12. Calista
Chapter 12
Calista
Talon was the angriest I’d ever seen him.
So angry, he was beyond words.
After we returned to our cabin, he sat outside on the sand in front of the fire he made and didn’t say a word. Didn’t acknowledge me beside him. Just stared into the fire with the eyes of a madman.
“Queen Eldinar is right,” I said. “We’ll figure it out?—”
“Calista.” He steadied his voice, trying to control the wrath that wanted to explode. “The last thing I want to do is attack the person I care for most, but this is a disappointment that has only grown and festered since it was implanted in my flesh. Please leave me be.” He said all of that without taking his eyes off the fire.
I let the silence trickle by as I absorbed his words, knowing nothing I could say would counteract his anger. So, I left him there on the beach alone and went into the cabin we shared. When I got under the sheets, I just lay there, lost without him beside me. He’d become the person I shared my bed with, and without him there, I felt lost. It made it hard to sleep, and it was a long time before I drifted off.
When I woke up, the morning had already passed, and it was afternoon. I could tell by the light through the windows. And it seemed like Talon had never returned. I hadn’t heard the front door open in the middle of the night.
I left the bed and looked out the window to where the dead bonfire sat in the sand. Talon wasn’t there. I wondered if he’d gone fishing again. Or if he’d gone for a walk. Or if he was with Khazmuda. The island was small enough that I could communicate with both Khazmuda and Inferno, each of their minds different and distinct from each other. I pushed my mind to Khazmuda. Is Talon with you? I haven’t seen him since last night…
Yes .
Glad he’s okay.
We had breakfast, and then he fell asleep. He was up all night.
Doesn’t surprise me.
His anger burns like lava.
Yeah…
I’m disappointed as well. Dragons are known for their bravery and ferocity. Macabre showed none of those traits. He despises Talon for being human, but he seems more human than dragon to me.
Maybe we could talk to him again.
That’ll be a waste of time.
Maybe you could talk to him. Dragon-to-dragon.
He has a poor opinion of me since I’m fused with Talon.
Well, I have a poor opinion of him for being so judgmental.
As do I. I’ve lost my kin just as he has. My pain isn’t deeper than his, and his pain isn’t deeper than mine. But I’ve managed to see the good in people. Not all humans are like Talon’s uncle. A lot of them are good, like the two of you. I’ve seen it with my eyes, felt it with my heart.
Whether we convince Macabre or not, I know we’ll find a way.
Perhaps .
You don’t think so?
I think the only foe that can challenge a dragon is a dragon.
I built a new bonfire on the sand and lit it with the matches Talon had in his pack. I ate dinner alone and watched the sun disappear over the horizon. When it grew dark, it was just me and the flames, and I pulled the blanket I’d brought from the cabin closer around my body to fight off the cold.
I watched the fire crackle and pop as it smoldered in the heat. Listened to the wildlife on the island, the crickets and the frogs chirping and croaking into the night. It’d only been a day of separation from Talon, but it was long enough to make me ache. To make me miss him more than I ever had. To make me feel as if I’d lost a piece of myself.
The sound of shifting sand caught my attention, and then he was visible in the flames, in just his trousers, like he’d gone to the cabin first to shower and change his clothing. He’d shaved too because his jawline was smooth.
He took the seat beside me, his arms moving to his knees, his eyes on the fire.
I didn’t say anything right away, just treasuring our reunion. The disappointing events from the night before left a lingering sadness, but I still felt joy at his presence. There was no misery strong enough to overcome the happiness I felt at the sight of him. I wanted to kiss him but knew that affection wouldn’t be reciprocated when his mood was still so foul, so I leaned in and pressed a kiss to his arm, to one of the big muscles that bulged under his skin. He was warm to the touch, and I hoped I would feel more of that heat when we went to bed that night.
He turned to look at me, eyes still angry but not as potent as they were yesterday.
“How are you?” I asked quietly.
“The same.” He looked at the fire again.
“Queen Eldinar is right. We’ll figure it out another way.”
He released a sarcastic scoff. “Unless there are other dragons out there who aren’t cowards, then I don’t think so.”
