Page 164 of Shadowborne: Reckoning

When the door at the top of the stairs closed with a thud that echoed on the ceiling, Diaan took a deep breath, then faced her husband again, her nose wrinkled as if she smelled something unpleasant.

“Would you believe, it wasn’t even difficult to capture him?” she sighed. “I had one of the girls he likes send for him. He was with her in minutes. Alone, of course.”

Her lips thinned, and she rolled her shoulders back as she strode towards the cell, bracing herself. Then she grasped Alexi’s hair and yanked his head back. He spluttered and blinked at me with cloudy eyes.

“Donavynnn,” he slurred.

“Tell him about the very clever plan—the dragons,” she said, as if she were speaking to a child. “The new dragons.”

He gave a small cough and flapped a hand, but he spoke without protest, his words running together and slurred, but leaving no question what he said.

“Best animals, the wild ones… no alliances. They can be… moved when they’re young. No herd, no leadder. They’ll take what they’re given ‘cause they don’ know bedder.”

A curl of fury started in my chest. “What do you mean, take what they’re given?”

Either Alexi was intoxicated enough that he didn’t catch the warning in my tone, or he didn’t care. Because he smiled. “Its brillian’, really. ‘Member, I told you we had the issues… thirdy years ago… fordy maybe? The wild ones…”

I nodded, unease churning in my gut. He’d mentioned it a handful of times over the years, whenever feral dragons became part of a conversation.

Vosgaarde had suffered a significant increase in the population of wild dragons decades ago. It had caused problems in our herd for a time—distracting dragons from patrols, and generally causing disruption. But it had always been mentioned in passing. A problem the kingdom once experienced—when I was too young, and not yet at the Keep.

“…We stole the eggs.”

I went very, very still, horror creeping up my spine. “You… you did what?!”

Alexi blinked slowly. “We took their eggs.”

“Who?” I demanded. “Who was willing to—”

“Come now, Don’vyn,” Alexi muttered as if we shared a drink. “You know there’s always men willin’ to do anything when the king gives pr’mission.”

I gaped. Diaan folded her arms and shook her head, a look of disgust on her face. “He talks in circles on this, but the best I can gather is that he’s had a… a network of men—not just here, mind you. An agreement with others, in Draeventhall and Fyrehold both. Building herds in secret. Full of these… thoughtless dragons. Mercenaries. They’ll follow and do as they’re told.”

“But… how?!” I demanded. Bren had one hand to her chest and I felt the pain and disgust in her.

“Exactly as he said—they stole the wild dragon’s eggs. But—and this is what you’ll find interesting—after the first few years, they transported the Vosgaarde eggs to the groups in other kingdoms… because Kgosi held such a grip on the domestic herd here. He worried they’d be discovered and the dragons would report. So, he paid a bounty—men who knew nothing about dragons, but were instructed how to find eggs, steal them, and transport them safely. They’ve been collecting these numbers ever since. Though it sounds like a few wild ones joined them by choice, many of the first that were taken are now old enough to breed—though barely. We’re still working to figure out where the breeding grounds are. He hasn’t actually visited them. But I’ve been provided names. I will send women—no one will suspect them as agents of the crown,” she said, rolling her eyes again. “I assume you’d like to bring those eggs here?”

“Yes, I… I mean, if we can do so safely. I’d have to ask Kgosi…” I frowned. This had to be part of why we’d struggled with breeding here. But how could it, if Kgosi didn’t know it?

“The young dragons—all those minds that didn’t understand humans and wouldn’t think for themselves,” Bren whispered. “Hanson thinking he had control over them…”

“But it was just this fucking scheme,” I growled, nodding. Diaan raised a brow in question. “I will fill you in on what we saw in Fyrehold, but suffice it to say, their herd dragons have either abandoned them, or they’ve been driven out—and I’m guessing this is why. I saw no evidence of thoughtful, wise dragons there. Only wild ones. And none that worked with the crown… well, this would explain a great deal,” I ground out.

“I will look forward to that report,” Diaan said calmly. “But for tonight… there is one more important thread in this braid we haven’t yet unraveled.” Her tone had gone cold, but when she spoke to Alexi, it was with a seductive purr. “Darling, tell Donavyn your brilliant plot—so clever—about how you would conquer the territories—without me,” she added sweetly.

Alexi huffed, and blinked, something in his mind obviously raising a hint of alarm. But whatever he’d been given overrode his instincts and he smacked his lips, then told me everything.

Wild dragons who took orders without conscience. Who would battle without the need for human riders, or selective choice. They would simply scour whatever target they were pointed at.

No risk to soldiers. No strategic choices. Point them at a village, or a castle—or another dragon—and it was burned to the ground. And when they were done, they returned to their handler, while the men could safely enter and loot whatever hadn’t fallen to the dragonfire.

But citizens died. Animals. Everything. There was no selection. And early on, the more honorable men had seen the destruction and lost their appetite for the spoils.

So, Alexi had begun hand-selecting the men he’d choose to help.

“…can’t afford a conscience,” he spluttered, his lips twisting as if the word were distasteful. “Need strong men. Loyal. Leaders and dragons to keep them close. It’s brillian’! Ver’ efffective!”

“And not a plan I would ever have agreed to,” I said starkly. I had guessed he was up to something I would resist. But now I understood why this had never been brought to me—or Kgosi. “Honor and character are so inconvenient,” I drawled.