“You did enjoy it, didn’t you? Lord Seron is a good man.”
“Yes. What a good man. That’s exactly what I was thinking while I watched him fill you with dragon dick.”
We both started laughing hard but that was how I knew Oszin really was coming to terms with the arrangement. He wouldn’t make a joke if he didn’t plan on doing it again. My skin tingled at the thought. I trailed a hand down his sleeve, already dreaming of when we’d be back in a proper bed with proper privacy…and all three of my men, together…
“Moth,” he said, serious again. “As much as I want to see you again tonight, I think you’d better give the king some attention. This situation worries me.”
“Well—yes. I’m sure Aurek must be in shock, deep down. But Seron, too…I wonder if he’ll serve Aurekdel as well…now.” My jaw tightened. I could hardly imagine finding out my royal blood was a lie. “What would you think, if our positions were reversed?”
“Us?” Oszin shook his head. “Well, that’s impossible.”
“I know, but…would you want to be my guard even if you found out you were really a prince, and I was a nobody?”
“Ah…” He rubbed his forehead. “I didn’t become your guard to serve you. I became your guard for the paycheck.”
I crossed my arms in mock annoyance. “Oh, I see.”
“Then I saw you,” he said. “And my reasons changed a bit…”
“Uh-huh.”
“In my mind, I didn’t belong to you. You belonged to me.”
“You must be the cockiest peasant in town.”
“Quite the opposite, in fact. I am the least cocky peasant ever.”
“In the whole history of humanity?”
He nodded. “Because you might belong to me, but I would do anything for you. I don’t care if you’re a princess or a queen or a farmer.”
“You really lay it on thick once the flood gates are opened, huh?”
“Well, I have some other thoughts on the matter. Ones you might not agree with as much…”
I nudged him. “You mean those political things you’ve been reading?”
“The trouble with monarchies is that a bad king can follow a good one. In the military, jobs go to the ones who perform them best. I mean…well…” His brow furrowed. “Sure, money and connections play a big part. But at least your chances are better because no one wants to lose a war. Why is your brother the emperor? I’m not saying he’s bad at it, but—he’s only on the throne because he was the only son of the king of Gaermon.”
“I worry about him,” I admitted. “Rin’s good at a lot of things. I just don’t know if ruling the country is one of them. I do think he has enough help.”
“I don’t know,” Oszin said. “The whole discussion just seems strange. The idea that Aurekdel was supposedly a great king yesterday, and now his whole rule is in question because he doesn’t have the right blood? That’s ridiculous.”
“But Seron could be a good king, too,” I said. “It seems wrong that Aurekdel’s parents decided for the whole country when they were little kids.”
“Do you think Seron should take the crown from Aurek?” Oszin asked me.
I shuddered. “Don’t ask me that.”
“What if you had to decide?”
“Oszin!” I smacked his arm. “Just catch some fish and be quiet.”
He looked out at the lake and whistled faintly. “Nothin’ much bitin’.”
I looked at the calm waters. Yes, this was a painful question to consider. Did I think having royal blood actually meant anything at all? And if I thought Aurek should be the king even if he wasn’t the king at all, well, why were any of us here, then? It would undermine the very idea of hereditary rule. If I thought Seron should become king, it would undermine all the hard work Aurekdel had done. If I had to choose based purely on merit, I still wasn’t sure. Seron seemed to have a kinder heart than Aurek, but as I knew from my father, that could also get you killed.
I guess I’d better just make sure Seron stays content right where he is.
I was already worried about the issue of heirs. I shared different things with each of these three men. I was relaxed with Oszin; I could be my worst self if I wanted, and certainly my most ridiculous self, and know it wouldn’t change how he thought of me. Aurekdel was the one who most respected my desire for strength. Even now that I was healed, I would never forget that he was the one who trusted me with a weapon even when I was fragile.
But I want to have Seron’s children. I rubbed my palms against my eyes like I could scrub the vision from my mind. I really think I do…
Oszin draped an arm around me and handed me the fishing pole. “Want to try? Maybe you’ll have better luck.”
“Yeah! What have you been using for bait, anyway?”
We used to fish in a few spots around the castle when we were younger. It was one of the few sporting things that I was still allowed to do, even if Oszin had to help me actually bring in the catch. It felt comfortable just to sit here beside him, hip to hip, brushing hands, talking easily about nothing and everything. Once we actually caught a fish and had it flopping around on the rocks, all the winged cats got very interested and I had to swat them away.
The only cat that wasn’t interested? My own silly kitten.
“Where is Kajira?” I asked, suddenly feeling worried.
Chapter Four
Ezeru
I sat alone in the shadows of the secluded spot I’d staked out for myself.
I had passed the first test. The high dragons believed me. One step closer to saving Peri. One step closer to revenge.
Maybe even one step closer to saving my people. Although I had my doubts. No one cared for the fate of the rock dragons.
Well, no matter. If Aurekdel believed that I wanted to see Dvaro dead as much as I did, we would make for good allies. I didn’t expect more than that. I knew that this was no place for me either. The high dragons were even more beautiful than the mist dragons, so varied in their appearance—the subtle hues of purple, golden, blue and pink in the skin and eyes of some of the crystal dragons, the calm perfection of the ice dragons, the fiery charm of the lava dragons, and the faint shimmer of the metal dragons that suggested how stunning their beastial forms would be: how must I seem to them?
