Union (13 page)

“Take him away.” Ryneq moved back and gestured for Nysad to take his place. “I’ve heard enough.”

“Yes, Sire.” Nysad nodded and ordered the two soldiers holding Danek’s arms to start walking ahead of him.

Ryneq stood and watched them leave, feeling the exhaustion of the past two days wash over him again. “As you were,” he said to the remaining soldiers, before finally turning and heading back to the main palace.

T
HE
PALACE
was full of life the next morning. Both Ryneq and Nykin were up before the sun, and they’d already had breakfast with Cerylea by the time the first rays lightened the sky.

“So,” Nykin said as they walked back to their quarters. “I guess I’ll see you when we reach Alel.” He hovered by the door, wanting to pull Ryneq closer and kiss him, but people were already inside their room getting ready to carry the large trunk out to the courtyard. The two ships they were going to use were moored in the royal docks, just outside the fishing village of Bahkesh, about five hours’ ride south of the palace.

“Yes.” Ryneq reached toward him, as though he’d had exactly the same thought as Nykin. But before his hand made contact, Kalis interrupted them by politely asking if they could move out of the way to let them carry out the trunk.

“Excuse me, Sire, Nykin,” she said quietly and bowed her head.

Nykin sighed in defeat as Ryneq smiled at her and dutifully moved out of the way. “I’d better get up to the Eyrie, then, before Eldin comes looking for me.”

“Yes,” Ryneq grinned. “Don’t expect me to get you out of trouble with him.”

“What good is it being the king’s consort if I can’t expect special treatment?” Nykin teased. He decided he really didn’t care who was watching, grabbed hold of Ryneq’s collar, and used both hands to drag him in for a kiss. Ryneq had shaved that morning for the first time in days, and Nykin almost missed the burn of stubble against his skin. But Ryneq’s mouth was soft and inviting, and Nykin let the kiss go on way longer than he’d intended.

In the end, Ryneq pulled away first, his lips red and looking well-used—much to Nykin’s satisfaction.

“Go,” Ryneq whispered. He tightened his hands on Nykin’s shoulders before letting go and giving him a gentle shove. “Or I may do something indecent in front of all these people.”

Nykin took a good long look at his king before spinning on his heel and heading toward the Eyrie steps. He climbed them quickly this time, excitement running through his veins and giving him boundless energy. Eldin had chosen him to be in the escort for the ships, and Nykin knew he wouldn’t have picked him unless he thought he was up to the task. Eldin didn’t have favorites and didn’t give anyone preferential treatment—no matter who they were. He’d made it perfectly clear to Nykin that as far as he was concerned, Nykin would have to earn the right be chosen for missions. And that was exactly what Nykin had wanted. So the fact that he would be accompanying Ryneq to Alel in his role as dragon rider, and not only as Ryneq’s consort, made him incredibly proud and happy.

Eldin was talking to some of the other riders just inside the
entranceway, and he looked up, caught Nykin’s eye, and beckoned him over to join them. Selene was there, and she winked at Nykin as he went and stood beside her. She was also part of the royal escort, but Jaken was staying behind to guard the palace and run patrols. The other two riders, also staying behind, nodded in greeting to Nykin and then left.

“Nykin,” Eldin acknowledged. “I was just explaining to Selene that the elves have given us permission to leave two dragon riders in Alel for the duration of the king’s stay. Since you will be there anyway as a guest, it seems logical for you to be one of them, and I’ve chosen Selene as the other.”

Nykin glanced over at his friend, and her wide beaming smile made him laugh softly. Selene was incredibly attractive with her long dark hair and fair skin. She had the lithe, toned body of a rider, and Nykin wondered what would happen when they reached Alel—given his experience with the elves and their overly friendly nature.

Eldin cleared his throat, and Nykin immediately turned to face him again, a splash of heat blossoming in his cheeks. “I shouldn’t have to remind you both that you’ll be representing the whole of Torsere—you especially, Nykin—and your behavior should therefore be exemplary. You will be guests of the elven royal family, and I expect to hear nothing but glowing reports about the pair of you.”