“We have the armies of the kingdoms and your command of the dead.”
“That won’t be enough.”
“We’ll need to figure out a way to make it enough. Perhaps we could infiltrate the castle and assassinate your uncle?—”
“I don’t want to assassinate him. I want him to watch his world fall apart before I burn him alive. Before I make him watch his sons burn alive.”
An unease prickled my skin. “You—you wouldn’t do that, would you?”
“They were responsible for everything, just as much as he was,” he said. “And even if they weren’t, I would still do it. He burned my mother and my sister and…” He clenched his jaw and stared at the fire. “I feel no empathy for him or his kin.”
I watched the side of his face and let the conversation die. “Should we make another attempt to convince him?”
“I burned that bridge.”
“Then maybe I could try.”
“He won’t listen to you either. He knows you’re my woman.”
I would never grow tired of hearing that. I’d been the possession of a man once before, and it was the most horrible experience of my life. But being Talon’s possession made me feel safe, cherished, and protected. “I like being your woman.”
His eyes remained on the fire.
“I love it, actually.”
He continued to stare like he didn’t hear me.
Maybe now wasn’t the best time for a confession. We’d come so far, and now we were lost at sea. Talon had never looked so defeated. But light shone the brightness in the dark, and I wanted to be that light. Pressure had built up inside my chest like water in a geyser, desperate to shoot into the sky and release. So much emotion with so little room to store it. “And I?—”
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
I flinched at the coldness in his words. Felt winded like I’d been knocked off my feet. The unbridled confidence I’d felt just a moment ago had been destroyed by the tone of his voice. Fear came next, the anxiety and the uncertainty. “I’m listening.”
He took his eyes off the fire, not to look at me, but to look up at the stars in the sky. He stared at them for a long moment before he dropped his chin once again. When it seemed like he would speak, another wave of silence passed, this stretch longer than any other one we’d had.
It made me feel worse. I believed Talon would never hurt me, but the seed of doubt dropped into the earth…and it started to grow. “Talon, you’re scaring me?—”
“I was married.” Both of his hands tightened into fists as if he squeezed invisible swords.
I was winded again, in absolute confusion because it was the last thing I expected him to say. He’d had another life before our paths crossed in the Arid Sands, but he’d never hinted of a past love. When I’d asked him if he’d ever loved someone, he never answered.
“My father didn’t want me to marry her because she wasn’t of noble birth, but I loved her, so I married her anyway. We were married for a couple of months before we started our own family. She was six months pregnant when my uncle came for the throne…”
I knew the end of the story the second it began. I braced for it like I was riding a horse over a cliff.
His hands tightened even further. “I tried to save her. I sent her on a ship out to sea. But after my uncle had killed every one of my family members except for me, he dragged her out. Tied her to the stake and…” He started to breathe hard, his fists so tight his knuckles turned white. He didn’t speak again, and I was spared the horrific details.
I expected to feel jealous that he’d been married, that he loved someone so dearly, that his love still endured because he couldn’t finish telling the story. But I didn’t. All I felt was pain…horrible, throbbing pain. “Talon…” My hand grabbed on to his arm, and I felt tears burn in my eyes.
He held his breath to stop his tears and locked his gaze on the fire as if that would make him forget. “She screamed my name until the very end…and I couldn’t save her. I failed both of them.”
My hand remained on his arm to comfort him, but nothing could soothe such a loss.
“I’m sorry I kept it from you.”
“Don’t apologize,” I whispered. “You weren’t ready.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, allowing himself to breathe again like an invisible weight had been lifted off his shoulders. “I have to finish this.”
“I know.”
“I have to butcher him and burn him.”
“We will.”
“I have to rip him apart until there’s nothing left.” Tears escaped the corners of his eyes and streaked down his cheeks. “I will burn his sons. I will burn his wife. I will burn every fucking person he’s ever loved. They will all turn to ash and fill my chamber pot.”
I let him seethe. Let him burn.
The tears continued their slow progress down his cheeks. “I lied to you. Riviana did speak to me. To reward me for protecting the Realm of Caelum…she told me I had a daughter.”
