Page 51 of Dragons' Mate
There is also a satchel of food and a canteen beside each stool. Bianca, of course, tries to take two for herself but backs down when several of the women come to stand beside me and Lee. It’s a small victory, but it feels important. Especially because the priests seem unhappy about it. They want us to fight even while they claim to want order. I’m getting a sense there are a lot of mismatches between what the priests claim and what they want.
In the heart of the ancient skies,
Where stars shimmer and fire flies,
Lay a dragon, wings spread wide,
Whispering secrets of the tide.
The wordsof the phantom lullaby start playing in my head again. I shove them down along with the memories of the circular chamber. There will be time to deal with that later. For now, I have to do as Tavias asked. I have to stay alive.
With everyone changed, the priests start leading the women away one at a time.
I grab Lee’s hand, which is cold with fear despite all the warm clothing, and lean close to her ear.
“If you can move safely, head towards the highest ground on the trials’ field,” I whisper, giving her a description of where we set up camp. My pack is stronger than Lee’s and others may think twice about attacking her there. It feels good to be in control of something, even just of directing a friend to safety. “My males won’t harm you, I promise. I’ll meet you there.”
“Maybe we’ll find each other on the way,” Lee says, shuddering as the priests head for her. “I’ll look for you.”
“As will I.” I conjure a brave smile for her benefit. “I’ll see you soon.”
I watch Lee be led away, then Bianca, then the others, until I am the last one left in the room. I stand next to the door, waiting for my turn and trying to feel as brave as I made myself seem. My pack is the strongest of the dragons out there. They will be fine. We all will be.
Footsteps approach on the other side of the door, then stop. “She is in there alone?” the head priest’s familiar voice asks. “Have we learned any more, Juan?”
“No sir.” I recognize the voice of the priest who’d found me in the corridor. “If you have concerns, why not remove her now and be done with it?”
My breathing halts and I press myself against the wall.
“One of the idiot princes bonded her. He will know when she ends.” The head priest sounds put out. “With all the eyes on the royal pack, there should be nothing to suggest irregularity.”
That’s good. I think that’s good.
“Especially when it’s simple enough to get distance,” the priest adds. “Let’s have a chat with the wench first.”
The door knob turns and I scurry to the other side of the room. By the time the priests come in, I’m crouching in the corner and wishing I still had my knife. Not that I could take three males out with one blade. My heart pounds, my mouth too dry to swallow.
“Lady Kitterny.” The head priest closes the door behind him and gives me a cold smile. “What a pleasure to finally meet you.”
Juan and his partner grab my elbows, and haul me to kneel at the head priest’s feet. I crane my neck up to look at him. My mind spins to decipher what he might want. “I believe we’ve met, your grace.”
“Not in so private a setting though.” He tilts his head, then picks up a strand of my blond-dyed hair and rubs it between his fingers. His brow arches. “Interesting. Tell me, who are your parents?”
“Lord and Lady Agam, your grace. They own the Agam estate.”
“It is unwise to lie to me,” the priest says.
Juan raises a hand to strike me.
“No,” the priest interrupts. “Do not leave marks.”
Juan lowers his hand, but glares at me.
The high priest sighs. “The Agams are not your birth parents.” He sounds certain. “Tell me who your birth parents are.”
“I never met my father and my mother died when I was little. The Agams raised me.”
The high priest steps closer and there is a note of gravity in his low voice. “Tell me about your mother.”
