Or maybe she wasn’t ready for that yet.
That night, the hallways were quiet as Grace returned to her room. Isa had been incredibly chatty before bed, and Grace had been lucky to get away. Isa had asked Grace to stay with her, but Grace liked sleeping in her own bed. Plus, she had to keep some distance between her and Isa. Especially now with so many things going on.
Grace crept down the stairs to her own room and locked the door behind her—with magic. She sank onto her bed and sighed. At some point, her burden would become too great for her to carry on her own, but she never imagined it would be so soon. She thought she’d have a good twenty or thirty more years before she’d have to out herself.
She pulled out her sword and did her nightly dance. She was tired and sloppy.
She opened her drawer and stared at her other magical trinkets. The marbles that could paralyze dragons, the poison that could kill anyone instantly with no chance of revival, and the necklace that would force the wearer to do her bidding. There were other, less sinister things that she never used because she was scared of her magic being revealed. The potion that would make someone laugh at everything people said for a whole twenty-four hours, the rings that when given to a loved one would allow you to communicate from a distance, and the dress that would enchant anyone who gazed upon the wearer, making them desirable.
She sighed, put the sword away, and changed into her nightgown. She washed her hands and face and slipped into bed, her mind still reeling. Sleep would not come easily tonight as it had eluded her the past several nights.
She let out a breath. Why couldn’t she let this go? Liam had kept his mouth shut about her abilities, and so she had nothing to fear. Though she supposed that as long as he was here, she’d fear him spilling the beans.
She hated carrying this secret alone. Hated not having anyone to share this with. Hated that she was a wizard. She just wanted to be a silly girl, fawning over boys like Isa.
But she’d been given a greater responsibility. One that she didn’t know how she would be able to carry out. But she would have to someday, and then she would die. At least that’s what the prophecy said.
But Liam knew her secret.
And he’d kept it.
Maybe he’d keep more of them.
Maybe it was time to share the burden with another. Someone who carried a burden and secrets of his own.
Grace had never trusted anyone before, but maybe tomorrow she’d trust just one person.
And if he proved unworthy of her trust.
She’d kill him.
Chapter 24
“Baden’s been sleeping for three days straight.” Aspen paced outside Liam’s room, and Sid matched her step for step.
“I know. I’ve been hesitant to wake him, but we can’t leave Liam any longer.” He’d wanted to go back into the room after twenty-four hours, but he couldn’t risk Baden being sloppy at all if he was going to rescue Liam.
Aspen rounded on him. “Why did you let him go to sleep anyway? You should’ve sent him straight back.”
“Aspen, he just witnessed the murder of six dragons. Plus Felix. I had to let him rest.”
“And you did. Go wake him up and send him on his way. I want Liam back in his own bed. Baden is small and can hide. He has a better shot at getting Liam back than anyone.”
Sid nodded and cracked the door open. He approached the window and opened the blinds just a hair so sunlight came in but wasn’t too bright.
He didn’t see the little dragon anywhere.
Aspen flicked on the light. “Where is he?”
Sid sank onto Liam’s bed. “I don’t know.”
Aspen gripped her hair. “I didn’t think he was that cowardly. I thought he would want to protect Liam.”
Sid put a hand on Aspen’s shoulder. “Maybe he already left.”
“But you can’t know that for sure. Maybe he ran away. Now, what are we going to do?”
Sid opened the blinds all the way and pulled the window up, and then he whistled for an eagle.
One flew in and bowed deep. What can I do for you, Your Majesty?
Baden, the underground dragon, left some time in the last twenty-four hours. Will you find out where he went?
Of course, Your Majesty. I’ll be back with a report as soon as possible.
Aspen left the room, and Sid lay down on Liam’s bed, letting his eyes drift shut. Unlike Baden, he hadn’t been able to sleep in days. He hated the pain in his chest over his son. He never knew being a parent would be constant worry and stress.
A few hours later, the eagle flew through the window again.
Sid jumped up. He must’ve drifted off. Please tell me you have news.
I do. Baden was seen flying north. I was able to check with eagles as far north as Alaska.
Sid sank down. Baden hadn’t run away at all. He was going to rescue Liam.
For a moment, Sid allowed himself to hope. Maybe by this time tomorrow night, Liam would be sleeping in his own bed.
But deep down, he knew that hope was foolish.
The reality was that he would be lucky if he ever saw his son again.
And he had no good plan to get Liam back. Baden could hide.
But Liam couldn’t.
The door to his room banged open, and Skye and Ruby rushed in.
“You’re back,” he said.
She collapsed on his bed. “That was horrible,” she said.
Ruby nodded. “I never want to see anything like that again.”
Sid rubbed his face. “What happened?”
“The queen’s men go into the village and steal all their food and rape the women. I’m pretty sure they’re all dragons, but maybe not.”
Sid stood. “I need coffee, and you do too. Let’s go down to the kitchens, and you can tell me the whole story.”
He followed the girls out of his room, and a sinking feeling settled in his stomach.