More tears flowed from my eyes. I tasted the salt.
“Her name is Lena.”
My hand remained on his arm, crying with him, crying for the little girl he’d lost.
“I wanted to be king. I wanted to rule the Southern Isles. But what I wanted more than anything…was to be a father.”
My tears deepened into sobs. I should comfort him instead of giving in to my own heartbreak, but it was too much for me to contain. “I’m so sorry…”
He closed his eyes again, new tears trailing down his face.
“I’m sorry,” I repeated. “I’m so sorry.”
He remained that way, still as a statue, doing his best to compose himself, as if emotion was a sign of weakness. He eventually recovered and opened his eyes, which were wet and red, but calm. “I’m not leaving this island unless Macabre and the others leave with me.”
Talon wasn’t himself the rest of the night. He barely said two words to me and remained distant. When we went to sleep that night, he stayed on his side of the bed and didn’t come anywhere near me. He even rolled onto his side and turned his back to me.
I knew it wasn’t personal, but it still felt personal.
When I woke up the next morning, he was still asleep in the same position as when I’d closed my eyes. He was never awake after me, so I knew he was tired…or depressed. I got dressed and left the cabin, the air cool in the morning, giving a slight chill. I crossed the beach and then pushed out my mind to Khazmuda’s. Are you awake?
Yes.
Can I speak to you?
Always .
I stood there alone for a few minutes before Khazmuda’s black scales appeared in the morning light. A direct contrast to the beautiful world of blue water and white sand, he looked like he didn’t belong in this serene place.
He made a gentle landing and folded his wings. I’m assuming you wish to speak of Talon since he’s still asleep.
“Yes.”
His rage has been constant. I can feel it even when he’s asleep.
Last night felt like a hazy dream, but it all came back to me vividly. “He told me about his wife…”
Khazmuda paused as he stared at me, his dark eyes absorbing my stare. He told you about Vivian.
“Yes.” The memory broke my heart all over again. No one deserved to die that way. To be burned alive while life glowed inside you.
It’s a horrible story, but I’m glad he shared it with you.
“A part of me wishes he hadn’t told me,” I said. “It makes me sick.”
Now you truly understand him. Why he needed to conquer your kingdom for your army. Why he forced prisoners to dig in the Arid Sands. Why he seemed empty of heart and soul when you met. After she died, I told him we needed to plan our revenge, but all he wanted to do was sit on a rock all day. He eventually moved to a small village and became a fisherman…then a pirate. I was deeply frustrated by his indifference and searched for free dragons on my own. But in hindsight, I understand he was in shock. His heart and soul were destroyed by what he saw, and he simply couldn’t process it. It’s like a hatchling that tries to fly before he can walk.
“How long ago was this?”
Over twenty years now. But no passage of time will make either of us forget.
“Yeah.”
He continued to regard me. How does this make you feel?
“Heartbroken.”
I know it must be hard to know he pledged himself to another.
The Talon who was happily married was a different man than the one I knew today. He would have been happy and open and vulnerable. If I’d met him in that time period, I probably wouldn’t even recognize him. “In some ways, it hurts. It hurts to know that he loved someone else so deeply, that the love perseveres even decades later. But he was a different man than he is today. I’ve fallen for the broken version of him because I was just as broken on the night we met. Our connection is deep because of our struggles. It endures the greatest hardships because the foundation is thicker than bedrock. That was then…and this is now.”
You’re mature for someone so young.
“I always assumed he had a long list of lovers.”
It’s not the length of the list that matters, but the quality. Therefore, there are only two names on that list.
A small smile spread my lips. “Thanks, Khazmuda.”
He dipped his snout down and gently rubbed the side of my head with his smooth scales. Of course, Pretty. He pulled away and looked at me once again.
“We need to convince Macabre to join us.” It felt like an impossible task. After Talon had insulted his character, there was no going back. If Macabre didn’t feel obligated to do the right thing, he would feel less obligated if he hated the person who asked for help.
I don’t see how, Pretty.
“We have to. Now that I know what happened to Talon, I have to figure this out.”
Dragons are the most stubborn creatures.
