The Dragon Prince's Consort

Thirty-One

Ika's claws punched through the layer of ice just beneath a fresh dusting of snow that shone blue under a lavender-and-yellow streaked sky that was rapidly turning black. The manyu sailed over a rippled drift sparkling in mimicry of the stars overhead, and Anun's moon peeked out from behind the mountain range and threw shadows a hundred kilometers long across the windswept steppes. Fang clutched the saddle-horn with one hand and Valen's arm with the other, soaking in its weight and thickness around her waist as she would soak in the heat from a perfect bath. Behind her the Dragon Prince whooped and bellowed encouragement to his mount, pressing Fang's body down with his as the animal gripped rocks and chunks of turf to propel herself forward. Loose snow hissed against Fang's goggles and her fur-trimmed riding coat snapped as they sped downhill, the slope giving Ika an extra boost to her already hurtling speed.

"Yi-yah! Go, Ika, go!" Valen's voice rang next to Fang's ear, and she grinned like a madwoman at the joy in it. Out! We're out! The strong champagne-like drink she'd had earlier left little room for thought outside the fact that she was alive, careening down a mountain, wearing the most beautiful and expensive clothes she'd ever seen, and tucked safely in the arm of a man who, despite probably not as in love with her as she was with him, had worked for weeks to make sure that she was safe. It might not have been the expected path, but the end result was better than the Shans could have imagined. Mom, Dad, don't worry about me – whatever happens, I'm going to be okay.

Valen squeezed his arm tighter at Fang's waist. "We're almost there!" he shouted above the wind, the crackling snow and the thud of Ika's feet. "See that building?" He didn't need to point – the tumbled stone tower was the only structure in sight – "that's the city limit, we'll be there in a few minutes!" The spicy scent of good whiskey wafted from his red lips and Fang savored the touch of a warm breath on a frosty night. Whatever they found to occupy themselves this evening, Fang would cherish that she was with him. Even if it's just for a little longer, until the Emperor cuts it off or Valen gets tired of me, I'm going to enjoy this. She would miss this time with him, before the work of starting and governing a colony took it away and left her a wealthy but lonely woman. Maybe once Baishin was running smoothly they could reconnect, but Fang doubted that an older and wiser Valen wouldn't eventually realize just how pointless it would be to keep her around. Governor or not, he's young. Sooner or later he'll want the company of a Drass woman so he can complain about humans. When the time came to leave, she would do so with the dignity and grace of a Lady Consort – at least she wouldn't have to worry about food or rent ever again. I'll basically be a princess... A princess of nothing.

Pulling past the fallen tower – a relic from centuries ago when the Wardens patrolled far afield to defend their Dragon Emperor – Valen tugged Ika's rein and signaled her to slow. "Fang, look! The break in the wall!"

Fang turned, looking over Valen's arm at the great hole on the leeward side of the tower, and felt her chest tighten as she spotted the shulong. Three meters long, with a thick grey-white coat streaked with darker charcoal, the large predatory creature lounged just at the hole near the tower's base out of the wind and driving snow. Its large lion-like head sat heavy atop thick, powerful forelegs while its haunches coiled like springs. Yellow eyes, like gold coins – or Tias's eyes – flashed in the moonlight; it looked back at them and swished its long, densely-furred tail before pulling back from its exposed post and disappearing into the shadows. "I hope it's not hungry!"

"It won't bother us, they don't hunt when it's this windy!" Valen assured her; he had to shout over the wind for her to hear him. "Besides, Ika would kill it if it did!" Flapping the rein he got the manyu moving again. "What should we do once we're in Kitsara?"

"I don't know, I didn't think about it!" The appeal of leaving the palace had been to great – or perhaps she'd subconsciously seen the opportunity to spend more time with him? "How long are we staying out?"