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Rodriguez narrowed his eyes; clearly Zaira was now in his bad books. So much for warm Bloodwing hospitality. “I get the impression there’s a great deal you aren’t telling us.”

“Call the dragon here, and we will tell you more,” Zaira challenged.

Rodriguez’s lips thinned. “You think it’s so easy to summon a dragon? He’s not a fucking falcon.”

“Well, your inability to summon him may doom us all,” the Stone Keeper snapped.

The tension in the room rose just a smidgen. “You said you weren’t here for the moot,” Rodriguez said. “You claim to belong to the Emberwatch. What are your real intentions?”

Zaira frowned. “We called for a moot because it gave us an excuse to come to the surface. A public pretext.”

“A pretext for what exactly?” Rodriguez’s voice was soft.

Lord Sharma looked around the room. “I’m not sure how much you already know …”

Kage leaned forward. “Why don’t you talk to us like we know a lot?”

“Very well,” the dwarven leader said. He ran a hand over his face, and I suddenly realized how anxious he was. “The very foundation of Sangratha is cracking.”

“You mean the Veil,” I said sharply.

Zaira’s eyes flashed. “Yes. The Veil. And we know about the attacks at the borderland. We know there are those who are attempting to wound the Veil, to pull it open—highbloods, no doubt.” She looked around the room at the highbloods there with open contempt. “Stupid fools. The Veil will not fall so easily.”

“Well, that’s a fucking relief,” Blake muttered.

“Still, the possibility is there,” she snapped. “The dragons have awakened again.”

“You’re saying this has something to do with the dragons?” Rodriguez asked sharply.

“Of course.” Zaira shot him a look of disdain. “Four dragons were bound in the Dragon Court over a century ago.”

“And you’re saying you had something to do with putting them there?” Rodriguez guessed.

“The Emberwatch met with the dragons. Three of the four agreed they must be bound to protect the Veil—to shore up its reserves of power. They sacrificed themselves.” She frowned. “The fourth—the Inferni—was enforced by the others.” She looked around the room. “The dwarves have been watching what has transpired ever since.”

“Ooh, sounds ominous,” Visha muttered, rolling her eyes.

Zaira glared at her. “We knew when the Duskdrake awoke. We knew when the Inferni flew.”

“Which one?” Visha muttered. I kicked her under the table. Fortunately, Zaira didn’t seem to have heard.

“Then, you must know about Molindra,” I said aloud. Zaira nodded. “Two highbloods are using her to try to break down the Veil. They may have a second dragon. An Inferni.”

“This we know,” Zaira said haughtily. “But the Veil may crumble only with the might of four dragons to tear it down.”

I glanced at Rodriguez. “Well, that’s a relief,” he mumbled, running his hand over his brow. “Look, you don’t have to worry then. Alabryss was destroyed, there are no more Silvraynes.” For a moment, his face was sad. “In fact, it looks like there will never be any again.”

“Oh, no?” Zaira didn’t sound impressed. “I tell you a Silvrayne may yet fly over Sangratha. The danger has not passed. We dwarves are not stupid. Do you think we would have come if we did not already know?”

“Know what?” Rodriguez demanded.

Zaira pursed her lips. “There is a highblood among you whose name is cursed among the dwarves. He has gone by many names. Even for a vampire, he has lived for too many lifetimes. We know he seeks to tear down the Veil. We also know he seeks something we dwarves took from him a very long time ago.”

“Sounds a little familiar.” Blake snapped his fingers. “Viktor. Goes by Uncle in my family.” Zaira’s jaw dropped. Blake held up his hands. “Look, First Stone Keeper, I don’t disagree with your assessment of Viktor—he’s an asshole. If you want to stop him, I’m with you. We all are. Viktor Drakharrow is the most hated man in Sangratha right now.” His face darkened, and I knew he was thinking about Veilmar.

Zaira nodded stiffly. “Very well. Your blightborn headmaster said all of the highbloods at this meeting were to be trusted. Still …”

“Wait, so you hate us that much, yet you send dwarven students to our school?” Visha interjected. She raised her brow. “Seems pretty stupid to me.”