Chapter Thirteen #2
“We’ll meet in the main hall on the second floor. It is where my uncle receives any guests besides dragonkin,” Vale states flatly. I think I catch an edge in his tone though. Hmm, he does give a fuck about something besides Ollie. Maybe.
We approach double doors made of pink Unax heartwood. Each of the doors is carved with a huge dragon wearing the dragonkin helms and chestplates of the warrior dragons of old. The craftmanship is exquisite and if we didn’t have the ruler of the air Fae waiting for us, I’d want to inspect it closer.
A guard, feathered wings sprouted behind him, steps out and pushes open the doors with a mighty shove.
The sunlight within the chamber is intense and unabated. I register the many tall, uncovered windows leading down the long room, though my gaze rests upon Balthazar.
Narisa had been a powerful, huge storm dragon, and managed to both capture her peoples’ hearts and lead an army.
A rare dragon indeed, and one who managed to unite the clans.
Storm dragons can vary from blue to black to gray to even a violent purple.
She was the color of a sky about to rain destruction: a purple threaded with dark green.
But Balthazar, her son, is a sulfur dragon.
And right now, he’s in his Fae form, his skin a putrid, sickly, yellow shade, his scale markings a deeper color, his eyes an amber.
He is slender, trim, muscular, with a square jaw and close-shaved hair.
He looks more like a warrior than a king.
He sits upon a chair that is not quite a throne, but about as close as it gets.
I imagine he’s of a height with Kai and Vale upon standing, if not slightly more.
He studies us as we approach, gaze flicking away dismissively from his grand-nephew to take in Oleander but he quickly focuses on us: wavering between myself and Kai. I keep my face still but I’m intrigued by his reaction.
The slap of flesh causes me to look to the Fae standing around him.
There are only two others in the room, aside from the guards left standing against the wall near the door.
A half-shifted dragon with skin of a shimmery pearl, his reptilian eyebrows drawn and glowering at me stands to the left of Balthazar.
On the other side, a Fae woman, her skin a rich smokey color, her hair a bit darker and cropped short but shaggy.
She smiles at me in a way that I’m unable to interpret.
Vale and Ollie stop directly in front of Balthazar and both bow silently before straightening.
“Nephew.” The sulphur dragon’s voice is unexpectedly smooth. “You wanted to speak to me.”
“Indeed, Uncle. This is Oleander, my consort of many years. And this is Commander Lonan and General Kai of Misery’s Militia. And Lord Finnick Larkstead.” Vale gestures as he introduces us and Balthazar’s eyes study us again.
“Lord Balthazar,” Ollie says firmly and clearly, “We must needs speak of rather sensitive matters. I would ask you to take an oath that it won’t be spoken of outside this room.”
The old dragon snorts. “Do you doubt my integrity?”
“Nay, my lord,” she says, tilting her head downward minutely so she can peer up at him from between her lashes. Shit, she’s phenomenal at this.
“But I know castles and seats of power well enough to know that the walls have ears.”
He grunts, the old idiot, but replies, “Fine. I swear lest the pain of oblivion find me across the Veil if I lie, that this conversation will not leave this room.”
Ollie nods, satisfied, as I watch Vale’s hand slowly creep out to touch Ollie’s back. Oh, she’s not going to like that, here, now, in front of another ruler.
I watch her stiffen and bite down a triumphant smile.
“Lord Balthazar. I will be frank. My name is Oleander Stonesthrow. I am the younger sister of King Alder Stonesthrow.” She takes a deep breath, standing tall, “And I want his throne."
The Fae on the almost-throne raises an eyebrow silently. But the half-dragon next to him laughs.
“Cousin, your mind has been turned by good pussy. You cannot believe this tripe?” the pearly dragonoid asks.
Kai pulls a ball of flame to his left hand as he simultaneously sucks the heat from the room. I’m rather proud he didn’t pull a hidden blade, to be honest.
Ollie’s hand flicks out at her hip, staying him, though our breath is visible. Kai freezes without dropping his magic.
Oleander approaches the group of dragons and I notice that Vale’s tail and wings have emerged in anger, but he waits on Ollie.
I can catch the side of Ollie’s face and she’s grinning in an evil manner. “Prince Egan,” she says as she steps directly in front of him. All four of us tense, given she’s barely two-thirds his height and unarmed.
She reaches up and pats his cheek. “Prince Egan, I believe both Prince Vale and Princess Ilma have much more experience with good pussy than you, given your reputation with the ladies of Guivre Shores. Perhaps try again in a century when your balls finally drop.” Her last pat is hard against his scaly face.
