Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 136009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
“Let me ask you something,” Thiery said. “What happens when the other side of your fight comes to us making the same request? When they too feel that their dragons are in danger and want more dragons to even the score. Which side do you take? Do you push hatchlings to testing sooner?”
“Their side is oppressive and wrong,” Tieran snarled.
“They would say the same of you.”
“They do not care about the dragons they have. They would sacrifice them to kill off the half-Fae and humans that they deem lesser.”
“And you would not?” she asked almost gently. “You would not sacrifice dragons for your cause? All will survive. You can guarantee that?”
“No one is safe in war,” Tieran said as if by rote.
“Correct. So I ask you again: What would you have us do if your enemy comes to the Holy Mountain, demanding a sacrifice of dragons for their war?”
Tieran was silent a beat. Kerrigan’s heart hammered in her chest. She wanted desperately to speak her piece, to give an impassioned speech to the dragons that would change their minds. But this was not her fight. Tieran had to win this one.
“You have to make a choice,” Tieran said finally. “You have to decide which side is right and back them.”
“The Holy Mountain makes no choice. We are neutral,” Thiery argued.
Kerrigan gritted her teeth at that, but Tieran was just as irritated with that line of thought. “Neutrality is a choice. It’s not doing nothing and letting it work itself out. It’s agreeing not to help and to let others die to keep yourself safe. It’s cowardice.”
Shock rippled through the other dragons. Even Evien appeared disconcerted at Tieran’s accusation.
Thiery’s back went up at the word. “We have always disagreed in this regard.”
“Father would have agreed with me.”
Thiery flashed her razor-sharp teeth at him. “And he died in such a war. You would do well to remember that war takes all you claim to love. No matter your allegiance.” Her serpentine head swiveled to the side. “Let us vote.”
At the same time, the words crashed into Kerrigan’s mind.
“Denied.”
“Denied.”
“Denied.”
A breath went out of her as the cacophony turned to silence. Denied. They weren’t getting any more dragons. But apparently neither was the Society. That was a sort of win at least. Better than what they’d expected. Just not good enough.
“You may leave now or be forced to leave,” Thiery told them.
Kerrigan patted Tieran’s back. “Come on. We should move.”
Only Tieran didn’t move.
“I call for the Threefold Test.”
Thiery stepped forward as if she could take back what he’d just said. Her slitted eyes widened in alarm. “No.”
“You cannot deny me,” Tieran argued.
“What’s the Threefold Test?” Kerrigan whispered into the stillness.
Lowan’s eyes were wide and excited as he glanced over at her. “A test for a council seat. It includes a single boon for a new member.”
Kerrigan’s stomach plummeted. This wasn’t part of the plan. Tieran hadn’t mentioned any of this.
“You don’t want this burden,” Thiery said urgently.
Tieran stared his mother down. “Joining the council is the only way to get what I want. You taught me that, Mother.”
Thiery’s eyes swiveled to Kerrigan’s, and for a second, she felt the oppressive nature of the dragon’s desperate voice in only her head. “Talk him out of this. He will die. You will die.”
Kerrigan met her cool gaze. “I am with him all the way.”
“As you say,” Thiery said, flat and emotionless. “The Threefold Test will begin tomorrow at sunrise. May the elders look favorably on your final hours.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
The Threefold Test
Kerrigan stood on a plain overlooking the Great Ferrinix Lake. Tieran had been taken away some time in the middle of the night to prepare. He’d scarcely spoken more than a handful of words to her since they’d been whisked out of the council chamber. Kerrigan had barely slept a wink as fear settled into her bones. Nothing Audria or Lowan said could reduce her anxiety.
Tieran had said the Threefold Test was a test of mind, body, and spirit and began with a fight to the death against the champion of the council over the lake. The rest remained a secret of the council, and he would only be informed of the next parts after completing the first.
“You’re shivering,” Audria said, her brow furrowed with worry.
“There’s nothing I can do,” Kerrigan said. Inside, she was hysterical with absolute terror. Outside, she remained as calm as she possibly could despite the danger Tieran was walking into alone. He’d claimed that he would survive this without much effort, but if even Thiery had begged her to stop him…
“He’s a survivor, like you.”
Kerrigan nodded as she clenched and unclenched her hands. “I won’t survive his death.”
“I know,” Audria whispered.
It was the truth but not how Audria was thinking. They were bound through Kerrigan’s Doma powers passed down from her mother, so she wasn’t bonded to him as other dragon riders were, meaning the bond wouldn’t kill her upon his death. She just didn’t know if her heart could handle a life without him.