RUIN

My ass is sore.

No, really, it very much is, and I'm utterly exhausted. Yaris really worked me over last night, but I kind of hate him at the moment because he looks perky and awake whereas I just want to take a long nap… preferably in his arms.

Bandit needed a horse but instead of buying another one—this saving the world business is getting expensive and none of us seem to have access to a lot of funds—I offered to ride double with Yaris. In this case, my short frame and light weight is a boon. They all agreed with me and now my ass is sore as I hold onto his waist and pray for a break.

The forest around us is alive with animals and plants, trees and brushes. We aren't in the mountains anymore and that's obvious by the summer green overtaking everything and in the way that the forest floor thrives with bugs and dense plant life. It doesn't smell like cold anymore—just fresh, crisp life and I quite like it. Everyone else seems just a tiny bit looser now that we aren't trudging through snow, but I can't be the only one thinking about our next step.

Shatterjaw tried to get Bandit to discuss the pillars, but she refused to do so around other people. She said there were nosy people about and it wasn't wise to talk about it. I could tell that Shatterjaw understood, but was reluctant as was I. I want to know as much as I can before we do anything. Forbearance and Virtue had already been underground when the pillars were erected, and I suspect that is what saved them. I don't know a lot about Fae spells, but I do know about spells and unless King Asshole specified all dragons in the air, on the surface, in the ocean, and in the ground, he likely missed some. Powerful spells are like powerful wards—you walk a very fine line between asking too much or not enough.

But I can't say for certain. Not until I know more.

I lean into Yaris and yawn, checking the area for anyone besides us and I don't sense anyone. It's nearly noon, so perhaps it's time for lunch and a conversation.

I open my mouth to suggest just that when Magnum comes up beside me. He glances at me and looks like he's schooling his features.

"You know, Ruin," he says, entirely too casual. "I wouldn't worry about all this dragon stuff too much."

I stare at him, flabbergasted.

"What the fuck," I spit out and glare. "Of course I'm worried about it!"

"Well… it's just that… that it's obvious you are already an excellent rider."

The bastard smirks and wiggles his eyebrows and I sputter for a moment, cheeks heating, before laughing.

"That's so stupid!" I chortle and shove at him. "You're utterly ridiculous!"

"Hey, it got you smiling," he says, as if that's important and winks. "Anyway, I was thinking we should stop for lunch. I'm starving."

"You're always starving," Shatterjaw says from behind us, and he looks over his shoulder before glancing at me, his expression unreadable.

"Oh. You have no idea."

As we find a glade and settle in for lunch, I watch Bandit and Yaris carefully. They seem to be doing this little dance of staying just out of reach of each other and only glancing at one another out of the corner of their eyes. It's… weird. If I had a sibling who was supposed to be dead, I would be happy to meet them. However, I'm still a bit vague on what exactly their home life was like, and I suppose Bandit's absolute silence is understandable. She probably doesn't know what to make of hi m nor he of her. As I snuggle into Yaris' side, she sits down across from us and starts to eat an apple, looking everywhere but us. Shatterjaw reluctantly sits beside her and Pennbrooke deals with the horses while Magnum distributes food. It's so quiet that I squirm and clear my throat.

"Uh, Bandit?" I prompt and she looks at me, almost like she's surprised I noticed her.

"Yes, dragon rider?"

I hide a grimace.

"Um… how does your network of… of…"

"Spies?" Shatterjaw offers flatly and Bandit gives a small smile at that. Shatterjaw scowls as that obviously was not her intent. But there's something in her gaze whenever she glances at the female Fae—almost a longing.

Weird. What does that even mean?

"Yes, spies," I nod and absently play with my food—more cheese and fruit. "How do they communicate?"

"Ah," Bandit perks up a bit and I feel Yaris stiffen, as if he is bracing himself. "Well. We scry or dream walk, mostly."

Shatterjaw stares at her and Yaris makes a sound.

"You… they can do that?" He says after a pause. "How?"

"They are teachable skills, you know," Bandit says softly. "This whole idea that magic is particular to one species is absurd. I've found that with the right tools, almost anything can be taught to anyone, except for a few skills. In all my years, I have learned how to teach others magic of all sorts. Even humans. It's not as difficult as the monarchies would have you believe."

I'm stunned by that, and it takes me a moment to collect myself.

"Ah." I posit and there's silence for another long moment. "How old are you?"

She doesn't look at me when she answers—she looks at Yaris.

"2,147," she says quietly and now he's so tense I think he's going to pull a muscle .

"Oh," I say next and smile. "Yaris is—"

"The baby, I know," she says and smiles back. Her scar mars her, but somehow, she looks serene and beautiful despite whatever pain it may cause her.

"I am not a baby," Yaris says, sounding like a baby. I look at him and he's scowling. I take it this is a sore spot. "I am a full-grown Fae."

"I didn't mean to offend you," Bandit says quietly. "And I said you're ‘the' baby, not ‘a' baby. I fully recognize that you are a very capable adult."

Yaris grunts and shoves food in his mouth in a most uncouth way and it's hard not to scowl at him. He's so fucking stubborn.

