Legions of Bone: Dragon Rider Book 3

Chapter 44: New Bitch

^^me when someone tries to give me their potato of a child

adgjadshgjdasfaksd oh my god you guys, this chapter was SO MUCH FUN to write. I've been waiting for this since the middle of book 2. I'm so happy to finally share this with you all and I hope you enjoy it. PLEASE let me know your thoughts on it.

Norah

The chamber room was massive, with stone floors and walls polished highly enough see your reflection. Grand arching windows lined the walls, drinking in the night beyond and the occasional flicker of lights. Everyone sat at the long table dominating the room, and with so many people in one place, one would expect to hear something.

But there was only silence and darting, wide eyes.

It gave Norah more time to take in the council--learn their expressions and ticks before they could guard it.

Only two chairs were empty.

Everyone was dressed in crisp suits or lovely dresses. And Norah hadn't wanted to be outdone. She re-dyed and straightened her black hair, the ends brushing her shoulders. Her sleeveless gown glittered like fresh snow in the sun, showing off the muscle she had rebuilt and the battle scars that hadn't disappeared yet. Nevaeha did her makeup, helping just as much as when she picked out the dress. She painted Norah's lips a simple nude color to match her eyeshadow and lined her eyes into a dramatic swoop.

Norah saw Vaella in the corner of her eye, her gaze raking over every person here with such intensity Norah waited for one of them to run away. She wore her usual black armor and black lips, her silver hair falling below her shoulders. Her spear gleamed under the light, its glowing orb of fire spinning between the two talon-curled blades.

Still, no one said anything.

She met Cedric's eyes, but the Headmaster didn't seem happy to see her. He didn't seem anything to see her, his face arranged into a mask of total neutrality as if she were nothing, no one. His brown, tousled hair fell forward as he bent over the table, his sun-kissed hands braced on the wood and stared at her.

Norah made a show of settling into her chair--his chair at the head of the table. She didn't quite understand how such a thing could affect people. Dominance should be achievable from any seat, but then again... This made her job much more fun.

Something cold and angry slithered in his eyes, gone too quick for the normal eye to catch unless you were staring him down.

I did kill a lot of your people, she thought.

The silence drew on, thickening and thickening like too-sweet syrup.

It was a game of blink. The first to speak was the weakest. Unfortunately for Cedric, Etin had beaten most of her weaknesses out of her.

The grand doors they'd entered in started to close with Vaella's magic when two bodies slipped in. One in a sleek crimson dress and enough jewelry to pay of several mortgages, the other with icy white hair and a grey suit.

What little joy Norah had vanished.

Rage snapped with such a violent crack it reminded her of breaking bones. Of being thrown into the wall and forced to leave her home.

A shriek followed in its place, high-pitched and keening, loud as Rima's scream when she dove. She destroyed it, swallowing it in numbness while her darkness stayed sealed away from the commoner's senses.

Renora and Emre strode into the chamber, moving for the two empty seats beside the air mage Peng. Their gazes swept over everyone, sharp and smug. They didn't look at Norah again after that.