I slammed the door behind me with a clunk. I fumbled for a bolt or catch to lock it, but there was none. Well. Wyverns couldn’t turn door handles, so I supposed we were safe from them for now, but we’d made a bloody racket, and that guard had managed to shout before Sayo opened him up like a loaf of bread.

  The hall we were in was completely empty, with large banners hanging from the walls, and stained-glass windows let daylight shine through, casting its radiance across a stone floor. Rich, luxurious carpets with golden threads lay atop the flagstones, giving the room a warm, inviting feel. At the very end of it was a large, metal throne atop a dais as wide as a barn door flanked by two large gates. A finely dressed older man sat slumped in the throne, a bronze crown askew on his white-haired head, which sat in his lap. His hands were placed gently on top of it. Dried blood ran in rivulets down his pale skin, like candlewax from light which had not been tended to. The hairs on my neck began to prickle, and I started slowly looking around the room, actively searching for something. I didn’t know what.

  “Is…is that King Stallivindium?” Sila asked.

  “You see anyone else with a crown?” I said. I wasn’t expecting the King to be dead, but I took it in my stride. It made sense, really. I was sure no royal would be mad enough to let an arse like Mavev keep and rear Wyverns in their halls.

  The bells continued to ring in the distance, but had seemed to get quieter now.

  In their place, I heard screams.

  “This entire thing is fucked.” Gertha gasped, freeing herself from Sila’s arm. She drew a coin from her pouch and placed it on her tongue, fluttering her eyelids.

  “The King is dead? Who the fuck is in charge? And the Wyverns. What in Serf’s Fall do they want with them? Do they know how dangerous they are?” Sila’s words tumbled out of him like intestines after a belly was opened.

  “Course they do, that’s why they’ve collared them. Their own personal attack beasts.” I spat on the floor, disgusted. Locking creatures like that in the dark. Riling them up to turn them into weapons? I stroked my medallion, hoping Eggs could somehow feel it. They’d shown me that at least some Li’ards had the capacity for more than just killing us. I was tempted to crack the gem and bring them forth. I didn’t want to risk it yet. I’d bring them out only if I had to.

  “We need to stop this. Cemfyllen is already marching on Avandun. Without a King, and if even one of those Wyverns can do what Eggs can…” Gertha’s voice trailed off.

  “It’ll mean the end of Avandun,” I said.

  “A power shift. Chaos,” Sayo replied, flicking her blade free of blood.

  “Fuel for the Fugue.” Gertha said quietly, “All those dead…”

  I stepped further into the hall. If this were one of the King's Halls. Where were the guards who should have died defending him? Why was the city not in mourning?

  His death had been hidden. Why?

  “Umm. Everyone? There’s a chunk of wall missing.” Sila called out in a shaky voice.

  I turned to him, my neck still prickling. Sila was standing by one of the windows; he’d managed to open it partially and was peering through the gap.

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  “By the window? Show me.” I said, wondering if it could tell us something about what happened to Stallivindium.

  “No…the…city wall,” Sila said.

  I stopped in my tracks liked I’d been slapped in the face, “That’s…not possible. Not unless it was-”

  “A Fell Dragon. An old one.” A distant voice sneered, amplified by the acoustics of the hall.

  The feeling of a knife blade lanced through my heart as it exploded into motion. Immediately, I was ready to fight. I held my blade in front of me as I turned to face the voice.

  There, sat on the steps of the dais, was a figure all in black, in stark contrast to the blue hue of their skin. I smirked when I saw the bend in their nose. He’d think of me every time he saw himself in water or glass.

  “Mavev Tlatz. I’ve been looking for you.” I said, stepping forward.

  “I’m aware, Tullen Fal Barraz. You’ve blundered the entire way from the Nomad camp to here. I knew you’d come as you left the Hold of the Arcuzane” Mavev stood, revealing their drawn blade. My heart skipped a beat. How did he know where we’d been?

  “Yet you waited all this time to confront me? You catching your breath before you run away again?” I laughed.

  The others started to draw around me. Sila raised a bow, while Sayo readied her blades. Gertha just stood still, as tranquil as a lake.

  “We all have our master’s Tullen. I’m loyal to my master’s desires. Unlike you.”

  “What you do together at night isn’t my business.” I sneered. Mavev took several steps forward, blade pointed toward me. Good. Get pissed off, you silly little blue man. Make mistakes, plenty of them. I will seize the opportunity for everyone.

  “You will hold your tongue.” Maven hissed.

  I growled, “Cut the shit, Mavev. What are you doing with these Wyverns? Why is Stallivindium dead?”

  “You stupid, pig-brained little man. Even if you could comprehend, I would not tell you.”

  “Fine. I don’t need to know your plan. You can’t complete it if I kill you.” I said, walking toward him. My blade is ready, eager.

  “Tullen, wait,” Gertha called, but I ignored her and kept walking toward my target.

  Maven just…laughed, “ENTER!” he bellowed. And the gates ahead of us opened up.

  Steel-shod boots clattered on the stone as ten men in gleaming steel armour trimmed with blue entered the room.

  “Tullen.” Gertha ran for me and grabbed my arm, pulling me back. I tried to fight her grip, but she was stronger than I thought. With her other hand, she hurled what looked like a small ball of white light. It sailed over the head of Mavev and landed behind the throne.

  Something roared in pain as I took several steps backwards, allowing Gertha to pull me back to the others. The guards fanned out in their approach to us, while Mavev just stood still, laughing as if he’d just been told the finest joke at a mummer’s show.

  Heavy scraping and breathing sounded from behind the throne, before a large, scaled head revealed itself. Iridescent hues rippled back and forth over its scales. A still-burning black patch on its neck told me that Gertha had struck true, even without a clear path for her magic. Thick black leather hung out the corners of the creature's mouth and joined behind its head. Evil-looking eyes glittered with recognition as they met mine.

  Mavev’s Drake opened its mouth and roared. We all took another few steps back. I looked behind me; we were almost at the other corridor, the one containing the Wyverns.

  We were wholly and utterly trapped.

  Our plan failed before we could even start it properly.

  “What was that you said about running away?” Mavev asked, his voice as sweet as honey. He stood almost casually, glancing at the nails of his off hand.

  The Guards continued their slow approach.

  The Drake leapt forward.