Alliance (19 page)

“Everyone’s on their way, Fimor. Have you reached the caves yet?”

“Almost there. I will be in the last one along.”

Nykin walked past the first set of caves, casting a quick glance inside as he passed. Most of the dragons were already inside, their riders huddled close as they collected the blood.

Chaiss gave him a small smile and a nod as he ducked inside the third one along. “Nykin,” he called as Nykin carried on down the tunnel, making him stop and look back. “What do we do with the blood once we have it?”

Nykin cursed under his breath. How could he have forgotten that part? “Bring it to the Eyrie entrance, and I’ll take them back down to the elves.”

Chaiss nodded again, and then he was gone.

“Fimor? I need you to pass on a message for me.”
He quickly explained again where the riders needed to take their vials, and by the time he’d finished, he’d reached the entrance to the last cave along.

Fimor flew in through the mouth, pulling in his wings and settling on the ground as Nykin approached.
“How much do you need?”

Nykin showed Fimor the vial in his hand.
“Not much.”
He pulled out the stopper as Fimor swiped a claw across his foreleg, then thrust the vial underneath to catch the heavy drops of blood that began to fall.
“Do you know anything about the spell the elves want to do?”

“I’m afraid not.”

It didn’t take long for the vial to fill with blood, and Nykin quickly put the stopper back in, sealing it up.
“Why didn’t we do this earlier? We could have already had it in place.”

Fimor sighed as he shifted around to face the cave mouth.
“Those books about dragon lore were written shortly after we first came to Torsere, a long, long time ago. There hasn’t been anyone magically inclined in this palace for years, Nykin. We simply forgot they existed, until Eldin mentioned them.”

Nykin huffed, wanting to say more on the subject but choosing to hold his tongue. It would do no good to berate the dragons now, even if over something that could prove vital for their survival.
“I better get this to the elves.”
He waved the vial in front of him as Fimor glanced back over his shoulder.
“But I’ll be back up here later to finish the remainder of my shift. I’ll talk to you then.”

“Good night, Nykin.”

Fimor leapt out into the night sky, and Nykin turned and hurried toward the entrance to the Eyrie. He was the last to arrive, the other riders already waiting with their vials of dragon’s blood. Nykin collected them and carefully wrapped them in a length of cloth before bundling them tight against his chest. “I’m sure the tea and cakes are still warm,” he said, getting everyone’s attention. “I suggest you make the most of the calm while it lasts.”

As the others began to head back to the storeroom, Nykin walked over to the steps and headed down to the palace. He found the elves in the library, poring over a set of books laid out on one of the tables.

“Where’s Eldin?”

Glaevahl ignored his question, eagerly taking the blood from him and starting to prepare it for the protection spells.

“He’s gone to get some sleep,” Avelor answered, glancing up briefly from one of the books. “Thank you for bringing it down to us, Nykin.”

Nykin wanted to linger and find out everything about the spells, but after only a few moments, Glaevahl and Alevor were already deep in conversation again, and Nykin realized he’d only be in the way. Besides, he needed to get back to the Eyrie. He had greater responsibilities now.

T
HE
REST
of Nykin’s shift was relatively uneventful. He spent half his time in the storeroom with the others, finishing off the cake and tea from the kitchens. The mood was somber, with most of the riders struggling to stay awake, and conversation was sporadic at best. Nykin checked his harness, cleaned it, and took it back up to one of the caves in preparation for a hasty takeoff.

He set the saddle on the ground and sat on it, resting his back against the cool stone of the cave wall. He’d been falling asleep in the warmth of the storeroom, and he’d come up here in the hope that the crisp cave air would help him stay alert. It appeared to be working too; at least he wasn’t struggling to keep his eyes open now.

The sun wouldn’t rise for at least a couple more hours, the sky still dark, but it already looked lighter than before. His shift would be over soon, and Nykin could almost feel the call of his bed.

And Ryneq.

