Master of Dragons himself.”
The dragon-kin sighed, rubbing his hand against his eyes.
“And all this time, I mean: look at you! Just who – no. What are you, Levent? A ‘prince’?” My voice was beginning to squeak.
“This was not supposed to happen,” he muttered, avoiding the question.
“Oh yeah? Somehow I don’t believe you.”
“You were supposed to go back with Rio and Kewyn, but those two…” he said. The kin ground his teeth for a moment, his face reddening in anger before he heaved another sigh and the bristling was gone.
“There's not much time,” he said mostly to himself.
“What are you saying?” I asked. As much as I felt like kicking the kin in the shins, I was more concerned about what forthcoming doom was cutting this conversation short.
“Here.”
Levent reached under his shimmering robe and pulled out a thick book I recognized as a copy of Ishralik's teachings. He placed it on the chair and scooted it up to the bars as if he could not be bothered to hand it to me himself. The kin then went for the door.
“Wait. What do you mean 'there's not much time'?” I was worried now. Thoughts of being torturously executed filled my mind. I had to know.
Levent turned, looking straight into my eyes as he said. “The guards will be busy for the next few minutes. I thought you might need something to read.”
“What?” I said.
Levent's fingers wrapped around the door handle, and he pulled the door open, nodding to his escort, who was waiting directly outside.
“Wait! Levent, please,” I heard the shake in my voice.
The kin did not look at me.
“Naitlya Taimi.” His voice was thick but steady. “Never appear before me again.”
The door fell shut behind him, the latch clanking noisily back into place. For a long moment I did nothing but stand there, gripping the bars as if letting go would make me fall through the floor.
I my limbs began to shake violently and I held my breath to keep from