Page 40 of Shadowborne: Reckoning

I stood there, praying silently that I hadn’t just signed my own death warrant, when Hanson cleared his throat.

“If that is true, why would you even be willing to consider my proposal?”

I huffed. “Because you offered me a dragon,” I whispered, then turned to face him again. “I just never imagined it came along with a bastard I prayed I’d never see ag—”

“Do you have need of me, Brennan?” Donavyn’s deep, guttural growl was menacing and near-bestial.

Hanson’s eyes tightened. He didn’t look away from me, but I tore my gaze from his, turning as if Donavyn’s approach had surprised me. I let dismay, and a flicker of fear cross my features, then sighed.

“I’m not feeling well,” I declared. “And I have no wish to be near your… subordinate.”

Donavyn nodded and turned, offering his arm as if to usher me back across the balcony. But as I took it, Hanson straightened and spoke sharply.

“Hold—General.”

I stiffened as Donavyn halted midstep, then turned back to look at Hanson, his eyes dark with warning.

“Ruin is… your subordinate?”

“Every man who works with dragons in Vosgaarde is under my authority,” Donavyn said quietly. “Did he tell you otherwise?”

“No, only… I understood he was free to pursue his work with the dragons… that the king had sent him—”

“The king sends all of us. A Furyknight’s vow is always first to the crown. But the orders? They’re mine to give. We are trusted with a great deal of autonomy in fulfilling instructions. But make no mistake, Ruin answers to me.”

Hanson’s forehead furrowed, then he looked at me. “So, you do work with men who associate with Ruin, Lady Brennan?”

I froze. My mind blanked. He was wrong, but how to explain without—

“I told you,” Donavyn growled. “Every person who works with dragons is under my authority. Whether they approve of my colleagues, or not,” he added with a grim look at me.

I pretended to shrink under that gaze. Pretended I didn’t feel the rush of love and reassurance and strength coming through the bond.

“I’m growing cold,” I whispered. “Might we go back inside?”

My chest was a riot of conflicting emotions—elation that Donavyn had gotten me away from Hanson’s intensity, despair that I would have to see Ruin before I could escape this madness, and pure exhaustion for the whole damn situation.

I wanted out. Out of all of this.

But I wanted to take Ruin down first.

Donavyn nodded once, tightly, to Hanson, before he started walking again, drawing me with him.

“Thank you for the dance, Lord Hanson,” I said over my shoulder, letting my voice quiver. “I beg your forgiveness that I left it early and thank you for your… consideration. But I don’t believe we have anything further to discuss.”

And then, praying I didn’t over-play my hand, I looked over my shoulder at him and locked eyes with him for long enough that his eyes narrowed, that intent gaze never leaving my face until I turned and followed Donavyn back into the ballroom.

‘You’re brilliant,’ Donavyn sent.

‘Just pray I’m reading him right, Donavyn. If he’s a better man than I think, he might just give up on all of us and then we lose the link to Ruin.’

There was no knowing. Because maybe Hanson knew everything. Maybe, we were all pawns on his chessboard. Or maybe we were one step closer to unveiling whatever Ruin was up to, and we’d just added pressure.

I could only pray it was so.

14. Heal Quickly

~ DONAVYN ~