Chapter 13
The Dragon King
I found Locke in the dungeons, cleaning his tools late in the day. The torchlight danced, shrouding his face in bands of fire and shadow, the air thick with the scent of blood and piss. The man had a happy glow about him, the sick bastard.
“I gather you’ve finished with our other guests?”
Locke feigned a sad smile. “It was hardly any fun at all. The old man is a simpering fool with some misplaced paternal affection for the girl. The huntsman is…also a fool. He would’ve sold the other two out for the promise of a cup of water. I didn’t even have to give him that.”
I picked up one of his instruments, turning the crooked blade over in my hand. “I’m surprised you use these. Isn’t your magic enough?”
He took it from my hand and gave it a quick rinse in a bucket of red water. “I find a little encouragement helps the process.”
Locke was a sadistic bastard, but then again, was I any better? The hunger simply demanded that I drink blood, rather than waste it.
“What did you learn?”
He shrugged. “Mostly the same. They were trading north. She’s the sister of the queen. And as far as they know, she doesn’t have any magic. One rather intriguing point—she was involved in the human resistance before her sister seduced her way to the throne.”
Of course she was.
The little mink was too confident before me, too poised. Any other woman would’ve cowered and wept for mercy.
“I thought the resistance had been stamped out a century ago,” I said bitterly.
“Apparently it was flourishing. The new queen was part of it, too—both worked as spies in the castle.”
My fist tightened. My father, the bastard, had clearly failed at dealing with those traitorous fools.
If Belle were one of them, she’d be good at lying and keeping secrets. I was going to enjoy teaching her the consequences of both.
“Do you think she knows who I am? Did Cassius send her to spy?”
“If that’s the case, she didn’t tell the men. As far as they know, she was looking for ways to kill the beasts or repel them. They even purchased magical charms.”
I scoffed. I could teach her far more about beasts than she ever wanted to know.
“Compile your report and leave it in my chambers,” I said. “I’ll read it in the evening.”
“Should I dispose of the prisoners?”
“Send the old man away. Let the other one rot in his cell.”
Locke twisted a blade in his hand. “If I release the old man, he’ll likely alert Cassius that you’ve imprisoned his sister-in-law. He’s bound to respond and realize who you are. It would be simpler to kill them both.”
“I gave the woman my word. You’ve changed memories before. Make him forget that he brought the girl and send him on to Eradessa with a wagon full of furs and a purse fat enough to keep him out of trouble.”
Locke rolled up his leather pouch of tools and bound it tightly with ties. “How magnanimous.”
“It’s not.” I took a torch and ducked out into the long dark stairway that led back to the central halls of the castle, Locke on my heels.
“I’m surprised you haven’t paid your brother a visit now that the spell is broken.”
I ground my teeth. “It took all my will not to go there immediately and let my dragon burn the entire fucking place to the ground.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“I suspect Lady Marquette and her little expedition are a ruse to draw me out. Cassius likely has wingbreakers installed in every corner of the castle.”
“Then why did you give her a suite?”
I ignored his tone. “I intend to take my time with her. If she’s a spy, she’ll be eager for information. I’ll let her rot in her chambers and see what she does. She’ll betray her intentions sooner or later.”
“Don’t underestimate the risk, Your Highness. Her sister defeated three mages and bewitched Cassius. You don’t want that happening here.”
Bewitched. That had to be it. An immortal king would never take a human bride. My brother had been a fool to let the witch get close.
“You said she doesn’t have magic,” I said.
“That—or she’s disciplined enough not to use it with her life on the line. She could be concealing her signature, like I do. It might be better if you killed her now and got it over with—along with the others. There are too many unknowns. Too many loose ends.”
“I am not killing her. Is that clear?”
“Crystal,” Locke said with a glint of amusement. “Does the same go for Cassius and his queen? Because if you don’t kill them both—”
“I know what happens,” I growled. “There’s time yet to find another way.”
“Not much time.”
I left the magister to his own ends and headed toward my chambers. The silence of the hall should’ve been a relief. Instead, it reminded me how alone I was. How fucked I was.
The sweet scent of jasmine and honey hit me—the scent of her. I stilled, my muscles tensing. I’d had Locke put her in a suite on my floor. A grave mistake. Now I’d never get the damned woman out of my thoughts.
Was it those defiant lavender eyes? The way they radiated hatred each time she glared at me? I hadn’t thought this much about a woman since—
I stopped short, my hands curling into fists, my teeth bared. I wouldn’t think of the treacherous snake that had tried to play me for a kingdom. Who’d plotted and schemed behind my back, then ripped out my heart.
Fuck Jezebel DuBois and fuck Belle Marquette. They were harpies drawing men to ruin.
I dragged a hand over my face as if that could wipe the memory of her. It didn’t. She remained. Felling me with those wicked eyes. Judging. Despising.
She was nothing like Jezebel. No. She was far more dangerous, and I needed to keep my head about me. Luckily, I’d learned long ago that there were many ways to forget a woman.
I seized a servant as he skirted by, gaze locked on the ground. The man trembled in my grip. “Find the head steward,” I demanded as his face went pale. “I want his best wine and women. The court is going to feast.”
I grinned as he hurried away.
Let Lady Belle rot in her chambers. Tonight, I’d live like she never existed.