Chapter 22 #2
A voice cleared, and I winced. We were far from alone. I forced myself to release her, taking a step back. “You heard voices and decided to race headlong into the fray?”
Color high in her cheeks, she smoothed an unruly curl from her face. “It’s not as if anyone but you or Alaric could reach that ledge.”
“Ah. So, you were running into my arms, then?” A hot tingle sparked at the thought.
“Hardly,” she scoffed, glancing at the two men who lingered at my back, enjoying the show. “Who are your friends?”
I stepped aside. “Serafina, this is Drazen and Kronk, the men I told you about.”
Drazen swept forward in a flourish, taking her hand and kissing her fingertips. “Thorne failed to mention he had a guest. And a beautiful one at that.”
To my ire, Sera’s pale cheeks darkened. Her curious gaze lingered a bit too long on Drazen’s onyx horns before darting away. “Um. Thank you. I think.”
She never reacted like that to my compliments. Wait. Had I ever complimented her? Surely, I had. At least once.
Once Drazen released her, Kronk strode forward, thumping his fist over his chest, simply stating, “Kronk.”
“Nice to meet you.” Sera dipped a brief curtsey.
Alaric’s low growl rumbled from the back of the room, snapping all heads his way.
“Oh, right. And Alaric, whom you’ve met,” I said.
“Right,” Drazen said with a nod. “The dragon from the trials. Or the other dragon, I should say,” he added, turning back to me. “Can I ask why the hell you didn’t tell us you were both Draconis back when we were in the games? Having a dragon on our team would have been a huge asset.”
“If I’d revealed myself, there was no guarantee we would have escaped. And Alaric’s situation is a private matter.”
“Draconis business.” Kronk nodded, as if he understood, though I suspected he comprehended little.
Alaric’s voice invaded my thoughts where the others couldn’t hear. “Your associates are as thickheaded as I remember from the Fallen Trials. Perhaps I should have incinerated them after all.”
“Come now,” I admonished, using our mental link. “They’re part of the reason you were freed from that madman’s chains. Show a little appreciation.”
“You are being rude, using the link in front of your guests,” Serafina said out loud, and I barked a laugh. I’d almost forgotten she could hear us.
“What just happened?” Drazen asked.
“Nothing.” I shifted my gaze to Serafina. No need to tell them all our secrets. “Will you track down Myrna and have her prepare a meal for our guests?”
“Because suddenly I’m the castle steward?” Serafina scowled. “Sure. I’ll be right back.”
The moment she was out of earshot, Drazen waggled his dark brows. “So, you and the girl?”
“Touch her, I’ll turn you into dragon chow,” I snarled, my beast rousing.
From his place across the room, Alaric contributed a low growl to back up the threat.
Drazen held up his hands. “Understood. Can’t blame a fellow for asking.”
“Excuse my brother,” Kronk grumbled. “He is slow to comprehend things. Anyone could see the attractive female is Thorne’s mate.”
“Hold on now!” I barked, Alaric’s irritation prickling the base of my skull. “Serafina and I are not together.”
“Strange.” Kronk scratched his bald head. “I am skilled at interpreting body language, and rarely wrong about these things. You have consummated your union, haven’t you?”
Sweat slicked my forehead. I glanced at my brother to find his dark glare leveled on me, chest glowing faintly.
I cleared my throat, gesturing at the table. “Shall we?”
Drazen and Kronk dropped into their seats, Kronk’s bulk making the wood creak.
“Nice place you have here. It yours?” Drazen craned his neck, eyeing the dirt and disrepair.
“In a manner of speaking,” I said simply, claiming the head of the table.
Kronk closed his eyes, his rugged face an expression of constipation, then snapped them open again. “There is an entire kingdom hidden within the walls of this mountain. Along with tunnels that burrow deep into the ground.”
Flames save me. Despite having such a thick skull, the athos was getting right to the heart of things. So much for keeping secrets.
Drazen narrowed his eyes, tapping his chin.
“We have a pair of Draconis brothers. One who shifts. One who does not. An abandoned kingdom concealed by a mountain. In a land void of magic.” He lurched upright.
“Flarking hell. Blackwing. I knew I’d heard that name before.
This is the Lost Kingdom of Pyrrhus. Which makes you both royalty. ”
His gaze swept the room again, lingering on the cracked walls and rubble. “What happened here?”
“A discussion for another day.” Or never. I tightened my jaw. “Right now, we have other issues to focus on.”
“Like Speck,” Serafina chimed in, chest heaving. Her cheeks glowed as if she’d sprinted to find Myrna, then raced back, afraid of being left out.
“What did I miss?” She flopped into a chair, confirming as much.
“Absolutely nothing.” I shot Kronk a warning glare I hoped he’d pick up on with his tremendous gift of intuition.
“What is a Speck?” Kronk asked instead.
“An innocent young man who’s like a brother to me. He labored as a shepherd for the high lord of Nefarr.” Pain tightened her smile, turning it brittle. “Wendigos captured him during the attack.”
“Ah.” Drazen’s tone softened. “He’s the one we’re rescuing.”
She twisted her hands in her lap. “That is my hope.”
“Great, then. What’s the plan?” Drazen leaned back in his chair, folding his arms.