With any luck, Ryneq would still be asleep, and Nykin could spend a few hours with him before the day began. It may have been selfish to want Ryneq all to himself when the whole kingdom depended on him, but Nykin missed him. They hadn’t had much time together to begin with, and now this war with Seran had stolen more of it. Nykin felt a desperate need to get as much as he could before it was all ripped away.

“Hey, there you are.”

Nykin hadn’t realized he’d fallen asleep until Selene’s voice jolted him awake. “Hey.” He rubbed his eyes and yawned widely. “What time is it?”

“About an hour before dawn.” She held out her hand to help him up, and he gladly took it. “Go get some rest, Nykin. You look awful.”

“Thanks,” he muttered, yawning again. He stood and stretched, wincing at the ache in his back and shoulders. He blinked until he felt awake enough to meet Selene’s gaze. She looked surprisingly upbeat and cheery. So much better than the last time he’d seen her, and he told her as much.

“Yeah, I feel better.” She blushed, and it took Nykin a moment to figure out why.

“Oh.” He smirked at her and hummed. “Yes, I just bet you do.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She nudged him hard with her shoulder but fought back a smile at the same time.

“Nothing. Just that Lerran wasn’t at the meeting earlier.”

Selene’s cheeks went a little redder, but she crossed her arms and fixed Nykin with her best glare. “I have no idea what you’re implying. I thought you were leaving anyway. I’m sure you must be eager to see your king.”

At the mention of Ryneq, Nykin lost all desire to tease Selene. “Yes, you’re absolutely right.” He grabbed his harness and saddle off the floor, but Selene shook her head.

“Leave it here. You’ll probably need it again soon enough.”

Nykin laid them back down and pulled Selene in for a hug, then kissed her on the cheek despite her protests. “Say hi to Jaken for me, and stay safe.”

She shooed him away, and Nykin trudged down the tunnels, only the thought of Ryneq and his bed spurring him on. He really should talk to Eldin, as a sort of handover at least, but the lead dragon rider was nowhere to be seen in the entrance, and Nykin was too exhausted to seek him out. Nothing had happened that needed reporting, and he knew all about the blood taking, so Nykin figured anything else could wait for a few hours.

He found his way to his and Ryneq’s quarters in a sort of daze, not paying much attention to where he went, but thankfully his feet knew the way. Nykin eased the door open and quietly slipped inside, not wanting to disturb Ryneq on the off chance he was still asleep.

Thankfully Ryneq had left a lamp lit in the living area, otherwise Nykin would probably have tripped over something, but he made it to the bedroom without incident and smiled softly at the sleeping form stretched out on the bed.

Ryneq had pushed down the covers while he slept, the thick coverlet barely clinging to his hips. Nykin’s gaze traced all the exposed skin as he began to strip off his uniform. He thought about running his hands over all that skin, maybe waking Ryneq up with soft kisses and firm hands, but as soon as the idea entered his head, he yawned again and his body reminded him how tired he was. With his clothes dumped in a crumpled heap on the chair, Nykin drew back the covers on his side and climbed in.

He let out a contented sigh as he pulled up the covers over them both, and his eyes were already closing when he shuffled closer to Ryneq and draped a hand across his hip. He heard a low grunt and felt Ryneq’s hand on his before he fell into an exhausted sleep.

W
HEN
R
YNEQ
woke, the first thing he noticed was the firm warmth pressed all along his back. He smiled into his pillow, enjoying the comfort of Nykin’s presence for a little longer. He’d missed this closeness. Nykin’s duty as a rider meant one now slept when the other was awake, and they had no time for each other. Ryneq twined his fingers with Nykin’s and pulled Nykin’s arm tighter around him. With his eyes still closed, he sighed and relaxed into the sheets, but as much as he wanted to stay right where he was, he knew he needed to get up.

He drew Nykin’s hand up to his mouth and placed a soft kiss on his fingers, then carefully slid out of bed so as not to wake him. Nykin could only have been in bed for an hour or two at most, and he’d need more sleep than that to function properly later.

