The Rebels of Gold (Loom Saga #3)(117)

His joints ached, and his body was ravaged. But he was Dono. So Cvareh consumed every last bite of Yveun’s heart, both for sustenance and for ceremony.

All eyes were on him, and not one Dragon or Fenthri moved. Cvareh wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He needed to stand, needed to step into his role as Dono.

But the moment he tried, his legs buckled and he struggled to right himself. A strong arm appeared around his waist, connected to a sturdy and familiar form. Arianna had tugged his arm over her shoulder, supporting him before Dragon and Fenthri alike.

Yes. The word coursed through his mind at the woman’s presence. He wanted her to be seen at his side. He wanted the world to know that she was his and now that he was Dono, there would be no questioning the fact. Cvareh saw the wary eyes from those assembled, but not one Dragon stepped out of place.

“We need to get to Lysip,” he wheezed. Cain appeared before him, offering to help support him as well. Cvareh waved away the offer, trying to stand on his own. “We must get a boco—a glider, it will be faster—to Lysip.”

“The battle is won, Dono.” Hearing the title from Cain’s mouth made it all the more real.

“Not yet.” Cvareh pulled his arm from Arianna. The moment he tried to step away, however, the world tilted and he lost balance yet again. Cain moved for him, but Arianna was faster.

“Coletta,” Arianna finished the thought he couldn’t quite seem to get out before.

“Yes.”

“What about the Rok’Oji?” Cain hadn’t quite kept up. Cain was close, but the Fenthri woman at Cvareh’s side was the other half of his mind.

“Do you think she’ll accept Cvareh as Dono gracefully?” Arianna spoke loud enough that everyone could hear.

“She doesn’t have a choice,” Cain insisted.

“Like she didn’t have a choice at the Crimson Court?” Arianna fired right back.

Cain floundered.

“Cain Xin’Ryu To,” Cvareh announced, elevating Cain to the societal rank of To with a breath. “I request for you to defend my honor on Lysip. See that Coletta assumes her responsibility as the Rok’Oji, under me as Dono, or that she perishes.”

Whispers and a few gasps arose from those observing. But there was nothing else he could do. Even if he was the Dragon King, a title alone would not replenish his magic enough to give him the confidence to fly to Lysip. He knew he was sending his friend into the asp’s nest. But what else could he do?

“And,” Cvareh continued, “you will take Ari Xin’Kin To with you. She will assist however you deem necessary.” Whispers and gasps grew louder as Arianna was quickly elevated in both society and House as well.

He locked eyes with the woman at his side. Arianna almost wore a frown. Was she not happy? He’d won, and he could see her forever have a place on Nova.

“We should go.” She looked to Cain with renewed purpose. “I’ll pilot the glider.”

“Lead on,” Cain agreed with a nod. To the others assembled, he said, “See your Dono is well cared for and recovers to full strength. We will need him in the months ahead.”

Cain’s order spurred the scene to life. Arianna disappeared from his side, replaced with a woman that he’d never seen before. Cvareh remained focused on his childhood friend, but mostly his eyes were on his lover.

“Go safe.”

He wanted to say so much more. But the woman was strong. Cain was strong. There would be many more opportunities, he assured himself, to say all that needed to be said.





Arianna


Wind whipped her hair into the face of the man riding the glider behind her.

“It’s there, ahead.” Cain pointed over her shoulder and Arianna thought, not for the first time, of dislodging him from his spot with a particularly sudden roll.

“Yes, I can see that. Just focus on staying on.” Did he think that she honestly couldn’t tell where the isle of Lysip was? There were only three main islands in Nova and, given that they floated nowhere remotely close to each other, she could only assume that they had successfully made it to Lysip when another gigantic land mass came into view.

“I am on.” He said it as though the fact should be obvious.

“Stay that way.” Arianna ground the words between her teeth. He was very good at acting like he hadn’t nearly fallen off twice already. Though Arianna was equally skilled at acting like one of those hadn’t been her own attempt to shake him.

“The estate is there.” Cain pointed at a massive complex that was unmistakable even to someone who’d never seen it before.

“My eyes still work fine under my goggles.” She sighed loudly, wanting to make sure he heard it over the wind. Arianna pulled on the handles and pitched the glider toward the estate.

As they approached, a sharp tang hit her nose and went straight to her head. Her lungs burned, her magic fighting whatever the wind carried. Arianna slowed, making a wide arc and banking away.

“Why aren’t you—”

“Can’t you smell it?” She pulled on the levers, bringing the glider into a hover.

Cain seemed as though he was going to protest, on principle more than anything else, but when he stopped and took a proper breath his expression changed.

“Coletta.” She said the name they were both thinking.