Chapter 31 #3
My eyes glitter darkly. “We’re more than that. We’re the people who are plotting a rebellion. A bloody revolution from inside the heart of the dragons’ own court, which none of them saw coming.”
Lanlin draws back from me. “What have you done?”
I fold my wings. “I’ve freed you and I’ve freed my people. Why? Because I’m a bloody god. And it’s time for me to return home.”
On cue, I hear the sound of screams, the clash of swords, and desperate shouts from further in the maze of the dungeon.
“What in the name of the Shadow Devils is that?” Lanlin drops into a fighting crouch.
“Not in their name,” I say with sudden seriousness, turning to face the cell door. “Thank King Daire of the House of Thorn and his Frost Clan. Freya isn’t here now, so I can properly thank you, warrior to warrior, for not sacrificing me on that altar.”
Lanlin stares at me in confusion, trusting but on the alert.
My soul is soaring.
This is it, the moment that I have been waiting for and scheming, as soon as I was forced to my knees in Rune Forest.
The screams are music to my soul.
I begin to sing, tapping my fingers on the bars.
I grin, as my shadows whip around me in my joy.
I straighten when I hear the flap of wings, followed by a cry of pain, then stumbling steps down the stairs.
“Taran,” Lanlin whispers behind me. “It looks like he has been beaten black and blue with his own whip. He is being dragged by his broken arm toward the cell by a fae with eagle wings…”
“Ela!” I cry. “Perfect timing.”
“I have a delivery.” I can hear in her voice that she is grinning. “This dragon bastard has Lanlin stamped on his arse.”
“Thanks, Ela. You’re the best. How is the uprising going?”
“The featherglass and cadets have joined together as expected, and the army is…to Maximinus and his private guards’ shock…
staying out of the whole thing. Imperial Legate War Varus is trying to rally them, but they don’t want to hurt the cadets.
The uprising has taken them by surprise, and the confusion is working to our advantage.
But we need you, Thorn. We need our Raven King. ”
I ruffle my feathers, lifting up my chin. “I’m here and ready to lead the Fallen Rebellion. Just give my King a chance at his revenge first. This arsehole murdered his family, and we know how that feels.”
“Aye, we do.”
I listen to a struggle, before the door is swung open.
“Please, please…” Taran begs, sobbing.
I step to one side.
Taran is tossed into the cell.
I glimpse his terrified face and then there is only the sound of Lanlin’s feral growling.
I listen dispassionately to Taran’s screams, as well as the sound of fangs and claws tearing the dragon apart.
It goes on for longer than I thought it was possible for Taran to live through such a savage mauling.
I wipe a splatter of blood off my cheek.
“Ready to fly to freedom, Bat?” I ask.
Slowly, Lanlin rises to his feet.
His shadows wrap around him. Blood soaks the front of his uniform. He tears his breastplate off, which marks him out with the dragons’ emblem, until he is bare chested.
Lanlin marches over to a warped lump of metal that I recognize as our melted crowns.
“Leave it,” I say. “I’ll make you a new crown.”
Lanlin glances at me. “You’ll make it…?”
“Where we’re going, I’ll be the ruler.”
He hesitates. “And where is that?”
My smile is ice-cold. “The Unseelie Kingdom.”
Lanlin prowls toward me. “Not without my twin.”
Elatha grips my forearm. “Thorn, we must go. Now.”
The fighting is growing louder, closer, more intense.
What do I say?
I can’t lie to Lanlin.
How can I give him false hope about his own twin?
Yet I only have a brief window of time to lead this rebellion in the heart of an enemy kingdom.
I have a single chance to save my entire court.
How the bloody hell do I choose between my people and keeping a secret that I know will shatter my fated mate?
I avoid Lanlin’s gaze. “I know where your brother is.”
It’s not a lie.
I do know where Lazarus is: His ash is scattered in the banquet hall, after Aurelius was tricked into drunkenly burning him.
Lanlin rushes to me, lit up with hope. “Then take me to him. By the Void, we can fight next to each other and save Laz. I will join you in this uprising. Then together we can escape with my twin.”
“Not yet.” I can hardly force myself to get out the words. “This uprising will fail if I don’t lead it, then Freya will be in danger. I swear that I will tell you about your brother, once she is safe.”
Lanlin’s expression clouds. “Swear that you will tell me about Laz. Swear that if I help you with this revolt, then you will help me to save him as well?”
I clench my hands.
This is so much harder than I thought it would be.
“I swear,” I pick my words carefully, “that once I have saved my people, I will tell you everything that I know about your brother. I will do everything within my power for him.”
It’s not a lie. But what power do I have over the dead?
Lanlin stalks out of the open cell door. “Then let’s show these dragons why they should have never tried to break us.”
I grip Elatha’s elbow both in greeting and to guide me into the dark. “Let us show them why the fae never fell.”