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“Are these your slaves?” I snap, my tone saying everything about how I feel, and I don’t hide it. Everyone goes quiet.
Lysander’s mum clears her throat. “No, they’re not our slaves. They work for us, and willingly so. We don’t have slaves here. Many of them have families they wish to feed and house, and we pay well. They came with us when we travelled here. They have been loyal servants for many years, and they’re free to leave if they wish to.”
“Lucky them. I wasn’t given that option.”
My reply to the queen leaves everyone silent for a moment. “I didn’t want to leave either.” Meredith’s response surprises me. “In fact, I remember kicking and screaming and fighting the entire way here. I had no interest whatsoever in being a dragon queen.” Dorothy shakes her head. “We took the test together,” she says, pointing at Dorothy. “The other two humans who survived, I didn’t know them until the end. They weren’t the people we roomed with, but Dorothy and I, we shared a room like you’ve all done. Unfortunately, in the trial, the other two that we shared a room with died. We barely survived towards the end. Truth be told, the tests got worse and worse as they went on. The fire was the easiest of all of them. I heard that you jumped first, and that was recklessly brave. I admire that you also speak your mind and don’t seem to be frightened. You remind me of myself.”
I nod, meeting her eyes. “Could you tell me what happens in the tests if they are all the same?”
“No, but they all have similar themes, of course. Falling, flying, fire. These are all themes of the fire test. There’s always reckless, dangerous courage that needs to be taken. To be brave is to be a fire queen. You’ll need that bravery as time goes on in your rule if you win,” she answers.
“Brave or stupid? That’s the real question,” Livia murmurs.
Arty clears her throat. “Is this all the royal family that is left, or do you guys not have any other parents around? No one will speak about the royal families here, and I was curious.”
No one says a word to answer her, but we all wait. I can tell from how the guys all instantly tense that she has hit a sore subject. I’m surprised when it’s Grayson who speaks. “Yes. This is the only family we have left, and I’d appreciate it if you’d be kind to them.”
“No one was being unkind,” I reply.
“Yes, you were,” he coldly replies. “You’re acting like a brat, exactly how you have been since we met.”
“Since we met, we’ve barely spoken, so how would you know I’m a brat?”
He smirks briefly at me for a second, and then Arden laughs. He laughs and laughs. “I call her princess, but she really is a brat. I don’t know if I like that nickname more.”
Lysander chuckles, and I glare at him. Emrys chuckles but stops when he sees my glare. I really, really hate these arrogant asshole kings.
“There looks like there might be some competition over who gets you if you win this,” Dorothy says. The guys shut up really quickly.
“I don’t plan to be any of their dragon queens,” I firmly state. “I want to go back home. That’s it. End of story.”
Meredith sighs. “I was the same. In fact, for the first year, I just tried to escape. I swam down the rivers. I jumped into the sea. I made myself a boat and tried to escape with that. Of course, my mate always brought me back. I actually found it half amusing that he let me get so far before ending my adventures. For the next year, I refused to speak to him or speak to anyone in the court. I just wanted to get back to my family, to my parents, who were missing me. So, he brought my family here. He brought my parents here, and that was the first kind thing he did. I don’t think he wanted a relationship with me at the beginning, but eventually we fell in love.”
“That’s so sweet,” Arty says with a sigh while I’m thinking about if my grandmother could come here. I wouldn’t have to lose her…but this place. She would always be in danger.
Meredith nods. “It was. Sadly, he passed away.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I actually am.” I meet Lysander’s eyes even as I speak to his mother. “I lost my parents too, when I was six, and I have been told they deeply loved each other. My grandmother said it was a blessing they went together, as one without the other would have been a ghost.”
“How did they die?” Emrys quietly asks.
“An accident. We used to travel all the time. My parents loved to explore, and they died in a boating accident, lost at sea while they left me with a nanny in the hotel. They just never came back. I don’t remember any of it. I was too young, but my grandmother was my only living relative. She said she’d met me a few times, but my parents never stayed still long enough for us to actually have a bond until she took me in. She looked after me since then.”
“That was very kind of her,” Dorothy comments.
“Yes, we all have dead parents. Me too,” Hope all but shouts. “Now, can we talk about something else?”
Meredith ignores her. “I hope you win.” She puts her hand on mine. “I really do. Also, may I say, the Water Court is the best.”
“The Fire Court is also quite charming,” Arden sexily murmurs, leaning back in his chair and making no attempt to hide his stare. Lysander laughs, like the idea of me in his court is hilarious. I don’t say a word, but quite literally, I’d rather drown than be Lysander’s anything, but his mum is sweet, so I keep that thought to myself.
Hope begins to make small talk, Arty chiming in every so often. Livia and I stay quiet, so done with all this. When I’m finally given permission to leave with the others, I all but hightail it from the table to the wall, praying the castle is on board with my escape plan. A door appears for me, and I walk straight through it as it opens, watching it shut behind me. I take a deep breath, leaning on the cool stone to slow down my racing heart. “Thank you, castle, but we need to talk about the slutty dress.”
I swear it gets warmer in here for a second, almost like the castle is amused. I jump when the door opens behind me and Grayson steps in. He frowns and reaches for the handle of the door, only for it to disappear. He slams his fist on the stone wall. “Interfering fucking castle.”
He turns on me, and I shiver, flattening my palms on the wall. “You’re a problem, Ellelin.”
“Nope, I’m not, and it’s time I leave,” I quickly say, turning away and walking down the hallway, desperately looking for a door. His steps follow me, right before vines shoot out of the ground, wrapping around my wrists and slamming my back harshly on the wall. I grunt, struggling to get free as he leisurely walks towards me, a dragon hunting an easy prey.
