House of Dragons (Royal Houses 1)

“You’ll come work for me,” Helly said.

“Yes.” Kerrigan hated saying the word, but she had to. She knew that she could figure this out in a month. She could do it.

Helly held her hand out. “A bargain then?”

Kerrigan gulped and placed her hand in Helly’s. This was old magic. She could feel the bond snake up her wrist and join them together. One month until the end of the tournament to find a tribe to accept her… or she was bound to the Society forever.

16

The Job

As much as Kerrigan wanted to immediately get started, Helly had other plans. Even a month of lodging within the mountain wasn’t free, and she was no longer officially a Dragon Blessed, which meant that she had to earn her keep. Helly had insisted she continue to assist Fordham since none of the servants would do it for the length of the tournament and report to Master Bastian—this year’s tournament administrator—for any other duties.

Which was why she was currently running to get to the champions’ area in time to speak to him. Only a half hour remained before the champions would find out the specifics of their first task. She was cutting it close.

By the time she rounded the corner and found Master Bastian standing with the other two co-administrators to the tournament, Mistress Layla and Mistress Sinead, she was out of breath. All three turned to look at her quick approach.

“What is the meaning of this?” Layla asked, threateningly stepping forward.

Kerrigan halted immediately. The last thing she wanted to do was get on the wrong side of someone from Herasi, the most barbaric of the three warring tribes to the west.

“Apologies,” Kerrigan said, dipping into a quick curtsy. “I bring a notice from Mistress Hellina.”

Bastian’s bushy eyebrows rose, but he took the letter she held out before her. He cracked the red wax seal and read the contents. Then, he looked up at her in surprise before passing it to Layla and Sinead.

“This is most unusual,” Bastian said.

“A special dispensation from the council is required for this,” Sinead said dreamily. She was from Concha, an island off the eastern coast famous for their meditative and holistic healing practices.

“Indeed,” Bastian said. “I believe we can arrange that.”

It had been Kerrigan’s gambit to take this straight to Bastian and not to the council. He was the only person who had offered his help at the party last night. She had hoped that he actually meant it when it came right down to it.

“We cannot proceed without a full council meeting,” Layla said curtly.

“There is no time for that,” Bastian said. “I give my blessing for this. A conditional acceptance. Rouse the competitors and assemble them in the hall, and then you shall report to me.”

Kerrigan nodded gratefully. “Thank you, Master Bastian.”

“Bastian,” Layla said, disapproval thick in her voice.

“We will discuss this later,” he said with all his resounding authority.

“Lorian will be displeased,” Sinead said evenly, almost uncaring.

“Lorian can bring his complaints to me. For now, Kerrigan can complete the instructions I gave her. If such time as the council can convene and they decide not to allow her this, we will reconsider.”

Kerrigan knew a dismissal when she heard one. She bobbed another curtsy and hastened away before she could hear what Layla and Sinead said to argue against her. Bastian had come through.

One month. She had one month to get a tribe member to select her and one month to help complete a dragon tournament. She could do this.

Kerrigan slipped down the hallway, knocking on doors and giving instructions. “The administrators want you to assemble in the great hall. Be quick about it.”

“Who are you?” one boy asked, turning his nose up at her.

She straightened to her not-considerable height, but still, it was enough. “Who I am doesn’t matter. I work for Master Bastian, the head administrator of the dragon tournament. So, if I were you, I would listen to me, or would you prefer I report you for insubordination?”

The boy shot her a withering glare and opened his mouth to speak, but then Audria of Bryonica stuck her head out. “Roake, are you causing trouble again?”

“Audria, my dear,” he said with an easy smile.

Kerrigan could see how he could likely be charming if he wasn’t such an insufferable prick. To Audria’s credit, she didn’t seem to succumb to it.

“Leave Kerrigan alone.”

She remembers my name.

It was a silly thought. And still, she couldn’t stop it.

“Kerrigan, is it?” Roake asked.

“Just assemble in the hall,” Kerrigan ground out and pushed past him.

Audria gently touched her arm. “Don’t mind Roake. He’s one of the new lot from Elsiande who isn’t trying to get rid of his magic. And he’s one of the few truly talented magical users from there in decades. It’s gotten to his head. He was the best where he’s from, and now, he’s here, where everyone has magic. I don’t think he’s quite adjusted.”