“But not more stubborn than me,” I said. “Could you take me to him?”
Khazmuda turned his head and looked at the cabin. Without Talon?
“I don’t think Talon will be an asset at this point.”
Khazmuda continued to consider it.
“It’s not like I can make it worse.”
Perhaps . He lowered himself to the sand, letting his belly hit the earth. Let’s try.
Khazmuda carried me up the mountain to the cave Macabre occupied. It was visible even from a distance, the blackness distinct in contrast to the beautiful colors of the tropical paradise.
We came in for a gentle landing on the grassy field that led to the edge of a cliff. There were no trees, so there was plenty of room for dragons to land or lounge. I climbed down his side then looked into the cave.
It was so dark, I couldn’t see a thing. “Shall we go in?”
Even if they don’t like you, they won’t hurt you. Not when you’re here as the queen’s guest.
“I wasn’t worried about that, not when I’m with you.”
He dropped his snout and rubbed it against my shoulder. Thank you, Pretty.
We slowly entered the cave, the light disappearing as we became engulfed in shadow. It seemed to go on forever until we spotted the light in the distance, the light of a low-burning fire. We continued, the details of the cave coming into view once we drew closer to the light.
Then I noticed the reflection of light on many sets of scales. Five dragons were spread throughout the large cave, all sleeping near the walls. I spotted Macabre toward the back of the cave, snuggled close to two dragons I assumed had mated with him last night.
Unbridled annoyance burned inside me because Talon’s accusations had been correct. Macabre preferred to enjoy this easy life than to think about others less fortunate. He’d rather sit on his scales all day than help those in need.
Macabre seemed to realize we were there because his eyes suddenly popped open. He stared right at me, his eyes the same color as the smoke that rose from the fire that was about to go out. He slowly rose to his feet, his lovers sliding past his scales, and made several steps forward to approach us.
But he stopped by the fire, his hostility evident.
But my hostility was evident as well.
Do you have a death wish? The powerful voice came into my mind.
Khazmuda issued a low growl.
“Do you?” I countered.
Macabre looked at Khazmuda for several hard seconds before he returned his attention to me. You come to my home without an invitation. You would be a fool to expect a warm reception.
“And you would be a fool to assume our previous discussion was over.”
It is over.
“It’s not over until you agree to help us.”
He tilted his head slightly, his eyes wide and focused. My decision will not change.
“Why?”
I already told you I wouldn’t risk the rest of my kin ? —
“But Talon is right. You are at risk. Maybe not today, and maybe not in a hundred years. But one day, you will be. You can be proactive about it now and save the rest of your kind in the process.”
He stared for several seconds. No .
This was infuriating. So infuriating I wanted to scream. “How can this not bother you?”
I never said it didn’t bother me .
“But you continue your life of leisure.” I looked around at the female dragons who lounged in his cave, seeing him as the most desirable mate among the dragons, the alpha.
I don’t appreciate your judgment .
“And I don’t appreciate your indifference.”
You would do well to remember that you’re a stranger. A human who has come to my island without my consent. I will not share my deepest thoughts with someone I don’t know. What’s more, I don’t like your male companion—and I barely tolerate you .
“Queen Eldinar speaks highly of him.”
For reasons I still don’t understand.
“Because he saved their entire race and, by extension, your race—and the afterlife.”
Even if they perished, our island would have remained a secret. And dragons have no afterlife.
“Wow, you really are selfish. All you think about is yourself…”
I was just explaining ? —
“You don’t even care about the elves. The very people who saved you. I’ve only met two dragons, and they are both brave and selfless and kind. I guess it was stupid of me to assume all dragons are that way. Because they clearly aren’t.”
He didn’t even try to refute my claims. Please leave my cave now.
“I’ll petition each dragon individually. Some of them must care.”
You can try. But I’ve informed them of the disrespect your companion showed me, so they’ve all closed their minds to you—as well as to Khazmuda and Inferno.
I’d assumed only a human could be a dictator, but it looked like any race was capable of corruption. “Inferno was one of the free dragons who remained in this world and came to this island for a new start, but you shunned him as an outsider instead of opening your lands and your hearts. After the compassion Queen Eldinar showed you, I don’t understand why you’re incapable of showing it to others.”