This queen was worse than he thought.
And she had Liam.
Chapter 25
Isa slipped into the warm water of the baths. She wanted nothing more than to soothe her tense muscles, sore from worrying about all her problems.
She floated on her back and watched the red glow above her. Some would find the baths unsettling, but she loved the color. The water covered her ears, and utter silence enveloped her.
She closed her eyes and imagined she was far, far away from the castle. Far away from people who wanted to kill her, far away from guardians who manipulated and maybe lied to her. Far away from responsibilities of any kind.
She pictured herself on a beach with warm sun. For a while, beach books had been her favorite, and she had Grace search the library for all of them.
Today, she pretended she was at a beach in Thailand with soft white sand and a hot, hot sun. Who would be there with her? Perhaps Liam. She wondered if he’d ever been to a beach before. Probably. Everyone on earth had been to a beach but her.
Still, she’d like to go with him.
She splashed out of her float.
Why would she want to be with him? Why not Jude or Drew? Anyone but Liam.
But no.
She thought of how he called her beautiful but in such a subtle way that she had to think about it. Her face flushed. He had reached for her too, and she wanted that touch, but she couldn’t have it. He was the enemy.
Or at least that’s what she was told.
Did she believe what they told her?
Not really. If she did, she would’ve ordered him killed already. In fact, she was almost a hundred percent sure he was on her side. Didn’t her guardians confirm that when they said a group of American dragons had flown onto the island?
She swam over to the far side of the pool where the color of the gems glowed more purple than red. She liked him. Perhaps it was just because she couldn’t have him. She knew that desire sometimes had to do with the forbidden.
Maybe that was it.
Maybe it wasn’t.
This was the first man from the outside world who she had met, and despite the fact she’d only known him a few days, she already trusted him more than her guardians.
How she longed to see him spread his golden wings.
He was different, and she genuinely liked him. He was kind and attractive, and every time she closed her eyes at night, his was the face she saw.
She wanted to explore this further. She had to go see him, to see how she reacted to him. To see if she really liked him or just pitied him.
She swam to the other side of her pool. She’d rarely done anything she regretted, and she hoped this would not be the first time.
Isa climbed out of the pool. She wanted to run to the dungeons, but she had to be cautious and wait until everyone was asleep. She had to wait until Seamus fell asleep.
Because he did. Every night without fail.
Chapter 26
It took Grace three more days to work up the courage to speak to Liam. It was lunchtime, and most of the guardians were out of the castle, and Isa was napping. Grace grabbed two sandwiches, a couple of apples, two cupcakes, another pillow, and made her way down the dungeon stairs.
She thought she’d be more nervous about this but found that she was mostly relieved. She hadn’t expected to feel relieved.
Liam didn’t look up from the book he was reading. She unlocked his door by magic, and his head jerked up. “You can’t leave, but I thought I would join you today.”
She locked the door behind her. It felt strange doing magic so openly, and suddenly she wished she didn’t have to hide, that she could use her magic whenever she wanted.
But that was impossible.
Because wizards would be put to death by dragons.
And not even Isa could save her from the guardians.
Liam slowly put down his book, grabbed his own pillow, and joined her in the middle of his cell. They sat across from one another eating in silence. He was waiting for her.
“Thank you for keeping my secret. I wasn’t sure you would, but I’m grateful for it. I have decided to trust you with the rest.” She couldn’t believe she was about to tell him everything. She’d never uttered these words before.
He took a bite of his apple, chewed, and swallowed. “Thank you. I won’t betray you. I have secrets of my own, and so I understand the need for them to be kept.”
Grace cocked her head at him. “Do your secrets involve harming the queen?”
He squirmed. “Only if she proves worthy to harm. I haven’t seen anything to indicate that I should.”
She wondered what that meant. Clearly, he hadn’t been entirely honest with Isa. He could be lying now though.
Grace let out a breath. “Very well. Before I tell you this, you should know that if you betray me, I will kill you. I’m very capable of it, and I will do what is necessary to keep my secret.”
He chuckled. “I don’t doubt it. Now, tell me how you not only came across incredible healing powers but were also able to lock and unlock my door.”
“They are different?” She took a bite of her apple. To her, magic was magic.
“I know dragons who can heal, but they can’t do anything more.”
“I thought you said Aspen had magic.”
“She can heal because some dragons can, but I’m pretty sure she can’t do anything else.”
Grace let out a sigh. Maybe Aspen wasn’t like her at all. Or maybe Aspen was hiding it as well. She had a dragon slayer after all.
“I am a descendant of wizards. My father was the last living one that I know of. I have a dragon slayer like your queen, and I will use it to kill someday.” She shifted on her pillow, the ground cold beneath her legs. She didn’t know how Liam was still alive and well down here. Not only that, he was in fairly good spirits.
“Who will you kill?”
“I…I…don’t know. The prophecy that speaks of my destiny is unclear. I fear that it is Isa, but I keep hoping it’s someone else. The prophecy states that I will have to defend my people and save them from certain annihilation.”
