The Dragon Liberator: Escapee

-23-

POV: Fendrel

Ember cantered back into the room with a stone slab in one of her claws, a contagious smile on her face.

"I have to thank you for trying to teach me how to write using the humans' language. I was mapping out the outskirts of the desert when I saw a human in metal clothes talking with someone. So, I hid behind a dune and eavesdropped on them. I was only able to grab bits and pieces, though." Ember handed the stone slab to Fendrel. "I wrote down as much as I could understand."

Cassius came up beside Fendrel.

Fendrel read the note aloud. "—plan is in motion... Be ready in two days. Make sure that..."

"That was the other guy. The writing just below it is what your suspect said." Ember waved a claw at the section Fendrel had just read.

"... don't need to worry, say done. I'll see if... She's still under. I doubt she'll come out of it soon." Fendrel turned the note over to the backside and scrunched his brow. "That's it?"

"Mhm." Ember nodded. "The rest of what they said was them just saying goodbye."

"What did he mean by 'say done?'" Fendrel lifted his head up.

"I don't know, but they both smelled like they had been near dragons recently." Ember gave him a knowing smile.

"He couldn't have been talking to one of the other knights because no 'unimportant' people have enough influence to expose them. They were in the desert, so they obviously didn't want anyone to know what they were planning." Fendrel stared intently at the slab.

Cassius nodded. "He's never had a problem with talking to the other knights about scandals while in the palace. There's no reason why he would change that now. So this person must be someone he's not supposed to be talking to."

Fendrel reread the note. He looked at Ember. "What did this other human look like?"

Ember drummed her talons on the stone. "He was tall, by human standards, with blue eyes." Her eyes lit up. "I saw him grabbing his shoulder like it was injured."

Fendrel stared at Cassius with wide eyes. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I've caught glimpses of him early in the morning when the traffic isn't high. If you're thinking that Zoricus said 'Sadon' rather than 'say done,' then yes." Cassius rolled his eyes. "Of course Zoricus would be working with Sadon."

Fendrel crossed his arms. "As if your cousin couldn't get any worse."

Cassius's fist clenched. "We have to get rid of him."

"Not only that, we can't let them go through with whatever they were planning." Fendrel shook his head. "How are we even going to prove he had this conversation with Sadon. All we have is a note, he could easily disprove this by saying we made it up. What if he has an alibi?"

The prince winced. "I know a way, but you're probably not going to like it."

"What is it?" Fendrel leaned toward him.

Cassius gestured at Ember. "Well, she'd have to come with us. The royal family has its own mage, and sometimes we bring him out during trials so he can discern whether you're telling the truth or not, but from what I've heard it seems a little painful. If she comes with us, she can testify."

Ember shook her head. "I have to stay here with my tribe, for the festivities and just in case those dragon hunters from the Stronghold decide to attack. My citizens need to think that everything is fine until we figure out what to do with the Stronghold. And I don't think your family will take too kindly to a dragon in their midst."