A terrible silence followed. Starflight wondered whether they were all searching Deathbringer’s mind to find out what was true. He kept his own mind carefully blank, just in case.
“Deathbringer,” said Greatness, twisting her diamond necklace in her front claws. “That kind of betrayal … the punishment is death.”
The NightWing assassin spread his wings and bowed deeply toward the queen. “I swear I have only ever done what I thought would be best for my tribe.”
“Oh, yeah?” Vengeance coughed wetly. “So why are all the dragonets still alive, then?”
Deathbringer glanced under his wing and met Starflight’s eyes. There was a question in them, and this time Starflight guessed what it was. Are they? All still alive? Starflight nodded as imperceptibly as he could, and a look of relief flitted across Deathbringer’s face, then was gone.
“My mission is not complete, it’s true,” Deathbringer said. “I need to return to the rainforest and —”
“And betray us some more,” Vengeance suggested. “I bet you do.”
Starflight noticed Greatness leaning toward the screen again, but most of the dragons were staring at Deathbringer and didn’t notice this time.
“I assure you I’m a loyal NightWing,” Deathbringer said, his voice rising. “Perhaps I think it’s worth discussing whether we really need to kill these dragonets, but —”
“You see?” roared Vengeance. “He’s —”
“Vengeance!” Greatness shouted, cutting him off. She stood up on her ledge and spread her wings, revealing the silver scales glittering underneath like echoes of her diamonds. She puffed up her chest and contorted her face as if she was trying to appear menacing and regal, but it looked like a performance. Starflight still couldn’t see a future queen in her.
“The queen has spoken,” Greatness said into the perilous silence. “Vengeance. You endangered the whole tribe. You disobeyed orders. You brought a viper to us disguised as a simple garden snake.”
“Wait,” Vengeance cried. “What he did was worse! I just grabbed a RainWing, same as always! How could I know — she didn’t look no different than the others!”
“And in addition,” said Greatness, “you are irritating the queen.” She flicked her tail, just the tiniest movement, at the guards in the doorway.
“NO!” shrieked Vengeance. His wings flapped open, but he’d barely lifted off when the four guards grabbed him. With one swift heave, before Starflight even had time to blink, they hurled the scarred dragon into the lake of lava.
Deathbringer shot up and out of the way as lava splashed all around them. Starflight didn’t move fast enough, and a bright orange droplet splattered on his foot. Burning pain flared through him, and he thought he might faint.
Then a shape surged out of the lava — Vengeance, screaming and trying to escape as he was boiled alive.
Deathbringer’s talons yanked Starflight into the air just in time. Lava sprayed in all directions as the dying dragon flailed his wings.
“DON’T DO THIS! SAVE ME!” Vengeance howled.
The guards stepped forward with expressionless faces. They were wearing a sort of armor, including helmets and thick plates over their underbellies, and they were all carrying wicked pronged spears like the one Glory had brought back to the rainforest.
It was these spears they used to shove Vengeance back under the lava, and to hold him there until the thrashing stopped and the dark shape of the scarred dragon finally sank all the way below the bright gold-red surface and disappeared.
After a long moment, Starflight remembered to breathe again. He glanced at Deathbringer, hovering in the air beside him. There was an unusually somber look on the assassin’s face, as if he’d just seen a glimpse of his possible future, and not in a magical prophetic vision sort of way.
“Thank you, Majesty,” Deathbringer said at last, bowing toward the hidden queen.
“Don’t, Deathbringer,” Greatness said, her voice cracking. She cleared her throat and looked away. “We’re not done with you.” She addressed the guards. “Take him to the dungeon. We’ll investigate the charges and then Her Majesty will decide what to do.”
Deathbringer flew down to the guards and allowed them to push him out the door, only glancing back once to meet Starflight’s eyes with a look Starflight couldn’t decode.
Maybe he expects me to have mind-reading abilities. Maybe he’s trying to send me a message.
If so — sorry, Deathbringer. You picked the wrong dragon.
Greatness rubbed the ridges above her eyes, looking tired. “All right, we need a break. If it’s your turn to eat this week, go do that now, and we’ll reconvene tonight.” She glanced around the room, leaned toward the screen again, and added, “The queen says to return at dusk with possible defensive and offensive strategies. Morrowseer, see if you can claw some more information out of the dragonet before then.”