We arrived at the palace what seemed like a torturous eternity later. It was ghostly, not seeing any people walking the streets except for us. The palace however, seemed the place where life continued for that's where everyone was.
I saw the palace guards from afar, people dressed in earthly brown clothing. It looked just like the type of skin Reagan had when he showed me what his human side really looked like. I remembered him saying something about them not needing clothes since their scales were able to morph too and were a sort of shield around them even though they weren't dragons. It was a practical feature and eradicated the necessity of clothes. I would've appreciated having that ability as well.
The guards seemed randomly placed though I doubted that was the case. As I analyzed the position of the windows, I quickly realised that there was one guard for each window and each entry, each covering a radius of about 500 meters. I wasn't sure what that really meant, but I suspected it was just for safety precautions. They were probably prepared to change quickly and would therefore be airborne within seconds, should anyone decide to attack through any windows. More guards stood on each side of the doors, two per door. A glimmer of nervousness ran through me as the amount of security slowly began to set in.
I wondered if this had always been this way. So many guards. They reminded me of our Protectors, they seemed just as uninviting and stern. Strict, controlled and cool demeanors. Nearly inhumane.
Then again, I wasn't even really sure how humane a dragon was, normally. I'd only ever met the Thrakos men and it could all very well just be a charade.
If it was, then my gifts were useless.
The palace itself was a construction clearly built by magic. It was otherworldly, to describe it somewhat accurately. The architecture wasn't like anything I'd ever seen, though I could see some similarities in the houses back in Everett Valley, scattered close to the ocean throughout the forbidden territory. Everything that was moderately in size back at home was at least 8 times larger here. The windows, the doors, the handles, the columns, the towers. It was so massive it literally felt like it ate up everything that stood in its wake. There was no sky, no sun, no stars, no moon. It towered in front of us in a terrifying size that continued to take my breath away.
Then it finally dawned on me. Considering how large dragons were, this place was probably constructed back in the days where dragons were still mainly in their true forms but still mimicked 'normal' civilization.
I wondered how exactly that transition had ever happened. When had dragons begun thinking they needed to fit in?
Then again, looking at the white palace made me rethink that. If fitting in had been their intention, the palace wasn't exactly a good way to start.
A shudder went through me suddenly, interrupting my wondering nature and my inquisitive eye. I felt Reagan, somewhere in proximity. Instantly, my heart began to beat faster, and I quickly turned around to see where he was.
I'd been so focused on the guards and the palace that I barely noticed the diversity of colours of the people walking about the palace grounds. All of them wore the same type of clothing as the guards, or rather the same scales, just in different colours. Each shade was different. There was not a single person with the exact same indigo as someone else who's scales were blue too.
Mesmerized at the diversity of their kind, though I imagined they were much more fascinating in their true form than their human skins, I still marveled at their beauty. Everything here screamed magic in a way unbeknownst to me. I wasn't sure if I would ever get used to it.
That made my mind circle back to Reagan. I refrained from asking aloud where he was, for I didn't want him to know that I cared about his whereabouts.
"Now, now, leiirin, I did not expect to find you in such a sour mood," a voice spoke from somewhere behind me and before I had the chance to spin around, Reagan's chest was already in front of me with his face slightly higher up.
Looking up, I folded my arms above my chest and refused to answer.
This was certainly not the time or the place to have any sort of discussion.
His smirk only made me angrier, which he seemed not to care about. "Deina is in the summer wing. She's being attended to by the healers," Reagan said, his eyes leaving mine to find his brothers.
I took a few steps away from him for good measure. He noticed the second my foot hit the ground and his head snapped back to me. Tilting his head, his gaze searched mine for an explanation.
That's when I realised that he wasn't at all aware of what his actions had caused. Which was strange, considering he should have been able to feel something.
"You are an open book that I can not read," he said then.
I furrowed my brows. What the hell did that mean?
Before I could reply, Ryker filled the momentary silence that had spread between us.
"We've put the traitors down to Keinarnin," Ryker informed Reagan.
