Page 103 of Draekora

With a reluctant sigh, she pushed herself up to lean against the headboard, knowing that he wasn’t going to let her go back to sleep just yet. “Why are you here, Aven?”

His eyes brightened in the darkness as a boyish excitement overtook his features. “It’sMahna ess L’randae.”

Alex blinked groggily at him. “Marna-who-a-what-ah?”

“Mahna ess L’randae,” he repeated with a flash of a smile. “It’s Tia Auran for—”

“The Giving of Life,” Alex said, her inner translator waking up enough for the words to not sound so much like gibberish.

“You’ve been studying,” Aven said with clear approval.

Alex chose not to enlighten him, and instead asked, “But what does it mean?”

In response, he held out a hand. “Come and you’ll see.”

Alex wasn’t sure what made her decide to go with him—whether it was the anticipation in his features or the fact that she doubted he’d leave her alone until she agreed, but either way, she rolled out of bed, careful not to take his hand so as to at leasttryand keep some emotional space between them.

Since she was now used to being woken up in the dead of the night by male Meyarins—mostly Niyx who, on the odd occasion, decided that dawn wasn’t early enough to begin her training and dragged her out of bed in the really mean hours of the morning—Alex had gotten into the habit of going to sleep fully clothed in gear appropriate for fighting. Because of that, all she had to do was grab a cloak and she was ready for whatever midnight escapade Aven had planned.

Following him out the door, he activated theValispathand they soared out of the palace, shooting straight upwards. Alex was grateful that Niyx had drilled her so hard in the past week because her automatic setting was now constantly switched over to her Meyarin blood. If that hadn’t been the case, she would have gone sailing back into the boundary of theValispathwithout her heightened reflexes helping her keep balance on the vertical climb. As it was, all she had to do was coolly adjust her footing, returning Aven’s surprised smile when he saw that she was much more graceful than any other time she’d travelled on the Path with him.

Upward and upward they climbed, the direction telling Alex exactly where they were headed. It was one thing to travel so high with a winged beast under her, it was another entirely to be travelling on an invisible rollercoaster that made it seem like there was nothing beneath their feet.

“Why are we going to Draekora?” she called over the howl of the wind. Other than her volcano visit with Niyx, she hadn’t been to the floating islands since Xiraxus had taken her to the glowing flower field the night Roka discovered her secret. As far as she was aware, it was almost considered taboo for anyone other than a draekon to spend much time in the sky lands. Zaronia herself had told Alex that the Draekorans valued their privacy, so she wondered what reason Aven could possibly have for taking her there.

“Mahna ess L’randaehappens twice a year,” he called before frowning and reaching out to press his hand to the barrier around them until it sheltered them from the elements.

“Once every six months the draekons welcome Meya to their lands to receive an offering from theTer’a Ora Vorren,” Aven continued, his voice at a normal level now.

Alex furrowed her brow. “Ter’a Ora Vorren? Why do I know that name?”

“Your draekon probably mentioned it,” Aven said. “What’s his name again?”

“Xiraxus,” Alex answered, distracted because she didn’t think Aven’s presumption was correct. But then she remembered it was actually Zaronia who had used the phrase. “Are you talking about the Pool of Tears?”

He nodded, his eyes glowing with starlight as they continued upwards. “You know it?”

“I just heard it in passing. What is it? And what’s the offering given to Meya?”

Before Aven could answer, theValispathbegan to slow as Draekora opened up in front of them, the islands bathed in what looked like blue powder under the light of the moon.

“Tonight is a sacred ceremony,” Aven told her as they zoomed towards the middle of the floating lands. “Only Meyarins of the royal family or the council are permitted to be here; it’s forbidden for anyone else to watch the ceremony.”

“Uh, newsflash,” Alex said, pointing to herself with raised eyebrows.

“That’s why I’m sneaking you in,” Aven said. “Believe me, tonight is a night you won’t want to miss. Now please, keep quiet for a moment while I figure out the best place to hide.”

Sighing, Alex thought it might be wise to send out a quick call to Xiraxus.How much trouble would I be in if, hypothetically, I was to witnessMahna ess L’randae?

She followed up by sending a mental image of her current position, soaring with Aven towards the same rocky, open-aired amphitheatre she had been taken to for her trial before the Kyvalon on her first day in the past. The glossy blacktraesoswas resplendent in the moonlight, as if the crystalline surface activelyrepelledthe light. It almost looked like a barrier of pure darkness surrounded the jagged edges of the variously sized outcroppings. Outcroppings that, just like last time, were acting as viewing platforms for the hulking winged beasts. But this time there weren’t just a few draekons in attendance; the entire amphitheatre was full of the multi-coloured creatures.

Please tell me you’re dreaming and you’re not really here, Xiraxus replied after a moment’s pause.

I could do that if it’ll make you feel better, Alex offered.

The draekon made a noise that emphasised just how bad on the not-good scale her being there was.Just make sure you stay out of sight. I want to live past tonight, thank you very much.

His response validated her misgivings, so Alex promised she’d do her best before focusing back on Aven as he guided them towards a smaller outcropping at the side of the amphitheatre, slightly away from where the bulk of the draekons were. Quite frankly, Alex didn’t think they were fooling anyone with their attempted stealth, but if their presence was noted, none of the draekons called attention to it. She could have sworn she saw Zaronia glance over from her raised platform though, which was proven true when Alex heard the leader’s resigned-sounding mental voice saying,I should have known. Alex, in turn, sent her a sheepish wave before Aven yanked her behind a boulder oftraesosand out of sight.

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