Laviana said softly, “What do you need us to do?”
That question filled me with gratitude. Remembering I was never as alone as I felt sometimes.
“You said you were looking for me, so what can I do for you?”
She drew in a long breath, and I reached for the second minera.
“Word is you have dragons.”
It wasn’t what I expected her to bring up.
“Only two. One isn’t full grown yet.”
“Yes, Eltanin. The legendary black celestial dragon.”
A note of pride fluttered in me, but I was highly protective of Eltanin.
“Why does that interest you?”
“Because I’ve also heard the other—a red dragon, am I right?—bonded with Drystan, a blood vampire.”
There was no point in denying it. “Yes. He’s the one who discovered where they are and how to release them.”
“Do you plan to free the others? How many are there? Howdoyou release them?”
I didn’t like the pressure for information that felt sacred and dangerous. Laviana was like a sister to me in some ways, but trust, after all this time, had to be rebuilt.
“It’s the least of our concerns right now,” I said, trying not to shake our fragile trust.
My throat itched faintly and I coughed, taking another sip.
“Are you heading to find one with Nyte now?”
“No.”
It wasn’t a whole lie. While there should be a dragon painting at the temple we headed for, we wouldn’t have Eltanin’s tears to release it.
Laviana called me out with a hooked brow. “You’ve always been a terrible liar.”
“It’s not a lie,” I defended. “We have more pressing matters right now. As should you and the vampire rebellion.”
Her face turned pained. “Things aren’t like what they used to be. After you left and the king took over, more joined his cause. Vampires were finally given an illusion of free will, but myself and a lot of others could see it was just another system of control. After all this time being used and suppressed by the celestials, there were so many that took the opportunity to be the feared ones for once. They made our species seem exactly like the blood-and-soul-thirsty monsters the celestials painted us to be. What remains of therebellionisn’t much; we’re more like a group at a loss over how to do damage control if we ever see a day without tyrant rulers.”
My gut sank with this knowledge. “So why the interest in the dragons?”
“Don’t you see what this could mean for us? I was hoping Drystan would be with you; he’d be an invaluable leader to us. Vampires have never in history been documented to bond with dragons. They’re the most legendary and powerful creatures to exist, and if more could bond with them… it could be the beginning of shifting our reputation and giving us back some power.”
That was the most highly sought-after currency: power. People bled for it, betrayed for it, lied and cheated for it. I’d never known a pursuant of power to be worthy of holding it, and those who might have once had noble intentions… power could become a corruptive addiction like any drug.
“If you trust me like you once did, then trust there’s an order to gaining the peace and equality we’ve all fought lifetimes for.”
Her jaw set; it wasn’t what she wanted to hear and I couldn’t blame her. To ask for patience now, after all this time, was like asking her to trust the rain would come after centuries of drought.
“Can we accompany you, wherever you might be heading?” she asked.
The casual mention that Laviana wasn’t alone made me subtly survey the establishment. It was moderately busy with chatter flowing, tankards thumping, laughter bouncing. I spied a few pointed ears around the room, but they didn’t pay us any attention.
“I don’t think that’s best this time,” I said carefully.
