“Master Lars,” Ezaara said, “it’s dragon’s bane.” The antidote was in her healer’s pouch, tucked under her mattress for safekeeping, but it was common enough. Fleur probably had it by the jarful—or maybe not. “I have the remedy.”
Fleur’s gaze was glacial. “It’s probably a ruse to feed him further poison and finish him off.” She and Bruno bundled Jaevin onto Ajeuria, between them.
Ezaara watched, helpless. No one trusted her.
“Don’t let anyone get their hands on the remedy,” Roberto melded. “Except you. Keep its whereabouts secret.”
“Why?” No answer.
Lars addressed the crowd. “No one will be apprehended without proof. However, there are suspicious circumstances, so we’ll need the standard precautions. Everyone except the council members and blue guards are to go straight back to their assigned duties, now. If you know anything about Master Jaevin’s poisoning, report to the council this afternoon.”
The air was a flurry of murmurs and flapping wings as riders left for the caverns.
Lars addressed the masters and guards. “We’ll meet as a council to discuss who may have poisoned Master Jaevin. Tonio, you will be disciplined for raising a weapon against another master.”
Tonio’s face flashed annoyance, but he nodded.
“Ezaara, as prime suspect, and I mean suspect only, you and Zaarusha will be kept under guard until we’ve sorted this out.” Lars nodded at a hefty blue guard nearby. “Jacinda, your troop are assigned to guard the Queen’s Rider and the queen in their quarters until the trial.”
“We’ll go quietly,” Zaarusha said.
“Of course.” Ezaara kept her head high.
Jacinda and her blue guards surrounded Ezaara and the queen at swordpoint, removing Ezaara’s weapons.
“Roberto, for raising your sword against a blue guard, and as Ezaara’s training master, you and Erob will also be confined to your quarters. Seppi, your troop will look after Erob and the master of mental faculties and imprinting.” At Lars’ words, guards manhandled Roberto onto a blue dragon.
Ezaara mind-melded one last time. “Roberto, it wasn’t me.”
There was nothing from Roberto, not even a backward glance or a mind-melded thought. It was as if she wasn’t there.
Lars’ gaze was fierce. “Jacinda, Seppi, you’re tasked with everyone’s safety as much as their containment. Check their food and water aren’t poisoned. Make sure no one reaches their quarters to harm them. I intend to get to the bottom of this with everyone intact.”
Suspicions
Guards hustled Roberto through the onlookers, the air a soup of murmured rumors and fetid body odor. He swiped a trickle of sweat from his forehead. It wasn’t the first trial he’d attended—although at every one, memories of his father’s banishment loomed. That old bitterness flooded his mouth. He swallowed it down.
The council chamber was packed with people, crammed into a makeshift gallery of chairs. More were standing, six-deep, around the walls. The other masters were seated, the granite horseshoe a giant shield around them. Ezaara should be sitting behind that table, not facing it on trial. The realm’s ruling dragons were lined up along the rear wall like warriors ready for battle. Zaarusha’s eyes were golden slits, focusing on a point in front of the crowd—Ezaara.
There she was. White-faced, on a chair facing the council, stiff-backed guards on either side of her. Even under duress, she was beautiful. Her smattering of freckles stood out like scattered stardust. Her head was high, gaze directly on the council. Facing them head on—like she’d faced every other challenge since arriving here.
Beyond her, Fleur, Bruno and Simeon were seated in the accusers’ chairs. Fleur should be healing Jaevin, not here on a witch hunt. Roberto shrugged off the guards and strode forward, stopping before the council table.
“Nice of you to finally show up,” Erob said from his spot among the other dragons.
Roberto sent him a mental snort.
Lars rapped a gavel on the table. The crowd hushed.
“We’re here to establish who poisoned Master Jaevin.” Lars scanned the room. “As spymaster, Master Tonio has been appointed as spokesperson for the accusers. Master Roberto, as Ezaara’s official trainer, you are responsible for defending her.”
Keeping his face a mask of disinterest, Roberto replied. “You’re right, Master Lars, it is my duty—unless someone else volunteers.”
He melded with Ezaara, “Do you trust me?”
“I do.”
“Then, please, no matter what I say, don’t protest.” Tonio was Fleur’s spokesperson. Tonio, who mistrusted Roberto and hated his father. Tonio, who was brilliant at slanting evidence to suit his case.
“I promise … but—”
“Ezaara, they’ll banish you if they believe you’re guilty. Do you want to lose Zaarusha? Life here at the hold?”
“Are you going to lie?”
“I may have to. We can’t afford to have you banished.”
“You mean innocents can be banished?”
Roberto shifted his weight. “I’ve seen it happen.”
The air was sticky with anticipation.
Lars shuffled some parchment and dipped a quill in his inkwell. “Master Tonio, I turn the time to you. Please outline the accusation and question the accused.”
It was dehumanizing, hearing Ezaara referred to as the accused, but Roberto held his tongue, and steeled himself for Tonio’s questions.
Tonio stalked around the table to stand near Fleur. Eyes fixed on Ezaara, Tonio addressed him. “Master Roberto, permission to question the accused directly.”
A demand, not a request. And one he didn’t want to submit to, but he couldn’t refuse without making Ezaara look guilty, and Tonio knew it. “If you must.” Roberto stepped back.
“The accused—Honored Queen’s Rider.” Tonio’s tone was derisive. “Do you recognize these ceremonial swords?” He gestured at the swords Ezaara and Jaevin had dueled with that morning, now lying on the council table.
“Yes.”
“Where have you seen them?”
“They’ve been hanging on the wall in my cavern since I came to Dragons’ Hold,” she replied.
Already things looked bad. She’d had access to the blades every day.
Tonio addressed the council. “When Zaarusha melded to let us know she was bringing a new Queen’s Rider,