He jerks away as she steps back, his hand covering where she touched.
Ollie turns back to Balthazar. “I need your support against Alder. I need dragons for the attack upon RedWater.”
Her attention is upon Balthazar but I’m watching Egan. His hand lifts from his face and he looks at it before covering it again.
Balthazar responds, “What gain in this is there for me?”
Egan’s skin that is visible between his spread claws is turning an angry red. I notice it’s weeping excessively, white fluid dripping down his scaly neck. Goddess-damn little beast of a mate of mine. She poisoned him.
Right to the stick, I guess.
“I thought you hated Alder. His policies. His relentless prosecution of shifters?” She raises an eyebrow imperiously.
Balthazar’s eyes narrow and Vale’s tail whips back and forth. “Alder is a plague. But I’ll wait him out. He’ll die, of whatever cause, long before I do.”
Ollie’s annoyance is clear to me. “The damage he’s doing will last decades or more! We’re losing shifters every day to his special force! You’re just going to look the other way?”
He blinks slowly, a shoulder rising in a half-assed shrug. “Yes.”
Ollie throws her hands up. “You’re nearly as bad as him. Worse than his cronies that follow him around, kissing his ass and telling him how great he is.”
She pauses, clearly trying to master her frustration. “Would a position on my inner council for your representative sway you?”
She sounds spitting mad.
Balthazar chuckles. “No to the council, princess. Perhaps I am as bad as him. But I intend to outlast that idiot, and that means I cannot take risks.” Balthazar taps his fingers upon the arm of the chair.
I sense Ollie’s shift in temper going from angry to pissed. “Risks, Lord Balthazar?” Her voice is honeyed and even and that’s when I realize shit is about to go down. She continues, “My understanding is you rather enjoy those.”
He leans back, snorting, breath creating smoke from his nostrils. “And what would make you say that, Princess Stonesthrow?”
Kai lets loose a low growl at that.
“Well, my lord,” she says in a voice that runs right to my dick, “There is the fact that you are improperly occupying Narisa’s throne.” She smiles guilelessly.
Balthazar jumps to his feet, yellow wings extending wide, “You bastard!” he curses at Vale. “How dare you reveal family, dragonkin, secrets to some slu—”
Too many things happen at once for me to fully clock them all.
Vale launches himself at his grand-uncle, Prince Egan jumps towards Vale, Kai releases the fireball in the direction of Balthazar, who rolls haphazardly, Finnick produces a dagger and steps in front of Ollie whilst I draw a blade and try to decide who needs help most.
But instead of chaos, my little spirit mate insists on order. “Stand down, all of you.” She radiates power, both hands out and gleaming as if covered in oil. “I’ll kill any who disobey me.” Her voice is low and even and while I know she won’t hurt the four of us, they don’t.
As everyone rights themselves, putting teeth and blades away, she steps up to Balthazar, who is now in front of Vale. Her shoulders are covered in goosebumps in the chill air, and I can sense Kai loosening his hold on the temperature in response.
“It was my brother who spoke of it, whilst I was imprisoned below his castle. He spoke to his advisor, a Monkwick, who is responsible for much of the suffering of the realm, for my brother has never had a unique thought in his fluff-filled head, as I was being tortured. And I will kill them all: all the supporters of Alder, including Monkwick. But the fact remains, my lord,” she says with an edge in her tone, “That you and I both know that you are occupying your niece’s throne, as males of dragonkin cannot inherit if there is female of the direct line. ”
Balthazar’s eyes flick around the hall, now probably grateful for the oath Ollie made him swear. His gaze lands back on Ollie, undisguised hatred within his glare. He turns and paces back to his not-throne, flopping down as his wings disappear.
He stares a moment longer before leaning forward, placing his arms on his thighs.
“I’ll make you a deal. I’ll have our army fly for you.
We’ll decimate your enemies in battle, as we are dragons, with breath-weapons and flight.
I’ll turn out all the old families. My full thunder.
” He pauses. “Against Monkwick. The Monastery Isles only. Not RedWater. But you must bring me my niece.”
Vale and I both let out a grumble, for different reasons, I imagine.
“Done,” Ollie responds decisively. “I’ll get Rowan here, in this room, but I cannot promise anything else. In return, your full thunder will attack the Monastery Isles on my command and under the leadership of my generals.”
Balthazar grimaces, the old lizard, probably intending on a loophole, but nods. “Fine. Bring me my niece.” He narrows his eyes, hands tightening, “And nephew?”
Vale looks to him.
“Try not to burn down any forests, hmm?”