Verath the Red (Dragonwall Series #3)

Chapter 16 - Alarming News in Esterpine

Esterpine

Talon's final days in Esterpine passed in a blur of meetings. After a week of arguing—a week of terrible food—he had successfully convinced Queen Jade to put the Stones back where they belonged. It was a relief that he couldn't wait to share with Claire. Would she be proud of him for swallowing his pride?

No longer confined to the Crystal Palace, he found himself wandering the streets of Esterpine. The Sprites generally avoided him. Some regarded him with hooded gazes. Others slipped away into the mist. There were a few who offered friendly smiles, but overall, they were a hard bunch to get on with.

Being a Drengr had a lot to do with that. Sprites had forever disliked those of draconic blood. Why should that change? While he was willing to let bygones be bygones, they had much older memories.

One day. One painfully slow day was all that remained before he could bid this smothering place good riddance. He strolled through the city, thinking about all the things he was eager to return to. Hunting. Real food. Flying. Open sky. And Claire.

The clang of metal gave him pause. He followed it to the sparring grounds and blinked, taking in the scene. Several of his Drengr were occupied. A few had partnered up with Sprites. He almost snorted at the sight. Despite their distaste, Sprites were eager to prove their strength, to prove their superiority at any given opportunity. He shouldn't have been surprised.

A quick glance nearby told him he wasn't the only one watching. A few Riders had taken up positions along the perimeter to observe their mates. He offered them polite nods and received easy smiles in return.

"Glad to see you, my king." Bedelth strode over, gripping his shoulder in a friendly greeting. "Jeanine and I are sparring over there, but I would be glad to cross blades if it suits you. She's ready to drop anyway."

He glanced in the direction Bedelth pointed. Bedelth hadn't lied. Jeanine stood all but sagging and red-faced, taking in gasps of air. "Looks like you've given her a good run."

Bedelth smiled. "I'm going easy on her, whether she knows it or not."

He chuckled. "She any good?"

"Decent enough for a human. Care to observe?"

"Lead the way."

The two of them crossed the grounds, passing by Raynor and Sellel. He paused, Bedelth continuing on, oblivious that he'd stopped. Raynor and Sellel's Sveraks flashed back and forth quickly enough to become a blur. Sellel took the offensive, pushing Raynor back step by step, each of his blows precise. Raynor met every one—but barely. Until Sellel swept his Sverak around in a wide arc, bringing it down and dragging it across Raynor's hip.

Blood sprayed from the wound, splattering the ground. "Nice try!" Raynor growled, jumping out of harm's way. Seconds later, the wound healed. All that was left was a rip in his tunic. They both glanced at their king, halting their fight for a moment, bowing their heads in respect.

Talon returned the gesture before continuing on. Bedelth stood at Jeanine's side, speaking in a low voice. She nodded at whatever he was saying.

He came to a stop at the edge of their sparring ring. Jeanine's wide eyes fixed on him. She offered a sloppy curtsy that made him chuckle and say, "Extra points if you can make Bedelth bleed." At this, she grinned and nodded.

"Ready?" Bedelth asked.

She took up a fighting stance in answer. Bedelth drew his blade. It glowed blue, imbued with some form of magic that made it safe against her. She was human, after all. Jeanine's blade, however, carried no such protection.