Page 148 of A Kingdom of Fire and Fury

‘Then I’m sorry, because I have to do this anyway. It’s for your benefit if you play along.’

The eldest baby dragon let out a littlescreech.The other two joined in that awful song that made my ears ring. But somehow that song felt like it called to my soul. Warmth spread throughout my body. The dragons aroundroaredand shot flames up at the sky. The eldest baby used my braid to climb up atop my head, and the middle one claimed the spot by my neck. The youngest still hadn’t moved from its spot on my arm and clutched at my skin even tighter.

Don’t tell me… It can’t be true. I can’t be…

Kieran knelt before me. “Only the Aesvara royal family can hatch eggs. Princess Selena, royal heir to Lusadia, you have our loyalty.”

Nimue’s widened eyes met mine. My brain went blank. My heartbeat sounded in my eardrums. I felt like I was in a dream.This can’t be real. This can’t be true.But it was. The crooning baby dragons were an attest to that. There was no way I could come up with something this wild. The middle dragon crooned and nuzzled against my neck.

After Kieran, Gareth was the first to kneel. He placed his gloved hand over his heart. “All hail Princess Selena!” Gareth’s eyes met mine, and he inclined his head. I knew what he was thinking. This was my chance to change my legacy. Kieran ensured it, and Gareth had cemented it.

Their actions rippled through the crowd. One by one, everyone except the Andovans knelt.

What. The. Fuck.