Page 163 of Shadowborne: Reckoning

In response, I turned to face the launch hollow—the stunned men, the agitated dragons—and raised my voice so they’d all hear me, urging Kgosi to make certain the dragons passed this on to any among the herd who weren’t here, or their riders.

“Kgosi and Akhane are mates—as you saw, she rules at his side. Her rider, Furyknight Bren Kearney, is my mate. We are bonded as surely as our dragons. After what you just witnessed, if you do not believe that she is as committed to this kingdom and the safety of our brothers as any of you, you can speak directly with me.” Then I turned back to the queen, whose mouth had dropped open in stunned disbelief. “I find I have lost all patience for discretion, Diaan.”

She inhaled sharply when I used her first name, and Bren’s grip on my hand tightened, but I plowed on.

“My mate, who has remained honest and honorable from the first, believes you are the… straight arrow in this palace,” I muttered, letting my tone tell her that I still had misgivings. “And at least for now, you are still my queen.” I bowed, as was proper, because if she would lead Vosgaarde, I didn’t want to lead a rebellion. “But I have questions.”

“You are not the only one, Donavyn,” she said dryly. “However, as I’m sure you understand, there are many undercurrents that threatened to pull us all under. I came to find Furyknight Kearney, but I am relieved you’re here. You are needed in the palace. Please, come with m—”

There was a low, guttural growl that vibrated in the earth under our feet. I turned to find Kgosi standing on the slope, his head high, staring down at the queen.

To my shock, she stepped back one pace, then caught herself, blinking rapidly.

A moment later she dropped into a slow, shaking curtsey? And when she straightened, her throat bobbed as if she awaited a verdict.

I gaped at my dragon. ‘Keg, what did you do?’

‘It is important that she is left with no uncertainty about who I serve, Donavyn. I will not take orders from a human throne again. But I will serve alongside you. The choice of where we are pointed is yours,’ he sent, dropping my jaw. Then my dragon groaned and turned, limping back to Akhane, and many of the other dragons rushing to him, crowding, rubbing snouts on his neck, and back.

‘Donavyn… what’s going on?’ Bren asked, gripping my arm.

‘Kgosi won’t put the dragons under the authority of a human king anymore… but he will follow whatever purpose I choose. He’s… he’s given the choice to me of what we do, where we go from here.’

I was still staring at him, speechless, when the sound of a feminine throat being cleared behind me startled me.

When I faced Diaan again, she was being assisted by her guards across the uneven ground to stand at my side at the edge of the hollow. Her throat bobbed when she caught sight of the dragon ash at the base of the launch hollow, but when she turned to face me, her chin was high, even if her face looked a little green.

“Your… mate informed me of the challenges we have all recently faced, General,” she said, projecting her voice so anyone in the launch hollow would hear. “I would hear your report and… I have something to show you, as well, before you make that choice.”

I looked down at her, the temptation rising to tell her to go fuck herself. But Bren squeezed my hand. ‘I think she’s true. She’s ambitious, but she sees the prosperity of the nation as her key to success. Also… she just watched Kgosi destroy another dragon. She saw what they can do. I think she’s probably eager to keep you safe—or maybe, to keep herself safe from Kgosi,’ she sent with a smile. ‘You should listen to her.’

When I turned back to the queen, I looked down on her from my vastly superior height, but she was the one staring down her nose.

I took a deep breath. “Very well, Your Majesty. Please… lead the way. But wherever I go, my mate goes with me. That is non-negotiable.”

Diaan’s lips thinned, but she nodded and turned on her heel, accepting the arm of one of her guards. “Very well, Donavyn. Please, come with me.”

She ordered one man to run ahead and prepare food and drinks for us—for which I was grateful. My legs shook with weariness, and my head was foggy with pure exhaustion. Yet, I was brightly awake and knew it would be hours before I could sleep.

So, I held Bren’s hand tightly, and followed the woman back towards the Palace, praying the whole way that we weren’t walking into a trap.

Standing in the very dim, dank light of the dungeons, I shook my head.

In the smallest cell, guarded by half a dozen murderous looking women, Alexi sprawled, leaning on the bars because one of his legs bent in the wrong direction and he couldn’t move himself from the position. Yet, even as he clung to the bars and stared up at me, his lips were loose, his jaw sagging, and his words slurred.

“What did you give him?” I asked Diaan.

She looked past me, to where Terra leaned against a small table in the area at the center, where the guards played cards or received visitors for prisoners.

“He’s not poisoned,” she said grimly. “It’s a herb that offers pain relief, but more importantly, it appears to… encourage truth,” she said, her lips twitching towards a smile, though she fought it. “We are learning a great deal about the king—I mean, Alexi,” she said with a glance at the queen. “Did you know he likes to suck on toes? Men or women, he doesn’t mind.”

Diaan snorted. “I was aware.” She rolled her eyes. “My husband has graced us with many a truth this evening,” she continued dryly, then faced me again, her expression growing stern. “Including confirmation of some of the things that Bren explained.”

A kind of pall descended on the women in the room. I glanced at Bren, but she watched as curiously as me, while the queen urged the guards and Terra to leave the dungeon and wait for us outside the door.

“…I’m certain the General can protect me if my husband suddenly finds a way to attack me whilst behind bars and teetering on one foot.”

Point made, she didn’t move, but waited for the other women to leave. Terra gripped Bren’s free hand as she passed, and murmured something I didn’t catch. But I hadn’t let Bren go yet, and wasn’t about to.