Nykin nodded, refusing to look at Selene again for fear of incurring any more of Eldin’s ire. “Isn’t Alel surrounded by trees, though?”

From what he’d heard Faelon and the others say, a lot of the city was built high up in huge trees, and Nykin couldn’t imagine where Fimor was going to stay while they were there.

“Yes, Alel is surrounded by the Forest of Hervath, but apparently only on three sides.”

Eldin walked over to a large map on the wall behind them and gestured for them to follow. The map depicted Torsere and its bordering kingdoms. “Here,” Eldin pointed to Alel, where a crude drawing of a beach had been added next to the sea, and marked BEACH in big bold lettering. “According to Prince Morkryn, there’s a large beach next to the harbor, big enough to accommodate two dragons.”

Nykin thought about Fimor lazing about on a beach and had to stifle a laugh behind his hand. Dragons were creatures of the sky and the mountains. No matter how hard he tried, Nykin couldn’t picture Fimor and Kalesh—Selene’s dragon—spending the week on sand.

Eldin raised an eyebrow at him but didn’t comment on Nykin’s obvious amusement. “I don’t expect your dragons to remain at Alel for the whole time we’re there. They’re obviously free to come and go as they please, with or without you on their backs, but the elven elders have requested the chance to study them.”

Nykin bristled at the suggestion, and judging by the set of Selene’s shoulders, she wasn’t too happy about it either. The reason that the dragons lived in the Torserian mountains in the first place was because they’d been relentlessly pursued by people wanting to “study” them. Nykin knew the elves were different, they meant no harm whatsoever to Fimor and Kalesh, but he had no idea how Fimor would react to the request.

“You can both stop looking at me like that,” Eldin said. “When King Ryneq told me of their request, the first thing I did was ask permission from the dragons.” The dragons could all communicate with each other through their minds, the same way they did with their riders. Eldin had obviously used his connection with his own dragon, Vashek, to speak with Kalesh and Fimor.

“And they were okay with this?” Selene asked, glancing briefly at Nykin as she spoke.

“Surprisingly, yes.” Eldin eyed Nykin, his lips curling up at the corners. “It would seem Fimor is quite happy for this to happen, if—” He paused, and Nykin had an idea what was coming next. “—and only if, it’s Faelon and Avelor who do the studying. He seems to think that you already have a good relationship with these two elves.”

Nykin blushed as he remembered Faelon’s magic and his outrageous flirting. The smirk now on Eldin’s face implied that Fimor had been very liberal with the truth. Selene sniggered next to him, and Nykin wished he’d never told her and Jaken anything about the elves’ visit to the Eyrie.

“We’ll be leaving in one hour. I suggest you go and ready your dragons.” Eldin turned and headed for the steps back down to the palace, obviously having some last-minute business to take care of with either Ryneq or Cerylea.

“Come on, then.” Selene tugged on Nykin’s arm, leading him toward the entrance to the tunnels.

“W
HAT
ARE
they like?” Selene asked as she stretched up to reach Kalesh’s harness.

She was at least a head shorter than Nykin, and had to stand on her tiptoes to get to some of the hooks. Nykin had found out the hard way that she didn’t like anyone offering to help her.

“Who?” he replied, balancing Fimor’s harness over his shoulder and collecting up the ends so they didn’t drag on the ground.

“The elves.” Selene rolled her eyes as she struggled to position Kalesh’s harness a bit more comfortably. “Ugh! These things never get any lighter,” she muttered under her breath, before finally getting it how she wanted it. “I’ve never actually spoken to any of them, and you have. So spill.” She came to stand beside him, an expectant look on her face.

“Well….” Nykin gestured for Selene to go first back into the tunnels as he struggled to think of how to describe the elves. “Their magic is very… um… hard to resist.”

“I know that from what you told me before. I was just wondering what they were like to talk to. You know, do they have a sense of humor? Are they just going to want to know about our dragons, or will they want to know about us too?”

