“I’ll see to the horses.” Karlan dashed out the door.
Margosha and Olenka brought in trays of food.
Silas handed Gwen a loaf of bread, then took one for himself.
“I want to go, too,” Annika said.
“Go where?” Olenka asked as she filled cups with wine.
“You’re not going,” Dimitri muttered.
Annika turned to him. “I’m a soldier, too.”
“I’m not putting you at risk,” Dimitri growled.
“That should be my decision,” Annika insisted.
“Do you think I could live if anything happened to you?” Dimitri shouted. When Annika’s mouth fell open, he grabbed her arm and dragged her into the hallway.
A thud sounded against the wall.
Olenka slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from giggling.
Silas peered out the doorway and spotted his best friend and cousin locked in a passionate kiss. With a grin, he shut the door. “We’ll leave them alone for a moment.”
Gwen smiled as she buttered her bread.
“Are you going somewhere dangerous?” Margosha asked as she passed him a cup of wine.
“Maybe.” Silas downed the cup.
“Where is this Sacred Well?” Brody asked. When Silas shot him an annoyed look, he shrugged. “You said it was a holy place. It’s not a secret, is it?”
“It can be dangerous,” Margosha said. “The dragons are protected from the hot spring with their scales, but a person would be burned to death.”
Silas nodded. “That’s why only Dimitri, Brody, and myself will go.”
Gwen gave him a worried look. “Be careful.”
Silas smiled at her. “Nothing will keep me from coming back to you.”
* * *
After seeing Silas off, Gwennore was too worried to follow his suggestion that she take a nap. Annika seemed just as worried, so Gwennore offered to keep her company in the workroom.
The group of women took the trays of food upstairs and sat around a worktable, eating and speculating on who the Chameleon could really be.
“Maybe he’s not even human!” Olenka announced.
Annika snorted. “What would he be then? A fish?”
Gwennore sipped some wine. “He seems to be fluent in several languages.”
Margosha nodded. “And if he’s masquerading as Fafnir, then he knows about our history and culture.”
The door opened and Aleksi sauntered inside. “Good afternoon.”
Gwennore smiled at him. “You’re back.”
He nodded. “Just now.” He wandered over to the table and helped himself to a hunk of cheese. “Your tonic has become very popular in Vorushka. Lots of people want to try it.”
“That’s good news.” Gwennore filled a wooden cup with wine and handed to Aleksi. “Did Karlan tell you what was happening?”
“Yes,” Aleksi grumbled. “I can’t believe they left without me.”
Annika snorted. “I feel the same way.”
Aleksi downed the cup of wine, then slammed it on the table. “I’m tempted to go there myself.”
“I’ll go with you,” Annika offered.
Suddenly the door burst open and King Petras stumbled into the room, his eyes wild and unfocused.
Everyone jumped to their feet so they could curtsy or bow. “Your Majesty,” they all murmured.
Petras looked around for a moment as if he wasn’t sure where he was, then his gaze fell on Gwennore. “You.”
She bowed her head. “Your Majesty, I am so terribly sorry for your loss—”
“Then do something!” He stalked toward her. “You’re a healer, aren’t you? You can bring her back!”
Gwennore swallowed hard. “Your Majesty, it grieves me to say this, but Her Majesty has—”
“She’s not dead!” Petras screamed. “She’s just sleeping.” He motioned toward the hearth. “You can cook up some sort of concoction. Hurry!”
“Your Majesty, there’s nothing—” Gwennore stopped when the king fell to his knees. Her heart ached at the raw despair on his face.
“I’ll give you anything,” Petras whispered. “You can marry my brother. You can be the next queen.”
Tears burned her eyes. “I’m so sorry, but there’s nothing I can do.”
He hefted himself to his feet. “Then I’ll have to do whatever Fafnir tells me to do. I’ll have to go to him.”
“Your Majesty.” Aleksi stepped toward him. “This isn’t a good time to go there.”
“Why not?” Petras looked around the room, his gaze growing more frantic. “Silas. Where is Silas?”
Gwennore winced.
“Where is he?” Petras shouted.
Olenka bowed her head. “He went to the Sacred Well, Your Majesty.”
“No!” Petras backed toward the door. “No, he’ll chase Fafnir away!” He ran outside.
Aleksi leaned into the hallway, then glanced back at them. “His Majesty is headed up the stairs. I’m going to follow him.”
“I’m going, too!” Annika dashed off with Aleksi.
Gwennore hesitated. Was Petras headed to the roof so he could shift and fly to the Sacred Well? If so, he might arrive before Silas, Dimitri, and Brody. She chased after Aleksi and Annika.
“Be careful!” Margosha called after her.
Gwennore darted up the stairs. When she reached the roof, she saw a dragon taking off. Petras.
“I’ll go after him.” Aleksi unfastened his sword belt and dropped it. As he unbuttoned his shirt, Annika turned her back to him and put on his belt.
“I’ll go with you,” she said. “And bring your weapon.”
“I need to go, too.” Gwennore picked up Aleksi’s discarded breeches. When she glanced up, a dragon was waiting impatiently beside them.
“Come on!” Annika climbed onto his shoulders and pulled Gwennore up in front of her. “Grab on to his neck.”
Gwennore held on tight as Aleksi ran down the rooftop, then launched. His wings beat the air, and they lifted higher and higher, headed north.
She lowered her mental shield. Thank you, Aleksi.
He made a huffing noise. Silas is going to be pissed.
Then why are you doing this? she asked him mentally.
I don’t like being left out. When we get there, take cover and stay safe, or the general will have my hide.
I understand. Gwennore put her shield back up, so Aleksi wouldn’t know how afraid she was that something terrible was about to happen.
Chapter Thirty-Two
What the hell? Silas pulled his horse to a stop when he spotted Gwen and Annika at the entrance to the Sacred Well.
Beside him, Dimitri muttered a curse. Brody looked worried as he slipped into the woods to undress and shift.
Silas jumped off his horse and ran toward the women. “What the hell are you—” He stopped when Gwen put
