Page 1 of The Forgotten Throne

Chapter One

The Forgotten Land

Sheca, the forgotten land of the mercenaries, and now our only hope of protection from the Lost King. We might have lost the battle in Royal City, but we were not beaten in the slightest. The time had come for me, the Dragon Queen, to reclaim what had been lost to us for far too long. I knew deep down in my gut it would turn the tide in our favor. Gavin’s parents, along with a few others, had sought refuge with us here in our mountain fortress. My fear was Payson, a man who pretended to be my guardian, was working with Lord Everett and the Lost King. It won’t be long until they are upon us.

As I waited for everyone to gather in the main cavern of our hideout, I picked at the food Cole set in front of me. My brain whirled with so many variables it was hard to eat anything. I was now the one person who stood without a doubt against Henry, the Lost King, bastard son of King Edward of Norden.

As if knowing I was thinking about his father, Gavin slid into the seat beside me and snatched a hunk of bread off my plate. He took after his father with matching deep blue eyes and the dark blond hair, but Gavin got the curls from his mother. If you would have told me that one day the Crown Prince of Norden would leave his role to be my ambassador, I would have said you’re crazy. What man would do such a thing?

“You don’t mind, do you? It looked like you were more interested in destroying the bread instead of eating it,” Gavin said, as I continued to awkwardly stare at him without blinking.

“Oh, no, of course not,” I fumbled, pulling my gaze from his. Looking down at my plate, I saw that I had indeed shredded the other hunk of bread. “Sorry, my mind is racing, and I can’t seem to get it to slow down.”

Gavin reached out and grabbed one of my hands, intertwining our fingers. “Love, we’ll figure this out. There are nine guardians and me standing right beside you, ready to do what we can. I’m sure the other Clan Leaders would also agree with your choice once you’ve explained it to everyone.”

I sat up straight and turned slightly, giving him my full attention. “How in the world are you able to give such logical advice after you just lost your home, your title, and your family is on the run from your half-brother?”

“Cassarah, don’t you remember what I said at dinner last night?” Gavin questioned. “I already gave that up before the fight even started. Those weren’t empty words. My choice to leave the throne was as much for myself and the fact that I couldn’t imagine my life without you being a part of it, however or whenever that happens. Nothing about losing this battle has changed a thing for me. Has it for you?”

“No. As I said back at the castle, I want you to stay with me, but I know going to Sheca will change things. I wanted time to deal with my personal feelings for all of you. I’m not sure I still have that option,” I answered with a sigh.

One of the many things that have been rolling around my head was thinking back on my dreams of Miranda’s life and how she had to pick her consorts and declare them once she became queen. From what Zan told me, Sheca was as traditional as you could get about following the old rules.

“Selfishly, I don’t think I’d mind if you couldn’t wait, but as I said before, I won’t rush you either,” Gavin assured me as he pulled my hand up and kissed the back of it, letting his lips linger.

“Aww, isn’t this cute,” Paxton gushed as he appeared out of the crowd. “I hate to break this moment up, but everyone is here and ready for your announcement.”

Paxton was my newest guardian, whose twin brother, Payson, had tried to deceive me and sell me out to the Lost King. He was brash and impulsive, and his light crystal-blue eyes shone with mischief, along with an ever-present smirk on his face. In some ways, it irked me, but the sight of his black eye made me smile, remembering when I gave it to him yesterday. Like most of the Wind Fist Clan, he had fair skin, light blond hair, almost white, but still had some golden tones to it. Now with his brother dead by Paxton’s own hands and his father, Porvan, locked up for being a traitor, he’d returned to the mercenaries after many years. Seems he was hiding out in Creisal, the kingdom along the coast, and somehow acquired himself a golden female dragon named Ninnat.

“How’s your eye feeling?” I asked, not moving from my spot. Something about Paxton made me want to rebel and push his buttons just because I could.

“Just peachy. I have to admit, you can lay a mean right hook. Look at the color it turned.” He grinned. “Trust me, I’ve been bragging about it to anyone who asks me what happened. It’s not every day you piss the queen off enough that she clocks you.”

I had no idea what to do with this man. Seeing as we’ve barely known each other for a full day, I had a feeling this thought wouldn’t go away anytime soon. Turning back to Gavin, I gave him a soft smile. “Would you help me up to the platform?”

“Of course, love,” Gavin answered as he stood and helped me to my feet.

Without even trying to pick me up like my other guardians would have, he tucked my arm in his and let me lean on him as we walked. The sooner I could get this damn leg to heal the better, but all I seemed to keep doing was making it worse. In the cavern where we all ate our meals together, there was a small stage of sorts at the head of the space for events like this. Having only been their queen for about a week, I hadn’t made any official addresses as of yet. When I reached the spot, I found the rest of my guardians waiting for me, keeping the crowd at bay. Reaching up, I took Izel’s hand as he pulled me up onto the stage, making sure I was steady.

Izel was from the Jade Talon Clan, son to the Clan Leader Xio. Izel had thick, straight, shoulder-length black hair that was currently pulled away from his face. His skin was fair and made for a striking contrast against his dark hair and eyes, which were almond-shaped and the color of coal. Even though his face was finer boned, it didn’t detract from the lethal presence he carried. I knew just how kind he was, despite his upbringing. He was one of the few of my guardians to have a Birthright, giving him the ability to open people’s minds to suggestions. Not like the Lost King who can take over your mind, but more so to coax you into a state of being. He’d done it to me once when I was in far too much pain with my leg and sent me to sleep so I wouldn’t have to suffer.

“Are you ready, Your Majesty?” he asked under his breath as he helped me to the front of the platform.

I knew arguing with him about the title wouldn’t help, but he only used it in public. “Is anyone ever ready to uproot people from their homes or the security they think they have within these walls?”

“You will handle it with grace as you do everything else that’s been thrown at you,” Izel assured me, giving my forearm a squeeze before stepping back and giving me space but not leaving me.

Glancing over the sea of faces before me, I took a few deep calming breaths before I began to project my voice as best I could, hoping everyone could hear me. “People of the clans, I come before you as your queen with news from the Royal City. We are at war with Utros and Errit.”

The crowd gasped. They knew something was brewing, but the Clan Leaders had kept things quiet, and so had I until we knew the full extent of what we were dealing with. The murmur of voices filled the air and people started to shift as fear started to bloom with the unknown.

“A man calling himself the Lost King is leading the fight. I’ve encountered him myself and he is not an enemy to be taken lightly. When I left the fortress the other day with my guardians, we were in Royal City, brokering a deal with King Edward and Queen Mary to become allies. We were able to reach an agreement, but it was in vain. We were too late and the Lost King was already inside the city. Norden has been lost to us, but the King and Queen still live, seeking refuge here with their allies,” I shared, motioning to where they stood with the other Clan Leaders.

My guardians and I determined this was the safest place for them to be once the news was shared. I refused to let them hide. If we were true allies, then this mess was going to be dealt with together.

“Are we safe here?” someone called out from the crowd.

This was the part I worried wouldn’t be taken well. “Payson, son of Porvan, the previous Clan Leader for the Wind Fists, turned his back on his people as his father had. I do not know what information he has given to the enemy, but as your queen, I will not risk your lives. We will have to move on from this place and it will need to happen first thing tomorrow morning. Early, before the sun is up. We have a long journey ahead of us, but I know it will provide the refuge we seek.”