Thread of Darkness

Ch. 17 a very pretty dragon

Seraena Agnirian wished that her uncle had chosen to die at a more convenient time.

She ducked into the kitchens of the Grand Palace, her heart racing. Damn, damn, damn. She could hear servants skittering through the corridors, carrying pitchers of wine and rosemary biscuits. For the guests that would arrive at the palace soon, presumably; it was tradition for all riders to touch the High Lord's forehead before his body was burned.

The palace, Seraena thought, mouth twisting, was about to be very, very full of people. People that could see her. And once again: damn.

She needed to change. Could she make it to her bedroom? But, no; it was on the other side of the palace.

Oh, gods.

Seraena stared down at her riding leathers — covered in mud, obviously used — and winced. This was it. The game was up. Soon, everyone would know she had been flying: an activity strictly forbidden for women.

Her cousin Mack would laugh his ass off.

A servant passed by, and Seraena shrank back against the open window, trying to make herself as small as possible. Perhaps she could duck into the city. Hide at a tavern and pretend that she'd been out shopping. That she hadn't heard of her uncle's death. Perhaps—

Something butted her neck.

Seraena whirled around to find herself face-to-face with a snout.

"Kyllini!" she hissed.

Her dragon gave a mournful little mew.

"Go away." Seraena gave her snout a little shove. "You'll get us both in trouble if you're caught."

Kyllini slashed her tail back and forth, making another pitiful whining noise that tore at her heart. Which was, of course, exactly what her dragon wanted. Cheeky little chit. Seraena narrowed her eyes.

"Go."

Her dragon ignored her. She really was a very pretty dragon, Seraena thought, with her tiny, compact body and odd blue-silver scales. Although right now, she could quite happily slap those scales silly.

"Kyllini," she warned. "If you don't go hide in the jungle, I'll make you catch your own damn food for the next month. No more treats from the butcher."

Her dragon whined. Seraena glared.

"Don't test me."

Kyllini shot her a disgruntled look. Nevertheless, her dragon shot into the air, her silver wings flashing in the sunshine. Seraena let out a breath. Good.

One problem down.

One more to go.

She made for the exit, and then froze, shrinking back into the shadows as servants began to unload crates of vegetables from a delivery cart. Damn. So a retreat into town was out of the question, too. Which left only one option.

Her cousin Makenna's bedroom.

It was close by, and Makenna had more dresses than strands of hair; she wouldn't notice that one was missing. And her cousin would be mourning at her father's bedside right now, so no chance of running into her.

Decided, Seraena sprinted for Makenna's room.

She was forced to stop only once, darting into a library as her cousin Vulcan strode by, his dark features twisted into a scowl. Lurking around to hear about their inheritance, no doubt, Seraena thought bitterly; as the best flyer in their family, Vulcan would undoubtedly receive most of it. Poor Makenna would be lucky to even get a few tea towels.