“Two more to come: Jerrick, and Tonio—who’ll be late.”
Ezaara sat on a step and leaned back against the wall, taking slow deep breaths. Nothing had changed. Roberto was still Zens’ prisoner. But at least she no longer felt like screaming or punching something. She stood, smoothed her jerkin and opened the door to the council chamber.
Lars, leader of the council, gave her a quizzical look as she entered and took her seat beside him at the arch of the horseshoe-shaped granite table. Near the wall behind the table, the dragons crouched, scales gleaming in the torchlight. There were no natural windows in this chamber.
“You’re looking much more settled,” Zaarusha melded.
“If only I felt it.”
Seven people were at the table, including Lars. Five seats were still empty. Two masters—Shari and Jaevin—had recently been murdered. Tonio’s seat remained vacant, and Jerrick, the master archer, wasn’t here yet. The last empty spot was Roberto’s, which made Ezaara swallow, but she quashed her feelings. Now was not the time for emotion, only for action.
Tomaaz was in a chair, leaning against the wall, his chin on his chest, dozing. He’d grown thinner in Death Valley again, his cheeks gaunt and eyes ringed with exhaustion. Ma and Pa, recently restored as masters, kept glancing at him and murmuring to each other.
The huge double doors flew open and Master Jerrick entered, folding his gangly frame into his chair. “My apologies for being delayed. There’s been an uproar among the archers.”
“An uproar?” Lars asked.
“Yes, I’ll need to get back and sort it out. I hope we won’t be too long.”
Lars rapped his gavel on the table.
Tomaaz twitched and woke, his gaze meeting Ezaara’s. He stretched his leg, testing his hip.
“I declare our council meeting open,” Lars said. “I call upon our Queen’s Rider to speak, as it was she who summoned us.”
All heads swiveled to Ezaara.
For a moment she felt that old feeling of inadequacy she’d had when she’d first arrived at Dragons’ Hold. But, no, she was the Queen’s Rider. She’d earned her dues—fighting tharuks, rescuing Roberto from the Wastelands, and saving Zaarusha from traitors’ poison.
She stood and met each master’s gaze. Pa’s eyes were warm and encouraging. Ma’s were grave. Ma knew what they were here for, and the horrors of Death Valley.
Even though Roberto was in danger, there was still hope for him yet—Ma had confronted Zens and made it back. “Esteemed council members, I apologize for calling a meeting so early in the morning. As you can see, my brother has returned from Death Valley. However—”
The exit door behind her clicked shut and Tonio slid into his seat. “Apologies, my Queen’s Rider.” He gave her a curt nod, then his eyes flitted around the room, taking everyone in.
Ezaara continued, “However, Master Roberto has been captured by Commander Zens. We believe he is being held captive. We need to determine how to free him.”
Murmurs rippled around the table.
“I call upon my brother, Tomaaz, to report.” Ezaara sat.
Lars gestured at the spymaster. “Master Tonio, as Tomaaz was on your assignment, perhaps it’s best if you question him.”
Tonio rose. Pacing to the front of the table with panther-like grace, he gestured Tomaaz to stand.
Leaving Ezaara’s cane against the wall, Tomaaz walked to the front of the council table with a slightly uneven gait.
With the tiniest twitch of his brow, Tonio glanced at Tomaaz’s leg. “Before we discuss Roberto’s capture, perhaps we can see what you gleaned during your time in Death Valley. Did you manage to infiltrate Zens’ slave camp?”
“Yes, Roberto and I entered Death Valley separately. We met up every few days to compare our findings. But you need to understand, because the slaves have numlock in their water, they’re incapable of coherent speech or thought. So, there’s no gossip. I couldn’t quiz anyone about what they’d seen or heard. They’re like blind, mindless sheep.”
Tonio nodded. “Did Roberto find out anything about these new monsters?”
“Roberto got into a mining crew and went deep into the hillside to dig up yellow crystals.”
“Yellow crystals?” Lars asked. “Zens paid Bruno in yellow crystals. Roberto told me they were dangerous. Did he tell you anything about them?”
Ezaara tapped her forefinger on the granite table.
That’s right. During the traitors’ trial—when Bruno and Fleur and their son Simeon had been banished for poisoning Queen Zaarusha—a sack of Zens’ yellow crystals had been found among Bruno’s possessions.
Tomaaz shook his head. “I have no idea what they’re for.”
Tonio resumed his questions. “How was Roberto caught?”
Ezaara gripped the table.
“Roberto said he’d found important information and wanted to get back to Dragons’ Hold,” Tomaaz replied, his voice hollow. “We sneaked out of Death Valley to meet our dragons, but tharuks ambushed us, firing arrows at Maazini and Erob. A tharuk pierced Erob’s belly with an arrow with a rope attached to it. The beast yanked on the rope, tearing Erob’s skin and forcing him to land. Maazini flamed some tharuks, but they were shooting limplocked arrows at us, so we had to retreat or I could’ve lost my dragon, too.
“After dark, I slunk back to find Roberto. As I was descending the hill into Death Valley, tharuks launched a pile of boulders at me. I had no chance. My hip was crushed. Tharuks rushed to finish me off, but Maazini …” Tomaaz’s swallow was audible in the quiet chamber. “Maazini swooped down to grab me in his talons.” Tomaaz’s leg faltered.
Ma and