“We should start at Rottbarry Manor,” Serafina answered before I could interject. “That’s where the wendigos captured Speck and the others. From there, we can locate one of their tunnels, find the prisoners, and set them free.”
I tapped my fingers on the table. “A simple plan, except we have no idea how vast the tunnels are or where the captives are held. There might be miles of underground terrain to cover. We could end up running around in circles or lose our way, never to resurface.”
“Hold up.” Drazen waved a hand. “You didn’t say anything about going underground.”
“That’s why I thought an athos would come in handy.” I faced Serafina. “Kronk can manipulate stone and earth.”
“While I bring light to the darkness.” Not one to be left out, Drazen snapped his fingers, setting them ablaze.
Serafina eyed his tiny flame, appearing unimpressed. After all, she’d seen bigger and better.
“We could capture a ghoul, then follow them into the tunnels,” Kronk offered.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t a bad idea.
“My magic seems to attract them,” Serafina admitted. “Also, I’m pretty sure they’re hunting me. I could help lure them out.”
“What kind of magic?” Drazen arched a brow, studying her with curiosity that made my dragon stir.
“Absolutely not,” I cut in before she could answer.
“Why?” Her auburn brows furrowed.
“You’d be defenseless down there. A liability.”
She let out an indignant squawk. “I most certainly am not defenseless. Ask Alaric.”
“What’s this?” I swiveled to my brother. Had something happened during her training?
At least she appeared hale and hearty, but Alaric…
Now that I looked closer, there were lines of strain carved into his rugged brow, his scales lackluster and dull.
Whereas Sera had healed the injuries he received from the hunters, he still favored his right flank, keeping his wing tight against his chest.
“You would be safer here,” the dragon said to her through our mental link, his response far from the angry snarl I’d expected.
Serafina’s jaw hardened. She answered aloud, “But I’d be more useful in Nefarr. Should I choose to go, you and I both know you can no longer force me to stay.”
Alaric said nothing. He only stared at her, stone-faced. If I weren’t in both of their minds, I’d think they shared some silent understanding. I didn’t appreciate being on the outside of some intimate secret. What the hell had happened while I was gone?
Both Drazen and Kronk must have picked up on the sudden tension, both falling quiet, their gazes pinging between the three of us.
“Is there something the two of you would like to share with me?” I asked, voice loud in the silence.
Shadows shifted behind Alaric’s reptilian eyes. At length, he gave a kingly nod. “Serafina may go.”
My breath stilled in my chest, my muscles tensing. “You can’t be serious.” What was he up to? Why put her life in danger? And against my wishes.
Serafina propped her chin on her palm, looking far too pleased with herself. “You heard him. The king has spoken, Thorne.” She cupped her hand to her mouth, fake whispering to Kronk and Drazen. “Just to catch you up, Alaric agrees that I should go with you.”
I gaped at my brother, not bothering to use our link. “Have you lost your mind? Every time she’s left Pyrrhus, some creature has tried to kill or capture her.”
“Serafina is my ward and under my command. My decision stands.”
My dragon stirred at the possessive tone in his voice. I snarled through our link, “And it’s my flame that burns inside of her, and I say she stays.”
Icy tension thickened the air between us, the room falling quiet. Alaric’s deadly tail scraped across the floor like a drawn blade. Until now, I’d not mentioned my own claim.
“Told her about the flame, did you?” he growled in my mind. “Did you also tell her the only way to break the bond is through death? I’m surprised at your reluctance to send her into danger. From the moment I brought her here, you desired to be rid of her at any cost.”
At Alaric’s admission, Serafina’s narrow gaze pinned me, heavy enough to bow my head. A dull ache warmed the center of my chest. Her emotion or mine, I couldn’t tell.
“The situation has changed,” I growled, pushing my voice along our mental path. No point in denying the truth. It was no secret I once wanted her gone. But now? The thought of Serafina coming to harm did something strange to my insides, lighting a fire within me.
Before I could pursue the idea further, Alaric interrupted, barking, “And why is that?”
Flark. He knew. Somehow, Alaric knew I’d slept with her. The woman he’d practically dared me to seduce. Was this yet another one of his tests that I’d failed? Well, flark him. Serafina wasn’t some game piece he could push around, using how he saw fit.
“Enough!” Serafina snapped out loud, cutting through the rising storm. “I’ll not be dictated to like a brainless fool. I’m my own person and can make my own decisions. Using me to lure the creatures out is the best way to ensure our success and save Speck. I’m going.”
While Alaric and I glared daggers at each other, Drazen chuckled.
“Love me a good family squabble, even if I couldn’t hear much of it.
Been a while since I took part in one, now that my sister is queen.
With that settled, let’s talk details. Since none of us slept during the long flight here, I say we rest up, gather supplies, and head out early tomorrow morning.
With Serafina,” he added, offering her a lusty wink that had my dragon stirring.
“Agreed,” Kronk rumbled as food arrived.
Myrna and two assistants dropped trenchers loaded with bread, meat, and vegetables on the table.
As we dug in, the infernus turned to Serafina. “Tell us, how did you end up in the company of two dragon shifters?”
“Yes, Sera.” I grated, still irritated at the turn of events. “Do tell us.”
Serafina cast me an antagonistic smirk. “It all started with a pile of dung.”