hunting for something specific?” I startle, finding Blair behind me.

“Not exactly. I’d like to learn more about Tirene.” I inspect a book with a beautiful red leather cover that strikes my fancy, only to realize it’s about gardening. Interesting, but not quite what I’m searching for. “And I want to expand my training. I was hoping there might be a book on dragonriding. Maybe even a book about dragoncallers.”

I leave out my desire for anything that might give me information on how to escape Tirene.

“Hmm.” He inspects a few covers, then shakes his head. “I don’t know where to begin. But if I keep sitting there, I’m going to fall asleep. So I’ll start searching on the opposite end, and we can meet in the middle.”

My eyelids burn, but I blink back the moisture. He could treat me like an outsider or with indifference, but he’s actually been kind. I don’t know what the prince told Blair and Agnar about me or if they’ve treated me with courtesy of their own accord, but a small chunk of the ice in my heart from Knox’s betrayal thaws.

As I continue my investigation, I feel the dragons awakening, their hunger seeping into my mind like tendrils of smoke. The sensation ignites my own magical abilities, and tiny flames dance around my fingers, threatening to devour me.

With a deep breath, I push down the feelings that are not my own. My newfound connection to the dragons is both a gift and a curse, one I need to learn to control before it consumes me.

Blair’s gaze flickers between my face and the sparks at my fingertips. “Are you all right?”

Curling my fingers tight, I take care to keep them away from anything flammable until I can get my magic under control again. “Just fine.”I hope.

He dips his chin in response but doesn’t take his eyes off me. Probably because he’s worried I’ll set the archives on fire if I’m not careful.

A valid concern. This wouldn’t be the first place that accidentally went up in flames thanks to me.

It’s only after several tedious minutes that I spot it. A shelf laden with books whose titles refer to dragoncallers of the past.

Amid the layers of dust that coat everything else, a crisp and clean piece of parchment peeks out from one of the covers. Almost as if someone left it for me.

I unfold the paper, scanning the words inked upon its surface.

“Childe of dragons, but no one’s childe.

Born in the year of the huntress moon.

Not of Tirene nor Aclaris,

A dragoncaller, the first in generations,

buried alive,

unearthed only to die.

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