All he did was stare.
Khazmuda spoke to me privately. This is hopeless, Pretty.
Leave my home and never return—and leave my island .
When Khazmuda returned me to the beach, Talon sat on the sand in front of the dead fire. He was in the shade of a palm tree as he looked out at the water, in just his trousers, like he’d come out there as soon as he woke up.
Khazmuda dropped me off then opened his massive wings and departed to the skies.
I joined Talon by the cold campfire. “Good morning.”
His arms rested on his knees, his hair matted from the way he slept on the pillow. He stared at the fire like it still burned. “Khazmuda told me about your conversation with Macabre.”
I’d assumed I couldn’t make it worse, but I somehow had. “I didn’t think it was possible to dislike a dragon.”
“Just like Khazmuda said, one bad apple doesn’t mean the tree is rotten.”
“I know, but he’s blatantly selfish,” I said. “When I reminded him what you’ve done for the elves, he said their island would have persevered even if the elves had been killed. Didn’t care whatsoever about Queen Eldinar. He made no effort to make Inferno accepted here. Honestly, he’s a fucking asshole.”
A painful smirk moved over his lips. “I caught on to that.”
“I don’t know what to do.” It really did feel hopeless. It was impossible to convince someone who didn’t have an ounce of empathy. Who only cared for himself. “You can tell he doesn’t care about the other dragons at all. That he hasn’t lost a moment of sleep over it. That he’s too busy fucking all the females who live in his cave.”
He massaged his knuckles on his knees, like he felt old pains return to the joints. He had been livid and fiery last night, but today, he seemed subdued and hopeless. There had always been a fight inside his bones, but that fight seemed to have died.
“I don’t know what to do.”
He remained silent, eyes still on his hands.
“We’ll figure out a way.” It sounded like a lie, but I wanted to believe it. Needed to believe it. I wanted to avenge Vivian and Lena as much as he did now. Wanted to save the dragons Talon spoke so highly of. When he didn’t say anything, I looked at the side of his face.
He continued to stare at his hands.
“Do you think we can do this without the dragons?” I asked, hoping he had an answer to this dilemma.
He remained quiet for a long time, like he had no intention of speaking. “I haven’t received word about the Southern Isles since I left long ago. I have no idea how it’s changed, how many dragons live, even if my uncle is still king. But when I left, there were a hundred dragons in the skies raining down fire and burning us all. Even with my armies and the dead, I can’t fight enemies in the air. Khazmuda and Inferno will either be slaughtered or imprisoned.”
“If we kill the dark elves, it’ll free the dragons.”
“But I know nothing about the elves. I don’t know their numbers or their organization. I assume my uncle offered them something in return for their participation, but I’m not sure what that would be.”
“Then we can travel to the Southern Isles and investigate. Figure out the structure and make a plan.”
“They’ll spot our dragons leagues away.”
“Then we can fly somewhere nearby and sail.”
“It’s been a long time, but they could recognize me.”
“But they won’t recognize me.”
He finally turned to look at me.
“I could become a maid in the castle. Learn whatever I can and report back.”
“That’s risky.”
“Every part of this journey has been risky, Talon.”
He looked at the cold fire again.
“I think that’s our best option.”
“Maybe,” he said quietly.
The Talon I knew was authoritative and decisive, finding a path even if it was riddled with obstacles. But now, he was overcome with defeat, a depression that seeped so far in his flesh it hit the bone.
I wanted to make it go away. “What was she like?”
He stilled at the question before he stitched his fingers together. “I told you about her because I thought you should know. Thought it would help you understand why I have to do this and there is no other option but success.”
“It did help me understand.”
He continued as if I hadn’t spoken. “I never want to speak of it again.”
My eyes dropped at his words.
“So much time has passed that it’s hard for me to picture her face. If I saw her again, I would recognize her, but my mind is unable to recall her appearance on memory alone. I loved her deeply, and I will always love her, but the passage of time has decayed my heart and my mind, and I’m not the same person I was when I loved her. I’ve learned to let her go. She died because I failed her as a future king, a husband, and a father. I don’t deserve to speak of her. I didn’t deserve her when I had her. I will strike down the man who took away her life in her honor, but it still won’t exonerate me.”
