Page 49 of The Forgotten Throne

“Family? You haven’t left Creisal since I was born, the last time we saw each other you swore to my mother you would never avenge her if her mad king managed to kill her in her sleep. Why are you upset about this situation? It was justified every way, stop pretending to be the doting aunt when you were never part of our lives unless it was to ridicule our mother or look down on us from your lofty seat.” Phillip all but snarled out his words.

This was a side to Gavin’s little brother I’d never seen before and in a way, it made me incredibly proud of him. He always seemed more mild-mannered and as I learned firsthand, they smell blood in the water waiting to attack, yet here he was putting his own blood in their place.

Neither of them had a response to what Phillip had just said, so I nodded to the scared servers waiting at the door to go ahead and place the food on the table. I didn’t think we would get another lull in conversation so best to do what we can—I know I needed some food in my stomach. Feeling it might be safer I decided to engage with the prince and princess instead of their parents, the younger generation might feel differently about things.

“Have any of you flown on the back of a dragon before?” I asked.

Princess Amelia’s face lit up at the question. “Mother never allowed us to before, but that was the most exhilarating thing of my whole life.”

“I remember the first time I flew Vasin. It was late at night when the sun was gone, and it was terrifying but also wondrous,” I shared, as a plate was set in front of me.

Having someone taste my food was an argument I had all day with the guys but they won out when they used logic. Our guests needed to think this was normal so that they wouldn’t think to try it themselves. Using a taster kept me and the person doing the job safer than if I did only on coronation day.

“Dragons are ruthless and vile creatures, I’m glad we no longer have an agreement with them in our kingdom,” Queen Catharine stated. “Seems you have quite the infestation of them here, but who could expect much from mercenaries.”

Now it was my turn to take the bitch down a peg. Slowly I rose to my feet drawing everyone’s attention and causing May to step closer to me since she and Becka were the only guardians not seated at the table. I met their gaze letting them know I wasn’t going to do anything too rash. I called my Birthright to me and my bow materialized in my hand with the quiver on my back which I pulled an arrow from and knocked it on the string.

“Now I believe I might have misheard you, but did you just say that dragons were an infestation upon our lands?” I asked as I caressed a finger down the shaft of the arrow not bothering to give them my attention. “See here in Sheca we have an incredibly close relationship with our dragons, some might say it’s a connection unlike any other when you bond with a dragon. They see into the soul of a person and if you are found worthy, they will consider a bond with you.” My eyes flicked up to meet her face. “Are you saying that the other half of my soul is a blight on this kingdom and myself?”

The look of panic that crossed the queen’s face as she realized the massive mistake she just made in saying what she did warmed my heart. As if on cue Vasin flew past the wall of windows in the room and let out a burst of flame for added effect. I tried to keep the look of surprise and joy off my face as I realized that Vasin had gained his fire far sooner than expected.

“It seems that I do not understand the relationships between dragons and their pair-bonds, it has been many generations since we’ve had dragons bless us with their presence in our kingdom,” King Thomas said, trying to placate me.

Releasing my hold on my bow I pulled my magic back into me as I took my seat once again a smile beaming from my face. “It just so happens that I’ve made a new pact with the dragons and I believe they will start gracing our skies like they have in the past once again. They will be free to make connections to those who they wish regardless of their status or connection to the crown. We just have to deal with the matter of the Lost King first.”

King Thomas latched onto that rope like a lifeline. “Yes, it’s devastating what happened in the Royal City. You were there weren’t you, along with your guardians.”

“She’s the reason we made it out of the castle at all,” Gavin interjected. “Her and the dragon riders that she brought with her made sure that we got out of the castle and to safety. When Cassarah gives you her allegiance, she will uphold it no matter the cost to herself.”

“Don’t let the sweet words of a man in love fool you though Queen Cassarah isn’t one to be trifled with. Along with our father, four of her Clan Leaders acted against her and she sentenced them to death the following morning without trial,” Phillip added, nodding to me in respect.

“How is it that your mother still lives?” Queen Catharine inquired.

“She didn’t act against me, her husband did, and I don’t believe in punishing those who were drawn into a situation. Right now she wishes to kill me but she is also grieving the loss of her husband which makes her unable to think clearly which is why Phillip is acting in her stead. I’m sure you knew that the offer to attend my coronation was more than just good manners. If we hope to keep what’s left of our continent out of the Lost King’s clutches, we need to work together. Once he is established in Norden, he’ll be coming for us both. You have the numbers when it comes to military, while I have the dragons and a very skilled group of people who can get in anywhere. To me it makes sense to build an alliance but seeing how our conversation has gone I’m not sure I’d be willing to uphold an alliance with people such as yourself,” I spoke bluntly.

This seemed to shock the king as he spluttered on his wine. “You would toss away an alliance with us because you don’t like us?”

“Was an alliance even on the table? I got the clear impression that you despise me, my consorts, our dragons, and the fact that we are mercenaries. Tell me would that make you want to accept an alliance with someone who’s tossed everything you are in your face as an insult?” I demanded.

He seemed to look at me, really look at me, like it was in this moment he saw me as a queen. “No, I would have kicked them out on their asses or killed them for such slights as you’ve just listed.”

“Yet here you sit alive and well being fed with a warm comfortable bed waiting for you,” I taunted.

“Why? Even if you are desperate for our help, which I don’t think you are, why suffer this humiliation?” King Thomas asked, truly stumped.

I cocked my head to the side unsure if I wanted to tell him the truth or not but decided that it was time to reveal the type of queen I was. “I needed you as bait. You see, the Lost King has a dragon that’s gone mad because of the magic that’s been used on it but I have a feeling he doesn’t have much control of it so he locks it away. Killing that dragon kills the king and the whole thing ends before it can even start, problem solved.”

“You... you mean... bringing us here...” Queen Catharine started but was too terrified to finish.

“Bringing you here would make the Lost King think we were brokering an alliance and doing that would make his job so much harder seeing as we have the advantage of having the sea behind us blocking him from coming at us from all sides like he did in Norden. That and as I pointed out you have quite the military and he knows we have far more dragons at our beck and call than anyone realizes, but that won’t be enough to stop him if he takes you out first.”

“Like we would fall that easily.” King Thomas scoffed.

“You’re here now, aren’t you? Did you even bother to put your military on alert or draw them in closer to the cities that would be attacked first?” I countered seeing his expression fall. “I didn’t think so. You left your kingdom and now it’s ripe for the picking. You would only do that if you are stupid or confident you had backup such as a flight of dragons at your disposal. Thus making the Lost King think we have an alliance and we are celebrating it here and now.”

“That, Your Majesty, is the biggest benefit you get from an alliance with Sheca, Queen Cassarah herself. A mind unlike any other you’ve ever witnessed before,” Gavin responded, taking my hand and lifting it to his lips.

Smiling at him, I noticed something caught his attention as he looked past me out the windows to my left. Fear flooded his gaze, having me twist in my chair just in time to see a dragon outside the window—one that I’d never seen before. It was once blue but its coloring seemed to have faded to an almost white color. Its eyes were completely black void of any expression. Acid seeped out of its mouth as it all but grinned at us before letting out a roar, hurling flames at the glass windows. They held under the first hit, but I wasn’t sure it would for a second.