Page 123 of Courting the Dragon King

“Fly,” said the grand monk.

The bone dragon stepped towards the ledge. He spread his skeletal wings wide and took flight. He swept through the air, shadow and fire dancing along bone.

“Make him shoot dragonfire,” said the shadow queen.

“Shoot dragonfire,” the grand monk commanded.

Konrad thought his father would be too far away to hear. But distance didn’t seem to matter as the bone dragon opened his mouth and flames burst forth. Cheering and clapping filled the crypt.

“A new day has begun! We have a bone dragon. And soon we will have another.” The shadow queen smiled, grey eyes glinting as she turned to Konrad.

“And we’ll have mages and sorcerers too. Our undead army will be unbeatable.” The shadow king watched the bone dragon flying. “Who could possibly stop us now?”

Chapter

Sixty

Wraith watched King Alaric soar through the cloudy sky.

They’d done it. They’d resurrected the dead dragon king. They’d made a bone dragon.

And it was because of this binding, the blood magic and the contracts they’d all signed. Konrad’s features twisted as he watched his dead father fly.

“Who could possibly stop us now?” The shadow king’s question hung in the air.

Wraith could see no way to stop them. How could they stand against Necros, assisted by the Monks of the Way of the Dove? Their plan seemed foolproof. The monks’ binding blood magic, plus the necromancers’ abilities, seemed unbeatable.

The necromancers would kill and raise dragons, nature mages, lightning and wind sorcerers, and earth elementals. The monks would be able to control all those who’d signed their name, vowing to submit to and obey the monks’ will. The undead army would be unstoppable.

The shadow king and queen stood together, watching King Alaric in flight.

“Our army will be so strong,” said the shadow king. “And it will grow so quickly.” Then he glanced at the grand monk. “And soon the half-brethren will join our undead army too.”

Wraith blinked. The half-brethren who lived on the Island of the Way of the Dove were farmers, fishermen, tailors, tanners, and just everyday people. Why would they be part of Necros’s undead army?

And why would the grand monk allow such a thing to happen? The half-brethren weren’t monks, but they were meant to be under the monks’ protection. Although, right now, none of the grand monk’s actions made any sense to Wraith.

The shadow king grinned. “The grand monk and we have signed a special binding agreement in blood. They have pledged all assistance to us, including providing half-brethren being turned into an army of the undead.”

Then he turned once more to look out the window. A manic gleam glinted in his eyes as if he could picture the undead army, rolling across the kingdoms and spreading far and wide, killing and destroying all those who stood in their way.

The grand monk cleared his throat. “I did say that, didn’t I.”

But there was something off in his voice. Wraith looked at him, and so did the shadow king and queen.

“Unfortunately, I must come clean,” the grand monk smiled. “Whilst it is true that I said the contract pledged our assistance, that is not actually the case.”

“What?” His mother’s voice turned hard.

The grand monk sighed. “It astounds me how many would sign a magically binding contract, using their own blood, without any idea what they signed. It baffles the mind. Really, only a fool would do so.”

On his wedding day, Wraith had hesitated to sign his name because he knew the power that existed in blood. He should have put more thought into it.

Why didn’t I? Why didn’t anyone?

Because the Monks of the Way of the Dove had always seemed so subservient. They’d wanted to help obtain peace. Why would anyone distrust them?

The shadow queen and king gaped. Meanwhile, the grand shield smirked, hand resting on the hilt of her sword. The monks no longer had their heads bowed respectfully. Instead they stared at the necromancers, eyes fierce and defiant. Some smiled.