Ryneq pulled on a pair of pants just as a soft knock sounded on the door, and then Thane appeared, carrying a tray laden with breakfast. He quietly closed the door behind him when Ryneq gestured to the still-sleeping Nykin.

Ryneq followed Thane as he carried the tray through to the table in the dining area and set it down. The huge picture windows were still shrouded with thick drapes, but judging by the thin sliver of sunlight trying to peek through, it was a few hours past dawn.

“Nysad requested to see you after breakfast, Sire. He said it was urgent. Shall I tell him to meet you in the war room shortly?” Thane had already begun to set out the food and was in the middle of pouring a cup of hot, sweet tea.

If Nysad said it was urgent, then Ryneq wanted to see him now, not wait. His stomach rumbled loudly as if protesting, and Ryneq cast a glance back through the arch to where Nykin lay sleeping. If they were quiet, then they shouldn’t disturb Nykin’s sleep. He could sleep through anything if he was tired enough, and from the way he hadn’t so much as stirred when Ryneq had gotten out of bed, it appeared to be one of those times.

“No, tell him to come here now. I don’t want to wait to hear what he has to say.”

“Very well, Sire.” Thane bowed slightly and left to relay the message to Nysad.

Ryneq pulled out one of the chairs and sat down, his body feeling heavy all of a sudden. He doubted very much that Nysad would be bringing good news, and the food Thane had set out wasn’t so appealing anymore. But he still needed to eat. He took a drink of tea and winced a little when it burned his tongue, then helped himself to a chunk of bread and dried meat.

Nysad arrived a few moments later, escorted by Thane, who silently ushered him through to sit with Ryneq.

“Thank you, Thane. That will be all for now.”

Thane nodded. “Of course, Sire. I took the liberty of setting out your clothes on the chair next to the fire.” He bowed his head again and left as quietly as he’d arrived, leaving Nysad and Ryneq alone at the table.

Ryneq set down his cup and leaned back in his chair, looking at Nysad expectantly.

“Kalis has been spotted at the north gate, Sire.” He paused, looking extremely uncomfortable, and Ryneq prepared for the worst. “There’s a lot of blood. We don’t know if she’s alive or not.”

The north gate could easily be seen from Seran’s camp, and anyone who went out to retrieve her would be a sitting duck. Despite her treachery, she’d served Ryneq loyally for many years, and he hated the thought of leaving her out there if there was even the slightest chance she was still alive. But more importantly from a king’s viewpoint, they needed to find out what information, if any, she had given to Seran and his witch.

“Is there a way to bring her inside without getting anyone killed?” Ryneq pulled a piece of meat loose with his fork and ate it, barely tasting it as he waited for Nysad’s response.

“The elves suggested we ask Lerran, and I have to agree he is probably our best chance. He used his magic to hide our patrol when we went to evacuate the villagers, and I’m hoping he can do the same to fetch Kalis inside the walls without being seen.”

Although Ryneq wanted to get her inside, he refused to put Lerran’s life in danger in order to do so. “What does Lerran think?”

Nysad’s smile was immediate, if a little grim. “He and Faelon are preparing as we speak, Sire.”

Ryneq sighed. “Of course they are.” He should have expected as much.

“Faelon is casting a protection spell that should keep him safe from arrows, but it won’t be able to withstand the witch’s magic. Lerran’s shield should prevent him from being seen, though. The only problem is when Kalis suddenly disappears from view. If Seran’s men are watching, they’ll know that something’s wrong. And Faelon’s spell will only protect Lerran, not Kalis.”

“She has made her bed.” Ryneq pushed his plate away, his appetite totally gone now. “I’m not happy about Lerran going out there alone, but I can’t exactly forbid him from going. Make it clear that he is not required to do this. If he has any misgivings at all, then we should just leave Kalis to her fate.”