28. Marius

Chapter 28

Marius

R agewing growled as Marius knotted up the sad excuse for a bandage on the top of the dragon's wound. He'd been forced to use the bottom half of his trousers and part of the leather strap that usually stretched over Ragewing's shoulders as an additional part of his rein system.

Not so tight, Ragewing hissed inside Marius's head.

It must be so you can fly back and not risk bleeding out.

Rider, I can't fly into Midhampton to rescue Lady Tahlia and you know it. As much as I wish I could, they will have me down and we will only end up giving them more captives.

We must. I'm sorry, but we must. They'll kill her. Marius's entire body hummed with pent-up violence. It was unthinkable what that madman might be doing to her. If she'd even survived the fall. No, he couldn't imagine she wasn't alive. If he did, he'd go as mad as Durniad.

They won't.

You don't know that.

She's a valued member of the Fae realm. Durniad knows not to risk angering King Lysanael and Queen Revna.

Does he? Because he spends his autumns ravaging the northern coast. His pirate crews have led attacks that we have fought against, Ragewing. He is not cowed by anything even if it would be wise to back down.

This is different. He is greedy. We know that. He will want to use Lady Tahlia's life to get something from the king and queen. And perhaps from his human high queen as well, if he can work an angle that makes sense.

Marius fisted his hands so tightly that his knuckles cracked.

You'll break a fang if you grit your teeth like that.

Glaring at the dragon, Marius battled the impotent rage storming inside his heart and soul and mind.

Breathe, rider. Breathe and think. Be cold. Store the anger for later and plot. You can do this. I'm with you.

His mind whirled, panic lancing through his thought processes, jumbling potential plans with random imaginings of ripping Durniad's head from his body. He closed his eyes and set a hand on Ragewing. The dragon's side moved steadily in and out as he breathed, and Marius matched the rhythm, inhaling and exhaling slowly.

What do we have to use? Ragewing's question was quiet and calm. Materials. Allies. Environment.

The crown. Two blades at my belt. Our main contact is likely stuck in the city, but perhaps he'll be able to do something to help Lady Tahlia. We have your fire if we can get you into the air for at least a little while. The Witch isn't too far for me to reach on foot if you must rest.

I can fly to the Witch's house. Will she help us? Ragewing shuffled his wings and adjusted the lay of his tail, wincing and flashing vicious white teeth.

I would think so. This is her queen's mission, after all.

But we have the crown already. Will she care that we left a knight behind?

She doesn't have to know we have the crown , Marius said. The crown's power worked in two ways from what I saw in the city. If a human is within earshot, they can be heavily influenced. And the influence seems to spread like an illness, catching from one to the next.

The magic most likely manipulates a person's energy, then, Ragewing said.

I'm not sure I fully understand any of its magic.

Ragewing let out a plume of fire smoke, which he often did when thinking . Me neither.

Let's say I enter the city again using the crown to control the humans as I go , Marius said.

Ragewing's body was very warm, as if he was ready to breathe fire. Will it matter if they stop up their ears? Because I would assume Durniad will be giving orders to do that if it blocks the crown's influence.

Marius nodded. I think that would keep the crown's magic from working except in those cases when it already has a human under its control and that human nears the one with stopped-up ears. The virus, so to speak, of the crown's control would spread regardless.

So stealth would be in order. Durniad could hurt Lady Tahlia if he sees you coming.

Yes, Marius said , We would have to attempt to sneak in again without being recognized…

Ragewing grunted and shifted his weight, adjusting the way he rested on the ground. But you don't have any more of the Witch's potion to disguise yourself.

No. Let's visit her and see if she will help us once more. We'll pretend we don't have the crown.

Perhaps you should hide the crown here somewhere, Ragewing said, so you can deceive her more easily since you truly won't have the crown in hand.

Good idea. But I think I'll simply hide it outside the Witch's house. I don't like the thought of leaving this powerful artifact unguarded here in the woods.

He unbuckled his belt, slipped the leather through the artifact, then put the belt back on, securing the crown to himself. He could remove it upon arrival and hide it in the greenery near the Witch's abode.