“Stesha, it’s a lot to ask, but could you…”
“Zenevieve can stay with me,” I answer before he can get the words out.
Alin grips my arm. “Are you sure?”
“Zenevieve’s brothers taking her away is out of the question. She must remain in Lenhale, and I have plenty of room.”
Alin’s bloodshot eyes fill with grateful tears. “Father always said we two were brothers. You swear to protect her come what may? I have worried about Zenevieve living in the capital, and now the flare is under attack. Many people must be dead today.”
“I swear on my life that I will never let anything happen to Zenevieve. Destrin made me his family, and I will make Zenevieve mine.”
“Your oath is my last comfort, Stesha.” Alin has been fighting to stay conscious, but now he closes his eyes, and a moment later, he stops breathing.
People race around us, but I keep staring at Alin, unable to believe that he’s really gone. I carry him to the side of the street and cover him with my cloak.
I should join in the efforts to put out the fires, but I need to see for myself that Zenevieve is safe. I run through the streets, back up to the castle, and then head for the Flame Temple. I’m panting as I burst through the doors and seize the nearest Temple Mother.
“Where is Zenevieve?”
Princess Mirelle steps forward with an armful of hatchlings, and timidly calls, “Zenevieve isn’t here, dragonmaster. She ran outside when she heard the dragons attacking. I’m so frightened for her…”
She went outside during the attack? Fear spikes through me, and I run from the temple. There’s only one place a dragonrider would go under these dangerous circumstances.
The dragongrounds are hazy with smoke, and the flare is scattered and in disarray. Some are flying riderless in panicked circles over the city. Others are huddled fearfully around Scourge. Many more have surrounded Pollex’s corpse and are raising their voices in mournful cries over the loss of their Alpha.
I find Zenevieve with her arms around Minta as they gaze sadly at the fallen dragon. Blood has soaked the ground for dozens of feet in all directions.
I slow, first to a jog, then to a walk, dragging out the moment when I have to tell her my terrible news. When I reach her side, I put my hands on her shoulders. “Zenevieve. There’s something I must tell you.”
Ash is dropping like snow from the sky and landing in her hair as she goes on gazing at the dead dragon. “Poor Pollex. I’ve never seen anything so brutal. I can’t believe he’s gone.”
“Zenevieve.” Smoke and grief have roughened my voice.
She brushes tears from her eyes. “I must go home. Mother and Father will be worried about me. They’ll have heard the dragons keening.”
“Zen, please. Wait.” I turn her gently toward me. “You can’t go home. I’m sorry.”
She studies my face in confusion. “What is it? Why can’t I go home?”
I stare at my thumbs caressing her shoulders, wishing I wasn’t about to shatter her heart. “The wild dragons set light to parts of the city. It happened so quickly, and your parents didn’t make it.”
Zenevieve’s eyes fill with disbelief. “No. You’re wrong.”
“I’m so sorry, Zenevieve.”
Angry tears flood her eyes, and she pushes my hands from her shoulders. “It’s not true. Why are you lying to me? They’re not dead. I just saw them this morning.”
“Your father was brave. He tried to save…”
Zenevieve bolts away from me.
“Zenevieve!” I pound after her across the dragon bridge, through the castle, and into the city streets, but the girl is swift on her feet. There are so many people and so much mayhem that I don’t catch up to her until she reaches her home. Zenevieve stares up at the burning wreckage with devastation etched on her face. Looking around, she sees the body lying on the ground covered in my cloak, and she reaches to uncover it.
I snatch Zenevieve back and wrap both my arms around her. “Don’t look. You don’t want to see. It’s your father. I’m sorry.”
“Let me go! It’s not Father. It’snot.” She screams and struggles, then collapses in my arms, sobbing. “Father’s really dead? Mother too?”
“I’m so sorry, Zenevieve.” It’s all I can say, over and over.
