“This is the River Akron; it runs from the Sunken Mountains, far to the north. It’s the main artery of the Sundered Lands, this province. There are hundreds of cities growing along the river and its tributaries.”

Now that she said it, I recognized some of the names from the map we’d seen in the ship library. The empire was huge, but not unknowable—though I didn’t plan to be here long enough to learn it better. I’d talk to the empress. Find the bones. And get home.

Twelve days before the eclipse.

Twelve days before I became a dragon.

The skimmer den slowed as we approached a raised platform that protruded from the eastern wall. When the ship came to a stop, two uniformed people standing on the platform drew signs in the air, and a ledge moved outward and met with the viewing deck right in front of us, like a bridge. One tall, dark woman in copper-colored armor stood at the rear of the platform, chin high and hands behind her back.

Aaru touched my arm. ::Do you think she’s the empress?::

I smiled and started to shake my head, but what did I know about the empire? I pressed my hand on top of his. ::Maybe, but probably a guard.::

::She looks fierce.::

I gave a faint nod while the others gave the bridge a dubious eye.

“Is that safe?” Zara crossed her arms and hunched her shoulders inward. “There’s not much holding it up.”

“Our empress employs only the best mages in the Algotti Empire. It will hold.” As though to prove it, Nine stepped onto the bridge. “You’ll be escorted to your quarters and given time to settle in.”

“Settle in before what?” Since no one else seemed willing to go first, I hiked up my bag, doubled my grip on LaLa’s leash, and followed Nine onto the bridge. It didn’t so much as dip under my weight.

“I don’t know.” She glanced over her shoulder. “There will be schedules in your rooms.”

“You won’t be there?” She was the only person in this whole strange place we knew. I didn’t like the idea of separating from her.

“I have work to do, Hopebearer. I’m not your minder.” Her tone softened. “I’ll check on you, though. To make sure your little dragons haven’t started any fires.”

We reached the platform before I had to form any sort of response. The two men—mages, Nine had called them—wore stiff linen uniforms the color of seafoam, bright against their sun-darkened skin. The didn’t speak as I stepped onto the platform, but their eyes followed LaLa as I carried her after Nine toward the armored woman at the other end.

When Ilina and the others came up behind me, Nine introduced the other woman. “This is Alusha. She will be your escort throughout the palace.” Nine met our eyes one by one. “She is responsible for your safety. If something should happen to one of you, she will offer her life to our empress as penance. So please, take no risks, because you, in turn, are responsible for her life.”