The moment I caught a woman looking at me with surprise and maybe a bit of interest, I could hardly get myself out of sight fast enough.
I fully expected that while King Aurekdel might make use of me for a common goal, he wouldn’t take kindly to me looking at any of the women of his clan, the same as Dvaro. And while he might be blind, it was no wonder he had a fearsome reputation. The moment I entered his presence, I saw how dangerous Dvaro might be if he had more self control. If he listened, if he had patience, if he calculated his moves more carefully. And Aurekdel had an equally strong ally in Lord Seron.
No wonder Dvaro can’t seem to win…
But I didn’t trust any of them. And I never would. The shadows…alone. This was the only place a man like me could find any peace.
I felt something brush my elbow and jumped, reaching for the nearest rock, fully expecting to feel the nip of a tunnel weasel.
It was only the queen’s little cat.
“Get out of here,” I hissed, scooping up the cat and putting it at arm’s length, pointed back out to the rest of the camp.
She immediately turned around and flew onto my shoulder and then sat down, licking her paw. Like she belonged there.
“No,” I said, picking her up and giving her a nudge away this time. “Return to your mistress.”
Back onto my shoulder she went, like she’d never left. This time she sat, folding her wings. She blinked at me and I heard her purring away.
I had no idea why this little thing was interested in me.
“Kajira?” I heard Himika’s voice calling in the distance with concern.
This was absurd and frankly, dangerous.
I couldn’t have anything more to d
o with the queen. Her presence had an effect on me that was unexpected and very unwelcome. I was not easily terrified. Hell, I wasn’t even afraid to die, if I thought Peri would be all right. But the tingle of awareness and…interest…I felt when I was carrying Queen Himika through the tunnels?
It felt like the fringe of the most dangerous emotion I had ever experienced.
It might get me killed, but far worse, it might make me feel as if I cared. Even if it was just an animal impulse. If it was the “heat” that made rock dragons mate mindlessly.
I can master this. But there’s no sense in tempting it.
I plucked Kajira off my shoulder and walked her out, her little body wriggling in my grip. As soon as I emerged, everyone was staring at me again, including Himika.
“Oh, there she is!” She walked over and took the cat back. “Was she bothering you?”
“You’d better keep her away from me,” I said.
“I mean…you’re not saying you’d hurt her,” Himika said, frowning at me. “She’s just curious.”
“I would certainly not hurt her.” That wasn’t what I meant at all.
Some of the other dragons in the vicinity were looking at me suspiciously, as if they would defend the queen almost before the situation truly warranted it.
“I should stay away from you,” I said sharply.
“Why?”
“I can’t believe you would even ask why,” I said. “Surely the king doesn’t want me…mingling, particularly with the queen.”
“He doesn’t tell me who to mingle with in my spare time,” she said, looking almost bemused now. “You kidnapped me earlier! I think if you were going to do anything, you would already have done it.”
“I’m not here to make friends,” I said. “I’m here to get a job done.”
“I see,” she said. “Well, I’m sorry my cat is such a nuisance.”
She seemed disappointed in me now. But it was for the best if she didn’t like me. Actually, it was the only possible way I could share a castle with her, if my worst fears were true.
I was relieved to return to the shadowed cave I had staked out for myself. I wasn’t used to anyone wanting to talk to me, and even Peri, being mute, was not that conversational. Although we could speak with our hands, we were just as often happier in silence.
“You don’t like cats?”
I heard the tap of his cane a second before he spoke and yet I still jumped at the calm voice in the darkness before my eyes adjusted from the bright light of the camp fires.
“Your Majesty? I didn’t see you there.”
“Oh. I’m sorry,” he said, walking up to me. “I’m afraid that I’m oblivious to which areas of the cavern are illuminated.” The way he said it, I wondered if that was even true. As a crystal dragon, he would know if the cavern was laced with light crystal, I thought. And he would feel the heat of the torch if I carried one. If he didn’t want to surprise me, he could have carried a light crystal himself.
“Was there something else you wanted to speak to me about?”
“Yes. I wanted a private moment with you. The council believes your story, by and large. I see no reason not to believe you either. You will be watched, and in Irandal, your rock powers will be diminished. The palace is largely constructed of crystal.”
“I don’t blame you if you don’t trust me. I hope I’ll have a chance to prove my true loyalties sooner or later in battle.”
“I hope…not,” Aurekdel said wryly. “Let’s reach our destination safely.”
“I am not good with words, my lord.”
“Did Dvaro give you much chance to speak?” the king asked. “Ezeru…my council feels that you wouldn’t have brought back Himika safely if you wanted to deceive us. Your story of how Queen Izeria ‘created’ you is surprising, but understandable. My gut suggests to me that you’re telling the truth. The hatred in your voice when you speak of them is one of the emotions that no one would fake. So…I do believe you. But they are still the only people you have known. You say that Guardian Niko’s mother is the only person you care about…but is that true? I don’t think that’s truly your only mission.”
