Fireborn

40 ¦ Deception and Lies

Standing atop of a long, broad stalagmite, a Dragonborn Warrior hissed at me. His yellow eyes glittered in determination, ready for the kill.

As a Risa, I would have been scared to death. As a Fireborn, we stood as equals vying for dominance. I bared my fangs with a mighty roar, and he mirrored every action.

"I'm not afraid of you!" I roared.

"You are mighty indeed, young demoness," he sneered, his voice an intense, bass drone like my own. "But look around you. Who is there to fight? Where are the grand armies of the Gatál?"

I ran to a nearby stalagmite which stood fifty feet off the ground. Thanks to my month-long training, I scaled it with ease in a few seconds.

No armies were marching our way. Not a single drake stood prepared to launch a firestorm. Not a single Shadow Rider rode upon his black steed.

The basalt plains were empty.

My stomach clenched. "They lied!" I shouted with clenched fists. "They lied to us!"

"Very good. You catch on quick." He bared his fangs and growled at me, talons clicking on the rough-hewn stone as he cornered me. "It's false intel designed to keep the warriors here."

"Oh, my gods!" I exclaimed. "Where are the Gatál now?"

"As we speak, their armies are amassing along the southern border of Minningen," he replied. "They'll conquer the villages first and then move on to the capital with everything they've got."

"Is this real? Is this a dream?"

"I'm a rare Dragonborn." I detected no lying pheromones from him. "I can cast spells. You have hardly any Risan spirit left, but I found just enough to form a tentative link."

"Stars above!"

"You still have time to change tactics. It's not too late. Inform your men."

I narrowed my eyes at the Warrior. "What do you get out of this? How do I know your intel is solid?"

"Because I hate the Gatál as much as you do. They destroyed my whole family."

For a moment, the Warrior looked sad, his nictating membranes closing over slowly as he lamented his fate. With a tentative touch, I reached over and gave him a reassuring pat.

He grabbed my wrist, and I shrieked. He clawed at my medallion and clenched it in his fist.

It glowed...blue.

Seraphina! Holy Mother of Mercy!

"Inform your men before it's too late, Liselle." The Dragonborn gave me a wistful smile. "Forgive me."

"For what?"

"This is the only physical proof I can give you. The Minister believe you now, as will my brother."

"What do you--?"

She slashed my shoulder with her talons, and I screamed.

"Go, now!"

❄️🔥❄️🔥

Not caring what ungodly hour it was, I ran to the bathroom and knocked non-stop on Peter's bedroom door. He awoke with a groan and answered my knock, bleary-eyed and wearing only opaque black linen braies.

He took one look at me, and all traces of his tiredness vanished. "Are you all right, Liselle? What's wrong?"

"We're being played," I said in a frantic voice. "I had a vision, and--"