Page 20 of The Dragon King

I felt an icy chill move up my body despite the beautiful morning. The tranquility had been destroyed by the impending doom headed this way. When Talon woke up and realized I wasn’t there, he would be suspicious. And when I didn’t come back before this evening, he would grow more suspicious.

He would probably figure it out entirely on his own.

He would call upon the army of the dead, break his vow to the queen, and save us all.

They arrived at nightfall.

I couldn’t see their flesh, but I could see their fire. Torches glowed in the distance, so many of them that they looked like stars in the dark sky. They appeared between the trees then disappeared again, only to pop up a second later.

I wanted to pretend I wasn’t scared, but I was.

Queen Eldinar and General Ezra marched to the Great Tree with her personal guard of twenty-four soldiers. They were bigger than the other elves, more muscular with heavier armor and sour faces.

I was among them, unable to leave because their eyes were always on me.

When I looked upon the Great Tree for the first time, I could see the magic with the naked eye. There was no fire on her trunk or limbs, but she was illuminated by an internal glow that seemed to come from deep within. The Great Tree stood alone in a large clearing of grass, distinctly separate from the neighboring treesthat were at least a hundred feet away. It possessed a thicker trunk, with branches as wide as the nearby trees and a height that reached way into the sky.

And the music…it was louder here. But it was also warped and pained, like Riviana could feel the intruders step into her lands.

In the center of the tree was a door made of withered branches, stretching across the front to make a solid barrier. The branches looked sturdy and gnarled, so it would take a long time to clear it, even with a sharp axe.

Queen Eldinar stopped in front of the Great Tree and gazed upon it with a mother’s love. “I will protect you with my life, Riviana.” She moved to the tree and placed her palm on the center of the door. Then she whispered under her breath words in her native tongue.

The song changed, turning soft like a lullaby.

My uncle watched her from where he stood, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword, looking at her with the same love she gave the tree.

When Queen Eldinar turned away from the tree, she went straight to my uncle.

“Fleur Nia,” he said quietly. “You don’t have to do this.”

“I will not let this tree fall.” She looked at him with calm determination, a hint of resignation. “I suspect it’ll claim my life, but as Queen of Riviana Star, it is my duty. I can’t let this tree fall.”

Uncle Ezra struggled to find words, visibly overcome with emotion he couldn’t express in the presence of his men. His eyes dropped down to the ground between them, and he inhaled aheavy breath. “I will do my best to hold the perimeter.” He raised his chin and looked at her again, his pain suppressed as much as possible.

She cupped his cheek. “I know you will.”

He grabbed her by the wrist, and he turned into her palm, placing a kiss against the inside of her hand. He rested there, just holding her wrist as he stared at her, the undying love like a beacon of light in his eyes. Then he moved into her and cupped her cheeks before he kissed her, his fingers slipping into her hair, kissing her like they were alone rather than on display in front of an audience.

My stare felt intrusive, so I looked away.

Uncle Ezra eventually walked away and left the tree, knowing he might never see his wife or me again.

I looked at Queen Eldinar.

She stared at him until he disappeared from the clearing. Then she was back to her callous expression, her eyes full of blood lust and her mouth set in hard determination. Her armor was formfitting, showing her petite size with the muscles in her arms and legs. For a monarch who seemed to sit on the throne all day, she appeared strong.

After a few minutes passed, I addressed her. “I know he would protect the tree, Queen Eldinar.”

She stared into the clearing, her eyes trained on something that wasn’t there.

“Please…”

“He couldn’t care less about this tree, Calista,” she said. “He couldn’t care less about how it affects us all since he’s barred entry.”

“What do you mean, he’s barred entry?”

She continued to stare ahead.

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