“Okay. So, what you’re saying is that Venatrix took over two years ago, and you all have lived in this perpetual state of fear since then?” Cyrene asked a few hours later when they reconvened downstairs over dinner and drinks.

Arelina nodded. “Not all of them are bad. But we really don’t know when they’ll come around, except that they always come after the market when coffers are full.”

Cyrene gritted her teeth. She really hated these people and what they had been doing to the town of Edgewood. She knew that she couldn’t save everyone, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to try.

“How can we help? Where are the fighters? Is there anyone here with magic who we can train? Or get a group together to try to resist this tyranny?”

Matilde and Vera pursed their lips. They looked as if they were going to object to Cyrene’s offer. Not because they didn’t believe it was fair, but they needed to move on from this place. Venatrix was a problem but not their problem.

Cyrene held her hand up to keep them from saying it though. She could read their thoughts without even sinking into their minds. It was written all over her tutors.

But Arelina just laughed. “Who do you think we are? We’re a sea town. We have a few men who keep the peace, but what could they do against a full-blooded Venatrix warrior? Let alone a band of them?”

Cyrene hated that she didn’t have an answer to that. What could they do? Nothing. That was what they’d been doing, and look where that had gotten them.

“Can you ask for help? Who ruled over Edgewood before Venatrix took over?” Cyrene asked.

“Galanthea tribe,” Arelina said. “But they won’t come. They challenged Venatrix before and lost. I doubt they want to go up against them again. Not with the tournament coming up.”

Cyrene arched an eyebrow. “What tournament?”

“What tournament?” Arelina asked in disbelief. “The tournament. I thought everyone knew about it. The Society puts on a tournament for all the tribes, and whoever wins gets to become a dragon rider.”

Cyrene’s head snapped to Matilde, Vera, and Mikel. Her mouth popped open. She had no words for that revelation.

“They make them compete?” Matilde asked in shock.

“You aren’t just paired if you have the right magic?” Vera asked.

Arelina looked between their astonished faces. “I’ve never been before. There hasn’t been one in five years. Alura said that there aren’t enough dragons to go around for everyone who has the ability.”

“Creator,” Vera whispered.

“To have the ability and not link with a dragon is horrifying,” Mikel said.

“Okay, okay. Dragon tournament. Holy Creator,” Cyrene said. “That gives me a lot to think about. When is that happening?”

“Alura said she was leaving for it at the start of next month, but I don’t know if that’s when it starts or just when she’s leaving. Did you want to go watch it?”

Cyrene nodded slowly. “Yes. I think I’d like to go watch a dragon tournament.” Then, she shook her head to clear all the branching threads of thought from taking over. “First things first, we need to figure out how to protect you all before we go. If Alura is leaving at the end of the month, then we only have a week before we have to leave. Wherever we’re supposed to go.”

“Oh! It’s in Kinkadia, of course.”

A shudder went through Mikel. “Kinkadia.”

“The city of light,” Matilde replied.

“You’ve heard of it?” Arelina asked with a sigh. “I’ve always wanted to go. I’ve heard it’s the most beautiful place in the entire world.”

“Yes,” Vera said softly. “We’ve heard of it.”

The way they all sighed over the word made it pretty clear to Cyrene that the Society back in Emporia had known of this renowned Kinkadia. Must have a very special place in their world for it to elicit such a reaction.

“Kinkadia it is,” Cyrene said.

“I’m jealous. I wish I could go,” Arelina said.

“You could.”

“And leave the inn behind?” Arelina shook her head. “I could never do it. Our parents left my brother and I the inn. We couldn’t possibly leave.”

Vera put her hand on Cyrene’s wrist. “We’ll help how we can. Thank you so much for that information, Arelina.”

Arelina got up then and stretched. “Thank you for what you did today. I’ve never seen anyone stand up to them and survive. Plus, it was nice not to pay taxes today.”

Cyrene watched her go with an ache in her chest. She hated problems she couldn’t solve. How could she fend off a magical warrior tribe when she had to leave, and none of the people here could defend themselves? This wasn’t like the wraith back in Fen where she could track it down and eliminate it. Put up a magical barrier around the town before she left. No easy solution presented itself.

Vera waited until Arelina had disappeared before saying, “You know that you cannot actually help this town.”