“Trust me,” Nykin said, pausing at the entrance to the first free landing cave. He remembered how fascinated the elves had been with him, and he grinned. “They’re going to want to know all about you too.”

Selene grinned back at him, bouncing a little in place as though her excitement was too much to contain. “I’ve always wanted to see what the elf city was like.” Her dark eyes were huge in the dim light of the tunnel. “I can’t believe I actually get to go.”

Nykin walked into the cave, looking back at her over his shoulder. “If we don’t get our dragons harnessed and ready, we won’t be going anywhere.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She laughed and waved him off. “See you in the sky, Nykin.”

Nykin shook his head, wondering if he should be concerned for the elves, not Selene. He carefully laid the harness against the wall of the cave and walked over to the edge to call for Fimor.

“Fimor?”

“Already on my way, Nykin.”

Nykin smiled as he closed his eyes and breathed in the cool mountain air. He probably should have called Fimor as he and Selene walked up from the storeroom, but this was one of Nykin’s favorite things about being a dragon rider. The sight of Fimor—
his dragon
—flying through the sky in all his majestic glory, never failed to take Nykin’s breath away. The deep blue of the sky behind him accented Fimor’s dark red scales, and when the sun caught them just right, he shimmered from head to toe and looked every bit the magical creature he was.

“Eldin said the elves want to study you and Kalesh.”
Nykin
moved off to the side as Fimor flew into the cave.
“Are you really all right with that?”

Fimor settled gracefully onto the stone floor and tucked his wings into his sides.
“I assume Eldin also informed you of my stipulations?”

“That you only want to talk to Faelon and Avelor? Yes, he did mention that.”

Fimor’s tail twitched, and Nykin could have sworn Fimor looked amused.
“You seemed to get on well with them last time. And you were able to resist their magic, so I thought it wise to stick with the elves we are both used to.”

Nykin narrowed his eyes as he met Fimor’s gaze. His words made sense, but Nykin got the feeling there was more to it.

“Besides
,
”
Fimor added, showing off with a bright burst of orange flame aimed at the ceiling,
“it was
Faelon’s magic that helped save your life. I feel… somewhat connected to him.”

Nykin was in the middle of grabbing Fimor’s harness, and he paused at that, shifting slightly so he could meet Fimor’s eyes. Something stirred in the pit of his stomach, and it felt a lot like jealousy. Fimor was bonded to
him
. Nykin pushed the feeling away, because even though he didn’t particularly like it, Fimor was right. Faelon had used his magic to keep Nykin from bleeding to death, and Nykin should be eternally grateful for that, not stupidly jealous because Fimor felt some sort of kinship with the elf.

“Nykin.”
Fimor’s voice was soft and soothing as he swung his head round and butted Nykin’s side.
“There’s no need for your envy, young rider. Our bond is strong and will never be challenged, not even by the lure of elf magic.”

Fimor exhaled, the sound much like a sigh, and his breath washed over Nykin’s side. It felt warm, even through the layers of Nykin’s uniform.

“His magic was still inside you, holding you together, when they gave you my blood. I felt it, Nykin. I can still feel a lingering trace of it through our bond, and if you concentrate, I think you could too
.
”

“How?”
Nykin went to put the harness back down, but Fimor stopped him.

“You had better put that on me, Nykin, or we won’t be ready in time.”
Nykin opened his mouth to protest, because he really wanted to know now, but Fimor cut him off with a glare.
“I’ll explain about Faelon while you work.”

“Yeah, okay, you’re probably right.”
Nykin cast a quick glance out at the sky, and the sun was higher than he’d expected. He hoisted the harness onto Fimor’s back, smoothed it out, and fastened the straps as Fimor began to speak.

“Faelon’s magical essence is imprinted inside you, Nykin, fused to your flesh and your bones. If you close your eyes and clear your head, you can focus deep down inside to find the faint hum of energy. Try it now.