Chapter 15 #2
“Don’t babe me. He can go fuck himself. To think he can touch even a sliver of the godstone that belonged to Caris is bullshit. She’s gonna turn him into a pile of ash if he touches her crystal.”
Adrian glanced at Haru to find that the dragon had tipped his head up and was grinning broadly. Clearly, Drayce had taken the words right out of his mouth. Adrian’s shoulders shook with a silent laugh, and he returned his attention to the phone that rested on the coffee table between him and Vitor.
“Vitor?” Rayne cut in. The king’s advisor sounded calm and collected once again, completely normal after his emotional outburst.
The spy shifted to the edge of his seat, leaning closer to the phone.
“This conspiracy has all the markings of a political power move to not only seize control of Damardor from the New Rosanthe loyalists but also to conquer New Rosanthe itself. Matthys Drost and Ruben Deinum are major backers of high-ranking political figures in Damardor. It wouldn’t take much at this stage for them to take control of the country through puppets.
They’ve cultivated enough unrest among the masses to sway public opinion. ”
“I feel like I can hear a ‘but’ coming in this long explanation,” Caelan teased.
“Because there is one. Even if Deinum and his politicians take control of Damardor’s government and military, he doesn’t have the army he needs to take New Rosanthe.
The emperor has always kept Damardor’s military forces small and dependent on New Rosanthe just so they couldn’t stage any kind of effective revolt. ”
“That’s why he wants all these magical folks,” Haru cut in. “He wants to force them into being soldiers for him. Warriors to wipe out New Rosanthe’s leaders.”
“Perhaps,” Caelan murmured.
“It’s not a horrible idea.” Eno’s deep voice rumbled across the line.
“He wouldn’t even need a full battalion of magic users.
It could be a squad of seven or eight if their magic is lethal enough.
They could sneak in and take most guards by surprise with their magic.
With proper training, assassinations could be done quickly, tipping New Rosanthe into complete chaos and opening the door for Damardor.
The timing would have to be perfect, though. ”
“So, you’re talking six of me, right?” Adrian joked.
“Or just one dragon,” Haru added.
“I would rather not go down this hypothetical rabbit hole any further,” Caelan said sharply. “Not even as a mental exercise. It’s unethical.”
“Of course, Your Majesty,” Eno stated, his voice apologetic. “The point is that it is a possibility, but a high-risk and very difficult approach. One that is likely to fail.”
“Maybe…” Vitor mumbled.
“You have a thought, Gray Fox?” Caelan nudged.
“Mostly gut feelings, Your Majesty. Nothing with hard evidence,” Vitor admitted.
Caelan grunted. “I find I am having similar dark feelings. I’m concerned that we’re not getting the full picture.
They are collecting people with magic and then coercing them to help assassinate New Rosanthe’s leaders.
I would imagine there aren’t many people with magic, and most aren’t blessed to have fighting skills like Adrian and Haru.
Who would willingly join this fight? Is it a matter of offering enough money or power to this person to get them to fight? ” A rough scoff jumped from the phone.
“Shey wouldn’t buy into their cause, and there is no amount of money you could offer him to fight by their side,” Rayne grumbled.
“They would need some kind of leverage. A threat to his sister, perhaps?” Eno suggested.
Adrian rolled his eyes. If Eno didn’t watch his tongue, he was going to find himself suffocated in his sleep by his new husband.
“What? I’m just saying there are ways around money,” Eno continued defensively in the background, proving Rayne had threatened him. Haru snorted.
“Your Majesty, I’m sure that we’re not seeing the entire picture here.
Deinum spoke of partners, and I’m inclined to believe that he’s not the true mastermind behind this massive undertaking,” Vitor interrupted, getting them all on track again.
“If you’ll permit me, I would like to keep using Haru to pose as a rich investor and a source of godstone shards.
It’s a viable way of gathering important information and possibly locating His Highness. ”
“I’m fine with it if Haru is willing,” Caelan agreed.
Both Adrian and Vitor turned their attention to Haru. The dragon shrugged his shoulders lazily. “If this helps us to find Shey, I will continue this charade. I would like permission to kill these people at the end. They’ve made Adrian uncomfortable, and they need to pay for that.”
“Oh, fuck,” Adrian muttered under his breath.
Drayce’s wild cackle burst out of the phone and filled the room.
“We’ll discuss that later,” Caelan said, though it sounded as if he were fighting laughter.
“In the meantime, I’ll contact Nori and Queen Noemi about getting our hands on shards of the two godstones.
My only request is that these shards never leave Haru’s possession.
I can’t fathom what they are doing with them, but it can’t be good. ”
“Agreed,” Haru stated.
There was some more talk about logistics and timing, but the call ended soon after. Vitor thanked them for their help and left, saying that he needed to get in contact with other spies in the city to see what they had learned.
Adrian pushed to his feet and walked to the windows, staring out over the city with his hands shoved into his pockets.
From up here, the capital was quiet and clean.
Everything looked orderly and safe, but since coming to Bellcairn, Adrian had learned that it was all a thin disguise that was in danger of tearing at any moment.
