AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“They did what?” King Laskis’s voice boomed around the massive throne room. “Deserters? Are you telling me the very same day that you arrived, that you dared to leave as deserters?”
I grimaced with so much of his focus on me. I tried to respond, but my mouth refused to open. I could only make a small mewling sound in the back of my throat.
“And where exactly did you plan to go? Where did you think you’d be able to run off to after abandoning your duties? Nowhere in Fraitte would be safe for you, not after abandoning the duties graced onto you by the Ancient Dragons. You would throw it away and for what? So you can go off and fornicate as you wish with whom you wish? You’d rather see these lands perish because you’re too horny too care?”
‘Holy shit, he really is a pervert,’ Landers said.
‘If he tries to touch Rayna, I’m tearing his limbs off,’ Philit added in.
‘I’ll be more than happy to join you, Zilon said. He has to be targeting her. Look at the way he’s always staring at her.’
While it was obvious the king couldn’t hear us, it certainly felt like it as he released a snarl and stomped toward us.
He went to the guys first, his eyes a deadly black. “I should kill you three now and save us the trouble.”
“No!” The very thought of them dead sent me into a small frenzy as I yanked against the dragons holding onto me.
They removed the ropes from me before we had entered the chambers, clearly not seeing me as a threat. The others were still tied up though, making them more vulnerable.
“What would your friends and family think when they hear of your antics?” The king dropped his voice as he turned his question to me. “Your mother and sister?”
I grimaced. “They have nothing to do with this, and you know it.”
“I know your parents raised a disobedient girl who thinks becoming a rider means she can do whatever she wishes. I’ll need to put you back in line, reteach you so to speak.” His gaze cut to my guys. “And they will only hinder that training. It’d be easier to just get rid of them.”
“They’re my dragons. You don’t get to hurt them.”
Something about what I’d said only set King Laskis off as he howled with laughter, even his holey wings rustled from how hard he laughed. The man was enjoying himself far too much. I stilled at his reaction, not sure what to make of it. Was he a delirious dragon? Maybe being mateless for so long destroyed his mind.
“You have too much spunk in you for a rider.” He came closer to me, completely ignoring the low rumbling of growls from my guys as I drew his attention.
‘Stop,’ I warned them. ‘He won’t hurt me.’
‘You don’t know what he’s capable of,’ Philit said.
He was right, I didn’t know, but something told me he wasn’t going to hurt me. At least not yet.
‘What I do know is that he will hurt you guys,’ I sent back.
When no one said anything, I refocused on the king. He was closer than I liked now, only inches away from me, looking down his nose. His wrinkled, gray eyes didn’t waver, only hardening as he watched me. His mustache moved briefly, as if he were about to say something, but he never talked.
At least not right way. He was deliberating over a decision. I held my breath, not sure what to say, or if I should say anything at all. If I opened my mouth, then there was a high chance I’d tip the scales against us.
“Killing them will only hurt us in the fight against the Fae,” Captain Corniz finally spoke from just behind me.
I jumped a little at his sudden voice, forgetting he had been there. I turned just enough to see him and Tanja standing together again. She scowled hard when our eyes met, and I looked away, feeling bad. She’d warned me. Told me to keep my head down, to behave and do as I was told. Then, not even a couple hours later, I had tried to run away.
I’d be pissed at me too.
Captain Corniz continued to talk. “The fight against Neyil and his Fae has only been intensifying these last few months. We need everyone we can if we are to win against them and push them back into Xeria and keep them there.”
“You make a good point, Corniz.” The king seemed to think something over. “Either way, I cannot let this go, nor can I let them think their duties are something they can ignore. They need to be made an example of. Maybe tossing them on the front lines will do them some good. And if they die, then that’ll be one less problem. At least they’d take down some Fae before dying. Killing one or two Fae is better than none.”
My heart nearly constricted with that idea. My guys would be destroyed in a real battle against the Fae. Especially if I wasn’t with them, and by the way he was talking, the king had no intention of ever letting me ride my dragons again. That opened a chasm inside of me that was almost overwhelming.
‘Calm down. We might still be able to get out of this,’ Zilon said. ‘Don’t get overwhelmed by your emotions. Take a deep breath.’
Landers chimed in with his own advice. ‘Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out. We won’t let them split us, and we won’t die. So remain calm. Pay attention to them. Find their weaknesses.’
