I woke into early dawn and staggered into the latrine off the bailey to empty my stomach into the ditch, leaning against the curtain wall. I looked up and met the eyes of a knight in the same pose.   “The wine is no good here, Princess,” he offered with a wry grin.   I smiled back, happy to accept the excuse.   As I crossed the bailey towards the stronghold, I felt Aurien’s eyes track my progress.   In the rooms assigned to me, I opened the chests and dug through, searching for my clothing.   “Princess,” Ashara said as she and Mesandre entered. Mesandre carried with her a jug of mint tea and goblet. I accepted it and surrendered my search to Ashara.   She produced a change of clothes and I sipped the warm tea as they washed my face and hands and repaired the night’s damage to my hair. They changed me into new clothes. I closed my eyes as they dressed me and t

As I stepped out of the walls with Leongrad, I signalled to Aurien, and saw him turn on the wind and wind his way back to us, landing lightly, before strolling at ease across the grasses towards us.   “The horses barely shy,” Leongrad commented.   “They’re growing accustomed to him,” I agreed, and reached up to touch Aurien’s nose as he came to a stop before me. “Amrynn has opened the stronghold to us. We will rest until evening. Daerton is making something called golems, and Alaren is preparing his men to scale the walls of Pres Helef and open the portcullis whilst their attention is on the golems.”   “Golems,” Aurien was amused. “That should be interesting.”   “Can you fly at night?” Leongrad asked him. He was slightly uncertain how to address my dragon.   Aurien closed his outer lids slowly over his violet eyes. “Can you walk at night?” he replied mildly. “Yes, I can fly at ni

We occupied Pres Helef for two days, tending those injured in the battle, and allowing Daerton to sleep off his exertions. As predicted by my dragon, he slept for a night and a day, waking late in the second day ravenous. From Mesandre’s blushes, after the warlock sated one hunger, he sated another, and then he drank himself stupid.    Amrynn and his wife Nierlathane held their feast, and I attended, but the entire time I ached to return to my dragon. The two days of quiet allowed for a lot of time laying on his forepaws, sleeping, or stroking his scales but I craved the touch of Aurien’s silken hair under my hands, the scent and taste of his skin, his mouth against mine...   On the third morning, as we prepared to continue to the next, and final bridge, Leongrad caught me on my way back to Aurien from a bath at the stronghold. “Liera,” he said falling into step with me. “There is... A rumour.”   “Oh?” I clenched my

As Mesandre and I left the ring of torches much soberer and quieter than it had previously been, Daerton trailed me. “Go ahead, Mesandre,” I said to my maid, who flushed awkwardly, and gratefully sped off into the night rather than remain in the warlock’s company. “Did you have to break her heart, Daerton?” I scolded him.   “I break all their hearts,” he was unrepentant. “If they are foolish enough to give them. But my heart belongs only to you, my Queen. I declare my undying loyalty and devotion, as well as the services of my body whenever you grow tired of the dragon.”   I snorted. “Thank you, Daerton. How loyal will they be, I wonder? Fealty should be given, not taken.”   “Perhaps,” he conceded. “But war changes the rules. They will be loyal, my Queen. They are not fools for all their foolish behaviours. Within the week, you will have their armies at your side.”   “I hope so.” I paused as we passe