Page 13 of Shadowborne: Reckoning

“My suspicions that we had a traitor among us had to be true—and I suspected it really was Davros, which would be enough for Ciar to call judgment, even with the curse. It made sense that the dragons were offended by the betrayal as well, but I’ve never seen them conflict like this. Not over a moral dilemma. But there’s no doubt, we had two factions among our dragons, and they were so out of their minds, not even Carnage could get through to them.

“Carnage got me out of there and we discussed what to do next… I knew who Davros was close to in the palace. I knew the nobles he’d spent time with. Personal time,” Ruin said, raising his brows.

“Name them,” I growled.

Ruin huffed. “It’s not that simple,” he muttered. “It has to be one of them. But they’re so close to the king, I can’t go back without proof. After what’s happened, if I don’t give Alexi evidence of my claims, the agents in the palace will just turn it back on me. These people are powerful enough to have almost gotten me uncovered and killed in Draeventhall. Their network will be much farther reaching in Vosgaarde. So… I came here.”

“Why?”

“I told you, I’d discovered their connections with Fyrehold. I’m setting a trap,” he said firmly. “I’ll draw the mole of Vosgaarde out through dealings I know they have in this nation, and when I have actual proof, I’ll return home and give it to the king. And only the king,” he said darkly.

“Correction, Furyknight, you’ll tell me right now who you suspect, what evidence you have so far, and what your plan consists of.”

“Why, so you can kill me?” Ruin sneered.

My blood ran cold because my heart screamed, Yes.

‘Donavyn, this is precisely what we spoke of.’ I knew Kgosi was right, but my insides were doing war. And unfortunately, I’d taken too long to reply, so Ruin knew he wasn’t wrong.

His eyes narrowed. “I see what’s happening here,” he said grimly, tipping his head towards Bren, though not looking at her because that would be a contravention of my order, clever little bastard. “If I give you this, you kill me, then you go back to the king and you’re the hero for the work I did.”

I stepped right up to him, stood over him, furious. “I don’t want you dead to take credit for your work. I want you dead because you’re a villain!”

His brows rose. “Uncovering a mole within the palace makes me a villain?”

“Your conduct makes you a villain—personally, professionally, on every level. I stand here, your Commanding Officer, instructing you to share what you know, and you refuse an order because you think I will take the credit?”

“I don’t want to die!” he snapped. “I barely survived Draeventhall. And hell, maybe you’re here because the mole is onto me!” he said, his eyes flicking to the door behind me. “I mean, why are they sending the Battle Commander out on a mission on the eve of war—unless you’re serving a purpose the rest of us don’t know?” he added suspiciously.

“You listen to me, you putrid little fuck—”

“I’m here to set up a trap—and once it’s sprung, I’ll return to Vosgaarde with hard evidence. If you’re patient, you can follow me home and we’ll bring it to the king together. That way, you can’t take credit for my work, and he knows I did my job. This is my shot for promotion, and to save the kingdom.”

“This is not a negotiation, Furyknight,” I snarled.

“I’m not giving up my only asset because you’re jealous I fucked your girl!”

I went for him with a barely stifled roar, leaping on him so the chair tipped back and his head cracked on the floor.

‘Donavyn…’ Kgosi breathed in my head.

I ignored him, spitting curses and ranting, punching him again and again in that smug little shitface he had.

‘Donavyn!’

Bren caught my arm, and I realized she was close to tears, begging me in the bond. When I finally hesitated, my dragon rumbled in my head, and her voice remained pleading in my ears.

My heart sank. But Bren turned me, taking my face in her hands and linking with me through the bond.

‘Please, Donavyn. Please… please… take a breath. Talk to me. Is what he’s saying true? Can it be true?’

A whole new wave of rage quivered through me. Because the answer to her question was yes.

Did I believe him?

I didn’t want to.

Did it make sense?