The Dragon Kings Chronicles
Book Three
Kimberly Loth
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Also by Kimberly Loth
About the Author
Copyright © 2021 by Kimberly Loth
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced in any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical without express permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues, in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead is completely coincidental.
Chapter 1
Isa stared at the man on the ground. She tried poking his face and tugging on his arms, but he wouldn’t wake up. This wasn’t good. Isa shivered, rubbed her arms, and then blew into her hands, warming her face. Maybe she shouldn’t have given him her cloak. But he might die.
She stared out through the trees. Missy needed to run faster.
Isa stood and lifted the man’s feet. She pulled on him but couldn’t move him more than a few inches. Isa was highly skilled in many things, but brute strength was not one of them. It would take her too long to get to the castle. She hoped Missy brought at least two or three men with her. Otherwise, they’d never get him back alive.
The snow began to fall harder, and the wind started up. Isa paced in circles around the man, trying to keep herself warm. He was so exotic looking. His skin was not as pale as most of the guardians and his hair a golden blonde, though he wore it long like Jude. His dark lashes rested on his smooth skin. He was beyond handsome.
His clothes were like none she’d ever seen, and although they were winter clothes, they weren’t sturdy enough for the extreme cold. She wondered for a second if he was a dragon.
That’s stupid. Dragons would fly in, not freeze to death in the woods. How did he get here and manage to stay alive so far? She had so many questions, but if he died, she would never get those answers.
A motion came from the trees, and Isa stared through the snow. Finally. Missy bounded toward her, Grace following.
Isa’s heart sank. Grace wouldn’t be able to help at all. She wasn’t any stronger than Isa.
“Dragon’s Teeth! What’s this?” Grace asked, her eyes wide. She’d hastily thrown on a cloak and gloves, but she wasn’t dressed for a long time outside either.
“A man I’ve never seen before, but there is no way you and I will get him to the castle. I need you to bring me guardians, three or four of them at least.”
Missy growled, and Isa dropped her eyes to the man, but he still hadn’t stirred. Missy stared at her but didn’t growl again. She’d never understood that fox.
Grace looked once more at the man and raced toward the castle though it wasn’t easy because she hadn’t put on snowshoes. Grace took far longer than Isa would’ve liked. He would freeze to death before people got here to help him.
Missy lay across the man’s chest and nuzzled his cheek, her white fur bright against his chapped face.
“You like him too?” Isa couldn’t explain her attraction to him, but she wanted him to live.
Missy swished her tail back and forth.
Isa knelt on the ground and studied the man some more. She’d never had an outsider in the castle before, and she was so excited to learn more about him.
That is if he survived.
“What are you doing here?” she muttered to him.
Missy yelped, and the man flinched. Isa shook him. “Are you awake? You have to get up.”
He wouldn’t die out here after all.
He groaned, and Missy yelped again, pushing against his cheek with her nose.
Isa grabbed his shoulders. “Come on, wake up.”
His eyelids fluttered open, and Isa stared into the bluest eyes she’d ever seen.
Chapter 2
Liam had to be careful. Even in his frozen delirium, he knew he was in enemy territory, but he was distracted by the black-haired beauty who stood over him. She couldn’t be that much older than he was. He had to keep his wits about him, or he’d be dead. Course, the weather about did him in already. His limbs were numb.
“Oh, you’re awake, thank the gods. Can you stand?” She spoke English but with a lilting accent that was quite beautiful. It was hard to tell what she looked like as she was completely bundled up with a red hooded jacket over thick black pants. A grown-up Red-Riding Hood. Her bright white cloak lay over him.
He was able to move his arms a little, and he tried to wiggle his feet, but he couldn’t tell if they actually did anything. “I’m not sure.”
She jumped when he spoke but didn’t say anything more. His voice had come out weak. What was he thinking, trying to freeze to death out here? Felix would be so disappointed with him. A pang in his chest reminded him that Felix was dead, and someone was responsible for his death.
“Well, try, will you?” she asked. Her wide blue eyes were mesmerizing, but he could be hallucinating because of the cold. He tried to focus on the trees behind her, but they blurred together, so he watched her again.
She rubbed her hands together, took her cloak back, and buttoned it up. Then, she offered him her hand. He took it but could barely feel anything. He certainly couldn’t feel his legs and hoped he wouldn’t be losing any limbs. The woman tugged on his hand and managed to help him stand, but his knees buckled.
She looped his arm around her shoulder and laced her arm around his waist. “We’ve got to get you to the castle as soon as possible.”
The castle. Right. Where there was an evil queen who would kill him on sight. Maybe not. Maybe they wouldn’t ask too many questions since he was coming in nearly frozen to death.
