Page 73 of Courting the Dragon King

Konrad shifted.

“Where are we?” Wraith asked.

“We are in the Densen Mountains in Draconia.”

“Draconia?” Wraith’s eyes widened.

Had he not realised where they were flying? Konrad had assumed that Wraith would be unaware of exactly where they were. But he’d thought Wraith would be able to work out they were in Draconia based on where they’d flown.

Konrad took his hand. “I wanted to show you something. Something I’ve never shown anyone before.”

He led Wraith through the mountains. No paths marked their way. But thankfully, there wasn’t much growth on this part of the mountain. Finally, Konrad brought Wraith to a cave entrance, so small that one had to turn their body and enter side-on.

Konrad entered first. Wraith followed, with greater ease than Konrad, since he was slenderer.

“Wait here.” Konrad felt along the wall as he made his way into the cave. A satchel hung from a jutting piece of rock. He grabbed it and returned to Wraith.

Wraith gazed straight ahead, staring into the darkness of the cave. “Not many humans have died here.”

“You can sense that?” Konrad opened the satchel. He pulled out a torch, a leather flask of oil, and matches. He soaked the Hessian fabric of the torch in oil.

Wraith nodded. “It’s strange. I don’t think I’ve ever been somewhere before where so few people have died.”

“Well, this mountain range is pretty out of the way. Few, if any, come here.” Konrad set the torch alight. “Now, are you ready to see my secret?”

Wraith nodded and smiled.

Walking side by side, Konrad led him further into the cave. The flames cast dancing light and shadows on the uneven dark, orangey-brown rock walls.

“Just a little further ahead,” Konrad said.

Then the cave opened up.

Wraith sucked in a breath. “Konrad! What is this place?”

Chapter

Thirty-Six

“It’s my hoard,” Konrad said.

Gold and jewels glittered in the firelight.

Konrad placed the torch into a sconce on the wall. “All these belonged to previous rulers of Draconia.” He scanned the cave, filled with crowns, jewels, sceptres, and other royal artefacts.

He walked to one of the many plinths in the cave. Wraith came up beside him.

“This was the first addition to my hoard. It belonged to the first queen of Draconia.” Konrad picked up the crown sitting on the plinth. “Ever since I was a boy, I knew I would one day be king. My father never let me forget it. Not for a single second.”

He tilted the crown from side to side. The gold and rubies sparkled. “‘The future of our kingdom will be in your hands one day, Konrad,’ Father would say. ‘You need to be ready. The kingdom is counting on you,’ and, ‘If you fail, so too will Draconia.’”

Konrad’s face reflected in the gold. “I don’t know how many times Father told me something like that. But the words bore down into my soul and took root. They consumed me. I had to be a good king. A good ruler. I could not stand the idea of Draconia failing because of me. That fear haunted my thoughts and dreams.” He ran his finger over the smooth, cool metal.

“Then, one day, as part of my training, one of my tutors took me to the monarch treasury. There are many treasuries in the Castle of the Dragons. But this one houses the artefacts belonging to past monarchs. My tutor would tell me about each of the rulers who owned them. Their successes. Their failures. Their legacies.”

Konrad stared down at the crown. “I remember lifting this. It felt so heavy back then that I almost dropped it.” He felt the crown’s weight in his hands. “But as I gazed at it, I wondered what my legacy would be.”

After his father’s death, Konrad had taken to wearing his father’s crown, as was the norm. But when he returned to Draconia, he’d have a new crown made. One for him to wear for the first time at his coronation. Then he’d continue wearing it throughout his reign. His father’s crown would retire. Konrad would keep it here amongst his hoard.