Page 195 of Of Blood and Banes
Anervous rush of chatter washes over our group in the Nightfort community hall. We discuss the original plan to send the dragon riders to find the ancient translator for Queen Elara’s journal in Bayrock and the rest of us to Millton to speak with the Vitalan council members on the future of the Dragon Lands’ leadership.
As I actively try to avoid looking at the spot where Nolan was executed, my gaze slips to Darian who looks at everyone but me. We switch gears to the King’s letter Cole received.
“Will the council members in Millton allow us to venture back into Arterias with Cole?” Gavin asks quietly. “Maybe we can just kill the King while we’re down there?”
“We can’t kill the King without risking Kat,” Melaina says.
I tug the ring up and down my finger in the event it decides mid-conversation to bind to me. But it slides past my knuckle with a little force. “The ring isn’t sealed to me yet. So, I can take it off if we get within a kill shot.”
“As if us Vitalans haven’t tried all this scheming already? What makes you think this time would be any different?” Bristol challenges.
“We have her.” Archie points at me with a beaming smile, radiant with pride. “She’ll kick his ass and take his throne.”
I shake my head and hold my hands up. “No, I’m not interested in ruling. But Bristol is right, we don’t know what the King is capable of.” I swing my attention to Melaina. “Do you think we could request the council to arm us with soldiers to storm the castle? Perhaps we can take him by surprise and numbers?”
“No, I don’t think they’ll allow a plan so last-minute like this. They’ve spent decades strategizing, so they must know something we don’t,” she answers.
“Then what do you propose?” Cole’s arms are crossed over his chest.
“We bring this discussion to the council in Millton, as we originally planned,” Melaina answers.
Cole unfolds his arms and leans up against the table with a twitch in his bearded jaw. “That’ll cost us at least half a week traveling there and back. And then if I travel south to Arterias afterward? We don’t have that much time.”
“Daeja and I could fly you there,” I offer.
Everyone swings their attention to me, Cole included.
“If…you fly on dragonback, it should only take us a week at most to get there from Millton. We could consult with the council and still make it to Arterias in the deadline,” I whisper, my attention pinned directly on Cole, willing him to consider it.
“You’re going to fly through Arterias? Are you insane?” Bristol murmurs from a few seats down to my left. “The council likely won’t allow it.”
I meet his gaze, then sweep it across everyone else. “Even so, we still have to try and ask for their help. But ultimately, it isn’t their decision. It’s mine.”
Archie nods, leaning back in his chair with a sure smile as he absentmindedly twirls a table knife in his fingers.
Bristol continues gently, “If you move against the council’s orders, and you are not the appointed leader of the Vitalans, you risk yourself being executed.”
“They wouldn’t kill her. The prophecy states she’s the chosen one,” Melaina chimes in.
Bristol lifts his hands. “Look. I don’t what they’d do. I’m just stating the normal protocol.”
I stand up from my chair. “Prepare yourselves for the journey and get a good night’s rest. At daybreak, we’ll all make haste to Millton. Dragon riders, you’ll take Queen Elara’s journal to Bayrock and see if you can locate Elder Honora to translate it. If the seven of you can locate her and get the translation in the first two days, send your fastest rider to Millton.”
Later that night, I wake up in a cold sweat, my skin tight with goosebumps and a heavy pressure weighing down my chest. I scan the dark room to find it empty, then brush my sweat-dampened hair back off my face. And if it weren’t for the tight cord of tension running between Daeja and me, I would have guessed it’s from my recurring nightmares.
“Daeja? Are you alright?”I ask as I lean up off my back.
“What? Yes…fine. Just…bad dream.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
Her response is like someone threw cold water on me.“What’s wrong? I can sense something isn’t right.”
“Just go back to sleep.”
I throw my sheets off my legs.“That’s it. I’m coming to see you?—”