Maybe this girl was a servant or something. This was looking better and better. Though he had to be careful what he said because his mind was foggy and had trouble focusing. He’d be liable to say something he shouldn’t.
She led the way, and he stumbled on next to her.
She grunted and continued on. “Sorry I can’t be more help, but this is better than waiting. I sent Missy to get help, but she came back with Lady Grace. Can you believe it? So I sent Grace to fetch a few guardians, but they’ll take too long. What’s your name?”
He thought for a moment and saw no reason to lie. “Liam.”
“I’m Isa.”
That was a pretty name. And she was dressed well, so probably not a cook or a maid. Though maybe everyone dressed that way in the freezing cold weather. Liam had a story all worked out about why he was here, but right now, he couldn’t put the details together because his mind was fuzzy. He hoped they’d let him sleep and heal before they started asking questions because he wasn’t ready to answer them.
They came o
ut of the woods, and a monstrous castle rose up the side of the mountain.
“Wow,” he said. It was a deep gray stone with multiple spires. It looked just like a lair of an evil snow queen.
“My castle is pretty magnificent, isn’t it?” Isa asked.
He wasn’t sure he heard her right. Maybe she just meant her home. Because the castle belonged to the queen, and this kind, beautiful woman couldn’t be the evil queen who had Felix killed.
They walked farther, and the castle loomed high above them. It was hard to tell where it ended and where the mountain began. Liam had never seen such a place before. He thought his house was big, but this was gigantic, a place where dragons and humans could all live. He wondered why they didn’t do that at home. It’d be easier than putting the dragons in the garage when they had to stay. He shook his head. He couldn’t lose track of why he was here. He needed information, and then he needed to fly home.
“What do you mean by my castle?” Liam asked though he wasn’t sure he wanted the answer. Because if she meant what he thought she did, then he should kill her before they got any farther. He had a dagger, and he could, well maybe could. He wasn’t sure in this state.
Besides, this innocent girl helping him out of the woods could not be the same person terrorizing all of Europe. She couldn’t be responsible for Felix’s death.
His knees gave way again, and they both dropped but recovered.
“I’m the queen. Welcome to my home.”
Chapter 3
The front door of the castle flung open, and Drew and Jude rushed out.
“Oh, thank goodness. Help me with him, will you?” Isa asked. Her shoulder was killing her. With every step, the man’s arm got heavier, and his feet moved slower. She ground her teeth. If they’d let her spread her wings, she could’ve easily carried him back.
They took Liam from her and trudged inside. Pierre rushed at Liam with a knife while the rest of her guardians closed in around her. The wide hall suddenly seemed much smaller.
“What the devil are you doing here?” Pierre held the knife to Liam’s throat. His voice echoed around them.
“Pierre, stop. He’s hurt. Let him go.” Isa struggled to make her way through the guardians, but they formed a wall. She could barely see Pierre and Liam. Missy wiggled through and stood by Liam.
He slumped, his head rolling forward, and Pierre moved back a few feet. Isa thrust her way through them and grabbed the knife from Pierre.
“He’s not going to hurt me.”
Pierre put a hand across her chest and pushed her back. “We don’t know that.”
Isa pointed to him. “He passed out.” She yanked Pierre’s arm down and stalked up to Jude and Drew. “Put him down. He’s just a human.” Isa worried that might be the wrong thing to say. Humans and dragons were natural enemies. Before the dragons were hidden, they were hunted ruthlessly both by humans and wizards. Though the humans were quite useless without the wizards. He couldn’t possibly be a wizard. They’d died out years ago.
They dropped Liam, and he collapsed to the ground. She glared at Jude but then examined the man. He was alive but not conscious. Her power only worked on dead people or dragons. She couldn’t make someone wake up. She discovered that one day when she and Drew were sparring, and she had knocked him out. She just had to wait for him to wake up. Missy curled up on Liam’s chest.
Grace rushed to her side. “Your Majesty, maybe we should let them take care of him.”
Isa shook her head. “No. Look at what they’ve done. Prepare a room for him.”
Grace looked up and met Jude’s eyes, but Isa didn’t care what they thought. If this man wanted her dead, he would’ve killed her already. She didn’t know why he was here, but it wasn’t to hurt her.
“That’s not a good idea,” Pierre said. “He’s likely working with the dragon we killed yesterday.”
“Put him in a room. Get him warmed up, fed, and then we can talk to him. There are many of you. Surely you can guard him.”
Pierre didn’t look convinced, but he nodded anyway.
Grace placed a hand on Isa’s arm. “I’ll get the room ready across from the dining hall.”
