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made it over to them, it was too late. If I’d gone up with them, maybe I could have done something. Maybe—” She swallowed and looked down at the fish again. She’d thought she could get through this without falling apart. She wanted him to help her because of reason, not out of pity or because she was weeping into his fountain.
    “I know what it’s like to make mistakes,” Angulus said softly. “Trust me. Though I’m not sure you made one. I think Ridge would agree that protecting hundreds of people is more important than protecting one.”
    “Jaxi didn’t agree,” she muttered.
    “Your sword has spoken to me a few times. She seems... young.”
    Young? What does that mean? Is that an insult? Do I need to incinerate his nose hairs?
    “She’s six hundred years old, Sire. And passionate.”
    “Hm.” This time, he was the one to gaze down at the fish. He dragged his finger through the water. The fish must have thought that implied feeding time, because a school of them formed and came to the surface, lips pursing eagerly. Angulus snorted and reached over to a shelf beside the fountain. He pulled off a canister, opened it, and tossed in some flakes of seaweed or whatever it was goldfish ate. “I think you could be a great help on this other mission, but I understand that your heart calls you another way. You’re not a soldier—or a king—so you’re allowed to choose what your heart wants over any duty imposed upon you by others.” A wistful smile flashed across his face, the expression gone almost as soon as it formed. “And if you believe Ridge might still be alive, then I can’t help but wonder about that too. Losing him is a great blow. Even if I haven’t always approved of his methods of doing his duty, there’s no doubt that he always did do his duty, and that he and his squadron brought down more enemies than anyone else in the country.”
    Sardelle leaned toward him, hoping this meant he would give her what she wished.
    “It would also be useful for me to know where that sorceress is, even if we don’t have the means to destroy her currently.” Angulus had been dropping pinches of fish food into the fountain, but he paused, his hand dangling. “Actually, we might.” He looked at her, his eyes narrowing.
    “The sword?” Sardelle guessed. “I can’t wield it, Sire.”
    She almost pointed out that Cas could and that she could be her pilot in this, but if she was heading out on another mission, they would have to find someone else.
    “Wait here a moment, please.” Angulus returned the canister to the ledge and stood. “I want to show you something.”
    High priestess! sounded a cry in her mind.
    Sardelle was so startled that she nearly pitched backward into the fountain. Fortunately, Angulus had already disappeared through the potted trees and rosebushes and didn’t notice.
    Bhrava Saruth? she asked, though she recognized the voice, a voice she hadn’t heard since the day the dragon had helped with the search for Ridge.
    Bhrava Saruth, the god, yes! I have been looking many places for you. You left your mountain fortress.
    Her fortress? Hardly that. Yes, I live down here most of the time.
    In a castle? Yes, that is fitting for my high priestess. Look at all the people in this city. So many! There were never so many in one place in my time. Do they worship another god? Could we convert them to worship me?
    I—uhm. We need to talk about that, Bhrava Saruth. Sardelle looked in the direction the king had gone, wondering how long she had until he returned. This might require a lengthy discussion, and what if she irked the dragon with her admissions? She didn’t want to risk bringing down his ire on the castle or the town.
    What, you don’t think he’ll appreciate that you lied to him?
    I didn’t lie, Jaxi. I just let him think... things. And I did give him what he sought. Sardelle shifted her mind’s focus, imagining the dragon, though she wasn’t sure where he was. Somewhere in the