Staring in Prince Philander’s dark gray-purple eyes, his hand still outstretched to me, I swallow. I can feel the tension palpable all around me, everyone leaning close to see whether or not I accept Prince Philander’s offer of marriage and further secure the alliance between the Wards and Amenyl.
But I can’t. And I decide that the best thing to do is to be honest. It’s what Ariadna would want.
“I’m greatly honored by your request,” I say. “Thank you, your majesty. However, my heart is set on another man, and his on mine.” I pull out the ruby pendant Amon had given me, setting it atop my Wards uniform. “He has gifted me a betrothal promise.”
King Mahlir’s brow furrows even more and he glances at his son. But Prince Philander just keeps smiling and bows his head to me. “Well! I should not be surprised that a beauty such as yourself would already be claimed.”
I press my lips together but manage to keep a smile at the corners—I don’t like the way he phrased that. Nonetheless, his comment seems to have set his father at ease, who is leaning back in his chair more and more.
“Perhaps,” General Easton says slowly, “we should chalk this up to misunderstandings and proceed with the war strategies?”
“Indeed!” Prince Philander holds his hand out to me again. When I take it, he gives me a lingering kiss on my hand. “My sincere apologies, Ward Estelle, Ward Thorn. Your aid is greatly appreciated.”
“Thank you, your majesty,” I say.
Straightening, flashing me another smile, Prince Philander makes his way toward the second throne chair on the platform. King Mahlir, watching his son’s face, then looks back at us. He’s calmed significantly and gives his generals a nod. “You may proceed.”
General Norman’s shoulders relax a little. “Thank you, your majesty. I would like to discuss what the alliance with the Wards may mean for us, as far as our strategies go.” He beckons Thorn and I closer to a standing table set to the side of the throne platform, papers and small wooden figures strewn across it. “If you look—”
The doors to the throne room swing open with a bang, and we turn to see two Verlassen soldiers rush in. The black-outlined gold four-point star insignia on one of the soldiers’ uniforms indicates a colonel, and he’s half-carrying the other man, who’s bleeding from his side.
“Colonel Blair!” General Wesley says. “What—”
“—This messenger just arrived,” Colonel Blair says. “He brings grave news.”
“Your majesties! Generals!” The soldier shudders, holding a hand to his wound. I start to walk forward, but a nurse in a blue apron overtop a yellow dress rushes into the grand hall and holds gauzes to his wounds. “Klevor has attacked Riverton!”
Gasps go up all around us. Thorn looks at me and I lean close. “Riverton’s a western-most city,” I whisper. “I don’t think it’s that far from Remyssus either.” Thorn grimaces.
“Ariadna help us,” General Benjamin murmurs. “Our army is already spread too thin, if the Klevorians were able to cut through to there! I take it the battle wasn’t going well when you left, soldier?”
“No.” The soldier’s eyes fill with tears. “Captain Clinton sent me to request aid. Please, send help, your majesty, generals! I have family in Riverton.”
“Of course,” King Mahlir says.
“How many soldiers would you estimate?” General Norman asks.
“Our scouts reported at least five hundred soldiers,” Captain Clinton says, “including one major.”
“Five hundred?” General Wesley runs a hand through his receding brown hair. “Captain Clinton’s at max soldiers, but that’s nowhere near enough.”
“No,” the soldier says.
“You did well,” General Norman says to the soldier. “We’ll take it from here—get yourself some rest, soldier.”
“Thank you,” the soldier says. He manages a bow, and then lets Colonel Blair carry him out of the throne room, the nurse still trying to bandage his wounds.
Everyone waits until the door closes, and then the generals, as one, turn to King Mahlir, whose face looks ashen. “We cannot save them in time, can we?” he asks quietly.
“No, your majesty,” General Norman says, his tone solemn. “We still must send soldiers to stop the advance of the Klevorians, but I’m afraid there’s no way we can get there in time. We’re talking about a force over three times Captain Clinton’s soldiers. And that’s if there isn’t more than five hundred, and Captain Clinton hasn’t lost men.”
“Likely our men are using the banks of Riverton for defense, hence why they weren’t completely overrun,” General Wesley says. “But…Ariadna,” he whispers. “It will take us two days—at least—to get troops there.”
I glance at Thorn, who gives me a subtle nod. “We will go,” I say.
The generals turn to us. King Mahlir visibly swallows. “I would be grateful to you, and to your leader Ward Veremund,” King Mahlir says. “I know our alliance has not been made official. And,” he adds, his voice softening, “there has been a number of misunderstandings in your first meeting here.”
“We seek to serve and protect all those who follow Ariadna,” I say. “We will aid in this.”
“But, we should depart immediately,” Thorn says. “It doesn’t sound like there’s much time.”
“No,” General Wesley says.
General Norman orders a servant to get a Verlassen banner, which he holds out to Thorn and I. “I recommend that you wield this when you attempt to contact Captain Clinton. It should go a ways to easing his concerns when you arrive.”
Thorn takes the banner, nodding. “Thank you.”
“While I know Amenyl somewhat,” I say, “if you could direct us to Riverton, that would be helpful.”
General Wesley beckons me to their strategy table. I’m amazed by the detailed map sprawled here, with carved and painted pieces marking Verlassen forces and Klevorian forces. I search for Inizion, and see the word “Inizion” and a couple of other villages marked out with a black X in the northwestern most corner of Amenyl. My heart sinks.
“Riverton is almost straight west from here,” General Wesley says. “When you pass a large grove of trees, you’ll want to arc a little more north, but still mostly west. Depending on how fast your dragons travel, the tree grove is usually seen on horseback about midday of the second day of travel.
