Chapter 28 #2
“When a wild queen dragon rises to mate, she taunts the males, so that they give chase. It’s their ability to outfly, outmanoeuvre the other males that determine whether or not they get to become one of the sires of her dragonlings.
” His smile had my back pressing hard against my chair.
“That’s what this is.” The general noted our collective confusion and then nodded before forging on.
“Auren’s fit of pique was her delivering a challenge to the entire corp, something our dragons sensed.
Why else would they have taken off in pursuit of her? ”
Because they persisted in thinking that they still had a chance of mating with Auren, despite all evidence to the contrary.
“The Royal Riders has a long and glorious history of overcoming great hardship. We have restored order each time.” The general was obviously warming to the topic, his chest swelling as he spoke.
“And we will do so again. Our dragons are uncontrollable because Auren is unmated. That must change. The queen dragon seems to have taken a shine to your Viridian, Lance.” When the general looked at me, so did everyone else in the room and that was not a comfortable experience.
“The corp needs you to pursue Lady Fern far more aggressively, help your dragon forge a connection with hers.”
My hand shot out, grabbing my glass of water and drinking it down as he continued.
“Create a wing with some of your fellow riders and work together to woo the lady. Taking her out on a picnic or to the seaside will mean your dragons and hers will spend more time in each other’s company.
” The general looked like a proud papa with his genial smile.
“Nature will take it’s course and this problem will be solved. ”
“I’m in.” Lawrence was a big man. He uncrossed his arms and sat forward. “The lady’s a pretty lass and it’d be no hardship coming home to her each night.”
“Might be for her, putting up with your bullshit,” another rider said, then shook his head. “My dragon won’t shut up about Auren. If it means getting some peace and quiet, I’d join your wing, Lance.”
“She sought me out.” Slade’s cocky smirk had my hands forming fists against my thighs. “Seems like we already have a connection, so I’m in.”
More riders spoke, their voices getting louder and louder, but it was the quietest one that got my attention. Cora sat there, milk pale, watching everything happen, wide eyed.
“And what about Fern?” I had to clear my throat, forced to speak up to get everyone to shut up. “What about what she thinks about this?” I remembered Kael and his brothers and the way they declared to everyone that she was under their protection. “And the silver riders?”
If I thought to catch the general unawares, I failed.
“This is the problem with women pushing themselves into places that aren’t suited to their natures,” he said.
“A man’s home is his castle, but he needs a queen for it to run well.
I know there’s all these modern ideas about women working, taking on traditionally male roles, but nothing good will come of it.
Females are swayed by their emotions far too easily, unable to make the hard headed decisions needed to ensure our country’s safety. ”
His hands hit the table as he leaned over and regarded every one of us.
“If Fern was still under her father’s roof, each man who sought to win her hand would be personally vetted by the men in her family to make sure she was marrying someone who would protect and provide for a woman of her station.
Lord Rochester isn’t here, so the corp must act as her proxy.
It isn’t just that the silver riders are not the sort of men a lady should marry.
Uncouth, lowborn and most of all, undisciplined.
” A muscle ticced in the general’s jaw. “But we also have to be mindful of what kind of dragons would be born from a union between Auren and their beasts.”
“They’re the largest and most powerful dragons in the country.” The prime minister pulled his feet off the table, then drank down the rest of his whiskey. “If they were bulls or rams, they’d be the ones you mated your flock or herd to.”
The general’s smile faded.
“But sheep and cows are not the size of dragons, nor do they possess any of their destructive power.” His eyes burned into the prime minister’s.
“You need a disciplined, efficient dragon corp to keep the country you run safe from invaders from the continent, otherwise the place will be overrun in weeks. You will no longer be prime minister. Instead, forced to labour under a foreign power’s directive, like every other citizen of Nevermere.
So…” He turned to the rest of us. “We are agreed. Auren and Fern will be found in the morning, brought back to the keep and then appropriate mates and husbands found for both of them. Thank you for your time.”
I stumbled out of the map room feeling completely wrung out.
Escorting Fern to the keep was a mistake.
The thought was like one of Lorien’s knives, embedding itself in my heart over and over.
I wanted Fern to look up at me, those beautiful blue eyes filled with wonder.
If the keep was where she wanted to be, then I’d be a lieutenant.
I’d try to impress her with silver insignias and authority that wasn’t mine, showing her the destructive power of dragons.
Unaware that she was the one who was really in danger.
I hadn’t seen today’s aberration coming, couldn’t protect her from it, but who knew the dangers of the keep better than me?
Letting myself get lulled back into a false sense of security, I nodded sharply.
That’s what it was. For just a moment, I stopped on the landing, hand going to my brow as my head throbbed.
I should’ve persuaded Fern to stay in Dragon Rest. There we could’ve kept her safe. No one–
“Lance?” The feminine voice had me spinning around, because just for a second, I thought it was Fern.
My heart was in my throat, right as I saw Cora standing there.
By the look of her wry smile, my expression told her exactly what I was feeling.
“You can’t blame yourself for what happened in the bay. ”
“Too late.” That came out without thought, so I shook my head in response.
“That…” My mind wouldn’t stop replaying everything that happened.
The smile I shot Fern before the exercise began, the way I’d sat there, marvelling at the way the sun turned her hair to red gold.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, I thought, right before my jaw clamped tight. “That will never happen again.”
“Of course.” Cora moved closer. “Your new wing–”
“No.” Inside the room, the disquiet had sat low in my gut, waiting, but now I was free of the place, I felt a wave of revulsion.
“If you asked me this morning what I wanted most in the world, it was Fern agreeing to be mine and Auren mated to Viridian, but…” I looked back at the map room and saw riders filing out.
Some nodded my way, as if making clear they’d be talking to me soon. “Not like this. Never like this.”
Cora’s smile was gentle
“You care for her quite a lot.”
“Quite a lot?” I barely croaked that out. Turns out I hadn’t just lost my dragon. All my defences had gone winging out of the keep along with Viridian. “There aren’t enough words to describe how I feel.”
“Oh goodness…” Her hand squeezed my arm, but she pulled away before I could protest. “You do have it bad. So what now? Form a wing and then protect Fern?”
“No…” My breath came out in a long shudder. “I think I just need to get the hell out of the keep for a while. If I can clear my head, maybe I can work out what to do next.”
Part of me went to call Viridian, have my dragon meet me in the courtyard, but of course, he wasn’t anywhere to be found.
Didn’t matter. I left Cora, running downstairs and out the front gate.
Each step away from the place helped lighten my heart, until I stopped on a busy street.
The muffled sound of music, of people chattering animatedly, it filtered through, and when I looked up at the swinging sign, I knew exactly where I was.
The Dragon’s Tooth was a tavern close to my boyhood home.
My feet moved of their own accord, my hand pushing open the door to be greeted by a wave of warmth and noise.
Some people even called out to me, but I kept on walking until I reached the bar.
“What’ll it be…” The innkeeper looked down at my insignia. “Rider?”
“A beer,” I replied. “Don’t care what kind. Just that its cold and goes down fast.”
“Those are the words of a desperate man.” When my head jerked sideways, he settled against the bar with a grin.
“Been a long time, son.” With a toss of his hand, he dropped enough coins to cover two drinks on the bar.
“I’ll have the same.” The bar man poured our drinks carefully and then pushed them our way.
“Something… or someone’s driving you to drink.
” He took a sip of his. “How about you tell your old dad about it?”