Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire by Erica Hollis

Author:Erica Hollis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Teen & Young Adult Coming of Age Fiction; Teen & Young Adult Dating & Sex Fiction; Teen & Young Adult Magical Realism Fiction; Teen & Young Adult Loners & Outcasts Fiction; Teen & Young Adult Romance eBooks; Teen & Young Adult Social Issues eBooks; Entangled Teen; YA Fantasy; YA Romance; Forbidden YA Romance; Young Adult Romance; USA Today Bestselling author; YA Action-Adventure Series; fantasy; young adult; romance; Hearts Forged in Dragon fire; Hearts Forged in Dragon fire by Eric aHollis; Erica Hollis; dragons; military; men in uniform; shifters; LGBTQIA; epic fantasy romance; epic fantasy; coming of age; opposites attract; overcoming odds; redemption romance; redemption; medieval fantasy; high fantasy; adventure
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Published: 2023-05-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

It’s a slow journey to the castle.

Cornelis and Maryse, unsurprisingly, stay as far from each other as can be managed. Maryse rides on the back of Danil’s horse, pulling a cart with a pitiful offering of gold and some provisions for Mother. Cornelis and I follow on his horse a few paces behind them, me clinging to him so I won’t fall off, him trying to ignore my presence.

I wish Scyler were here instead of him. Vikker decided that the fewer people who went into the castle, the better, and he decided to send Cornelis because he’s a high-ranking officer. He’s supposed to “lead and supervise.” I’m sure Danil and Scyler could manage just fine, if not better, without him, but it wasn’t my call.

In the cart behind us is a crate full of fireworks, connected by rope that will act as a slow-burning fuse.

The music and babble of the city slowly fades as we move farther and farther away from the center of town, venturing into the northern district.

It’s so still.

On previous journeys, I’d always see at least a few people about, even if I was going before sunrise. But now, everyone’s at the festival, leaving their windows darkened and the streets empty. It feels like the world is waiting for something.

“What’s the plan?” I ask when I finally can’t take the silence anymore.

Cornelis grunts. “Guard Komatin and I will enter through one of three possible entrances we know about. While you fork over the tithe, we’ll get as close to the center of the castle as we can and plant the fireworks.”

“Don’t get too close. You don’t want to risk being heard.”

“Well, us not getting noticed depends almost entirely on your ability to keep the damned thing distracted. Keep talking and stay out of the way—and keep Maryse out of the way, too. Make sure she doesn’t do anything impulsive.”

“She won’t,” I say firmly. “She knows what she’s doing.”

“I wish I had as much faith in people as you do.”

I hesitate, glancing ahead to make sure Maryse and Danil don’t hear us. They’re some meters in front of us, and I can hear that they’re talking, but I can’t make the words out. I decide to take a risk and ask what both Norah and I have been wondering.

“Listen,” I say, “I know this is a personal question—and I don’t mean to pry, I—your fiancée talked to me for a minute—”

“Out with it, Meer.”

“I know that once your father’s been gone for a few more weeks, the state gets his property, and then whatever they don’t want is yours. So, um, Norah wants to know what you plan to do with Maryse’s inheritance.”

I can’t see his face, but I feel his shoulders tense.

Finally, he says, “My sister has no inheritance, nor do I. Not anymore. Our father’s will was invalidated about four convictions ago.”

“I know, but his money will revert to you—some of it, at least. I don’t know if the government takes any of that—and he

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