Kael sucked in a breath, ready to invite himself and his comrades into the room, but the general wasn’t stupid. He cut the other man off before he got a word in.
“Rest, celebrate this incredible act of bravery in one of Wyrmpeak’s finest taverns, and in the morning?” The general nodded slowly. “We’ll get Auren and Fern back. Gentlemen?”
The general didn’t wait for the silver riders to respond, turning on his heel and then facing the rest of us. When he jerked his head in the direction of the map room doorway and started to move towards it, we all did the same. I was the only one who looked back though, just in time to see a dark smile spread across Kael’s face. What did that mean? I wouldn’t get a chance to discover, because as we stepped into the map room, it became clear word had already been sent to parliament. The prime minister sat in a chair at the head of the table, his ankles resting on the corner.
“Hello, Rex,” he said, then nodded to the rest of us. “What’s this I hear about a noblewoman almost falling to her death in the bay?”
The general let out a long sigh, then settled down in a chair.
“That’s what I mean to find out, Prime Minister. So…” He scanned the room. “I want each and every one of you to tell me exactly what happened today in as much detail as you can muster…”
“I knowit seems like all is lost,” the general said, rising to his feet. He’d heard all of our stories and now he was going to tell his own. “And I admit, sitting in a keep that is almost completely undefended is an unprecedented blow.”
“Those silver beasts are still here,” the prime minister said as he swirled whiskey around in his glass. “So Wyrmpeak is not entirely unprotected.”
“Bereft of well trained dragons.” The general shot the man a dark look. “And loyal riders, but…” He stared at each one of us in turn. “There is an opportunity here.”
How? I wanted to demand. What possible opportunity could there be? Fern nearly died. Both she and Auren had left and the gods knew when they’d return. If there was a silver lining to be found in all of this, I needed to know what the hell it was.
“When a wild queen dragon rises to mate, she taunts the males, so that they give chase. It’s their ability to outfly, outmanoeuvre the other males that determine whether or not they get to become one of the sires of her dragonlings.” His smile had my back pressing hard against my chair. “That’s what this is.” The general noted our collective confusion and then nodded before forging on. “Auren’s fit of pique was her delivering a challenge to the entire corp, something our dragons sensed. Why else would they have taken off in pursuit of her?”
Because they persisted in thinking that they still had a chance of mating with Auren, despite all evidence to the contrary.
“The Royal Riders has a long and glorious history of overcoming great hardship. We have restored order each time.” The general was obviously warming to the topic, his chest swelling as he spoke. “And we will do so again. Our dragons are uncontrollable because Auren is unmated. That must change. The queen dragon seems to have taken a shine to your Viridian, Lance.” When the general looked at me, so did everyone else in the room and that was not a comfortable experience. “The corp needs you to pursue Lady Fern far more aggressively, help your dragon forge a connection with hers.”
My hand shot out, grabbing my glass of water and drinking it down as he continued.
“Create a wing with some of your fellow riders and work together to woo the lady. Taking her out on a picnic or to the seaside will mean your dragons and hers will spend more time in each other’s company.” The general looked like a proud papa with his genial smile. “Nature will take it’s course and this problem will be solved.”
“I’m in.” Lawrence was a big man. He uncrossed his arms and sat forward. “The lady’s a pretty lass and it’d be no hardship coming home to her each night.”
“Might be for her, putting up with your bullshit,” another rider said, then shook his head. “My dragon won’t shut up about Auren. If it means getting some peace and quiet, I’d join your wing, Lance.”
“She sought me out.” Slade’s cocky smirk had my hands forming fists against my thighs. “Seems like we already have a connection, so I’m in.”
More riders spoke, their voices getting louder and louder, but it was the quietest one that got my attention. Cora sat there, milk pale, watching everything happen, wide eyed.
“And what about Fern?” I had to clear my throat, forced to speak up to get everyone to shut up. “What about what she thinks about this?” I remembered Kael and his brothers and the way they declared to everyone that she was under their protection. “And the silver riders?”
If I thought to catch the general unawares, I failed.
“This is the problem with women pushing themselves into places that aren’t suited to their natures,” he said. “A man’s home is his castle, but he needs a queen for it to run well. I know there’s all these modern ideas about women working, taking on traditionally male roles, but nothing good will come of it. Females are swayed by their emotions far too easily, unable to make the hard headed decisions needed to ensure our country’s safety.”
His hands hit the table as he leaned over and regarded every one of us.
“If Fern was still under her father’s roof, each man who sought to win her hand would be personally vetted by the men in her family to make sure she was marrying someone who would protect and provide for a woman of her station. Lord Rochester isn’t here, so the corp must act as her proxy. It isn’t just that the silver riders are not the sort of men a lady should marry. Uncouth, lowborn and most of all, undisciplined.” A muscle ticced in the general’s jaw. “But we also have to be mindful of what kind of dragons would be born from a union between Auren and their beasts.”
“They’re the largest and most powerful dragons in the country.” The prime minister pulled his feet off the table, then drank down the rest of his whiskey. “If they were bulls or rams, they’d be the ones you mated your flock or herd to.”
The general’s smile faded.
“But sheep and cows are not the size of dragons, nor do they possess any of their destructive power.” His eyes burned into the prime minister’s. “You need a disciplined, efficient dragon corp to keep the country you run safe from invaders from the continent, otherwise the place will be overrun in weeks. You will no longer be prime minister. Instead, forced to labour under a foreign power’s directive, like every other citizen of Nevermere. So…” He turned to the rest of us. “We are agreed. Auren and Fern will be found in the morning, brought back to the keep and then appropriate mates and husbands found for both of them. Thank you for your time.”
I stumbled out of the map room feeling completely wrung out.
Escorting Fern to the keep was a mistake.
The thought was like one of Lorien’s knives, embedding itself in my heart over and over. I wanted Fern to look up at me, those beautiful blue eyes filled with wonder. If the keep was where she wanted to be, then I’d be a lieutenant. I’d try toimpress her with silver insignias and authority that wasn’t mine, showing her the destructive power of dragons.
