Page 73 of Shadowborne: Reckoning

‘Stay safe, Love.’

‘How do I entice him without promising anything?’

‘Keep it to business. Talk to him as if he were a trader for your farm harvest. He has something you want, you have something he wants.’

I took a deep breath and met Hanson’s glittering gaze flatly. “There won’t be any need for that. This is a negotiation, not a dance.”

He liked that a great deal, bowing his head and gesturing as if to invite me to speak. “Please… what would it take to convince you to come with me?”

“To what purpose?”

His gaze sharpened. “To the purpose of taking a dragon as your own, teaching me how to ride, sharing my bed, and my life for a time until I can establish a better grip on the herd. At which point we could… renegotiate if you wish.”

“A better grip? Apparently they won’t move from their valley without your instruction. What greater grip do you need?”

His face tightened. “Without orders, that is true. But I still require a middle man—or a middle dragon. I want to remove that layer of… interference.”

“With dragons? I wish you luck.”

His lips thinned. “So, teach me.”

“I don’t know how to do what you’re asking—and besides, what would you do with them? Even if you could become a Furymaster yourself, even if you did have the capability, what would you have them do?”

Hanson’s eyes shuttered and he hesitated. Donavyn spoke in my head suddenly. ‘I’m close.’

‘Can you get around the side—near the tree? Or listen from the hedge? I want to keep him talking. Stay close, but don’t interfere. I think he’s considering telling me his plan.’

‘I’m here. I’ll stay out of sight. Be careful.’

The last words were wrapped in agitated caution. I send him a rush of reassurance and pretended to smooth my skirts as I watched Hanson chew on my question.

Then he tipped forward as if he’d come for me and I shot back to my feet, backing away and reaching for Donavyn instinctively, until Hanson hissed a curse and shook his head.

“I will not touch you,” he muttered. “But I cannot risk this being overheard.”

When I didn’t move, he came to stand at my toes and leaned down to whisper in my ear, his breath fluttering against my cheek. “You have, by now, learned that our kingdom is… eroding. Fyrehold is my home. I have no desire to become a citizen of Ashthorn—or even Vosgaarde. I would see our strength returned and allied with other kingdoms. Not conquered by them.”

I frowned when he straightened and met my eyes, but I kept my voice low. “Healthy dragons would align with the king and protect the kingdom. Why isn’t that happening?”

“I have no idea, but I am no fool. I see the writing on the wall, and if my king will not protect me and mine, then I will protect us.”

I drew back half a step. “A coup?” I breathed.

But Hanson shook his head. “Mutually assured survival. I have no desire to be king. Yet, I also find myself weary of bowing to a man who cares more for his hunting birds than his people.”

I narrowed my gaze. “You would hold leverage over the king?”

Hanson smiled and huffed as if he were amused. “Oh dear, you are very young, aren’t you? If you believe any crown survives without the influence of its wealthiest nobles, then you are sadly naïve.”

I didn’t respond. But he only waited.

“None of this explains why you need me,” I whispered with a glance towards the gap in the hedge. “There are mercenary dragon riders who would do exactly as you wished, when you wished it, purely for money.”

“And I found one of those, yet, I have recently discovered there were more conflicting ties on his purpose and loyalties than I was led to believe. I tire of men whose every step is a ploy to prove to themselves that they are not weakened by working for me. I have learned that women of power are more concerned with results than their own egos. And so… we’re back to you.”

When I didn’t respond, he leaned in closer. “I also prefer not to align myself with characters whose conduct lacks discipline. And I recently discovered my current ally’s character is… questionable.”

“You discovered this… how?”