Page 74 of The Storm of the Empire

“Is he a dragon?” I asked again.

“I can’t tell. Not like that. If he is, that’s the best disguise I’ve ever seen. Whatever that is must be slowly killing him, though.” His eyes were glued to the prisoner, too. “I’d have to get closer to be certain, and I won’t risk it. Why do you want to know?” His words turned harsh. He wanted to get out of there.

“I need to get off this island right now with this prisoner, and if you have any goodwill towards me, you will help me. I promise you, Nyx Asra will reward you greatly.”

“The Dragon of the Night? What do you have to do with the Head of the Dragon Council?”

Good, I was banking on him and everyone in the kingdom knowing the Asra name.

It was time to put all my cards on the table. It was the only way I was going to get his help. Maybe a favor would do something.“I work for him.”

“You’re mad. What would he want with this prisoner? I want to believe this is a ruse because you think I’m a risk to your life. I can assure you I only wanted you to be more careful because I think you have potential.” He shook his head. “That’s not what I’m about.”

“You think I’ve made this up? And the bane?” I walked into the cell to check the male’s pulse. If he was dead, all of this would be moot.

“The bane could be to keep me away.”He glanced around me.

“When would I have had time to plan this? I didn’t come down here to trap you.” He had a pulse. It was thready but there. “Listen, I know this sounds like I’ve lost my mind or I’m pulling something, but I am willing to throw everything I’ve learned away, any scrap of goodwill, for this male. I have to find a way to get him out. This is Nyx’s twin brother. I’m sure of it.”I pled with my voice hoping he’d understand the urgency.

“How are you sure? Explain to me how you even know Nyx Asra.”

I knew in my gut that if I didn’t come clean, this would never work, and Kol would be gone by the time Hazel made it back here with Nyx. But the truth might also get me killed. Faolan could take my confession, kill me, and use the knowledge that Nyx is onto the priests to help them go further underground.

But I trusted him for some reason I couldn’t quite name.

Faolan wasn’t a priest. He took work from them, but ships didn’t hold an allegiance to anyone. They did the work they were paid for.

Or maybe I was gaslighting myself in my last few moments.

“Spit it out,” he hissed. “I don’t want to spend another minute near this bane if I don’t have to.”

“I have been tracking the movement of Dragon’s Bane and now dragon eggs across the kingdom. That’s what I was doing near the temple in Runerth. That’s what I was doing on the voyage over to Storm. I’ve been tracking this for months, and we returned to your ship because of an egg that was stolen from a storm dragon, but we think those were part of that ghost drop we witnessed off the Storm coast.”

“Those were eggs?” He knew more. His eyes told me everything I needed to know. His shock was too real.

“I think so. It’s the only thing I can come up with. Otherwise, we don’t know where the egg was taken. I wouldn’t give up all this tracking and months of my life that Nyx and Jaxus have me doing unless it was of the utmost importance?—”

Faolan cut me off. “Did you say Jaxus?”

“Yes…”

“You’re working for Jaxus?” he clarified.

“Closely. You know Jaxus?”

“I grew up with him. How much do you know about him?” Faolan was careful with his words.

“More than most. If you grew up with him, that would explain why you are a dragon who lives outside of the First Kingdom.” I didn’t know all the details, but I knew that Jaxus’ back story was a ruse and that he came from a place they could not speak of. I didn’t want to give away the information I had out of hand. I knew this could still be a trap.

“Say more if you want me to trust you,”Faolan demanded.

I eyed him and decided I had to trust him. “I know the secret of where you come from.”

Faolan reeled but gathered his wits quickly. “And you’re sure this is General Asra’s brother? Because neither of us will be able to show our faces back here or on Ciro again once we do this.”

Relief flooded through me. He was going to help me. “I’m sure. Can you help me get him out of here? You’re the only one who can. I know it will ruin your career here, but I promise you Jaxus and Nyx will repay it.”

“I know they will. Jaxus would rather have me there, anyway. I’ve been avoiding it.”

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