“I think you’re being unfairly harsh?—”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion, Calista.”
I stilled again as if he’d struck me.
“This is the last time I’ll speak of it.”
I spoke with the guards at the double doors, and once they gained permission from Queen Eldinar, they allowed me entry into her royal chambers.
I entered the wooden cabin with the husk roof, seeing vases of flowers everywhere, the grand dining table outside on the patio that faced the mountain. Queen Eldinar was seated there, flower stems on the table in front of her while her hands worked with a pile of twigs.
My uncle sat in a nearby chair, watching her work like he was content just to be with her.
I approached the table and waited for her to acknowledge me.
My uncle shifted his gaze to me but said nothing, wearing a casual shirt instead of his armor and sword.
Queen Eldinar secured the twigs with a tiny piece of string before she looked at me. “Take a seat, Calista.”
I pulled out the chair and sat down beside her.
She returned to her work with the flowers.
“What are you doing?” I looked at the tropical flowers on the table, an array of bright colors like pink, orange, and purple.
“Making flower crowns for the hatchlings,” she said with a smile. “After they saw mine, they wanted some for themselves. They’ll look so beautiful against their glorious scales.” She tied another section of branches together, completing half of the circle. She finally gave me her full attention, her hands together on the table. “Will the Death King be joining us?”
“I came alone.”
She gave a slight nod. “We’ll depart tomorrow morning. As much as I love it here, I can’t leave my kingdom for long.”
“I understand.”
“What do you seek?”
I could tell Talon was in a dark place, just as he had been when he’d become a fisherman and a pirate. In a state of shock, he needed a moment just to exist as he recovered from the painful disappointment. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. “I spoke with Macabre again. I know Talon said some impolite things to him, but now that I’ve spoken to him privately, I’m in agreement. He’s one of the most selfish beings I’ve ever encountered.”
Queen Eldinar took in that comment in silence, retaining her composure and her reaction.
“When I reminded him of what Talon had done for the elves, he said it wouldn’t have mattered if your race had perished because the island would have remained a secret. My father gave his life to keep this island a secret, and Macabre doesn’t give a damn about that either. When I asked to proposition the other dragons, he ordered them to block me from their minds. He may be a dragon, but underneath those scales is a monster.”
Her composure remained perfectly in place as she regarded me with those piercing blue eyes. “I like to bestow my wisdom upon the young. It gives them invaluable perspective. So allow me to share some with you. In life, we do good things and expect nothing in return. We helped Macabre and his kin because we wanted to. We offered them protection and salvation in exchange for nothing.”
“Not even love and loyalty?” I asked incredulously. “Because he clearly feels neither for you. You’re his servants. Just as all the females in his cave are servants?—”
“Macabre’s personal life is none of my business, just as my marriage to a human is none of his,” she said calmly. “If you came here to poison my mind with insults to Macabre’s character, I would rather spend that time completing my flower crowns for the hatchlings. Are we finished?” Her tone sharpened.
I didn’t want to take this conversation in this direction, but I had to. “We can both agree that your race, your forest, and the afterlife would be gone if Talon hadn’t saved it. And I know we can agree that your hatred toward him has blossomed into affection and friendship.”
“What’s your point, Calista?”
“He came to your aid—and now it’s time you come to his.”
A cloud suddenly passed over the sky and blocked the sun. A shadow came across the land and the mountain. It matched the change in atmosphere, the way everyone at the table was provoked by what I just said.
Her expression slowly hardened, her eyes turning sharp like the blades she wielded in battle.
I held my stance.
“I gave Talon the dragons, as we agreed.”
“In exchange for killing the dark elves, a feat at which you hoped he would fail. But he’s done much more. He saved everyone—including you. Like it or not, Your Majesty, you’re indebted to him for a lot more than an introduction to a stubborn dragon.”
