Page 23 of Wings of Ice and Steel

‘Okay. Good.’ Nieve crossed her legs to sit, blowing on her porridge. ‘I hope they managed to find you that pig?’ she asked as Ariadnne’s head sank back to the floor. ‘Lucius was constantly moaning about how hungry his shifts made him. I can’t imagine how hungry you must be. At your size.’

A delicate billow of icy air plumed from white nostrils, and the dragon rumbled. It sounded like a chuckle.

Nieve grew bolder. ‘Your company are lovely by the way. Kayla and Dantro have been very welcoming. Kayla, in particular.’ Nieve’s mouth widened. ‘That girl knows how to talk.’

Ariadnne snorted again, then her eyes closed as Nieve continued speaking about the view from Ariadnne’s back, the size of D’avant’s army, and the things she liked best about flying at night. Then she paused, the grass beneath her fingers dry as she plucked it.

‘I hope you don’t mind that I accepted the transfer without consulting you first.’ She twisted towards the now-lilac eye that watched her. Ariadnne didn’t seem annoyed, so Nieve shuffled closer, turning her back so she could lean against Ariadnne’s cool scales. Being the only one who could talk was making her bold, but there was a pressure to say the right thing. Something that would help. She decided to be honest.

‘You made me think, you know. When you said I should care about why. I’ve always trusted my leaders to make the right calls. I usually make the wrong ones, you see, when left to my own devices.’ A shard of breath lodged in her chest. That was truer than she’d like to admit.

‘But I shouldn’t rely on blind trust and ignorance. I want to be better than that. Better than ‘just’ a mercenary.’ She sighed. ‘I’m not sure that helps right now. I guess, today we just need to survive.’

Ariadnne tensed beneath her.

‘I wish I could tell you it’s going to be fine.’ Nieve closed her eyes. She was struck by how small she was in comparison to Ariadnne, yet how vulnerable Ariadnne seemed—as though she needed someone to keep her safe. A soft smile tugged at her lips as Ariadnne’s muscles uncoiled and the dragon released a long breath.

‘Yeah. Me too,’ she wholeheartedly agreed.

*

The sun was approaching its zenith when Melixanthe jogged back to camp. She had been in the command tent for the best part of the morning.

Nieve caught the glance the general threw at her as she lay, dozing, against Ariadnne’s flank and struggled to interpret it. A lump formed in her throat as Ariadnne tensed, and Nieve scrambled to join those who’d already formed ranks.

Melixanthe raised a hand.

‘The army has been spotted on the horizon. We have perhaps an hour, maybe two, before they are in range. It is command’s preference that we keep them away from the wall, thin their ranks before they come in range of the keep’s archers. Ariadnne, as your first larger assignment, you’ll be responsible for culling foot soldiers.’ She nodded towards the males. ‘Lucius and Regulus, you will concentrate on ballistae and war machines.’ She paused, shooting the males a second look. ‘Don’t fatigue too early. This could be a long one and I know what you’re like.’

Regulus grumbled, Lucius elbowing him to keep quiet.

‘I would assume they are prepared to face our kind. Be careful and keep your eyes open.’ She clapped her hands. ‘You have thirty minutes.’

The knights nodded, faces grim. They were paid to be the Kingdom’s primary offence, to bear the brunt of the attack, and everyone knew a battle this size might get ugly.

With a burst of energy both Lucius and Regulus shifted into their glorious black and red skins, lowering themselves to be harnessed. Engineers surrounded Ariadnne, slinging straps over her shoulders and fixing them in place down her length.

Nieve checked her bow and hurried towards the ladder, catching Melixanthe as she lay both her hands on Ariadnne’s snout, an uncharacteristically tender gesture.

The moment wasn’t meant for Nieve’s eyes, but it opened them regardless. There was another side to the general that Nieve hadn’t met. A softer side. And something about the way Ariadnne followed her so readily made more sense, although Nieve still thought Melixanthe controlling.

But what did Nieve know? She’d promised herself she’d give Melixanthe a chance, so a chance she would give her.

Ten

Ariadnne

Minutes flew by, knights moving like a well-oiled machine. Weapons were stowed and flight belts secured, each member of Ariadnne’s company swinging themselves into position and securing themselves tightly to the harness like so many knots on a rope.

Her knights. Ariadnne’s dragon soul was nothing if not possessive, and with Nieve amongst their number that pressure became more pointed. Somehow, the Iceling had managed to charm the beast’s stony heart.

The firedrakes postured, restless and steaming. Lucius snapped at Regulus’ throat until Ariadnne growled. Ice curled round Ariadnne’s toes and froze on her rumbling breath. Both firedrakes stopped still at the sound, eyes on her.

It took all of fifteen minutes for the engineers to be satisfied with the harness. Fifteen minutes of staring the firedrakes down, daring them to move, before the engineers were satisfied that no points of failure or weakened straps could be found, and grease was liberally applied to all the chafe-points. Finally, Melixanthe’s palm landed on Ariadnne’s neck.

‘It’s time, Ari. Take us up,’ she muttered. Ariadnne bunched her trunk-like muscles for the giant leap skyward, then they were aloft, the plains of Monmouth Pass dropping away like a paper map. Ariadnne’s ribcage vibrated as her dragon soul fought for control. The sky called, as did war and blood—and her beast was desperate to be free.

There was the damp kiss of a cloud, which parted to reveal an abnormal shadow spread across the horizon. Humans. Tens upon tens of thousands; a hundred clans united. Ariadnne’s far-sighted eyes took them in—ugly, spiked armour and curved weapons included. The sheer size of the horde made her dizzy, siege towers and catapults dotted the plain, too, pulled by ten-foot giants with craggy, rock-like skin.