"Was Emerin and Koder there?" Reagan asked, his attention now completely steered away from me, which gave me back the instinct to continue breathing, though I hadn't even noticed I'd stopped.
Ryker nodded. "Yes. Zula and Renin as well. Four of us should be enough for just three of them."
Something about Ryker saying 'just three of them' made my stomach turn into a knot. I wasn't so sure that they were just three...
A sense of foreboding settled again, making me feel heavy.
That's when I finally felt safe enough to voice my concerns to the Thrakos men. If anyone could do anything, especially here, then it was them.
"Something is off about them," I said, my voice smooth and controlled. I wasn't about to let Reagan know that he was capable of rattling my emotions, especially if he couldn't feel it on his own.
Reagan's piercing, golden stare snapped to me and studied me. "What do you mean?" he asked and I wasn't quite sure yet whether or not he was taking me seriously. Holden wouldn't have.
Taking a deep breath, I revealed some information I hadn't told anyone but Kendra about ever since it happened. Now seemed the right time to mention it, albeit a small flower of doubt still bloomed and I wasn't sure if I would regret this.
"There was an attack the day you arrived in Everett Valley. At least three attacks occurred. And a few weeks ago, when we were still on our way to the mountains to find a way across, I overheard a conversation between the three in which they mentioned a name I've never heard before. Ever since, I've been wary about their compliant behaviour and the lack of resistance. I'm not so sure they're acting on their own."
Reagan listened intently and scrunched his brows together, wrinkling his forehead in thought as he processed my words. I felt his concern, which gave me confirmation that he believed what I'd said. A part of me had been afraid he wouldn't take my concerns seriously and that he'd downplay the sense of dread that I'd been having.
His eyes searched my face for something––and then I realised that he might be able to feel my relief since I had just felt his concern.
Was the Promised Bond active again, now? Open enough that we could sense each other's emotions? Had it been closed off before?
Confusion quickly overruled my quick spur of gratitude and mashed with Reagan's appearing apprehension. He wasn't sure what was happening, either, as it seemed, albeit it was only a slither of the emotion that made me assume that, for his face didn't betray his feelings at all.
"Why did you not mention this sooner?" he asked, a calculating tone in his voice, as if he were questioning a subordinate. At least, that was what I felt like, and I didn't appreciate it at all.
I discreetly puffed out my chest and slightly squared my shoulders, not really doing any of it consciously. "As Kendra already told you, if you trust us, we'll trust you," I said plainly, trying to sound more nonchalant than I was.
His eyes continued to scan mine for more than I was saying aloud, as if he were trying to read my mind without entering it.
Well, at least he wasn't overstepping that boundary.
I felt Dante's annoyance then and mistakenly assumed it was directed towards me.
"This is exactly what Ryker and I have been trying to tell you, Reagan. If we don't fill them in on everything, they have no idea what they can tell us and what they can't. We're not helping each other by burying ourselves in distrust and suspicions. It's time to open up the books and tell each other what we've written, otherwise we'll never be able to finish the ending," Dante huffed, his outburst coming with emotions like relief, more annoyance and a sense of accomplishment for having voiced his opinion in front of everyone.
Reagan's stare still held mine, a fire burning in them that carried into me and warmed my stomach, untying the knot and instead making my knees weak.
I confidently held his stare, my breath hitching as we both kept each other on our toes.
The thought of being alone with him crossed my mind and caused a bolt of electricity to zap through my entire body. He tensed.
Someone cleared their throat, attempting to interrupt the staring contest we were having, but neither of us refused to let the other win.
Letting go of my stubbornness to prove that I would not let him intimidate me, I let him think that he won. Just this once.
"We can't fill any holes if we don't know where they are," I said, turning away from my promised and instantly the heat of the flames dimmed to a simmering after note. I had never felt so hot in my entire life and it was driving me insane.
"Then let's meet the Queen, shall we?" Reagan said with a raspy voice, seemingly unfazed, and turned to lead us through the palace gates.