Her eyes flicked back and forth between mine, her hostility slowly rising. “This conversation should happen between monarchs?—”
“He’s too broken to speak. Macabre’s refusal has cut him down at the knees. He’s devastated because he’s bound by his honor to do this and succeed. So I will do it for him. You will command Macabre and his kin to fight with us.”
“I can’t command him to do such a thing?—”
“Then you will pledge your army to us and ask him to support you?—”
“Don’t you dare interrupt my queen.” Uncle Ezra wore no armor, but he looked as formidable as he appeared on a battlefield. “You forget that you speak to Riviana Star’s longest reigning monarch, a queen who is more deadly and more beautiful than the sun. Interrupt her or disrespect her again, and I will personally escort you out of these chambers. I don’t give a damn if you’re my niece.”
I looked at my uncle and saw the ire in his eyes.
“It’s alright, Ezra.” Queen Eldinar spoke quietly. “She can speak to me that way in private—because I’m her aunt.”
A rush of warmth moved through me, bringing a rouge to my cheeks that had nothing to do with the heat and humidity. The last woman to show me love was my mother, and I hadn’t known it since she died. I stared at the queen for several seconds, touched by her gesture of maternal affection. It made me falter before I continued. “You will pledge your army to fight with us. You will tell Macabre you’ve done so and ask him to join you. You said you’ve built a deep friendship with him. If that’s true, I can’t imagine he would deny your request.”
She stared at me for a long time, her eyes as clear as the sky. “I don’t appreciate being coerced like this.”
“I would never coerce you. It’s a request that you can deny.”
“Then I deny it,” she said quickly. “I will not pledge the elven army to fight for a cause that doesn’t concern us or involve the very beings I’ve given my life and service to protect.”
And just like that, my plan went out the window. The disappointment hurt more than the first time because I didn’t have a backup plan. That meant we would have to sail to the Southern Isles and find another way.
I sat back in my chair and looked at the flowers upon the table, the ones she would attach to the flower crowns she would gift to the little dragons she clearly cared for. There was nothing left for me to do but leave, but I didn’t want to return to Talon without something to lift his spirits.
“Calista.”
My eyes found hers again, waiting for another rejection.
“I will pledge the elven army to your cause, not because you asked, but because it is my wish. Because I’ve come to care deeply for the man who’s claimed your heart. I don’t agree out of obligation, but desire. Desire for Talon, the Death King, the rightful King of the Southern Isles, to avenge his family and his people—and find peace.”
All I could do was blink, shocked by what she’d said.
“I will ask Macabre to fight with us. But I can’t promise he’ll agree.”
When I returned to the cabin, Talon was on the beach, dragging branches and debris into a pile at the center so he could light the bonfire like he did every night. Khazmuda lay on the sand with his head on his claws, his eyes following Talon as he walked around. Once Talon was finished preparing the bonfire, he stepped back and let Khazmuda light it.
A blaze erupted high into the sky then slowly burned down to a reasonable height.
Talon took a seat in the sand, his mood still hopeless and lifeless.
I arrived at the campsite and saw Khazmuda shift his eyes to look at me.
Talon barely acknowledged my presence.
I dropped down to my knees and looked at the side of his face.
He continued to stare at the fire and ignore me.
I waited for him to turn to me.
It took minutes, but it finally happened. His eyes were hostile and guarded, like the last thing he wanted to do was talk.
I didn’t bother with context or an explanation, just blurted it out. “Queen Eldinar has pledged her army to fight with us. And she’s going to ask Macabre to join her.”
He blinked several times as he processed that.
Khazmuda lifted his chin from his talons and straightened.
Talon’s eyes shifted back and forth between mine. “How…? What did you do?”
“I spoke to her but can’t take the credit,” I said honestly. “Because she said she cares for you…and wants to help you find peace.”
Talon remained in silent shock, his dark eyes piercing mine with the sharpness of daggers. The haze of melancholy slowly burned in the heat of the sun, and the determination and ambition were awoken anew. He left the sand and lifted himself to one knee, his hands cradling my cheeks as he regarded me with new eyes. “You are the reason I’ve made it this far. And you’re the reason I’ll make it to the end.”