Counting out a few moments, I duck inside after them. Letting the flap fall shut behind me, I freeze.
The Food Tent is eerily silent.
Even Ahria—who would normally dart ahead to steal whatever lunch has been left unattended—lingers at my side.
“What's going on?” I ask Reya, who’s standing just inside. Her piercing grey eyes catch on mine as she turns to face me. Swallowing, I do my best to hide the way my pulse trips every time she looks at me.
I’ve decided it’s worse than training with Beth. Beth may have been trying to secretly kill me, but she didn't have me questioning my own sexuality. I can see why Talen liked—likes—her. Beth was hot in a young, polished, bitchy, intimidating kind of way, whereas Reya is all woman, with curves I would die for. I’ve caught myself wondering what her tanned skin looks like naked more than once, which only makes the jealousy worse as my brain starts acting out full, detailed scenarios of Talen’s mouth on it.
“Matterson’s dead,” she states bluntly, not sugarcoating it, “along with a bunch of people from the Water Realm they were trying to evacuate.”
My heart kicks into a faster rhythm, and when I speak my voice comes out a pitch too high. “But he was just here last week—I saw him talking with Darren about that black mist.”
My thoughts immediately jump to Talen. I still haven’t opened his Letter-threader since Ezzy woke, but most days Reya or Lucien pass on word that he’s okay, and right now I'm clinging to that harder than ever.
Reya tilts her head toward the back of the tent, where a small group has gathered around a female recruit with long blonde hair, her eyes red and swollen. The cluster shifts enough for me to see Darren, his arms wrapped around her, Neeve and Lucien standing close behind.
“They were ambushed this morning by Serrane’s scouts,” she adds, “just outside the camp.”
“I’m so sorry, did you know him well?”
“He bonded with Darren and me during the last Blood Moon. I wasn’t that close with him, but he and Darren were reallytight.” She folds her arms tightly across her chest. “Fuck. There’s got to be two hundred of us here now, and we only have seven riders left. After losing Parker last month too.”
Seven. The number lands heavy and my stomach twists. How many dragons does Serrane have? Does he have bonded riders too?
“But I thought the dragons can channel Veils to keep them hidden? Like they do here?” My brows furrow.
“They can’t do it while they’re in full form.”
“So we’re exposed midair?”
She nods but pivots her attention to Lucien as he steps up in front of us. He looks exhausted.
“Talen’s going to have to make the call soon,” she tells him, “we’re sitting ducks here, it's only a matter of time...”
“You don't think Merrin and I have told him that? We’ve been on at him for weeks now that it's time to go.” Lucien gripes, his hands tugging restlessly at the rough-cut gemstone around his neck. “Anyway, where were you this morning when all this went down? I woke up and you were gone. You could have at least said bye.”
Reya stiffens. “Sorry, didn’t realise I was required to stay and keep your bed warm, Luc. I’ve been a bit busy, if you haven’t noticed.”
“That’s not what I—” he starts, but it’s too late—she’s already storming out of the tent. Dragging a hand down his face, he sighs and watches her go, too tired to hide the longing and frustration flooding his eyes. Then he turns back to me. “Ready?”
My stomach twists at the question—partly from the heights, but mostly from what could be out there, waiting.
For a heartbeat, I think about faking being sick, about getting out of this entirely, but whatever Serrane is planning is coming whether I like it or not. And when it does, I want to be fucking ready.
Biting down on a yawn, I swallow hard. “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Good session today, Bloom.” Lucien chirps, the praise landing a second before his hand comes down in a friendly—but far too firm—whack on my back that knocks the breath out of me.
God, I don’t think he realises how strong he is.
“Thanks,” I grunt as I let my gaze drift out across the lake, following the grey choppy water until it reaches the old ruins of Aurelia on the other side.
It sits shadowed beneath the Southern Peaks, their ridge-lines freshly coated with snow that has fallen far too early in the season to stay, the white darkened by the storm clouds building beyond.
Today, we flew farther than I ever have before, and this is the closest I’ve ever been to the kingdom. From here I can see the full wall stretching around it, disappearing only where it meets the water’s edge. It must be at least the size of two Innerland realms, and that’s only the royal area, because the wall around Aurelia was never a boundary.
