Page 3 of The Fires of Longest Night
If she’s been cautious with Ria around the fire at night, and kept to dancing and no kisses, it has only been because she wants to understand the full significance of her choices.
“He says that, does he? And whose sacrifice, exactly, is he talking about?” Kaderlyn asks. “Yours?”
A memory dances through Nissa’s head, of her mother slipping her hand tenderly against her cheek, and saying, “We live for the clan. And the clan lives for us. So it must be, daughter. Most of all for us.”
Nissa recounts this to Kaderlyn, whose mouth draws into a hard line.
“Your mother was extraordinary, child. But she knew that sacrifices… they also create expectations. They are never only for the moment they’re made in.”
Nissa glances up into deep-set dark eyes amongst dark wrinkles. “I could maybe just leap the eventide fire…”
“Take just a moment for yourself before you sacrifice yourself forever?”
Nissa gulps at the sharp words; too incisive for comfort. “It’s what my father wants. And maybe it’s what the clan needs of me. How can I not give up what is needed, for our survival?”
Kaderlyn sighs and drops her hands, stopping her weaving. “Your father is making his choices, seeking alliances. Perhaps that’s what we need; survival, as you say. But what kind of survival would this be? Nissa, my girl, I do not have the wisdom your mother did, nor Illima’s. But be sure—sure as sure, my girl—that whatever you give up, you’re willing to see it given up for all of us.”
“All of who?” Nissa’s brow furrows in confusion.
“All of us,” Kaderlyn repeats, gesturing wide, her hands still full of bamboo. She rises, as if the conversation has irritated her.
Nissa blinks up at her.
“Go see if you can find yon dragon-rider, Nissa. If I don’t miss my guess, she will have questions for you this evening, amongst the festivities. You should know how you will respond, and that answer… you won’t find that by pondering Resset’s words—or your father’s desires.”
CHAPTER 3
RIA
Awater run?Isiridion sighs in Ria’s head.I just found a patch of actual sun, blood-bonded.
In exchange for early drift-cake that I can give Nissa before we join the dance?Ria grins, jogging along the track to where the dragon is coiled amongst the yellowed grass under the weak winter sun.C’mon, dragon. Up and at ‘em.
Isiridion blows out a smoky breath as Ria lopes into view.I’ll remind you thatIam the one who is up and at ‘em, blood-bonded. You just do so much sitting around.
I keep watch! And when we need it, you know this axe of mine is worth something.
As if there’ll be any need for that axe of yours on a water run,Isiridion sneers.
That’s just the kind of carelessness that gets folks killed,Ria says, self-mockingly echoing the Warlord’s dour and repeated words.
Yeah yeah, blood-bonded. You’re just a lowly axe-wielder. Let’s not start getting delusions of grandeur. Fucking the warlord’s daughter is not the same as stepping into his shoes.
And thank fuck for that,Ria says as she swings into the saddle.Can you imagine me as a warlord? And it will be tender lovemaking, dragon. Not fucking.
I’d really rather not imagine either of these things,Isiridion sends back.I’m already forced to be privy to all of your fantasies as it is. Ready?
Before Ria can respond, the dragon gathers its massive strength and launches itself into the sky. Ria tightens her grip on the saddle horn as together they battle gravity, the dragon’s enormous wings setting the golden grasses below to a chaos of dancing strands. And then they level out, soaring above the mountains; it’s cold up here in the winds, so Ria ducks her nose down into her furred coat and blinks her streaming eyes.
They navigate the thick fog above the lake mostly by habit, and land in the soft mud beside the water. Isiridion complains about the cold.It makes me ache, human. You could never understand.
Poor Isiridion,Ria mocks as she unhooks the bags from the dragon’s spikes and fills them.It’s so old and worn thin, like the grandpappy who needs to sit closer to the fire and be wrapped in blankets lest his bones ache.
Please do try to remember that I could sit on you and that would be the end of all of your sass, child.
The trouble starts as soon as they burst through the fog and turn back towards the encampment.
You feel that?Ria asks, every nerve awakening. A split second later, Isiridion dives into a downward spiral to avoid the outstretched claws of the scarlet dragon reaching for them from above.
