Gerard could not see that happening. Although he didn’t know their whole plan, it all seemed so chaotic and with too many moving parts. Could they actually pull it off? And surely someone would discover what the empress and queen consort had done.
But maybe no one from the other kingdoms would care if the dragon king and his five eldest children perished. After all, they had just been at war with them. Perhaps the other kingdoms would overlook any suspicions they had against the empress and the queen consort and be comfortable making a peace treaty with the new rulers of Draconia.
“My daughter will forge a great future for the kingdom.” The queen consort smiled. “She will be a wonderful dragon queen!”
She glanced around at the sorcerers, soldiers, and bandits gathered. “I asked Emmeline if we could involve my children in this plan. They are so clever. But Emmeline advised against it. I pointed out thatherchildren got to be involved.”
She sighed. “But she said only the children who were at the White Monastery were. She reminded me that Prince Matteo isn’t part of the plan. I thought that maybe if the king instructed our children to come here, then they could be involved too.
“But King Alaric didn’t want them to come. He doesn’t care about his other children one bit.” Her head bowed slightly.
She placed a hand on Gerard’s shoulder and squeezed. “I am truly sorry that you have to die, Gerard. But I’m doing this for them. They will be important like you are, once you are gone.”
Gerard forced himself not to shake her hand from his shoulder. “I’m sorry my father treated you and your children so badly. I should have said something. You deserve better.”
“Thank you, Gerard. I’m glad you see that.”
“But murdering us is not the way!” he pleaded. “Perhaps if I talk to my father, perhaps we can find new roles for them. Then they will be important too.”
“I don’t … I don’t know.”
“Please. You don’t want to do this! I know you don’t! We can find a way for your children to be important without you becoming a murderer. They wouldn’t want that.” Gerard opened his mouth, about to say more, but the door leading to the top of the tower swung open.
The robed figure he’d seen earlier, along with Empress Emmeline, came forth. Then two soldiers appeared. Elias hung between them.
Gerard’s heart clenched. Elias’s eyes were half-lidded. Blood spilled from his forehead, dripping down his face and onto his clothes. His hands had been tied in front of him with rope.
“Elias!” The name tore from his throat. He tugged at his shackles. He got to his feet and took one step. Two soldiers grabbed him.
He struggled against them. He managed to take another step closer to Elias. But a third soldier lifted his spear and smashed the butt into Gerard’s gut. Gerard groaned. They shoved him down. He grunted as his knees impacted with the stone.
Hunched over and panting, he watched Elias’s sagging form be dragged forward.
“Put him beside his husband. Don’t worry about being gentle,” the empress commanded.
“Elias!” Gerard cried out.
Why wasn’t Elias fighting back? He was a lightning archmage! Why hadn’t he managed to escape? They didn’t have him in shackles. Just rope. That wouldn’t stop his ability to use his magic.
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Elias is not an archmage.
But then why did he have that mask? Why hadn’t he denied it when Gerard confronted him? And why had he admitted to being the one to injure and scar Gerard?
Gerard tried to look Elias over and assess his wounds as they brought him closer. His shoulder had been cut, and blood stained his clothes around the wound. They threw Elias. He landed heavily on the ground. Elias moaned and closed his eyes.
On his knees, Gerard shuffled closer. The cut on Elias’s shoulder and the gash on his forehead seemed the only obvious wounds. And neither seemed particularly deep. Had they knocked him out before he could gather his power and fight back?
Empress Emmeline walked towards them. She nudged Elias with her boot.
“Stop that!” Gerard glared.
But she ignored him. She pulled back her foot. She kicked Elias in the side. Elias groaned.
“Hey!” Gerard yelled. He tried to rise. But one soldier hit him in the back, and another grabbed his shackled hands and yanked him back down. Two other soldiers pressed down on his shoulders.
And all the while, Elias lay motionless.
“Elias.” Gerard’s voice shook. “Elias. Please wake up,” he begged. He leaned forward. “Please.”
