“Is that what you think of me?” she asked. “That I’m like them? Just because I pushed you during the race? I just wanted us to be our best. My father always made it clear I wasn’t trying hard enough. Wasn’t good enough.”
She slowly wiped her cheeks. “But maybe you don’t want the same things I do. Maybe we’re not meant to be—” It was too painful to finish the thought.
With every word Silver said, Hiyyan’s head drooped lower and lower until, finally, his chin rested in the sand. Two huge, sad eyes gazed up at her.
“Forget it, Hiyyan. Just take me back to the docks so I can find Brajon.”
Silently, the water dragon got into position and Silver climbed on his back. His skin was cold, and her limbs were stiff, and as he took to the sky, they both jostled and bounced, their movements completely at odds with each other. Silver gritted her teeth as a headache built behind her eyes.
When Hiyyan had flown as close to the docks as he safely could, he landed with an inelegant splash. With a gasp, Silver rolled off his back and into the sea.
Before she could panic, Hiyyan lifted her out of the water by the back of her racing suit and deposited her on the wood dock.
She wrapped the pieces of brown scarf around her head as best she could and walked with a limp through the archways of the harbor. But as she disappeared into the shade of the stone columns, one more vision came to her: Hiyyan, struggling in their first water dragon race. Silver was on his back, her face twisted with the desire to win at all costs. The Silver in the vision closed her eyes.
That was the moment Silver had manipulated Hiyyan to swim faster, with the promise of Kirja.
A chill raced down Silver’s spine. She hadn’t sent that vision because of Kirja; she’d sent it because she was desperate to win at any cost. Hiyyan knew the truth, and it was time for Silver to be honest with herself, too.
THIRTY-EIGHT
As Silver held her scarf pieces over her face, scanning the crowds for Brajon, everything that had happened over the last several days piled up on her. She wanted to drop her bag and sleep it all away. Instead, she picked up the pace, her stomach gurgling. The morning bread and fruit seemed so long ago.
“Food,” she croaked.
Silver’s attention was fully on the first fried-dough vendor she could see, the smell of sugar and spices drawing her close, so when a hand reached out and grabbed her elbow, she easily stumbled into the alleyway. Her assailant pulled the mask out of her bag and held it up.
“I knew you were more than a street urchin, Desert Fox,” Ferdi said. His eyes flashed, and his mouth turned up in amusement. “Heroes like you don’t stop at rescuing stolen Glitherns, do they? I think there’s more to your dragon, too. How about letting me in on your secret?”
“My secrets are none of your business. Let me go!” Silver yanked her arm away, but Ferdi had a tight grip. Was he going to turn her in to the queen?
“I’m not your enemy.” Ferdi’s eyes swept the streets, studying the faces of the people walking to and fro. He pulled Silver farther away from the crowds, into the deep shadows, and lowered his voice. “You’re playing a dangerous game. I don’t think you realize what’s going on here.”
“What’s going on is that I need to find my cousin and get out of Calidia.” Silver forced her words out, but her voice shook and the hairs on her neck stood on end. How much did Ferdi know about Hiyyan? Or about Kirja?
“I can help you. I know how to get under the Royal Pools.” Ferdi licked his lips as he chose his next words. “Hoonazoor does a lot of exploring under those waters, and no one but me knows about it.”
Silver caught her breath. Was Ferdi bonded to his Glithern? “And she shows you what she sees?”
Ferdi wrinkled his brow. “Shows me?”
“Never mind,” Silver said hastily.
Ferdi looked at her hard. “The first day I got to Calidia, Hoonazoor disappeared for longer than I’d expected. When she came back, we went for a practice ride and she took me to a whole different set of pools. I’ve seen where Queen Imea keeps her dragon stock.” Ferdi’s eyes turned brighter than normal again, and Silver began to back up.
“Have you seen the posters?”
Ferdi nodded. “And I don’t care. Because I’ve also seen the Aq—”
“No,” Silver said. “Don’t say it out loud!” She looked around, but they were alone. Her palms went up. “Please, Ferdi. That dragon doesn’t belong to the queen. She belongs with a friend of mine, and I’m trying to reunite them.”
“The queen stole it? Thieves everywhere I look.”
“Not exactly.” Silver paused, and the air between them grew thick. Could she trust Ferdi with her story? It was dangerous to tell secrets to too many people.
After several beats, Ferdi sighed. “Of course you don’t trust me. You don’t even know who I am. And if you did, you’d trust me even less. I’m not going to turn you in. Go free. Find your friends. But before you do, tell me one thing I can do to help you. I’ll do it—promise. Then maybe you’ll decide you can trust me.”
“Why?”
Ferdi looked over Silver’s shoulder and nodded. “I’m hesitant to tell my story, too.”
Silver saw the two companions who followed Ferdi everywhere lingering at the entrance to the alley, discussing something.
“I’m hoping I won’t need your help,” she said. “I plan to win my race tomorrow and ask Queen Imea for what I want.”
“The Winners’ Audience,” he said, and let out a low whistle. “Disguise in place, I assume. Do you think that will work? No one’s ever asked for one of her dragons.”
Silver clutched Nebekker’s pendant. “It’s not hers!”
“Keep quiet!” Ferdi rubbed his thumb against his chin. “All eyes and ears will be on you when you approach the queen. Are you ready for the whole world to know your secret?”
“No, but if everyone’s watching, the queen will have to act honorably.”
At that, Ferdi looked a little hesitant but gave a quick nod.
“I don’t know if I can help you win your race tomorrow, but if you do win, I’ll do what I can to make the Winners’ Audience easy for you.” An impish smile lifted Ferdi’s cheeks. “Create a diversion so the guards don’t realize you’re the same girl as on the posters? That could be fun. My father’s anger would churn like a whirlpool to hear I caused chaos in the Calidian palace.”
“Thanks for your help,” Silver said. She smiled gratefully. “If that doesn’t work, I might need you to show me how to get under those pools.”
Ferdi’s companions raised their voices and looked toward the shadows.
“Sounds like an adventure. One we’ll have to continue in the morning.” His companions were approaching. “Go this way.” Ferdi pointed to a bend at the end of the alleyway. “It will let you out closer to the shops.”
Silver pulled up her scarves and turned away, but Ferdi grabbed her arm again. His expression was compassionate.
“Good luck and be careful.”
THIRTY-NINE
Silver doubled back until she was near the seawall again and made a stop at the fried-dough vendor. Her winnings were substantial enough for many, many meals in Calidia—and certainly things finer than street-vendor food. But as she shoved eggs baked in tomatoes, plus the fried dough that should have been sweet, in her mouth as she dodged the crowds near the inn, she realized that after her fight with Hiyyan, everything tasted like sand. With a hard swallow and a look over her shoulder, she darted to the road behind Mr. Homm’s inn and knocked on the little door to Mele’s room.