Page 6 of To Sway a Prince
"What exactly are you looking for?" I crossed my arms over my turquoise and dark-brown bodice. My right bracer snagged on the laces. Did he really think I had charmed Zephyrus? If anyone here had charmed Zephyrus, it was him.
"Dragons do not easily take commands. Not even from those they cherish."
"I would never charm Zephyrus to force him to take a command from me," I snapped. "Unlike you."
He circled Zephyrus and met my gaze once more. "I command the dragons of the Chasm. Zephyrus is one of the twelve weavers. They often wander for periods, but they always return home. Rest assured, I would only enforce a command upon one of them in the most dire of circumstances."
He stepped out of the cell sideways, his long silver hair a curtain against his broad shoulders. He moved directly in front of me and folded his arms. "I believe you. And I will grant you this one boon, Astraia. You may leave my tower unharmed if you vow never to return. Consider it a mercy—one I rarely offer."
Behind me, Zephyrus let out a low, rumbling growl. His tail slapped against the bars with clear disapproval, making the metal ring.
"A boon?" I laughed, the sound sharp and brittle in the chamber. "How generous of you to offer me permission to walk away from my own friend." I planted my feet firmly, mirroring his stance. "I'm not going anywhere without Zephyrus."
"Your stubbornness does you no credit." Ramiel's mouth tightened into a thin line. "The dragon stays. That is not negotiable. He is necessary to ensure the Chasm's protection."
"You got along without him for at least fifteen years, possibly more," I said sharply.
"Things have changed, and he is finally ready to come home."
That dull unease spread further within me. What if he was even partially telling the truth? I lifted my chin. "He wouldneverabandon me, and I won't abandon him."
He closed the distance between us in three sharp strides. The scent of frosted silver intensified, almost covering the cedar notes. "Do not mistake my patience for weakness, little gnat. It is unwise to underestimate me." His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "You've seen but a fraction of what I can do. I am the last Sentinel, guardian of the Chasm, and this tower has stood for centuries against threats far greater than one stubborn knotweaver. This matter is far bigger than either of us. Bigger than you can even begin to conceive."
I refused to step back, though my heart beat faster. "I don't care if you ruled the whole continent and all the islands beside. I will not turn my back on someone I love, Your Highness. I will get Zephyrus free, and I will find out what you did to him. You have my word on that. You may be powerful, but I have my own tricks up my sleeve. So do not underestimate me either."
Zephyrus huffed behind us, a sound somewhere between amusement and concern. His claws scraped against the stone floor of his cell.
Ramiel's eyes flashed.
Had I gone too far?
3
THE CELL
Ikept my chin up. Yeah, I'd probably pushed him a little too far, and I wasn't in the best position for an outright fight.
"If you name a price for a ransom, I will pay it though." My throat tightened. Not that I had any resources available beyond my wits. I'd have to negotiate for time next. All I owned was on my back or in the pack I'd hidden beneath the old willow at the deep bend before the forest. Everything I owned could be sold for half a copper ingot. But I was clever. I'd always found a way. And if I had Zephyrus back, it would be manageable.
Ramiel studied me, his gaze moving over my face with unsettling intensity. Something shifted in his expression—a flicker of something—warmth, perhaps? But the silence deepened.
My skin prickled beneath his scrutiny. The dragons had gone still as well. Even Zephyrus stopped his huffing and chortling, his heavy-lidded eyes now open wide and studying both Ramiel and me.
I swallowed hard. "Please."
The faintest hint of a smile curled at his lips. He canted his head as he drew closer. "So that's it? You will not give Zephyrus up?"
"Never." Surges of emotion rose at the mere thought, but I choked them back. "I will never abandon him. He is family."
A slight smile curved his lips more. The edges of his eyes wrinkled as well. "Such conviction."
That didn't sound like he was about to agree with me though. My mind raced. Perhaps there was a way through this—a bargain, a trade. Most men of power wanted something. "You have all these other dragons who look as if they are all quite healthy and whole. Let me take Zephyrus, and we will find another to take his place. We'll go to the south. To Bone or the Ash Lands. Even the Umbral Kingdom has dragons that might be trained for these duties. Just name your price, and?—"
"Enough." He cut me off with a sharp gesture. He pressed two fingers together as he did, silver-purple light blooming from his fingertips. Runes blossomed around us.
Knots take me! I snapped my hands up, weaving a shield with my fingers and blade. Golden threads of knotwork magic sprang up, forming an intricate lattice that pulsed with protective energy. The barrier materialized just as Ramiel's silver-purple magic shot toward me.
"I'll be back, Zephyrus!" I gathered my focus to pulseport away and envisioned that point beneath the willow. The familiar sensation of magic coiled in my stomach, ready to whisk me away.
