The Ocean's Heart (The Dragons of Flareia Book 2)

Chapter 10 - Corrian

Illustris, Umbrassé

26th Year of the Ocean

Fifth Moon

The orange light of the low-burning lanterns still stung Corrian's eyes. It seemed to take them longer and longer to adjust to the light each time he left the crypts – and recently, he'd been leaving a lot. How long would it take for Davri and the royals to adjust back to the world above? For Maylif?

For Aspen?

Corrian shook his head to clear it the instant the guard's name swam through his mind. No. He couldn't get distracted right now. Not when he was sat in a room with – arguably – the most powerful men in Umbrassé. 

Naturally, Emperor Nequami wasn't present. 

After all, the only reason Nequami would willingly attend a meeting of the Stellustris would be to burn it to the ground, but Corrian was quite sure the Emperor had no idea how to stop the hysteria at this point. Corrian was struggling himself – part of him wanted to bring Davri to the surface with him, regardless of his pale, too-memorable skin. Davri would know what to do. Davri might have even had the stomach to stand before all these Umbrassis and declare himself leader of the Stellustris, where Corrian had hid. There'd be no point in trying to hide when he already stood out so much. But – for now, at least – Corrian's identity was a secret.

To everyone but Ison Fehey.

And there he stood at the head of the table. Well, tables. There were about twenty great wooden tables pushed from their usual places in the bar into the middle. Corrian had been glad when he arrived a little later than the rest of Ison's close circle – he'd walked in as they were moving the last one.

He looked down at the table now – at the same stain he'd been absently staring at for the past hour as people trailed in. At first glance, it had looked like an oddly rich alcohol, but the longer he observed it, the more it looked like blood.

He wished he was back at The Black Hole. Despite being in The Barren, it felt safer than anywhere on this side of the Stella Turnium, safer than anywhere in Illustris. And he felt safer knowing Nemi also didn't trust Ison Fehey.

After all, that was the main reason Corrian had attended the meeting – to make sure Fehey said nothing about Kylan Halif's sister being spotted in Stellum to the south. But, if he was being honest, he was also there to make sure Fehey said nothing about him.

It only took Fehey clearing his throat for a hush to fall over the room. Corrian felt a begrudging kind of respect for the man – he would never have the power to silence a room so quickly, certainly not anywhere but Gaiamere. Even doing so in Gaiamere was debatable. After all, as Aspen would keep reminding him whenever he was effected by the shadows of the crypt, Corrian wasn't a true Dragonheir.

Not yet. Corrian promised himself. But I will be.

"Alright, you horrible lot," Fehey grumbled, "settle down, settle down."

Corrian had to force himself not to groan, any semblance of respect for the man diminished. He, for one, would certainly open meetings in a better fashion than someone like Ison Fehey. Maybe that was where his power would come from – but only after the room was quiet.

"Welcome to yet another meeting of the Stellustris. First on the agenda today is, well, the same as always," Fehey said with a scoff, scratching at the stubble on his chin, "anyone seen Halif?"