“Thank you, Lady Grace.”
Pierre spun on Isa. “You shouldn’t have been outside alone.” His voice was low and angry.
“I was walking. I’ve done it loads of times before.” She stood tall to show she wasn’t afraid.
He towered over her. “You could’ve died.”
“I could’ve. But I didn’t. Besides, you said the threat was neutralized.”
His nostrils flared. “Why did they leave you out there alone?” His eyes flicked up to Jude and the others.
This was ridiculous. She was tired of being treated like a child, and it was time she stepped up and took control. She was queen here, not Pierre. Before the boys could answer, she did.
“Because I ordered them to. My command overrides yours, does it not? I am queen, and I’m tired of you treating me like I’m not. If I want to go outside by myself, I will, and if you have a problem with that, then I no longer need you as a guardian.”
He clenched his fists. “Our job is to make sure you are safe.”
“And I am. You have trained me well. Even if Liam had been a threat, I could’ve easily killed him myself.”
Footsteps rushed down the hall behind them. “The room is ready,” Grace said.
“Good. Jude, Drew, will you help Liam to his room?” Isa asked. She didn’t look at Pierre. This was the first time she’d ever stood up to him like that, and she didn’t want to see the consequences.
Jude and Drew hoisted him up, and Isa followed them to the guest room in the middle of the castle with a towering four-poster bed and navy blankets. Since she’d been alive, they rarely used the guest rooms.
They dumped Liam on the bed, ruining the pretty picture of pillows and comforter. She wished they’d be gentler with him, but she supposed they were angry.
Grace removed his odd boots, and Isa helped get him under the covers. He looked like he was sleeping. Hopefully, he’d wake soon so they could talk. She wasn’t leaving his side until she was able to get some answers out of him as to why he was here.
Isa sat with him for a couple of hours, various guardians hovering around her. She even took her dinner in the room, and soon it was late evening. Her eyes would barely stay open, and her head drooped forward.
Grace touched her shoulder. “Come on, Isa, let’s go to bed. He’ll be here in the morning.”
Isa nodded. She’d be no good if she was sleep deprived.
“If he wakes up, you send someone to me right away,” she instructed a grumpy Seamus. She hoped her threat from earlier would ensure they’d listen to her.
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
Chapter 4
“Where did you put him?” Isa marched into the guardian’s lounge, a room she rarely entered. Dragon’s Teeth, she was mad. The room had been designed for the men with rich dark wood and deep green furnishings and curtains. She clenched her fists tight and glared at Pierre.
He sighed and set down his fork. She’d interrupted his breakfast, but she didn’t care. He’d moved Liam without her permission, and she wanted answers. He had no right.
He stood and led Isa to a side table, on which sat a lone dagger. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Missy jump into Pierre’s abandoned chair.
Pierre waved his hand over the weapons. “You see these? After you went to bed, I had the guardians search the man.”
Isa swallowed. She’d thought he was a good guy. But Pierre was overreacting. “It’s just a dagger.”
Missy snatched a sausage off of Pierre’s plate and slunk to the floor, but Pierre didn’t notice.
“It’s more than enough to kill you. He is still unconscious, but we intend to find out why he is here when he wakes.” Pierre picked up the dagger.
Isa chewed her lip and looked at the glittering dagger. Missy was chowing down on Pierre’s eggs now and di
dn’t even bother to jump down when caught. Pierre was probably right, but she wanted to believe that Liam wasn’t here to hurt her.
Pierre adjusted the dagger in his hand and offered her the hilt. “This dagger is yours now. If the increased activity to our castle has shown me anything, it’s that you might need that. I don’t know what’s going on, but I intend to find out.”
“How?”
“We moved that man to the dungeon. He will be fed and kept alive. He will tell us why he is here and who sent him. Then we will kill him.” Pierre clenched his jaw.
“Must you kill him? Maybe you take him back where he came from.”
Pierre chuckled. “My queen, your soft heart will be the death of you. If we let him go, he will just come back. He has to die, but I will spare you the details.”
Pierre was right, but she didn’t want him to be. She also was angry with herself. The one time she chose to stand up to Pierre, and she was wrong.
“Please, let me know what he says. I wish to know why he came.” She wanted to go with them to question him. She was inexplicably drawn to the young man though she couldn’t figure out why. She knew that would be foolish though. If he was here to kill her, that would give him an opportunity to do so. Perhaps he didn’t before because he was too weak with the cold.
Pierre nodded. “Also, you should always arm yourself at this point. If the rebels managed to get a man inside the castle, it is not safe.”
The Dragon Kings Chronicles: Book 3 Page 1
