“Handel’s large enough,” Hans said.
“Zaarusha is the largest of all,” Ezaara chimed in.
“You’d risk our Queen’s Rider and the queen?” Tonio asked, shooting Lars a meaningful look.
Lars gazed at Tonio, some hidden meaning passing between them, then turned to Ezaara. “If Zaarusha is willing, I agree.”
“Of course I’ll rescue my son,” Zaarusha melded with Ezaara, then roared her assent for the council.
Lars raised his gavel.
Ezaara placed her hand on his arm. “Master Lars, before we adjourn, there’s a matter we haven’t settled. How are we going to retrieve Master Roberto?”
“If he wants to be retrieved,” Master Tonio muttered.
Ezaara stood. “I was in this room when Roberto refused to go. He finally agreed, in order to serve his queen.”
Zaarusha roared her confirmation.
Again, meaningful glances shot between the council leader and the spymaster. What was going on?
“We need our master of mental faculties and imprinting. We must save Roberto from Zens,” Lars said. “But now that he’s in Zens’ hands, we’ll need to take precautions. I don’t want more riders or dragons captured. We’ve only just rescued your mother and brother, Ezaara.”
As if the council had helped. Pa had rescued them himself, without the council knowing what was going on. “I disagree,” said Ezaara. “We must retrieve Master Roberto as soon as possible.”
“Roberto went there on your behalf and now you’re abandoning him?” Tomaaz jabbed a finger toward Tonio. “We have to get him out.”
“And we will,” Tonio placated, “as soon as we’ve brought Erob back. He’ll have information that will be vital to rescuing Roberto. I suggest you all leave as soon as possible.”
Hopefully, they wouldn’t be too late. Erob could already be dead.
Lars raised his gavel, but Ezaara’s chair legs grated across the stone as she stood, drowning out the council leader’s words. She stalked from the meeting room, fuming.
There was no way Commander Zens would let Roberto escape after he’d thwarted Zens’ last attempt to make him his protégé. Would Zens try to bend Roberto to his will again? Or would he kill him outright?
If no one else was prepared to save him, she’d go herself.
Prank Gone Wrong
Lars shook his head. Ezaara had done well in saving Queen Zaarusha recently, but it was downright rude of her to stalk from the meeting before he’d officially closed it. And with Roberto in Death Valley, it wasn’t as if he could have a word with her master to make sure she obeyed protocol. Guilt needled Lars. Was Roberto all right in Zens’ hands? Tonio did have a point: Roberto had survived Zens last time, and he could still be gathering information. Alternatively, he may even be on his way home now. No point rushing in when a man didn’t need rescuing.
But on the other hand … Lars didn’t want to consider the alternatives.
However, Erob was a different case altogether. The dragon was obviously stranded and injured.
Lars stowed his gavel in the cubbyhole under the table and glanced up at the nearly-empty council chamber. Why were Jerrick and Derek hanging around? That’s right; Jerrick had mentioned a problem with his archers. “Master Jerrick, what was the uproar with your archers this morning?”
Jerrick cracked his knuckles. “All of our arrows are missing, Lars. I’ve searched high and low and can’t find them anywhere.”
“Do you remember where you last had your quiver? I’m sure it will turn up soon if—” Jerrick was frowning at him like a brewing storm. “What is it?”
“Everyone’s arrows, Lars. Well, nearly all of them. Each archer has two arrows left in his quiver, and the rest are gone.”
“All of them?” Lars scratched his beard. “Have you searched the armory?”
“All gone too.”
“The blacksmith and fletcher?”
“They both said a lad collected the arrows due for the armory, but they never got there.”
Derek, master of training, added, “And no one knows who collected them or took the other arrows from the armory.”
They’d never guarded the armory. No one except dragon riders could access Dragons’ Hold, so why bother? “Do you suspect a thief? Who?”
Derek grimaced. “There’s been growing rivalry between the young sword fighters and Jerrick’s archers—arrow flingers, they call them. I suspect my charges have hidden your arrows.”
My charges, Derek had said, although they wouldn’t have been his if Master Jaevin hadn’t been murdered by Bruno and Fleur—those traitorous vipers.
“Mine call yours blade thrusters,” said Jerrick, shaking his head. “How can they face tharuks if they can’t even cooperate? This is the last thing we need with war coming.”
“They’d defend each other’s backs if they were in a tight spot,” said Lars. “But you’re right—their timing is lousy. And this ridiculous rivalry has gone far enough. Find out who the perpetrator is and send them to me.”
§
“It’s been five nights, Adelina. Five nights of awful nightmares that Tomaaz has been wounded and dying.” Lovina backhanded a tear from her cheek. “I’ve barely slept and I’m so worked up, I can’t eat.” Her eyes were underscored with bruise-colored shadows. Although she’d gained weight since arriving at Dragons’ Hold two moons ago, she was still so thin that there was barely any flesh on her bones.
Adelina could understand Lovina’s agitation. Hearing about her friend’s nightmares did nothing to calm her own growing anxiety about her brother, Roberto. He was the only family she had. For the hundredth time, she questioned why Tonio had suggested he go back to Death Valley with Tomaaz. Sure, there was the obvious rumor that Zens was breeding new monsters that could fight dragons, but did Tonio have an ulterior motive? He’d never liked Roberto—or her. In fact, he was pointedly rude to them.
Putting her arm around Lovina’s shoulders, she said, “I know I’m not much comfort, but if you’d like to sleep here on