“Maybe there’s a way.”

“You have no power in this world. You have no kings doing you favors or nobility to call upon. You just have yourself and what you’re capable of. I want to help, but there is much that we don’t know about Alandria.”

“Then, we need to learn all we can about Alandria and this dragon tournament. It doesn’t exactly sound like I’m going to be able to stroll into the Society and ask for a dragon,” Cyrene said.

“A problem for another day,” Matilde said.

“What’s important is that you want to help these people, Cyrene,” Mikel said calmly. “It shows you have a heart. And I have a feeling, based on the limited interaction here and the changes that have apparently taken place in the Society, a heart is sorely lacking in this land.”

“It doesn’t feel like enough,” Cyrene admitted.

“It’s not,” Mikel agreed. “But it will be.”

Cyrene nodded. She understood him. She couldn’t help everyone that she wanted to, but that didn’t mean she should stop trying.

Market day came early the next week. Cyrene was shocked by the change in Edgewood. They truly did go from a tiny town, terrified to open their doors because of the Venatrix tribe, to a bustling coastal town. This was what Tymbre had seen when he stepped off his ship.

Cyrene’s eyes sparkled as they traveled the busy streets and the enormous tented city that had been set up in the empty fields behind the inn. And, after seeing The Wood and the Wind full to capacity with a rowdy crowd, minstrels on the stage, and flowing ale all hours of the day, Cyrene understood why Arelina wouldn’t leave it all behind. Thankfully, on market days, she had young girls come in to help with the crowds. Cyrene didn’t know how else Arelina would have been able to handle it all.

And, though Cyrene knew that she had a mission for the day, all she wanted to do was walk around and stare at all the incredible wares from the vendors who had traveled from all over Alandria. Her eyes skimmed the beautiful jewels, spices she’d never heard of before, and silk so vibrant, she had no idea how anyone had woven it. A glassblower had set up shop, blowing colorful pieces right in front of the customers. A blacksmith had metal armor in every shape and design imaginable, including the overlaid pattern the Venatrix tribe was wearing. Swords and daggers glinted in the sunlight with engravings and jewels embedded in their hilts.

Cyrene picked up a dagger with a bird’s egg–sized ruby in the hilt. It was stunning. The most beautiful weapon she’d ever seen.

“You have excellent taste, my lady,” a man said from behind the table. “May I?”

Cyrene offered it back to him. He took it delicately in his hand and flipped it once like an expert.

“Perfectly balanced,” he explained, holding the dagger on one finger. “The ruby should make it heavy, but it’s lighter than it appears. It was forged with a core of Tendrille metal from the heart of the Vert Mountains, making it as light as air. When you release it, it snaps right out of your hand and heads directly to its target. One of a kind.” He handed the dagger back to Cyrene and then pointed to a board at the back of his shop. “Feel free to try it.”

“Oh, no…I don’t have much skill with it.” That had always been Avoca.

“Come, come,” he said, not taking no for an answer.

Cyrene felt foolish as she let the man move her toward the target.

“It’s all in the wrist. Let the dagger do the work for you.” He demonstrated once with another dagger, landing a bull’s-eye. Then, he gestured for her to go ahead.

Cyrene frowned. Daggers were definitely not her forte. In fact, weaponry in general wasn’t really her. She could fight with her magic, but this?

“Don’t laugh at me,” she warned him.

“Never.”

She pulled her hand back just as he had, snapped her wrist, and then released the perfectly balanced dagger. It sailed through the air and miraculously hit the target. Her jaw dropped open.

“It’s magicked,” she told him.

“No, my dear. It’s just the best.” He plucked it from the target and placed it back in her hand. “Now, you must get it. It suits you.”

Cyrene glanced down at her money pouch. She had other plans for it today.

“I don’t have the funds for it. Can I come back after I’ve finished my errands?”

“I can’t hold it for you,” the man said, disappointed.

“No, of course not,” she said with a frown. “I’ll be back. I promise.”

The man looked uninterested now that it was clear she wasn’t buying. He placed the dagger back on the table. “Don’t wait too long. Tendrille metal doesn’t last long here.”

Cyrene nodded, glancing once more at the dagger, and then forced herself to walk away. She had other uses for that money. Squandering it would be reckless. Despite everything, she wanted to go back and buy it. Right now.

