Scarlett Meris's Arc

Chapter 7 of 15

Scarlett woke before dawn to a sound that split the sky. It came from the eastern peaks, long and wet and ragged, the cry of a dragon that had found her child cold. Brynn was already at the window, one hand on the frame. The rune-sword lay on the table between them, its runes flickering awake for the first time in days. "The pup," Brynn said. "The poison finished what the barb started." Scarlett pulled on her flying leathers. "She'll burn the valley. She'll burn every human between here and the coast." She lifted the silver blade. Its wooden grip warmed under her palm. "If she does, the king gets his excuse. Hunters everywhere. Every dragon dead by winter." She ran for Rivilin. Above the trees, a shadow crossed the moon. The blue-green dragon dropped through the pines and landed hard in the yard, wings folded tight. Kieran slid from the saddle before the dust settled. His crown sat plain on his head. His coat was open. Behind him, six armsmen in the king's colors rode up the slope on horses lathered from the ride. "He sent them," Kieran said. His voice was flat. "Kill the mother. Bury the story before the humans learn what she is." He met Scarlett's eyes. "I told him I would lead them. It was the only way to be near her first." "You brought his soldiers to her mountain." "I brought myself." He was already climbing back onto the blue dragon. "Stay off the ridge. Let me speak to her alone." Scarlett did not stay off the ridge. She mounted Rivilin and flew wide, low along the treeline, the rune-sword strapped across her back. She saw the mother on the crag, wings spread, smoke pouring from her jaws. She saw Kieran land his dragon on the shelf below and step down with both hands open. He was speaking. The mother lowered her head to listen. Then Scarlett saw the seventh rider. He stood behind the armsmen, in dark leathers no soldier wore. Thorn Nightwhisper. The arms dealer had come with the king's men, uninvited or invited, she could not tell. He held a long crossbow braced on a rest, and the bolt in the groove was black and barbed and wet. "No," Scarlett said, and drove Rivilin up the slope. She was still a hundred yards out when Thorn fired. The bolt took the mother under the jaw. She reared once. Kieran caught her falling head in both arms and went down under it. The mountain shook when she hit the stone. Scarlett turned back to avoid notice by the king’s men but felt the grief hard. Kieran pulled himself out from under the dead dragon's throat. Blood soaked his sleeve. He looked up at Thorn on the ridge above and said, very quietly, "Uncle, I didn’t know you were joining."