Unrest was bubbling up among most of the people who were struggling to put food in their bellies or terrified of the stories of people disappearing off the streets.
Meanwhile, there was an entire cadre of rich people who were stirring up this toxic stew, wanting it to spill over so they could use it as a reason to scoop up control.
And in all the mess, Adrian suspected that the two sides were unaware something more sinister was happening.
Magic was a rare thing in this world. Dragons had it.
Gods had it. And a select few chosen had it.
What would happen if those three were to gather?
Could Ruben and his lackeys really hope to control them?
A firm hand landed on Adrian’s shoulder and smoothed down his back. He peered at Haru standing beside him, a concerned expression on his handsome face.
“What are you thinking?” Haru’s fingers rested on his waist, curling around his side.
“I’m worried about Shey. This is bigger and more dangerous than we were expecting when we set out from Stormbreak.”
“It is.”
“What if we can’t reach him in time?” Adrian slid the tip of his tongue through his mouth, touching each tooth as he weighed his next words.
“I worry…what if Caelan sent the wrong person? Wouldn’t it have been better if he had come with Drayce, Eno, and Rayne?
They’ve tackled gods and dragons and politics.
I’m some punk with some street smarts turned soldier. I have no idea what I’m doing.”
Haru was silent for a moment before shifting, turning his body so that he was standing perpendicular to Adrian. “I have some thoughts. Will you listen to them?”
Adrian nodded. The dragon might have a strange point of view, but he was smart and well-versed in dragon clan politics, which didn’t seem to be all that different from human politics.
“Caelan and the others handling this is impossible. Many of the kingdoms are in turmoil following the battle with the gods. Erya needs Caelan’s calming presence in Stormbreak.
It also helps Caspagir, Ilon, and my home.
Even New Rosanthe breathes easier with Caelan in Stormbreak.
Wishing that he were anywhere else is wasted energy.
“Second, you paint yourself as being less than Caelan. This is not the first time you’ve said these words to me.
But it is not fair to judge yourself against what you’ve seen Caelan accomplish.
When he began his journey at the behest of the gods, he didn’t know that he could outsmart gods, dragons, and scheming politicians.
He did not know what he could do until he had to do it.
The day he left Stormbreak, he had only the wisdom of a prince and a soldier.
You have left Stormbreak with the wisdom of a punk and a soldier.
You still stand near the beginning of this hard road.
I am confident that you will succeed because you must. Besides, Caelan had a dragon at his side, and you have a dragon at your side. ”
Adrian snorted, letting the smile fighting to break free cross his lips. Haru could be very persuasive.
“And finally, we both know Prince Shey. He is not a passive person. The prince is an excellent tactician, a skilled fighter, and possesses the power of the God of Storms. If he is being held by these people, I believe it is because he wishes to be there.”
With a gasp, Adrian’s head jerked toward Haru, and he turned to face him. “Seriously? You think he’s chosen to be a prisoner?”
“I think it is a possibility. If you had the power of storms at your fingertips, would you be easy to hold?”
That was a very good point. Adrian had continuously imagined Shey trapped in a prison somewhere, sitting in the dark and unable to move. But that wasn’t fucking Shey. Not unless he chose to be like that. Prince Shey was like Caelan, Drayce, and the others. He was a fighter.
“Shey won’t be killed,” Haru stated, his words overflowing with confidence.
“Agreed, but revealing that he has magic from Kaes is dangerous. Far worse than death can happen to him if they discover the truth prior to his escape.”
“That is why we must find him before that happens.” Haru smirked and placed a hand under Adrian’s chin, tipping his head up so that he was forced to meet Haru’s eyes.
Normally midnight-blue eyes seemed to grow lighter in the setting sunlight coming through the window, almost as if they glowed as he watched Adrian.
“After we retrieve Shey and send him home, you will request a lengthy vacation from your duties.”
“I will, huh?” Adrian rolled his eyes, and Haru pinched his chin, pulling his gaze back.
“Yes, you will. For your break, I will bring you to my clan where I will teach you to be a dragon.”
A rough laugh broke from Adrian’s throat, but he couldn’t deny that his heart also sped up at the promise.
A trip to the Isle of Stone. Staying with the Omari clan.
It sounded like heaven to him. But he couldn’t let Haru know that.
He was afraid Haru would scoop him up and fly him to his home right this second, Shey be damned.
“And what lessons do you have in mind? Lazing about in the sun and preening?”
“There is that. I will also teach you the Omari clan’s ancient fighting techniques.”
Okay, that sounded promising.
“I will also teach you how to make love like a dragon.” Haru’s voice dipped low, feeling as if it were slipping inside his ear and caressing all the dark, secret parts of his body.
Adrian laughed, but the sound came out choked. “Yeah, whatever. We’ll see. Let’s focus on saving Shey first.”
He turned and walked into the large hotel room in search of something to drink to wet his suddenly dry mouth.
“You are my mate, Adrian. You will be mine.”
Haru spoke so quietly Adrian wasn’t sure he was supposed to hear those words, but they left a burning mark on his soul all the same. It felt as if he couldn’t escape the dragon’s claim. And maybe he didn’t want to.