Page 100 of Blood of Dragons

His eyes dropped back to the fire. “I wield the power of the dead…as you’ve seen.”

“So youarea god.”

“No,” he said with a sad smile. “But I know the god of the underworld quite well.”

Bumps formed on my arms. “How…?”

His eyes stayed on the fire a long time, so long it seemed like he wouldn’t answer. “That tale will have to be told another day, not on a night as beautiful as this.” He lifted his eyes and looked at me, his stare hard and possessive like usual.

“Inferno said he would ask the dragons to fight for our cause. If they said yes, he would return to me and share their answer. But it’s been almost a month, and I haven’t heard from him.”

“I wonder if he’s asked, or if he’s been waiting until he’s accepted into their society.”

“I don’t know.”

“We need to ask the elves for the location,” he said. “I see no other way.”

“You’ve seen the queen’s disdain for me…”

“But you said you have an uncle.”

I hesitated. “Yes, but he’s married to her.”

“Your uncle is the king?” he asked in slight surprise.

“He’s not the king. The crown isn’t transferred by marriage.”

“Then he’s still very powerful and influential. He could share that location with you—or convince the queen to do so.”

“I’ve seen his love for her. He would never betray her.”

“Blood is thicker than water.”

I looked at him across the fire, the man least likely to claim my heart, to pull it out of my body and squeeze it in his grasp. “I think love is just as thick.”

He continued to hold my gaze with the same confidence. “How do you want to proceed?”

“I—I’m not sure.”

“I have to do this, Calista. I can’t win this war without the dragons, and I can’t sit on my ass and wait for Inferno to come back when he may never return.”

“I understand.”

“Then you need to think of something.”

“I can ask.” I thought of the angry look in the queen’s eyes, the way she despised me down to the bone. “But I know how that will go. We need to offer them something in return, some kind of incentive?—”

“Like saving their forest from complete annihilation?” he asked sarcastically.

“The forest was attacked because of me, so I’m not sure how good of an argument that is.”

“It wasn’t your fault, baby. You aren’t responsible for his obsession.”

“How did General Titan even know?”

Now Talon bowed his head.

“Talon?”

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