Liam held his cupcake still. “And who are your people?”
Grace was surprised he asked that question. She thought it was obvious.
“The entire human race. Wizards protect humans from the dragons.”
Liam took a bite of cupcake. A bit of frosting stuck on the edge of his lip. His face didn’t reveal if he believed her. Or if he did, whether he feared her.
“You know, prophecies are often misinterpreted. I know that my…I mean, the king had his fair share of deciphering prophecies in the last war. Can I read it? Maybe it means something other than what you think.”
Grace shook her head. “Perhaps. But I don’t have it with me now, and I won’t bring the book down here.”
When the time came, she’d know to act. The problem was that she’d come to love Isa as a sister, and she couldn’t stand the thought of killing her. Grace’s father always said she’d kill the queen, but she hoped that maybe he meant something else.
“You know, I’m a dragon. Does that mean you’ll kill me?”
“No. I don’t actually want to kill anyone, but I’ll do what is necessary to save humanity.”
And she knew she would.
Even if it meant killing her best friend.
Chapter 27
Isa had tried to visit Liam three nights in a row, but every night, there was a different guardian instead of Seamus. Ones who did not fall asleep. But, Friday night, she got lucky. Seamus was on duty again and snoring next to the door. Missy ran forward and waited.
She cracked the door open and slid down the stairs, excitement building in her chest. She didn’t know what was coming, but she couldn’t wait to talk to Liam. She hadn’t felt this giddy since Jude showed up at the castle five years ago.
She’d been warned by Pierre not to seal herself to anyone, and she’d been careful. Now, she had to remind herself to be careful again. No falling in love.
Oh, don’t be silly, Isa. You’ve just met the guy.
Missy ran ahead of her and stuck her nose through the bars. She liked him, and Isa took that as a good sign. Isa stood closer than she had in the past, and if he reached for her again, she wouldn’t back away this time.
He met her eyes as he stood and gave her a wide grin. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”
“I’ve been trying, but the guard has been awake the last few nights. I had to wait for one to fall asleep.”
“Why do you need the guard’s permission? I’m beginning to think that the guardians are the ones in charge, not you.” He put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the bars. He looked so cocky.
She bristled at his words. “I am queen. I do what I want. I just choose to keep the peace, and waiting for a guard to be asleep keeps the peace.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You keep telling yourself that.”
She didn’t come here to argue with him.
“Tell me about America.”
“What about it?”
“What does it look like?” She longed to travel and see the world. Books were never quite adequate at describing places. Sometimes Pierre would tell her stories about Europe, but she needed more.
“That’s a complicated question. There are big cities and small towns, massive farms and giant factories. Flat valleys and large lakes and huge mountains. Where I’m from, there are geysers and fields of buffalo. But other places have palm trees and sandy beaches.”
She felt her eyes widen, and her mind flashed to her fantasy the other night. “Have you been?”
“Where?”
“To the beach.” She wanted to feel the sand between her toes and walk in the water under the bright sun.
“Of course. Haven’t you?”
She stared at her hands. “I’ve never been outside the walls of this castle.”
“I’m sorry.” His voice held genuine concern.
“What’s it like? The beach?”
He thought for a moment. “It’s h
ot, and the sand burns your feet. The waves push you over and pull you out to sea. It’s thrilling.”
She tried to imagine it but couldn’t. She’d wanted to go out in the waves here, but it was too cold.
“Will you take me to the beach someday? I’ve always wanted to see it.” She couldn’t believe she was asking him that question. She knew she could never leave, or her people would perish, but she could dream, right? That was allowed.
He leaned his head on the bars. “I’d love to. But I have to get out of here first.”
He was right. She was the queen. If she wished for him to be let out, then he would be let out. She’d never really stood up to the guardians before, and she didn’t know what would happen, but she was determined to try.
She swallowed. “Then, I will see to it that you are let out.”
He reached out and gripped her hand. “Thank you.”
She barely heard his words. His hand was warm and soft. Something passed through her. A thrill. And she wanted to lean into the touch and never let go.
But first.
She had to get him out.
Chapter 28
Dinner was a loud affair at Sid’s house now. Skye usually cooked, but they had to eat in the formal dining room because the whole family couldn’t fit around the kitchen table. Tonight, Ella’s family joined them as well. She sat on Damon’s left, her hair a bright green at the moment.
There was one very empty chair to the right of Damon.
Sid sat next to Ruby, who seemed far more willing to talk to her little brother on the other side of her than him. Aspen chatted with Ella, and so Sid felt very much alone. Aside from himself, everyone in the room was relaxed and enjoying themselves.
He was the only one missing his son.
He watched Skye wrestling Odin back into his chair and Rowan intervening when Gabe and Trinity started throwing food. Once again, he was grateful for his small family. Though it got crazy from time to time with Liam’s friends, but they always went home.
The Dragon Kings Chronicles: Book 3 Page 6
