The Starlight Dragon by Liz Delton

Author:Liz Delton [Delton, Liz]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tourmaline & Quartz Publishing
Published: 2023-02-27T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Fallen

Caught up in the procession, Kira made sure to keep hold of Nesma’s sleeve as they followed alongside several dour-faced advisors. Amid their greetings and muted exclamations of surprise at the fact that Kira had made it, a nervous energy permeated the group of advisors, several of which Kira had gotten to know fairly well during her visits to the palace.

“Where is Advisor Goten?” Kira asked Jai Takasan, whom she had never liked, but was nearest.

To her surprise, he stiffened, and replied curtly, “He has been stricken, by one of those… things.”

“Really?” Kira said, but Takasan drifted away from her, whether intentionally or not, she couldn’t tell. He took up a hushed conversation with Advisor Kando.

“But he has Light magic,” Kira muttered in confusion to Nesma, who was walking straight-backed beside her now that they were outside. Nesma shrugged, her eyes on the pyre platform.

Kira flinched as a warm weight landed on her shoulder, which then scurried into the fabric of her hood.

“I haven’t seen Jun yet,” Thistle said quietly, as Kira repressed a shudder at his sudden, invisible appearance.

“Hopefully no one will see him,” she muttered. “We did, briefly. Stick with me.”

A squeak of assent sounded from within her hood, and she focused on following the crowd.

The advisors seemed to know where to go, now lining up in front of the pyre, leaving an aisle down the center of the crowd. The soldiers and their captives stood at the back of the crowd, though Kira could only see the top of Mistress Nari’s head over everyone else’s.

Nari stood tall, and though they had seen her perhaps half an hour ago, one of her eyes was now swollen, and blood dripped from both nostrils. Anger surged in Kira’s chest. She couldn’t see Nia Mari or Nikoletta, but she was shocked Tigran was going through with executing them. Perhaps with so many soldiers now, it would have been hard to cover up. She just hoped they were bound with whatever magic-sapping chains the Commonality liked to use, not that there was much magic in the area.

Two soldiers peeled away from the group and headed toward the main gate. Kira stiffened, gaze darting to the lanterns placed all around the square, but none of them were glowing red. She just hoped Jun had moved far enough away to use his illusionwork again.

I wish I had Yuki’s mind-reading proficiency, she thought suddenly. Or some way to talk to Jun and tell him the most important thing right now is the four of us getting out of here alive.

She hated to leave Nari to her own fate, and the Gray Knights of course, but she couldn’t think of anything she could do to stop this, short of treason. The Empress had made her decision, had made her decrees. If Kira went against the Empress’ word now, she would get put right up on that platform too. Or worse, become Tigran’s experiment once more.

Kira was still shocked at Nari’s capture. She had escaped Gekkō-ji

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