Before She Ignites (Fallen Isles Trilogy #1)(89)

Tension burned through my whole body, and my heart leaped up into my throat. “You.” The word came out like a puff of smoke. I pressed my mouth into a line and went back to the quiet code; I wanted to use his language. ::I will find a way.::

::How?:: Somehow, he made the quiet code sound doubtful. And of course he doubted me. I doubted me.

::I don’t know anymore. Nothing I’ve tried has worked. I wanted to sneak food for you, but instead the Luminary Council took me away. I wanted to make sure you got a job, but the noorestones—:: Had shredded his feet. Were they better yet? Could he walk now?

Long notes of silence played between us.

::I haven’t given up,:: I said. ::I have to get out, and I want you to come with me.::

With me.

I wanted him to come with me.

One. Two. Three. Seconds pounded by until finally, a shadow fell on the far side of the hole and Aaru peered back at me, his face silhouetted by the dim noorestone light. All I could see was the slope of his forehead and tip of his nose and gaunt cheeks until he turned and it was all lost.

He tapped on the floor. ::I want to escape. My family needs me.::

His family. Of course. ::I’ll make sure you reach them.::

Though how I’d get a fugitive to the most isolated and protected island without getting us all arrested again, I had no idea.

One thing at a time.

First, I had to get us out of here.

I scrambled out from under my bed and went to my door. “Gerel.” I kept my voice as low as possible.

She didn’t look up from where she sat cross-legged in the center of her cell.

“Gerel,” I repeated, just a little louder.

“I can hear you.” Her relaxed hands became fists. “I was just ignoring you.”

“Oh.” I glanced downward. But then I remembered I was trying to help her. I steeled myself. “Tell me about Altan.”

That got her attention. Gerel jerked straight up and met my eyes. Hers were hard and cold. “What? You think you can make peace with him? After lying to him?”

“I didn’t lie to him,” I said. “I told him what he wanted to know.”

Gerel climbed to her feet, as lithe as a cat. “And what was that?”

“The reason I’m here.” I could feel Ilina’s and Hristo’s attention from the neighboring cells. Chenda’s and Aaru’s, too. “I learned of treachery. In the Crescent Prominence sanctuary, dragons are being captured and sent to the Algotti Empire. But when I told the Luminary Council, they betrayed me. I thought they would put a stop to the exportation. Instead, they put me here.”

Gerel was shaking her head. “Why would anyone send dragons away? Doesn’t everyone know that without dragons to keep the gods here, our very islands will get up and leave us?”

“Everyone knows about the Great Abandonment,” Ilina said. “But apparently there are people who are willing to risk that it’s a myth.” Bitterness edged her voice. “And some who will do anything for power—even deliver the children of the gods to our enemies.”

Gerel pressed her face to the bars to look at Ilina. “And what do you have to do with any of this?”

“My parents work for the Luminary Department of Drakontos Examination in Crescent Prominence. I was the first to notice that dragons were missing.”

“Hmm.” Gerel turned to Hristo. “And you?”

“I am Mira’s protector.”

“Some protector.” Gerel motioned at her cheek. “She has a terrible gash on her face, if you didn’t notice. But you’re Hartan. Maybe that’s why you couldn’t protect her. You’re too soft for that sort of work.”

Hair stood on my arms and my lips curled back with a snarl. “You will not talk to him like that. Hristo has saved my life more times than you could imagine.”

Gerel’s gaze whipped toward me. “The little dragon can spit fire after all.”

“I would give my life for Mira.” Hristo spoke low and even, like the shooting anger all around him wasn’t even there. “As for your accusations, no one is more aware of my failure to protect her from the snakes on the Luminary Council than I. Nevertheless, my mission remains the same.”

“It’s my fault I got hurt. Not Hristo’s.” I dragged my fingertips over the cut on my cheek; it was hot with inflammation.

“If you say so.” Gerel crossed her arms. “So what are you going to tell Altan? Insist that you were truthful before? Try to appeal to his better side?”

I shrugged helplessly.

“You’ll gain nothing there. He doesn’t have a better side.” She almost sounded sad for me. “We were in the same trainee group and he constantly battled me for top position. He never won—not until I ended up in here.”

“Then what do you suggest?” I asked.

“Nothing. He will expect you to tell him the truth this time—”

“I did—”

“And whatever you held back before. You’ll have to give him what he wants.”

That was all the encouragement my anxiety needed. As though my body wasn’t connected to my mind at all, my fingers and hands spasmed. My mouth pulled into a grimace, tugging painfully at the gash. And my heart drummed in my ears loud enough to deafen me to every other sound. Even my eyes betrayed me, with my vision tunneling.