Page 64 of Dragon King’s Bullied Mate

“And?” Dag demanded. “People get targeted every day.”

The sheer cruelty in the statement stunned Mikael briefly.

Dag stepped closer, voice lowering now. “You’re blinded by guilt and lust and whatever twisted savior fantasy you’ve built around her.”

Mikael’s hands curled slowly into fists. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I know exactly what I’m talking about,” Dag shot back. “And I’ll never forget what she did to my brother.”

The words froze the room.

Mikael blinked once. “Your brother?”

Dag went completely still and it was easy to see that he regretted his outburst.

“You said he died when we were children,” Mikael said carefully.

For one brief moment something almost like panic flickered across Dag’s face before hardening again.

“I misspoke.”

“No,” Mikael replied quietly. “You didn’t.”

Dag looked away first, which frightened Mikael more than shouting would have.

“What did Lyra do?” Mikael asked.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It clearly matters to you.”

Dag’s jaw tightened visibly. “Drop it.”

Mikael stared at him carefully now while old memories twisted through his mind. “I was there when you mourned beside a small gravesite after your brother’s river accident. I went to the funeral. What are you talking about?”

Had all of it been a lie? Dag stood silent.

“What happened?” Mikael pressed.

Dag stepped backward instead and rebuilt his composure piece by piece. “You’re losing perspective,” he said coldly. “And if you drag that girl into this castle, you’re going to regret it.”

Then he turned and left before Mikael could stop him.

Mikael remained motionless beside the windows long after the doors shut, staring out over the snow-covered castle grounds while unease twisted deeper and deeper through his chest. Every answer he uncovered only revealed more lies beneath it.

Lyra was coming here, into a court poisoned by fear, manipulation, terrorists, and secrets buried deep enough that even Dag’s past no longer made sense.

The dragon inside Mikael still insisted bringing her closer was the only way to keep her safe.

But standing alone in the darkened chamber, Mikael found himself wondering whether he had just brought the greatest danger directly to her.

Chapter 24

Lyra

Lyra knew something was wrong the moment Malaya stepped outside away from the guards stationed around her cottage. While not her first choice, after the attempted attack they had decided it best for guards to escort them home.

She watched Malaya’s face as she lifted her phone toward her ear with the kind of expression people wore when bracing themselves for bad news.