Blood Runner: Book Three of the Empress Saga

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

    "We're not on the same side as blood mages," he declared.

    Starra pursed her lips and regretted not bringing along her veil. "You have my word that I'm here to serve Empress Enfri. Now, do be a dear and get me to the Huntress." She produced a Dekaam spike and held it out for his inspection. "I don't want Elise bonded to Kimpo anymore than you do."

    The tip of the knight's sword lowered by a fraction of an inch. "You have a name, lass?"

    "Starra Nolaas of House Nolaas, at your service," she said while performing the closest she could get to a curtsy in this wind.

    "Irdish?"

    "Japaxian, actually."

    "Rav of the Onyx Knights," he said, at last lowering his sword. He began working his way back up to his dragon's neck in a three-limbed crawl over the harness. "In truth, the only Onyx Knight. This is Elloo the Constable."

    "What's back there, love?" Elloo asked. "Not another renegade?"

    "It's a lady, so mind your manners. No, I don't know where she came from, but she's another mage slayer."

    Starra clambered to a secure spot behind Rav and to his right. "Another?"

    "Aye, my lady. Mistress Reyn is the one we brought along. That a name you know?"

    "Can't say it is." Starra furrowed her brow. "Gaulatian?"

    Rav reattached his snap-lock to the harness. "Looks to have a little Althandi blood in her, but her accent's as Gaulatian as you've ever heard. Thicker than yours by a wide margin. Pretty young lass and a scrivener. Tall redhead with legs to kill for."

    The description didn't jog Starra's memory, though she resolved to get a face-to-face meeting once things calmed down. Dekaam weren't unique to Aleesh and shifters, but they weren't exactly common. If Reyn was truly a shifter, there were a number of things that needed to be ascertained about her. Starra was all too aware that many descendants of the proteurim remained in service to the old masters.

    Would Shan Alee even care if she was? Starra wondered. House Yora had apparently allied with goblins. Why not shifters as well? Starra found herself intrigued at the prospect of being able to live openly as a vampire.

    "Where is this Dekaam of yours?" Starra asked.

    Rav pointed starboard towards the silver dragon. "She's aboard the Storyteller. Not to be ungrateful for the assistance, but there's no way Moon and Deebee will let Kimpo past them. They've got it handled."

    "Making myself somewhat superfluous." Starra chewed her lip. So that was the famous Storyteller. Starra had heard enough of the empress' dragon from Saveen to feel as if she knew her already. "Then allow me to assist with Draxa. If you can get me close, I'll get on top of her and place my spike."

    "That's a long jump, and we can't guarantee we'll catch you."

    Starra flicked her wrist at him. "Nonsense. I've no interest of jumping. Let me worry about the transference itself. You gentlemen need only concern yourselves with getting me near her. This sort of thing is simpler when the distances are short."

    Rav barked a short laugh before looking forward to Elloo. "What's your take on this, love?"

    "If she can do what she says she can, I see no reason to drag our heels."

    "Agreed," Rav said with a nod.

    Starra found enough in that brief exchange to confirm her belief that Enfri was everything Ambrose hoped she would be. Bonded knights and dragons formed a partnership, rather than one enslaved to the other. Starra could hardly wait to meet the woman herself.