“Well,” he said, “I suppose you’re likely to be dead by the end of the week anyway. Just remember that if you tell anybody, we’ll have to kill them, too.”
“Aren’t you cheerful,” Sunny said crossly. “What is it anyway? The SandWing scepter?”
He shook his head. “I’m not telling you that.”
“The Lazulite Dragon?” Sunny racked her brain, trying to remember what famous pieces of treasure were mentioned in the scrolls.
“Stop guessing!”
“The Eye of Onyx!” Sunny said, and from his expression she knew that was it. His face wasn’t quite the emotionless mask that Blister’s was.
“Well, that’s why the scavengers must have the treasure,” Smolder said quickly, as if hoping she hadn’t noticed. “If Blister or Blaze had it, one of them would be queen instead of hiding in another kingdom. If any SandWing had it, they’d be ruling the desert already.”
Sunny shrugged. “So the scavengers managed to get something — and happened to get the most important thing. Someone else still took the rest of it. I bet you anything.”
“Hmmm.” Smolder narrowed his eyes. Smoke billowed from his nose, writhing around his horns. “In that case, we’d still have to find the scavengers and what they stole.”
Sunny didn’t have an answer for that. She had a feeling “find the scavengers” meant “burn down more dens,” and it made her feel sorry for the squishy little creatures, especially if they were all as cute and clever as Flower.
“Smolder!” a voice called. “Smolder!”
Talons scrabbled on stone as a snub-nosed SandWing came pelting down the long sloping hall. He started calling out as he ran toward them, his voice traveling across the distance.
“We’re under attack!” he yelled. “Help! General Sandstorm is already dead! No one knows what to do! It’s chaos! We’re all going to die!” He skidded the last several steps toward them and nearly tumbled into one of the treasure rooms. Sunny jumped out of the way of his flailing tail.
“Who’s attacking?” Smolder said sharply, grabbing the messenger and steering him back up the hallway with one brisk motion. “IceWings or SeaWings?”
“I don’t know! It happened so fast! It was like they rose straight out of the sand.”
“Maybe it’s Queen Scarlet’s friends,” Sunny said anxiously, scooping up Flower and hurrying behind them. Smolder gave her a look as if he’d forgotten she was there. “Remember? She said someone was coming to rescue her — what if this is them?”
The messenger let out a horrified squeak. “Then we’re definitely all going to die!”
“Stop that,” Smolder said, giving him a quick shake. “There are enough SandWing soldiers here to fight off any invasion.” He held out his talons and Sunny passed Flower to him. Smolder set his pet gently in a side room with no windows. “Stay,” he said sternly, pointing a claw at the little scavenger.
Flower put her paws on her hips and chattered something indignant at him, but he ignored her and swept on up the corridor.
“I don’t have time to lock you up again right now,” Smolder said to Sunny. “But I’m still watching you. If you try to escape while we’re fighting, you’ll end up back in that tower and you’re never coming out again.”
“I get it! You’re menacing!” Sunny shouted at him. “Now what are you going to do about Queen Scarlet? You should send more guards to watch her right now. She’s the one you should worry about escaping. At least I won’t murder everyone on my way out!”
Smolder’s stern expression wavered for a moment as he looked down at her. “I think I should be offended that you’re obviously more afraid of my prisoner than you are of me,” he said. “But I suppose I’ll worry about that later. You!” he shouted at a pair of guards running by. “Find four more soldiers and take them to guard Burn’s weirdling tower. With your lives, you understand?”
They nodded, about-faced, and took off toward the tower.
“Thank you,” Sunny said, more than a little surprised that he’d actually listened to her.
Now they could hear roars and snarls and the clash of claws outside, along with the sound of shouts and running talons all over the palace.
“Watch her,” Smolder said to the messenger, pointing to Sunny.
An unearthly shriek tore through the morning air and Smolder hurtled into the nearest courtyard, then up into the air. The black diamonds on his wings flared like crows taking flight as he soared higher, then banked sideways and shot toward the outer wall.
Sunny ran into the courtyard behind him and spread her wings.
“Wait,” the messenger protested. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“To see what’s happening!” Sunny said. “I want to know who’s winning, don’t you?” Because if it’s Scarlet’s “friends,” then I need to get out of here, no matter what Smolder thinks I’ve promised him.
“Um,” the messenger said, twisting his tail between his talons. “But … I’m not sure….”