Page 101 of Ashborne Phoenix

The question occurred to me, and I almost stumbled as I stepped out of the shadows of the grand portico of the castle, and into the torchlight on the staircase down to the pebbled drive, where a line of carriages awaited their passengers.

I was so unsettled, I didn’t acknowledge the bow of the footman and driver as they opened the door for me. My leathers creaked as I dropped into the seat inside, leaning an elbow on the small window and glaring out at the awful night.

I’d dressed in leathers, just in case. Now that they’d all seen the dragons with me, and Breckon had leveled the accusation, there was no point hiding my experience as a rider, and in the event we were forced to flee, it would help. They were also black, and less likely to draw eyes in the dark.

There was a “Hi-yup!” from the driver, and the carriage lurched forward. Now that I knew there were no eyes on me, I could allow my thoughts to turn inward. And to Grace.

I reached for her, frantic. ‘Where are you? Where did they take you?’ But either she couldn’t hear me, or she couldn’t answer. My grip on the link felt tenuous, like water that flowed between my fingers, and might flash into vapor at any moment.

But just in case, I kept sending. ‘I’ll find you. I’ll save you. I’ll keep you, forever. I swear it, Grace. I’ll never let anyone put you through this again. I’m here. I’m coming. I’ll win this.’

Yet, there was no answer but silence.

North Star

~ VOSKI ~

I stormed out of the carriage the moment it came to a halt in the small clearing where the Cruors had gathered to watch the ritual.

It was the same place Grace would have been displayed to the circle before she was taken deeper into the woods to fulfill her role as bait. Prize. Prey.

God, I was sick just thinking about it. But I’d given her a blade and a sheath strapped to her thigh. I had to pray they hadn’t checked her for weapons. Blades weren’t against the rules under the circumstances. That didn’t mean Mother would take the risk. I’d warned Grace not to fight if they removed it from her, but I prayed they hadn’t.

When I strode out of the carriage and into the circle, half of them flinched from my gaze. I smiled and sucked at the power, holding it, letting it crackle in my hair and on the surface of my skin. Let them sense it. Let them fear.

I saw more than one set of eyes turn upward, nervously looking for the dragons.

I smirked. “Don’t believe just because you can’t see them, that they aren’t there,” I drawled as I broke through the ranks into the circle.

Breckon turned from where he stood awaiting me. Like me, he’d worn practical clothing—thick, well-cut trousers, a riding jacket, and no cravat. Clearly he expected to need all his air.

My mother stood facing him in a hooded robe of deep scarlet.

Grace was out there somewhere in the royal purple. The rest of the Circle wore black, the fabric gleaming in the moonlight and turning each of them into rippling steel.

As I took my place in the circle, next to Breckon and in front of my mother, Kham sent an image, from Koa—Grace being ushered between trees by two men. The image made my skin prickle with rage, but Kham didn’t communicate any agitation. Koa believed she was safe. So far.

I tried to reach for Grace again, to measure the distance between us, but I couldn’t get a gauge on it. And they were all waiting now.

“It’s nearly time to begin!” Mother crowed, beaming at me. Ecstatic because she could feel the power I held. Which was just one more reason to despise it. But I played a role, and power gave it credence.

“Are you both ready?” Mother asked formally.

“Certainly.” I nodded once.

“Soon,” Breckon said darkly, turning to catch eyes with one or two of the men in the circle. “First, I want to make certain we’re hunting the same field.”

I glared at Breckon, then let my expression blank as I turned to my mother. I was almost certain my mother would help Grace—had probably given her tips on where and how to hide, so as to give me the best chance of finding her. But one could never really know what my mother planned, or even hoped. And Breckon had an advantage, purely by familiarity of the terrain. Not that it mattered.

I would win this evening.

Mother was the greater unknown, though she showed no apprehension about my threat to take the Dominus from her after this. Not that I’d expected it. Her mask was steel-plated.

“Nerves getting to you, my lord?” I murmured.

Breckon sneered. “I know the only thing to stop me taking that little bitch tonight is your schemes. Either you’ve set the Dominus to aid you, or you’ve hidden a dragon out there to flame me.”

“I have no need to do either.” I yawned, rolling my head on my neck as if I were bored. “And the dragons won’t even look at you unless I tell them to, which I won’t. I will win this entirely in my own power, so there is no confusion or conjecture about who possesses the strength needed to lead,” I said, glancing around the circle to make certain the others heard and would pass it on.