Page 38 of The Infirmary for Dragon Burns and Midair Mishaps

Vaela shook her head. “It’s tricky in the dark.” Something rumbled in the distance, and my eyes snapped to the sky. “You’re not gonna leave me out here, are you?”

“I—”

“Where the Wretch will get me,” she whispered.

I snorted. “Nice try, dragon wrangler.”

Vaela leaned her head against the door frame and smiled down at me. It was a soft smile. She’d already told me far more today than I’d expected and hadn’t yet handed me over to the kingsguard for collecting scales. But something told me that tomorrow she’d deny this ever happened.

I would remember, though, and I didn’t know how to feel about that. I didn’t know what to do with Vaela looking at me with something close to fondness instead of thinly veiled irritation. Maybe it was the overwhelming vulnerability in her eyes, or perhaps I got tired of letting the chill seep into the cottage, but I stepped back.

Vaela waltzed right past me, heading straight for the rocking chair. She threw herself down with an appreciative groan. I went about lighting more candles.

“Would you like some water?” I asked.

“Don’t happen to have any beer, do you?”

I ignored that request and handed her a mug. “Drink.”

“Bossy.” She sipped her water, eyes flickering around the dim space. Her gaze caught on the dragon scales I had laid out on my desk. She was on her feet and across the room before I could stop her, snatching up my new armor sketch. “So this is why you’re collecting scales.”

I gingerly took the sketch from her, laying it back on the desk. “Drink your water while I figure out how to get your dragon to collect you.”

She snatched back the sketch before I could stop her, slumping down in the rocking chair again. “Fascinating,” she murmured, studying it with a pinched brow. “You know, historically, rider armor has only ever been made of thick leathers.”

“I’m aware.”

“Where did you even learn to design such things?”

“I am a woman of many talents.”

Vaela tilted her head, clearly interested, and I could tell she would continue to pester me about it, the same way she’d pestered me in the woods, trying to figure out why I needed the scales. I’d been tight-lipped earlier, but now that the secret was out, what more harm could I do? “Before I started my nursing apprenticeship, I worked a spell of odd jobs to help make ends meet.”

“Yes?” she said, waiting for me to continue.

“Well,” I explained. “I wasn’t actually making ends meet, so to save a few coins, I started rooming with a junior blacksmith. We became quite close and I spent a lot of time at the forge, running small errands here and there, tidying, collecting firewood. That sort of thing. Over the months she taught me a thing or two about smithing techniques and fabrication. I used to watch as she hammered out iron plates for armor or sharpened weapons. What I’m working on isn’t remotely the same. It’s not like I have a forge I can use, but I am rather resourceful with a few tools at my disposal.”

Vaela hummed softly at my story. “The king would be greatly opposed to this use of scales.”

“I am also aware of that, thank you.”

She lowered the sketch, those thin eyebrows knotting together. “Then why make this?”

I sucked in a breath, releasing it slowly as I considered my answer. “Because something as useful as dragon scales shouldn’t be reserved only for the royals who will likely never face dragon fire a day in their lives.”

Vaela made a noise of agreement.

“I just… don’t understand,” I continued. “The king could command the royal researchers to design armor that would actually save lives. And the royal smiths could craft it far quicker than I ever could.”

Vaela rocked back and forth in the chair, her expression shifting in the golden candlelight. She was thoughtful. She was beautiful.

A breath caught in my chest. At that moment, I knew she had the potential to flip my entire world upside down. But she was drunk and tomorrow this would all be a hazy memory in the back of her mind. I massaged my fear away.

“I suppose the king doesn’t see a point,” she said after a beat. “Why invest in safety equipment when there’s a never-ending line of people wanting to be dragon riders? He can just as easily replace them and not waste the time or resources.”

Frustration bloomed inside me. “That’s not how it should be. One life is not a replacement for another!”

“I didn’t say it was.” She rocked. The chair squeaked. “Why does this mean so much to you?”