They couldn’t tell anyone either. He would have been sent back to the Holy Mountain without getting a dragon rider, and no one had wanted her to have a dragon in the first place. They’d use any excuse to kick her out. So, they had to keep this secret to themselves and hope they survived dragon training together.

Kerrigan had doubts about that, but first, she had to survive the House of Shadows.

4

The Journey

Netta says that we’re close, Tieran informed her.

“Good,” she said into the wind. She was as ready as she’d ever be.

Fordham gestured for them to fly lower toward a small depression in the surrounding mountains. It was an uninhabited valley between two mountains, not nearly as large as Kinkadia, but Kinkadia was the oldest city on the continent. It had been here even before Fae began to inhabit it.

“There’s nothing down there,” she said.

The closer they grew to the ground, the worse she felt about landing. As if she were being repelled from the valley floor by a force of nature. Her stomach, which had finally been settling, began to grumble.

“I don’t like this.”

Nor I, Tieran admitted.

It must have taken a lot to shake a dragon. Whatever was in that valley was not something that she wanted to see. It felt like a physical presence against her mind, telling her to walk away. She swallowed and hoped they weren’t making a mistake.

Finally, Tieran landed softly in the moss-filled valley. Kerrigan slid off of his back with her stomach in her throat.

“What the hell is this place?” Kerrigan asked. “And why did we land here? I’ve heard of this place before, and nothing good can come from being near this valley.”

“You’ve heard of this valley?” Fordham asked as he dropped onto the moss next to her.

“Death’s Valley,” she whispered as if the air would take up the challenge. “No one flies over it or walks into it and returns alive. It’s only on maps to deter wayward travelers from venturing too near. They say the air is toxic and will addle your senses.”

Fordham looked amused by the notion. “Interesting propaganda. I feel nothing.”

It was the first time she’d noticed that he did seem completely unaffected. Meanwhile, she was practically cowering away from the valley.

“Why?” she managed to get out.

He gestured dramatically. “I give you the House of Shadows.”

Kerrigan frowned and followed his gesture, but she didn’t see anything. Just that sick feeling washing over her. “This is the House of Shadows?”

“You’ll see when we cross the dividing line.” Fordham shouldered his pack and then patted Netta twice. “You and Tieran should go. My home is no place for dragons any longer.”