Page 53 of House of Embers
After her drop into Audria’s dreams, Kerrigan had come out drained to tell Fordham exactly what had happened. The sun was breaking over the horizon, and their time was up for that night. She might have been able to go back into a dreamwalk, but it was a risk that Fordham wasn’t willing to take. Instead, they dove into planning for the Society ambush with the details that Audria had provided.
“We can handle ourselves without you,” Wynter said dismissively.
Dozan lifted a brow. “I’m sure you can, but I wouldn’t want to miss the fun.”
Wynter huffed and opened her mouth as if to argue the point, which had already been argued. Wynter was going to have to shadow-jump, and she was quicker alone. Having to jump extra people in or out was draining.
Kerrigan remembered when those were Fordham’s limitations as well. The Daijan bond had extended his abilities to the breadth of the user that held the bond, which had been her mother, one of the most powerful Doma in existence. She’d stretched the bounds of his abilities before passing the bond to Kerrigan. And that stretch had remained. Now he could do things he’d only dreamed about before.
Fordham slid out of the shadows and appeared from nothing at their sides. “Did I miss anything?” He cast his eyes to Dozan, his eyebrows rising. Fordham glanced between the group. “Who invited Dozan?”
“I invited myself.”
“We were just telling Dozan he has to stay home. Wynter can’t jump more than one person.”
Fordham laughed as he came around Netta in all black flying leathers. “You’ll get there one day, sister.”
Wynter shot him a vulgar gesture. “I can jump more than one person.”
“Then it’s settled,” Dozan said with a shrug.
“That isn’t what she meant,” Kerrigan shot back.
“I thought we’d already gone through this,” Fordham said with a sigh. “The mission is set.”
“Then why does it look like you’re in flying gear?” Wynter demanded.
“Well…”
Dozan chortled. “You can’t send thekingon the mission. It’s idiotic enough to take Wynter and Kerrigan, the princess and the future queen, on a mission, but the king as well? What happens if you’re all captured or killed? Barron would be in charge.”
Fordham ground his teeth together. “I’m a dragon rider. That’s who I am.”
“That’s who youwere,” Dozan argued. “Right now, your place is here. Unless you want your enemy to sink his claws deeper into your throne.”
“He’s right,” Wynter said with a sigh.
Kerrigan ran a hand back over her braided hair. “We need you safe.”
Fordham looked aghast at her agreement, but she tugged on the bond with reassurances. She’d thought that Fordham had gone along with all the planning a little too easily. She shouldn’t have been surprised that he was here again, ready to take off into danger. That was what they were good at after all.
“It’s just a stealth mission. We will be in and out with the scholar in no time.”
His forehead touched hers, and he brushed their lips together. “Get in, get out, and don’t be seen. By order of your king.”
Dozan tipped him a mocking salute. Wynter nodded once.
Kerrigan turned to Dozan. “You’ve flown on Tieran before?”
“He and I are acquainted.”
“I am the smaller of the two dragons,”Tieran said into their minds.“He would be better as a second on Netta if she will have him.”
“I will,”Netta said.
Wynter and Dozan exchanged a look, a smirk on his lips, a frown on hers. Someone could have cut the tension with a spoon.
“Fine,” Wynter said. “You’re with me.”