“So approximately three-quarters of the trip if heading straight west,” I say. “I understand.”
“Thank you, Wards,” General Norman says.
“Indeed, thank you,” King Mahlir says. “When you complete this task, please return. I wish to thank you myself, and to officiate our alliance.”
“We will, your majesty,” I say. I bow to the king and prince, Thorn following my lead, and then we turn and hurry down the hall, the Generals escorting us once again. They have to jog in short sprints to keep up with Thorn and I’s brisk walk.
“We hadn’t had a chance to ask,” Thorn says. “You had mentioned seeing other Vladykars. Were any detected near Riverton?”
“No, most of the dragon attacks have been on the outer borders of Amenyl, specifically toward the northwest,” General Norman says. “We’ve lost a couple of the outermost villages completely.”
I flinch, nodding. Inizion was one of those villages.
“We’re not sure what their tactic is yet,” General Benjamin says. “They are sending soldiers farther in, but if what you say is true, I’m not sure why they aren’t hammering us more with their dragon beasts.”
Thorn brow furrows as he shares a look with me. “I’m not sure either.”
Stepping outside, I glance to the east, where I still feel the tug on my heart. Thorn lifts a small horn strapped around his neck and blows. The sound seems lost in the city, but I feel the pressure on my heart lessen, and then I breathe a sigh of relief as I spot the glistening white of Astralux’s scales on the horizon.
“Perhaps, when you return,” General Easton says, “we can officially meet your dragons, Ward Thorn and Ward Estelle?”
“We would be happy to introduce them,” I say.
Shouts of surprise go up all over the palace, the castle grounds, and from the city as Astralux and Vitegadium fly overhead. I see Astralux peering down at me, and I wave before pointing to the same grassy area by the stream banks where they had previously dropped us off. Arching around to slow themselves in their descent, Astralux lands first and then Vitegadium. I hurry to Astralux’s side, and she nuzzles me.
“Are you alright?” Astralux asks.
“I’m fine, but we need to go help the city of Riverton,” I say.
Vitegadium’s green eyes widen. “Oh no, Vladykars?”
“Klevorian soldiers,” Thorn says. He pats Vitegadium’s neck before pulling himself up into the saddle, tying the Verlassen banner on the saddle.
I pull myself up onto Astralux’s saddle and look down at the generals—who are clearly trying not to let their mouths drop open in shock as they stare at the dragons and at us. I fight back a smile. “We will return as soon as we can.”
“Thank you, Wards of Adytol,” General Norman says. “Safe travels by Ariadna.”
“May Ariadna be with you,” I say.
Astralux takes off, and I exhale a heavy sigh of relief, hugging her as she nears altitude. “What’s wrong?” Astralux asks. “What did they do?”
“Politics, is what they did,” I say.
“Remember our attackers from last night?” Thorn asks, Vitegadium in the air next to us now. “It’s none other than King Mahlir’s son, Prince Philander.”
“What?!” Vitegadium exclaims.
“And he not only accused us of misrepresenting him, but tried to force Estelle to marry him,” Thorn says, his voice rising.
Astralux growls angrily, glancing back at me. “You didn’t agree, did you?!”
“No, no,” I say. “We’ll tell you more on the way, but right now we’ve got to get to Riverton. Head straight west. Toward the end of our trip, we’ll need to go a little more north. We’re looking for a city on the banks.”
“Got it.” Astralux, who had already been heading northwest, turns west, and Vitegadium flies beside her. “How far?”
“Two solid days of travel on horseback,” I say. “I don’t know what that translates into as far as flight speed.”
Astralux gives a snort. “An hour at most.”
I stare at the back of Astralux’s head at her spines, and then look down at the rolling plains and cities flying past below us. I guess I of all people should have realized how fast dragons traveled, considering how quick we made it to the Golden Palace from Adytol. But for some reason, the urgency of the matter hadn’t translated in my mind to such a fast trip.
“There’s a Captain Clinton that needs our aid at Riverton,” Thorn says. “Although it’s a lot of Klevorian soldiers, I’m hoping our presence will scare most of them away.”
Giving an eager growl, Astralux starts to take the lead on Vitegadium. “Battle! We will send those Klevorian soldiers back home!”
A shudder runs through me as I touch the crossbow strapped to the side of the saddle. I don’t want to fight. But I know there are innocent people who will die if I don’t.
Thorn frowns, peering ahead. “I think I see smoke.”
I follow his gaze and make out a cloud that’s darker than the others, and shapes toward the horizon. “I think you’re right.”
It is smoke. As our dragons race toward Riverton, the city slowly separates from the blur in the horizon, and I flinch. It’s Riverton that’s on fire—or at least, most of its buildings that are located on the western side of the city. While I spot the yellow and purple of Verlassen soldiers all within Riverton, along the bankside and creeping up along the north and west edges of Riverton are Klevorian soldiers in their red and black uniforms. Banners bearing the Klevor coat of arms, a golden rampant lion on a red and black checkered background, are carried not just among the soldiers but attached to two strange wooden contraptions that look like giant wooden spoons.
“Catapults!” Astralux exclaims.
No sooner does she speak than one of the “spoons” flings forward, released from a taunt string, and a flame-covered boulder is thrown at Riverton. It lands just past the teetering mud and wood defensive walls and knocks apart an already war-torn building, setting its planks alight and crushing a couple of Verlassen soldiers.
“Vite,” Thorn shouts, “Astralux, let’s give them a warning that we’re here!”
Astralux and Vitegadium lift their heads and roar. It echoes across the plains, and soldiers—Verlassen and Klevorian alike—flee toward the sides, shouting in surprise and fear.
I take a breath. Here we go.
Tamara Rivers 
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