With her heart in her throat, she meandered away from the rest of the shops. No use teasing herself more with the beautiful things at this market. She walked until she found the place Arelina had mentioned this morning.

The sign read Carpenter Hollick as she pushed into the woodwork shop. A bell rung overhead, and a tall woman in a simple brown dress appeared behind the desk.

“Welcome. How can I help you today?”

“Hello. Arelina sent me from the inn and said that Hollick would be able to help me with repairs for my ship. It was nearly destroyed on the ocean.”

“Yes, of course we can help with that.” She smiled brightly. “Why don’t I send Hollick out to look at the damage, and we can talk cost once the assessment has been completed?”

“That would be lovely. Thank you.”

The woman returned to the back, and a minute later, a man appeared. He was about equal height as the woman had been with sandy-brown hair and speckled hazel eyes. He had callous hands and long fingers, perfect for his profession.

“I’m Hollick,” he said, extending a hand.

“Cyrene.” She shook.

“You have a ship in need of work, I hear?”

“That’s right.”

“Well, let’s go take a look at it.”

Cyrene nodded. She was sure that this wasn’t going to go as well as she wanted it to. But how else would Gwynora get the ship repaired if she refused to step foot off the boat?

Hollick took one look at the battered ship and whistled. “What in the heavens did this sort of damage?”

“A sea dragon.”

He raised his eyebrows. “And you got away?”

“We were lucky.”

“I’d say.”

They stepped up to the side of the boat. Cyrene winced when she saw Gwynora striding toward her.

“Hollick, this is the captain of the vessel, Gwynora Weyburn.” Cyrene made introductions. “Gwynora, this is Hollick. He’s a carpenter who I’m hiring to finish repairs.”

The angry look on Gwynora’s face slipped and was replaced with a look of surprise. “You…are?”

Hollick jumped right on board and vigorously shook Gwynora’s hand. “Excellent sailing, Captain. I heard you meandered them away from a sea dragon. Must be an incredible sailor indeed to have your crew survive that.”

“I…thank you,” Gwynora said. Her eyes flitted to Cyrene’s, and for a second, gratitude shone through.

“I’m going to have a look around, and then I’ll have a team out tomorrow to begin, if that’s all right with you.”

“Yes. Yes, that would be great,” Gwynora said.

Hollick smiled brightly and started making estimates in a notebook he’d brought with him, leaving Gwynora and Cyrene alone.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Gwyn finally said.

“Yes, I did. I brought you all this way. It’s my responsibility.”

Gwynora narrowed her eyes. “Why do you do that?”

“What?”

“Try to make me like you.”

Cyrene laughed. “I have no such delusions, Gwyn. You upheld your end of the bargain. I won’t strand you here, in a place you don’t even want to be. You are free to go home.”

“And how will you get back?”

“I don’t know,” she answered.

“You aren’t what I expected,” Gwynora said honestly.

“I hear that a lot.”

Gwynora took a step forward. “Maybe you are what Orden has always been looking for.”

“I wish I weren’t,” Cyrene answered softly.

“No, you don’t. This is who you are. You lead. People follow you.”

Cyrene nodded because she had no words for that compliment from Gwynora.

“He thought I was it once,” she told her. “But I couldn’t even save my father…so how could I save the world?”

Cyrene didn’t know what possessed her, but she reached out and touched Gwynora’s hand. “I couldn’t save my parents either. I lost my best friend, only to find out she was a traitor. My bound mate is in a coma and might never wake up again. If I can keep going on despite adversity, you can, too. You aren’t set or stuck where you are, and your father’s death was not your fault. I don’t know that I’ve fully come to terms with that yet about my friend’s death. But you are strong and proud and a force to be reckoned with. Be glad the prophecy doesn’t speak of you, Gwyn. You choose your own destiny.”

Gwynora nodded mutely. “Thank you.”

“May we meet again on distant shores under more favorable circumstances. I hope, one day, I’ll be able to call you a friend,” Cyrene told her.

Hollick returned then. “I’m all set. Let’s get these calculations back to my wife. She’s the brains of the operation,” he said with a chuckle.

“Farewell, Cyrene,” Gwynora whispered. Then, she held her hand out, and they shook—not quite as friends, but at least as a truce.

“Until next time.”