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Emric let out a whoop and John did too, looking a little tired but happy.
But then instead of the stomping thing, which I had wondered if it would happen today as it was always chill inducing, the shifters all came trudging into the water.
I watched curiously.
Malachi was up to his black wings before he turned and headed for the grass, running and rolling in the deep green grasses.
They refused to swim here when it was black,the queen sent me. They’ve only been able to go in the streams since.
Back and forth they went, swimming, rolling, rolling, swimming. They were nipping at each other, and others were swimming out deep enough they couldn’t touch. Queen Esta was even blowing them smoke rings for them to jump through.
For whatever reason, it was making me emotional. To see them have as much fun in their sanctuary as I had yesterday with Kian wave riding.
“Did you want to head to The Drak today or did you use too much of your reserves?”
I hadn’t even heard Amory walk up to me, I was content slowly walking to shore and watching what was going on around me.
Amory’s eyes went wide as if she realized what she’d said. “I do not care either way, of course, just wanted to know. The queen has a meeting later after lunch.”
I grinned. She didn’t have a vindictive bone in her body, and I knew that. “Let’s head to The Drak.”
“Are you sure you won’t get burnt out?” she asked quietly.
I stole a glance at the queen as she took in the horses around her. “I will keep trying, Amory. Time and time again. To the brink of burnout if necessary.”
I looked back at her to see her smiling at me. “Anyone ever told you you’re stubborn?”
I squinted. “Likely as many as have told you the same.”
She laughed. “Until you came to Dra Skor, I am not certain I understood how much I needed....” she trailed off.
“A fine male specimen to gawk at?” I provided innocently.
The snort from the queen where she sat, what should be out of earshot, proved she was, in fact, eavesdropping.
Amory shook her head, her purely white hair moving in the sun. “It just got lonely. I felt like the only one not choosing a clear side between the shifters stuck in their human forms, and the shifters stuck in their shifted form. Until you swooped in with firmly the same stance.” She let out a sigh. “Let’s allow Malachi a bit longer before we head out.”
I nudged her with my elbow. “We will figure it out.”
“How to get our Enchantment back?”
I gave my head a shake. “No, but that too. I meant who is doing this to your queen. They’ll show their face eventually.”
She clenched her jaw. “I’ll kill them myself when they do.”
“Not if I beat you to it,” I laughed. Then I added more quietly, “Could it be Zaire? Could he be upset he lost the opportunity to be king? And want the crown for himself?”
She moved her head to one shoulder, then the other. “I don’t think so. Quite frankly, I don’t think he is smart enough to be pulling all of these strings. Whoever is doing this has buried themselves in layers upon layers of plans.”
Still, I didn’t trust him. Not even for a moment. His and Esta’s engagement was broken off and he managed to “have a moment” with the queen’s cousin?
The whole thing reeked of conspiracy.
By the time we took off for The Drak, I was quiet, contemplating everything I knew. I wanted to figure this out. Not to avoid a war, but it would work nicely if I could oust the traitor among the queen’s advisors.
We swooped down into the entrance of The Drak before I realized it. Malachi let John and Emric off and trotted right over to the lake, ready to get back to work.
That was when I noticed Esta was the only one of us not moving.
