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The next morning, we headed for the Gates of Lehon on foot. I reminisced as we traveled. The first time we’d gone through the enormous gates, the explosion of sound and color had nearly overwhelmed me. That felt like a lifetime ago now. There were people in Centos, but they didn’t gather in large groups—especially for celebrations. Not even for the Imrati, as they had in Lehon, hosting contests and selling wares. I looked forward to maybe visiting a tavern while we were there, since last time Galan’s gambling had forced us to flee after a disgruntled customer had lost his wages to the Gray Fox, as he was known for a reason.

Every chance we got, Rivven and I couldn’t seem to stop from reaching for each other. Not overtly or sexually, I wouldn’t force that on my sister’s body. But brushing arms, tangling fingers for a stolen moment, and any skin-to-skin contact seemed to reassure us that we were both really still here, and together. The idea that resisting my desire for him would be easy was ludicrous. Maybe a stronger person found it easier, but as it was, I struggled harder every minute not to tackle him to the ground and have my way with him.

I’d used an illusion spell to keep Ash’s wings and horn hidden, so she appeared as just a horse. This was the longest I’d been in the world since Rune had pulled me back, and though I’d checked on her, she’d been staying curled away somewhere for now. I likened it to the times she’d withdrawn from reality when I thought we were just sisters, and I couldn’t ignore the fact that the longer I was in control, the more comfortable I became. It would be hard to give that up.

Taking up the lead, Torvo remained mostly quiet, and I wished I could see into his mind to know what he was thinking. But he’d been nothing but supportive. Without him, we would not have made it out of Centos, so it wasn’t that I didn’t trust him. I still wondered, though, if his relationship with Rune would turn into an issue later. She didn’t deserve more heartbreak. I wasn’t sure she could take it.

When we approached the great stone gates, Torvo stopped so suddenly that we almost smacked into his enormous back. He threw out an arm and gestured us all behind a copse of trees at the base of the mountain. We hurried to their shady cover. When I peered out, I spied the dark red of Centos uniforms milling about the gate, pulling people roughly aside as they entered.

“Can you disguise us?” Galan asked me in a whisper.

“I can, but they probably have detection magic to look for illusions,” I answered, mind spinning as I searched for a solution.

“There’s the sky,” Torvo said. “We have a dragon as well as Ash. We can use an illusion there.”

“They’ll be watching the skies above the gate for large illusions too,” I said. “I think the only reason Ven’s gotten through is because she has no one riding her. Hells I don’t even know if she’d let us.”

We all stayed silent, thinking. We had to be able to get back to Tromodia. It was the only way to the sea. And that was the only way to the Synbari Isles. And the more I thought about it, the more it felt…right to go there.

The shadow of my dragon passed above us. Galan had been right—she went where she wanted, when she wanted, no matter what we thought. I grinned and glanced up to where she circled the highest peak. That was when it hit me.

“We go to the mountain elves,” I said, grabbing Rivven’s arm.

“What? No,” he hissed. “They were kind before because we promised them something. And in case you haven’t noticed, we don’t have Balram’s head with us.”

“Sinsha is a friend now,” I paused when tiny flames roared into life behind his dark irises. “An ally, at least,” I corrected. “We need all the allies we can get at this point.”

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid to face the big bad mountain elves?” Galan taunted, nosing in on the conversation.

“There is a difference between fear and common sense,” Rivven said, turning his attention to his friend.

“We should try it,” Torvo interrupted.

We all stopped and faced him. Both he and Ash stood close—closer than I’d realized they’d come. He rested one hand on her snout, looking casual but contemplative. Had he not wanted to get too far from me, from Rune? Something in his energy told me that was it.

Rivven nodded.

“Oh, so his word sways you and not that of your best friend?” Galan crossed his arms over his chest.

“It’s decided.” I jumped between them and whistled. How I knew what sound to make, I had no idea, but within moments both Carn and Ven had arrived. Luckily, I’d thought to cast an illusion wall around us. The guards at the gate wouldn’t think to look for it so far out, and it would prevent the attention two dragons were sure to bring.

“Ride with us,” Rivven said, holding out a hand from the top of Carn’s back.

Torvo had settled on Ash, and Galan was with Rivven. But I had other ideas.

“You don’t know if she’ll let you or even how to ride her.” Rivven’s voice became desperate as I turned toward my dragon.

“I can fly too, remember?” I called over my shoulder as the dragon once again nuzzled into my palm. I considered this revenge for his stunt during the earthquake in the forest. “What’s the worst that can happen?”

Before letting him answer, I placed a hand on Ven’s velvety neck, whispered my intentions to her, and used air wielding to swing onto her back. Once there, I tucked my legs over the front of her wings. I was a perfect fit, as if she were made for me.

The world went vertical as Ven reared up on her hind legs and prepared for flight. Hugging her neck, I admired the impressive wingspan that I hadn’t really appreciated from so far below. If she was the equivalent of a dragon toddler, I wondered what it would be like riding her when she was fully grown.

“Woohoo!” I cried out with joy as she pumped her leathery wings and leaped into the air. We passed the others easily, save for Torvo who stayed at a healthy distance so as not to get caught in Ven’s downdraft. Soon we’d outpaced them all enough that I could no longer spot them behind us.

The chill air felt refreshing as the natural warmth of the dragon beneath me acted like a campfire, keeping me cozy. It took only minutes to reach the peak. The last time we’d been here, it was a feat that had taken hours, Carn leaping his way up with a wounded Rivven on his back.

The mountain elves had already gathered into a large circle. They held spears, but I could hardly blame them when a dragon was descending from the sky. I soothed Ven with words of comfort and a steady hand smoothing down the scales on her head where they poked up like a child’s messy hair. Since no spears flew toward us, we slowly descended, picking a landing spot some distance away.