Page 114 of A World of Ruins

CHAPTERFORTY-EIGHT

Dawn has just begun to unfurl across the horizon as I pierce the cool morning air on Fernah’s back. Beside me, Darius is in his dragon form, moving at a graceful speed as his scales shimmer between silver and gold from the sunrise.

A few days ago, a letter from the Aerian palace confirmed our meeting.

Nearing Aeris, we soar over mountains and winding rivers that glisten from afar before the palace slowly emerges from the mist atop the floating land. As I glance at Darius, his mighty wings cutting through the sky, my heart begins to thrum with a mixture of trepidation and resolve. I hope that our meeting with the Aerian leaders goes well.

It’s our only chance to form an alliance against potential enemies.

As we descend towards the palace bridge, the first rays of sunlight glint off the curved windows overlooking the fields.

A few guards are in armour patrolling the open entrance as we land, and I unbuckle myself from Fernah. She growls at one of the guards as they move towards me, and I chuckle, petting the side of her body.

‘Should I be jealous you decided to ride another dragon?’ Darius appears beside me, rolling his shoulders back.

I flash him a playful smirk in response, ready to exchange our usual banter, when suddenly, a mysterious woman in acaptivating burgundy dress approaches us, her hands concealed behind her back.

‘The leaders eagerly await your presence in the grand throne room.’ She turns, expecting us to follow.

Darius and I depart from Fernah, gliding through the corridors adorned with artwork that I don’t remember seeing the last time I was here. In the vivid paintings, a fierce clash unfolds between majestic red phoenixes and their grey counterparts with soulless eyes that I can only assume are the Rocs.

As Darius and I enter the throne room, both doors swing open. We pause atop the phoenix-shaped marble flooring as we make our way to the room’s core. Soldiers surround the entire chamber, and the leaders are ahead of us on their thrones, with Hira’s seat in the centre vacant.

My chest burns with uncompromising anger, but I stamp it down as much as possible by plastering on a friendly smile.

‘Nara.’ Col is the first to speak, her dark eyes already assessing me from head to toe. ‘We weren’t sure you would come.’

Her sister Ara straightens in her seat, her staff glistening bright red.

‘As I mentioned in the letter,’ I reply coolly, ‘we truly need your help.’

‘Why?’ Col says flatly. ‘Were the Elves already taken?’

Snickering and laughter erupt from Ara and the other warriors around the room.

I curl my hand into a fist at my side, blood pumping fast within my veins as I try to calm myself.

As soon as the laughs stop, I say, ‘Hedris is threatening our position on the throne.’

Col doesn’t seem to care. ‘Pity,’ she remarks dryly. ‘Perhaps he has a reason for doing that.’ Her gaze goes to Darius besideme, and I begin to lose all feeling in my hand. ‘You don’t exactly seem fit to be the new king of Emberwell.’

I glance over at Darius; his worried eyes had only been on me this whole time. When he sees my scrunched-up fist, a sudden vicious gleam flickers across his gaze. ‘You’re right,’ he tells the leaders. ‘I’m not.’ He turns to them and starts wandering around the chamber. ‘I was a criminal, and still am, if you think about it.’

The warriors are on immediate alert, eyeing him suspiciously.

‘As a matter of fact . . .’ Darius stops and slowly spins on his heel. ‘I already have my eyes on various things I could steal inside this palace.’

His admission has Col and Ara’s faces burning.

‘And what is stopping you?’ Ara says, her tone icy in comparison.

Darius offers her a smug smile. ‘Certainly not your guards.’ He then shrugs. ‘Or you.’

He’s testing them; anyone else would be foolish to, but not Darius. He’s had years of experience.

I would know.

‘Clearly you agreed to this meeting only to reject whatever we might offer you.’

---