My best friend never let her guard down. I bet if I checked there’d be a dagger under her pillow.
I turned away, intent on taking the other room.
“Anya?”
Helgi sat up and rubbed sleep from her eyes. “You took your time. They brought food. I saved you some.”
“I’m not hungry. Just exhausted.”
She patted the bed and I joined her, parking my butt on the mattress before pulling off my boots.
Helgi’s brows shot up.
“We’re safe here.”
She snorted. “Not with the way your feet smell.”
“Fuck you.”
“You wish.”
I raised my arm and sniffed. “I should wash.”
“Fuck it, wash in the morning.”
I stood and stripped out of my travel- and battle-worn clothes. Something fell on the ground with a soft clink.
Helgi bent to pick it up. “What’s this?” She held up the key that I’d found in the arena. “Wait, is this the key the mercs are after?” Her eyes went wide. “How the fuck did you get it?”
“Hush.” I hurried to the door and closed it. “I found it in the arena. Dunstan must have dropped it when the wyvern…”
“Shit.” Helgi turned the key over in her hand. “It doesn’t look like much. Check out the layer of rust.” She narrowed her eyes and peered at it. “I think there’s something written on it.”
I took the key from her and turned up the lantern to examine the metal better. It did look like an inscription, but with the rust it was impossible to see.
“We need a solvent. I’ll see what I can find tomorrow.”
“So, we’re not handing it back to the mercs?” Helgi wiggled her brows.
“Finders keepers.”
“Payday.”
“That’s what I’m thinking. Once we have Dad back, then we can find a buyer for this…whatever it is.”
I tucked the key back into the pocket of my pants and climbed into bed. Tomorrow was almost here, and I had a feeling teaching Dreki to wield tech was going to be more than a little taxing.
* * *
Dante collected us just after dawn. Washed and dressed in fresh clothes provided for us, we headed to the Skin settlement via the mageri passage—a tunnel guarded by two doors made of Obrilian steel and wood. The tunnel brought us up into a library filled with more books then I’d ever hoped to see in my lifetime.
“A project the mageri are running,” Dante explained as he led us through the stacks and toward an area lined with tables and chairs. “A project to educate the Skins.”
A slender, robed figure was sitting at a table reading a book. His arms were folded and his hands were tucked into his sleeves.
He looked up as we approached. Surprise colored his features as his gaze settled on Helgi and me, and then he smiled.
“Your Grace.” He made to stand but Dante waved him back down.
“It’s all right, Lorance. Don’t get up on our account.”
He smiled and inclined his head. There was a regal air about him, a grace to even that simple movement that made me want to protect him. His warm brown eyes flicked to me briefly again.
“These must be the Skins I’ve been hearing so much about,” Lorance said. “The Skins who escaped the Draco’s wicked arena.” He nodded. “No easy feat. It was lucky a dragon lord was on hand to liberate you.”
Dante cleared his throat. “I see news of my trip has spread.”
“I would have aided you with a mageri mark, Your Grace.” Lorance looked hurt.
Dante sighed. “It wasn’t personal. Primian just happened to be on hand when I came up with the plan. And for the record, I didn’t do any saving. A rebel group cut the power. The Skins fought their way out, and Anya and I escaped on Vesper.” Dante smiled. “And now she’s here to help us with our tech issue.”
“Oh?” Lorance looked surprised.
“Anya is also our tech expert,” Dante said.
“Hardly an expert.” I smiled at Lorance. “But I’ll do what I can to help.”
Lorance returned my smile. “Would you mind terribly if I came and watched?”
I shrugged. “Doesn’t bother me.”
“Thank you. In that case, I will meet you at the warehouse.” He frowned. “I assume that is where you’re headed.”
“It is,” Dante said.
“Very well, I shall meet you there shortly.”
Dante led us out of the library, and the air rippled as we passed through the door.
“Wards to keep out the Draco,” he explained.
To protect the only route past the moat and into the fortress grounds. Clever. We stepped onto the dusty earth and into sunlight. I squinted to give my eyes a moment to adjust.
Skins bustled about, getting on with their daily lives. A market stall was in operation and several women were bartering for vegetables and grain. Children ran about playing tag in the early morning sun and the air smelled of baking bread. Further back from the market were neatly made buildings made of brick, stone, and slate. Lampposts were hung with lanterns to light the streets at night and there was even a well and water pump.
“You built this place?” Helgi asked.
“The Skins did, with a little help.” Dante smiled fondly. “Once they realized that we meant them no harm, they were happy to work with us to build a community. More trickle in every month, and we expand as necessary. My hope is that one day the Skins and the Dreki will be united.”
“Skins have no love for the Draco,” Bran said. “It wouldn’t be hard to rally them and herd them here.”
He and Nile exchanged glances, and I felt the moment the idea lit up their minds because it lit up mine too.
“You want to go back
