She went back to the Academy in a bit of a daze. The Delmont's carriage rattled down the city streets and she didn't see a bit of the return scenery. She wondered how Tate would handle this. Not for the first time but perhaps in the most drastic way since arriving at the capitol, she felt completely out of her depth.
It was one thing to be good at what she was supposed to be good at. She was good at Dragon Riding, she knew herself and Kilnik's physical abilities inside and out. It was a completely another thing to find that when it came to anything outside the Academy walls she felt ignorant and stupid.
A tiny part of her wanted to resent Tate for not going into vastly more detail about politics and society than he had. Another part of her couldn't bring herself to do it. She just couldn't be angry with him. After experiencing what she just had, along with meeting the Emperor, and many other interactions with nobles who were now dragon riders she felt closer to Tate. She felt, especially after what had just happened, that she was coming to understand him more.
He was like her, he was a Dragon Rider, and he was good at dragon riding. However, all his life he'd had to deal with all this other baggage. Being the "godson" of the Emperor was not the honor she'd assumed it to be off-hand. How could it be? She could only imagine what that kind of label had done for him with his peers. She was only called common or low born, what must he have been called behind his back?
Would he have helped the Second Prince? She didn't think so but then again his mother was involved in this and she knew he adored his mother even if he didn't see her often. Also, he would have had a lot more context to the situation. Was it even a problem to help him? Or would it lead to consequences she was unaware of?
She bit the tip of her thumb as she thought hard. The book he was looking for was in her possession. Was this a coincidence? Could it possibly be, or did he know that she had it, that she'd taken it from the library?
She just couldn't be sure of anything. She raked her fingers through her hair messing up the strands hopelessly.
"Ali, are you alright?"
Kilnik's voice cut through her thoughts and made her pause.
"I- I'm fine, I think."
"Are you hurt?" His voice was anxious. She realized that it wasn't often that they were out of range with each other. He was always a presence in her mind just like she was in his but direct communication had its limits. At this point in their lives, their limits were a little less than a mile which meant they were unable to communicate or get a feel for each other's state of mind until just now.
"I'm not hurt, just..."
"Just what?"
"Just a lot more happened than just tea."
She felt his confusion. "What happened then, what's got you feeling so unsettled?"
She told him everything. She left out not a single detail from the moment she entered the carriage until she'd gotten back into it.
As expected her partner listened to her patiently. "I wonder if any of that's true? It's an old book to be sure but it's not nearly as old as the one you've got in your room."
"That's what I can't figure out. I don't know how much to trust him if at all."
There was a long silence before Kilnik finally said. "As much as it pains me to say this I think you should start with that boy."
"What boy?"
"That human the Emperor wants you to marry." The sneer in his voice was distracting but her mind eventually took his words in.
"I think you're right, I just need to figure out the best way to approach the subject."
"Can you just tell him what you told me?" She furrowed her brow. Surely he knew that this was a stupid question.
"Of course not, I don't know what their relationship is like and I don't want to get myself or Lady Delmont into any hot water. I'll just feel him out about it. I'll ask him to tell me more about his family. That will be an acceptable topic since we are, as you say, to marry."
"Good, I was just testing you. I think it best not to trust either male too much. You may have a good relationship with the seventh prince now, but what do you really know about him."
"Good relationship? Haven't you seen me avoiding him?"
He hissed in annoyance, the sounds were obnoxious in her mind but she didn't point that out. "You and I both know that you like him. I'm not sure if you like him as a mate yet but you do as a person. I don't want to admit it, but he's not such a bad person. Now, I'm not saying that he can't be a bad person I'm just saying so far I don't think he is. Lord Tate trusted him too and I trust that if anything."
"It's a plan then, I'll start there. Oh, how I wish I could just pretend it never happened at all but now that he's approached me I doubt I could get away with ignoring him."
"Next time I'm going with you. I'll cloak myself the whole time. I can't stand the thought that you were waylaid by a male and no one was there to protect you."
"I'm not helpless. I'm a dragon rider." She reminded him.
"Yes, and I'm your dragon the being that makes you not helpless." He sniffed with superiority dripping from his tone.
Ah, the arrogance of dragons.
============
Cade was done with his lessons for the day. His last class should have been with Aliya but she was nowhere to be found. He discovered, after asking the instructor, that she'd been given a pass to visit Lady Delmont for tea.
Upon hearing that he could only hope that she had a nice time. Was he a little jealous that the girl he liked got to go to the home of the person he liked most?
Of course not! He lied to himself.
He'd known Lady Kira and Lord Akir all his life. Lord Akir was a close friend and confidante of his father. However, he'd never gotten to speak to either of them much. This was just due to the fact that the parties, meetings, and balls where one or both could be found were always out of reach for a child, even a royal child.
When he was very small he'd fantasized about running into Lady Kira in the Palace hallway after a grand ball. In his imagination, she'd take such an instant liking to him that she'd declare she needed to raise him in her home. At the time his imagination had supplied Tate there living in the Delmont house with him. Tate was his constant brother and companion, it was only after he grew a little more that he realized Tate didn't live with his parents and hardly ever had. Still, it had been a nice dream once upon a time. He'd let go of the childish aspects of it but it was still a dear wish to him to be known by Lady Kira and be invited into the Delmont home as an intimate guest.
Maybe he'd snag an invitation to go with Aliya in the future, as her fiance! The thought made him feel a little better. It also gave him one more reason to like his future bride. He'd always dreaded the day his father might try to pair him off with some noble lady. Now that it had happened he couldn't believe how content he was. Oh, he was fully aware that he was being used, but he didn't mind being used if it meant he got to be with Aliya. He may not positively love her yet but besides Tate, a few veteran dragon riders, and his eldest brother, he liked her more than anyone else.
He wondered what Rigo was up to these days. He'd seen him for a few days after the banquet his father had held to catch the traitors. He'd been allowed to stay with him in the East Wing of the Palace. If he was going to be forced to stay in the palace at least he had been in Rigo's domain.
Cade had grown up in the West Wing, a more hellish place for him he couldn't imagine. He'd been so happy and relieved to be chosen as a Dragon Rider. It had been his ticket out of that horrible life.
He shook his head, he didn't want to think about that right now. Instead, he chose to think about Aliya and the possible connection she'd bring to people he'd long wanted to be close with. The rest of his day was spent in busy imagings of how his already comfortable life was going to get better and better with Aliya by his side.