Eona: The Last Dragoneye

Always the pull of its power nestled in the back of my mind. Now I knew why. Kinra. I had to protect Kygo and the pearl until Dillon brought the black folio. Until I found a way to save the dragons without the Hua of All Men.

I had to protect Kygo from Kinra. And I had to protect him from me.

I pressed my lips against his palm, into the soft gateway of energy, imprinting his touch and smell upon my spirit. Then, forcing a smile, I stepped back. Away from the sun that balanced my moon.

Ryko was the first person I saw as I followed Kygo back into the circle of our camp. Apart from the sentries stationed around the edge, the islander was the only one on his feet. Everyone else was preparing for sleep or hunched over food and eating with tired intensity. In contrast, Ryko was shifting from foot to foot, all of his attention focused on Ido at the other side of the scrubby clearing. The Dragoneye had been escorted back from our training session, and one of the guards — Jun the archer— was tying his wrists again. Ido looked across at me as a rustle of soft greetings announced our arrival, but I turned away from his scrutiny. I did not want to see what was in his face.

With a quick bow to Kygo, I headed toward Lady Dela. She was leaning against a supply pack slowly eating a dried plum, her fatigue like a heavy cloak across her shoulders. “I have a favor to ask,” I said.

She wiped her mouth delicately with two fingers. “Anything, as long as I don’t have to get up.”

I leaned closer, lowering my voice to a mere breath. “I need you to find out if the folio has the reason why Kinra was executed.”

Dela frowned. “We know why,” she whispered, touching the book bound to her wrist. “For treason.”

I had not told Dela that I believed Kinra had attempted to steal the Imperial Pearl. If it was in the red folio, then she would find it. And if it was not, then she did not have to know. Not yet, anyway. For a moment, I felt an overwhelming urge to tell her the meaning of the Hua of All Men. To share the horror. But she would tell Kygo — that was a certainty — and he would have to protect the pearl.

Unbidden, a terrible thought shivered through me: Emperor Dao had executed Kinra to protect the pearl. Love against power, and power had won.

I needed more time to master Gan Hua. More time to find another way to save the dragons. Then I would tell Kygo everything.

“Yes, we know it was treason,” I said softly. “But I need to know exactly what she did, and why.”

Especially why. I needed proof.

Dela nodded. “I’ll look. There were no specifics in the note at the back, but it might be within the coded sections.” She started to unwind the pearls, then paused. “I did glean another piece of information. At the very beginning of our bargain with the dragons, there were always two ascendant dragons each year, not just one — the male dragon who was in his Ascendant year of the cycle and the Mirror Dragon. She was always ascendant — whether with a male dragon or on her own in the Mirror Dragon year — until she went missing after Kinra’s death.”

Another piece of the puzzle, but where did it fit?

“If she was always ascendant, does it mean that dragon power has been halved since she left?” I mused. “Is that part of the reason why the dragons need to be saved?”

Dela shook her head. “I don’t know,” she said tiredly. “I just decode it.”

“And I appreciate all your hard work.” I clasped her arm in thanks.

As I withdrew, she caught my hand. “You’re upset, and so is Ryko. Has something happened?”

I squeezed her fingers. “Everything is fine.”

I turned to leave, but was stopped by Ryko. “Lady Eona, can I speak to you?”

I was fairly sure it was nothing I wanted to hear, but I allowed him to steer me away from Dela. He led me to the edge of the camp at a careful distance between two perimeter guards.

“What was that?” he demanded. All of his usual stolid composure was gone.

“What?”

He leaned down. “Don’t treat me like an idiot. I know what it feels like to be compelled by you. You have done it to me enough times. And I know you compelled Ido just now, in such a way that”—he pressed his two fists together—“Eona, what have you done?”

Heat rushed to my face. “I did what I had to do,” I said, lowering my voice. “Lord Ido found a way to block my compulsion. I found another way to his will. It is no different.”

“No different?” His long islander eyes held mine. “Do you really believe that? You must know you are playing with fire. You heard what Momo said.”

“Would you prefer that I not have any power over him?”

His chin jutted mulishly. “I would prefer him dead.”

I glared at him.

He conceded with a reluctant tilt of his head. “Just be careful. Dela is worried sick about you.”

“She is worried sick about you, too.” His hard stare warned me away, but right then I had no patience for unnecessary suffering. “You are a fool if you think she cares about rank and fortune.”

“I know she does not.”

“Is it because she is physically a man?”

He gave a sharp laugh. “I grew up around stranger couplings. That is not the reason.”

I crossed my arms. “What is, then?”

He rocked on his feet and, for a moment, I thought he was going to walk away.

“I am not meant to be alive,” he finally said. “Shola allowed you to pull me back from my death. Do you think it was out of pity?”

I swallowed, remembering the fisher village. He had truly been walking the pathway to his ancestors.

“I am here for a reason,” he said with determination. “I do not know what it is, but I doubt it is to find my own happiness. I am marked by Shola, and she will reclaim me when my part is played in this gods’ game. I do not have the right to pull Dela close or make plans. It would not be honorable.”

“You are here because I healed you, Ryko. My power brought you back from death. If anyone has a say in your life, it is me.” I jabbed my finger into my chest. “And I say take happiness while you can.”

At least one of us could have it.

“Are you so powerful now that you count yourself with gods?” he demanded.

“No! You know I did not mean that.”

“You may have control of my will, Lady Eona, but you do not have control of my honor. It is all that I have left. It is all that I can give Dela.” He gave a stiff bow. “With your permission.” Without waiting, he turned and walked away.

I watched Dela’s pale face turn to follow him as he strode across the camp. So much unhappiness in the name of duty and honor.

The village of Sokayo had a bathhouse.

It was a small, foolish thing to be excited about, but the report from Caido — recently returned from scouting the village — still lifted my spirits. We were less than a full bell’s walk away, and had taken temporary refuge in a ravine with a small stream at its base. Although it was midmorning, Kygo had decided we could cautiously cross the final distance. Opposite me in the circle of intent listeners, Vida was grinning too, although I doubted it was from the thought of a hot bath; she would soon be reunited with her father.

And with Master Tozay would come my mother.

As Caido continued his report, I rubbed at the dust and sweat ingrained on the skin of my arms, flicking off tiny rolls of dirt. The shallow stream had provided a welcome drink and a quick cooling splash, but only a long, hot soak was going to budge the result of three days of hard training and traveling. Hopefully the bath house would have some kind of soap or washing sand. I did not want to look like a slattern.

“I can see why Master Tozay elected to use the harbor. It is sheltered and deep,” Caido said. “But the village has strategic problems; it is in a cove between cliffs, with limited routes in and out.”

Beside me, Kygo brushed away a spiral of persistent flies. “How much risk?” he asked Yuso.

The captain shook his head. “I would say low. The villagers support the resistance, do they not?” Caido nodded. “Then it will be manageable.”