Page 94 of Courting the Dragon King

Leon took a deep breath. “I am a prince of Draconia. And maybe I didn’t fight as long in the war as you did, but I am no coward. I am a skilled and competent warrior. I am loyal, and I know my duty. I will be most useful to my kingdom and my king here, so here I should remain.” He lifted his chin.

Konrad studied Leon. It was a nice little speech. A little undermined by the slight tremor in his voice. Konrad wondered if he’d been practising what to say the whole flight back to the White Monastery. Still, Konrad respected the sentiment and the clear dedication Leon had to duty. Even if Leon had disobeyed Konrad’s orders.

Despite having a traitorous mother, it seemed Leon had grown into a responsible young man.

“Very well,” Konrad said.

Leon’s face broke out in a smile. “Really? You’ll let me stay?”

Konrad huffed. “I will. But no more disobeying orders. Okay?”

Beaming, Leon nodded. “Thank you, Konrad. You won’t regret it! I promise.” Then he dashed off, as if worried Konrad would change his mind.

Konrad chuckled. He headed back towards the dance floor and where he’d left Wraith. Then he paused. Emperor Hugo stumbled down the steps into the ballroom. Konrad had not seen him since before his wife, along with Konrad’s stepmother, had launched their attack.

Since then, the emperor had remained in his quarters, wallowing in his cups. In fact, Konrad was surprised he’d not departed the peace assembly already. But perhaps he’d been too drunk and miserable to organise such a trip.

The emperor took a goblet of wine from a servant and gulped it down. He grabbed another. Many surrounding him openly gawped and whispered. Prince Matteo strode towards the emperor.

“Your Majesty,” Prince Matteo said. Then he leaned in close and spoke in the emperor’s ear.

The emperor waved his hand at his stepson and took a deep gulp from his goblet. Wine dribbled down his chin.

Glancing around, Konrad searched for Elias. He found him on the upper floor of the ballroom, watching the kerfuffle. Clearly, he had no intention of getting involved. He sipped his wine, Gerard by his side. Gerard spoke to Elias, but Elias just stared at his drunk father, eyes cold and expression blank.

Konrad turned back towards Emperor Hugo and Prince Matteo.

“I am still the emperor! You don’t tell me what to do!” the emperor yelled.

Prince Matteo’s jaw ticked. He said something more, still keeping his voice low. But Konrad could see the tension in every line of his face. The emperor frowned and took another gulp of his wine.

Prince Matteo kept speaking. Then he gestured to the ballroom doors and placed a hand on the emperor’s shoulder. He began to walk towards the doors, leading the emperor. Zephyrian guards followed them.

They left the ballroom. Konrad wasn’t quite sure what Prince Matteo said to convince the emperor to leave, but luckily it seemed to have worked.

Talking slowly resumed. Konrad scanned the ballroom, once more looking for Wraith. He spotted him, standing by the dance floor, watching the couples. Konrad smiled as he approached his husband.

But as he neared, Konrad noticed Wraith’s frown and the tightness around his lips.

“What’s wrong?” Konrad asked.

Wraith kept his gaze straight ahead on the dance floor. “My mother just told me my father’s dead.”

Chapter

Forty-Seven

“What?” Konrad’s eyes widened. He scanned the ballroom. Shadow King Lament Grimm stood with several nobles from Necros. The shadow king definitely did not appear dead in any way, shape, or form.

Unless he is undead. But he definitely doesn’t look undead.

Wraith laughed, a bitter, pained noise, unlike any sound Wraith had made before. “No. He isn’t my father.”

Wraith took one of the cups of punch from Konrad’s hand and took a deep gulp. “I never knew my father. Growing up, all I knew was that my mother had betrayed the shadow king and slept with someone else. Then she birthed me.”

Konrad stared at Wraith. He had no words. They’d heard no intel of such a thing. Not even a rumour or a whisper. Of course, the necromancers had always been good at keeping Draconian spies out.

“Does the shadow king know?” Konrad asked.