“How’s Master Jaevin doing?” Ezaara asked.
Lars’ gaze was flat. “He’s dead.”
Ezaara’s stomach jolted. “But I healed him. He should have been fine. What happened?”
“We don’t know.” Lars shook his head. “We’ve been trying to find out, but Master Fleur hasn’t been able to get to the bottom of it.”
Fleur chimed in, pointing at her and Roberto. “These traitors were banished for colluding to kill Master Jaevin. I told you Ezaara left a substance with Threcia, saying it was medicine, but it killed him. It was probably more dragon’s bane.”
Rising to his feet, Lars gave Master Fleur a withering look. “All masters, report to the main cavern to address the assembled folk. Tonio, you’re in charge. Have your people circulate among the crowd and see if they can pick up anything. Fleur, once Shari’s death has been announced, bring the other female master, Alyssa, back to prepare Shari for her death rites. Seppi, Roberto and Ezaara, you stay here. We have to get to the bottom of this before anyone else is killed.”
Bruno strode across the room. “I’m not leaving you with two banished outcasts and only one blue guard for protection.”
“Very well.” Lars’ gaze was icy. “Seppi, choose another blue guard to stay. Now, the rest of you, get to the main cavern.” He glowered until Bruno left.
Roberto melded with Ezaara. “Bruno and Fleur seem very keen to have us out of the way.”
“And to tarnish our reputations,” she replied. “I’m going to check something.”
But before she could move, Lars spoke, “Two Masters dead since you’ve been banished, so it obviously wasn’t your fault. Roberto, I’m guessing you said you’d poisoned Jaevin to deflect the blame off Ezaara. You’d rather we lost a master of imprinting and mental faculties than the Queen’s Rider, huh?” He shot Roberto a shrewd gaze. “We need to get to the bottom of this matter, then I’ll have you both reinstated. But first, I need to know if you’ve been romantically involved.”
“No, sir.”
“Lucky we never kissed,” Ezaara shot.
“Agreed.” Roberto’s answer was heartfelt.
“But you do care about her, don’t you?”
A brief nod was the only sign Roberto gave.
“I’m glad you showed me how you feel or I wouldn’t believe it,” Ezaara said.
For a heartbeat, Roberto’s cheeks took on a red tinge as he addressed Lars. “Tell us what happened.”
The booming of the drums stopped, the air suddenly hollow.
Lars cracked his neck. “Jaevin’s dragon, Vino, melded with Zaarusha and showed her Jaevin’s dying thoughts. He insisted that you’d helped him to recover, then someone else had slipped poison into his evening meal. He had no idea who it was.” Grief lined Lars’ face. “I’m sorry. I owe you both my deepest apologies. Now we have to hunt down the killer before they strike again.”
This was awkward. Ezaara had expected hostility or accusation, not contrition. “Thank you, Lars,” she said. “There’s something else that concerns me. I haven’t been able to meld with Zaarusha since we arrived.”
“When Zaarusha realized you two hadn’t poisoned Jaevin, she barricaded her mind and hasn’t let any dragons meld with her since,” Lars replied. “Fleur’s dragon, Ajeuria, insists that Zaarusha needs peace and quiet and that solitude will help her heal.”
Odd. Ezaara would’ve expected Zaarusha to be angry, filled with fire and flame, not retreating in self-pity. Then again, Ezaara had never seen her heartbroken. Could Ajeuria be right? “What do you think?”
Roberto shrugged. “I don’t trust Fleur, Bruno or Simeon, but Ajeuria should be loyal to the queen.”
Ezaara’s eyes were drawn to a bowl of half-eaten soup on Shari’s bedside table. “Why was she eating here, not in the mess cavern?”
“She’d been feeling off-color, so she chose to miss tonight’s council meeting and eat here.” Lars pulled Shari’s blanket up to her shoulders.
Except for her staring eyes, she could’ve been sleeping.
There was a knock at the door, and the guards let Fleur and Alyssa enter. While Lars and Roberto were greeting them, Ezaara used the opportunity to examine Shari’s meal. She bent over, as if to tighten her boot, and sniffed the bowl. Odd. The soup had a strange but familiar scent. She quickly moved away before anyone noticed. Where had she recently smelt that?
“Alyssa and I will dress Shari in her ceremonial robes now.” Fleur held the door open—a blatant invitation for Lars, Roberto and Ezaara to leave.
“Ezaara will be assisting you,” Lars said firmly.
“But she’s no longer the Queen’s Rider—”
“It’s tradition that all females on the council dress a deceased female master, you know that. I’ve spoken with Ezaara and deemed her fit. It’s only a matter of time until she’s reinstated as Queen’s Rider.”
“Very well. My son will be pleased to welcome her back.”
In a flash, Ezaara knew when she’d smelt that weird flavor—Simeon’s relaxing tea. That’s why she’d vomited—Simeon had poisoned her, keeping her away from Sofia to create more prejudice against her. But why? What did Simeon have to gain?
It didn’t matter. Simeon and his family couldn’t be trusted. Roberto had never trusted him—said he’d had good reason not to. She’d been a fool, thinking he was sweet when she’d first arrived.
Lars turned to leave.
“Lars, I need to talk to you.”
“What is it, Ezaara?”
Ezaara couldn’t help shooting a nervous gaze toward Fleur. “Sir, I think I know—”
Fire blinded Ezaara’s vision. Flames licked along her skin, making her flesh sear and blister. The stench of her own burning flesh filled her nostrils. Flames rippled over her jerkin, smoke searing her eyes. Her brain jangled, making her want to scream. No, she would not, could not, give in to this illusion. No dragon’s vision was going to beat her this time.
Gasping, Ezaara fixed her home in her mind, picturing their shutters, the