"That makes you as old as a dragon," Magnum offers. "You must have seen a lot."

"That… is not for everyone's ears," she says softly. Though the statement is quiet, it is powerful. "And now that we're away from prying eyes and ears, we should focus on the upcoming pillar."

I nod and Yaris still seems stiff and unsure. I take his hand and rub it with my thumb as we eat. I notice he's just playing with his food nervously, as he tends to do when he's anxious. It's almost endearing if it wasn't so annoying. A man needs to eat, especially when stressed.

"Well. Tell us what you know," I say, and she nods, producing a leather map a moment later. There are deep grooves in it, as if it's been opened and closed a great many times. As she lays it out on the ground, it's a little faded, but, for the most part, it is in pristine condition.

It's the same map the dragons gave us, but this one has notes and runes all over it. I can't read it, and everyone but Yaris and Bandit seem confused. It must be Fae, then. I look at the writing closely. It's like a series of squares and interconnecting lines that don't make any sense to me, but it is beautiful in a way. I think I've heard of this, but never seen it—it's an Ogham writing system, each mark a letter. I think some indigenous people use it, but I had no idea the Fae did. The accompanying runes are beautiful as well, full and strong. They speak of power and majesty in profound ways, and I want to touch them. But I also want to respect them, especially while Yaris is here, so I hold back my curiosity and wait.

"This pillar that we're headed to, in Ordesh, was the first. It's Oleander," she says quietly, and Yaris squeezes my hand.

"What's ‘Oleander'?" I ask carefully and she smiles, shaking her head.

"Not what. Who." She clears her throat. "Oleander was the first to die. He was crown prince, my older brother. He… he did not wish to be sacrificed. Did not wish to be a part of anything anymore, by the end. But that piece of shit tricked him and killed him as easily as you might a bug. I miss my brother. He was good and kind and… we always thought…" She looks distant for a long moment and then shakes herself. Yaris keeps shifting anxiously, but he doesn't say anything. Gods, how I wish I could protect him from this. "No matter. He was the first. Oscilla, up here, near the Oscillan capital was Sia, my older sister. Then the third pillar in O'trana was Fox, followed by Arum in O'stax, and then the final battle, the final pillar, was Bellacorpse in the Hallowed Wastes. They all…" She looks pained and takes a moment to gather herself and there is a very awkward silence. It hits me that not only were these real people, but also that they were people who were loved. They were Yaris' though he didn't know them. I can't imagine growing up in that shadow of grief and pain and loss. My own parents changed after my sister died and I think their coldness towards me was their way of coping. But to lose five children… did his monstrous parents even care? Do they still think of what they looked or sounded like? I know I have difficulty recalling my parents sometimes, what they smelled like, how they walked, if their smiles were as bright as I remember—and I am only 29. Do the Fae even remember them after all these years ?

"Anyway," Bandit shakes herself and Yaris seems to want to help, but doesn't know how, so he just sort of shrinks away. "Those are the pillars. My siblings who were forced into an unwanted war. But… I have tried for many years to approach them, and I can't seem to."

"What?" Magnum sits forward, fascinated. "What do you mean?"

"It's like how I've climbed the mountain, over and over again, to try to talk to the dragons and I can't seem to get past a certain spot. I'm always pushed back or magicked away," she explains, obviously frustrated.

"Oh. That's a trap Forbearance set up," Magnum nods. "If you're Fae, you can't approach."

"But Yaris did," Shatterjaw says, confused.

"No, he didn't," Magnum shakes his head. "I carried him in and I'm—or was—the guardian. I can let people in, if I want."

"Oh," Shatterjaw nods. "So… there's a guardian here?"

Bandit shakes her head.

"It's possible, but unlikely. My father spelled it so that no one could approach, I think. I'm not sure. I… was hoping our dragon rider might know."

Everyone turns the full weight of their attention to me, and I croak. It's just a little croak.

I hope.

" Me?" I gape at them. "As in… me? I don't know shit about that type of magic."

Bandit smiles knowingly.

"Well, perhaps you do," she says confidently. "I think you just need to see it."

I want to argue with her—I really, really do. I want to tell her that all of this is new to me and she's a fool for trusting me with it. But… as I look at her, I see that she is sincere. She has quiet confidence about her that she's placed in me of all people and somehow, I know she's right to. This may all be new, but I've been using magic since I was eight and not many have believed in me like this. They've simply demanded and pr essured until I've caved—not had actual confidence in me for the sake of… well, me and the world.

Slowly, I nod. I don't want to let her down.

"Right. Okay," I say quietly. "Guess we'll just have to see, then."

"How far away are we, exactly?" Magnum cuts in and Bandit shrugs.

"About two days, but these woods thicken and become increasingly dangerous and there's more than one of us so it might take longer," Bandit explains tentatively, obviously worried we'll take that news badly.

"Excellent!" Magnum beams and pops a grape into his mouth. "Let's go kick some Fae ass!"

"Right," Yaris says weakly, lacking all conviction. "Let's."