“I care about the other rock dragons,” I admitted. “I’m just afraid they’re beyond help. When they’re children, they cry, they resist…they still have some fight in them, but he quickly teaches them to fear him. And as adults, they are…slaves to him. They repeat what he says. They believe every word. They do as he asks.”
“It isn’t just rock dragons who can fall prey to that sort of thing, you know, Ezeru,” Aurek said. “Well, what about the mist dragons?”
“I don’t care for the life of any mist dragon but Peri…”
“You don’t care,” he said. “If they all died. Every last one of them.”
I hesitated for the briefest moment, because I thought of the girl who was kind to me now and then. I thought of the jovial boy who brought food down to the dungeons. I thought of old Karapu, who mopped the castle hallways all day, and always asked me if I was having a good morning, as if he was completely oblivious to all the castle’s dramas and even who I was.
“War means sacrifice,” I said. “Your people haven’t kept rock dragons for a long time, and you never used them to fight. Not that you are especially kind to them. We just want to be left alone.”
“Come with me,” Aurek said, as the cat settled on his shoulder.
I didn’t want to leave the cave again, but for now, I would follow his command. He led the way around the camp, past high dragons settling in to rest, spreading their sleeping furs, amusing children, starting fires with a wave of their hand, sharpening swords, sewing beautiful cloth like the clothes Himika wore. As he walked by them, some of them greeted him but I also saw some of them shut their mouths and pull their children closer as they spotted me behind them.
“King Aurekdel,” said an officer standing guard in front of a tent, off in a side passage of the caverns.
“Yes, here we are,” Aurekdel said, pulling me back a few steps. “Ezeru…the captain of the ship that brought you in is here. He told us where to find you in the aqueducts. I told him that if we found the queen, we would let him go, but that was before I realized you were on our side.”
My eyes shot to the guard, then back to the king. “What are you saying?”
“He will know you betrayed him,” Aurek said. “Now he has that information to take back to Dvaro. And he called you a ‘fucking rock dragon freak’. So what do you think?”
“What do you mean?”
“Is he an honorable man?”
“Honorable? I wouldn’t call him that. I’m sure he would enjoy seeing my downfall, to be quite honest.”
“What would you do with him now?”
“If he gets back to Dvaro, he will immediately give them word to come after me.”
“We have hard decisions to make,” Aurekdel said. “When we move back to Hemara Fortress in two months, it’s a lot of trouble to take a prisoner with us. We have to keep our caravan as light as possible. It’s already a struggle to carry enough supplies for our own people.” He raised an eyebrow.
I understood now. This was another test of my loyalty, whether I was willing to see a mist dragon killed. An easy test, at that. I had no love for killing, but Captain Merudon wouldn’t have cared if I slaughtered all the high dragons. “This rock dragon freak is sure Captain Merudon was always prepared to die in the line of duty.”
“What if we traded him for Peri?”
A little hope rose in me at this unexpected kindness—before I thought it through. “Dvaro doesn’t know who Peri is,” I said. “He would be suspicious of such a request. If he knew how much I wanted to save her, he might either kill her, or torture her in order to get me back. I can’t risk that.”
“I see…” Aurekdel nodded solemnly. “You have given me all the right answers, Ezeru…even if I don’t like them. We’ll find another way to get Peri back.”
His voice was soft but confident. I had no in
clination to like anyone who held onto power, but I was still a little astonished at how well he handled the situation. He didn’t show any fear of me, and he made no threats.
“I don’t mind if you speak to the queen, by the way. I’m not possessive. Hearts are not won by the hand that grips them tightest. Himika can do what she likes.”
“It isn’t personal,” I said. “I don’t want to speak to anyone.”
Aurekdel laughed. “I’m so sorry that you’ve chosen me to be your king, then.”
Chapter Five
Himika
“I am glad to have you all to myself tonight…” Aurek put an arm around me and drew me toward our camp bed. We had a secluded corner of the caverns with a double layers of curtains around us, although it was still not nearly as private as I would like. “It sounds like your champions were quite the champions when I wasn’t around.” He started untying the sash at the back of my waist.
I snorted. “Well, you’re taking it pretty well, considering…”
“I don’t know how to take it,” Aurek said.
“I don’t either, but you’re still taking it well.”
“Sir?” a girl called outside. “I brought the wine and I found that anti-anxiety mist you asked for.”
He shoved off the bed and snapped open the curtain. “I didn’t say anti-anxiety, I said relaxing.”
“Oh.” She shrugged. “It’s the same thing, isn’t it?”
“It’s not the same thing. I never have anxiety. I just like to relax.” He took a basket from her hands and shut the curtains, drawing them as far as they would go.
“I am taking it well,” he said, holding up the basket.
“I see,” I said. “That’s a lot of wine for two people.”
“Two people? Who said any of this was for you?” But there were two cups, of course, and he poured some for both of us. He drained his first cup, wiped his mouth, and looked pensive.
“Are you going to finish undressing me?”
“Oh, yes,” he said. “I’ll be doing a lot more than that.”
The Kingdoms of Sky and Shadow Box Set: A Fantasy Romance Page 29
