Page 49 of The Dragon King

Fear didn’t latch on to me easily. I could normally deflect it with calm and determination. But it burned right through me and left a hole in my stomach. It made every muscle in my body feel tight, made me taste rotten fruit on my tongue, made me feel like a thousand spiders crawled across my body that very moment. Sensations I didn’t feel in the land of the living. “I haven’t fought my war. I haven’t met my uncle on the battlefield. Nothing has come to pass. I would like to revoke our deal. You can take back your command of the dead, and I will fight without it.” I’d come to rely on the ability so deeply, because I could unleash an army to fight my enemies within a second’s notice. It would be invaluable in the war to come, to occupy Barron’s soldiers on the ground as I focused on the sky, but I would do without. “I would like to dissolve our agreement.”

Bahamut rested the spoon at the edge of the bowl, and then a smile slowly crept into his face. He showed all of his perfectly straight teeth, the joyless mirth in his gaze. “I’ve noticed the woman in your bed.”

A shadowy creature had gazed upon me without my knowledge, haunted us like a ghost in the wind. Discomfort moved through my whole body. I felt violated without being touched. I’d signed my name on the dotted line without understanding the terms.

“But you should have thought of that before you came to me.”

“I was a different man when I sailed to your lands.”

The smile remained, like he enjoyed my resistance more than my cooperation. “Nonetheless, you conquered Scorpion Valley and Shadow Stone with the powers I gifted you?—”

“And the dragons whose allegiance I earned on my own.”

“You protected Riviana Star, not once, but twice. It wouldn’t have been possible without your command of the dead. You sail to the hidden location of the dragons, information you earned from Queen Eldinar because of the battle you won. All these events wouldn’t have come to pass without my aid. What’s done cannot be reversed, Talon Rothschild. Just because you’ve come to love a woman doesn’t change the terms of our deal. I warned you the day we met. I told you that this is binding and cannot be undone, and you looked me in the eye and pledged your soul to me for eternity.” His voice slowly started to rise as the angry passion flooded through him. “What is done cannot be undone. If the battle is won, you will have a brief moment to savor your victory before you’re brought here for eternity, to harvest the souls from those who are unfortunate enough to meet me. You will prepare them for me night and day so I can maintain a power so great it can be challenged by none other than a god. And if you lose the battle and this is all for naught…” He continued to smile like he enjoyed every moment of my suffering. “Then your fate will remain the same.”

Forfeiting my soul felt inconsequential when I had nothing to live for, but now it felt like the gravest mistake of my life. Khazmuda’s dark eyes were visible in my mind, the insurmountable sorrow he would feel when he saw my body on the ground, dead without injury. The tears he would shed would look like diamonds in the sun.

And then Calista… I couldn’t bear the thought.

“Enjoy the time you have left, Talon Rothschild.” He scooped his spoon into his bowl, and instead of letting the contents drop back into the liquid, he took a bite. Eating the soul clean off the spoon. The room darkened…and objects started to blur…and then, for just an instant, I saw rows of razor-sharp teeth from a dark mouth, a face large and jagged like pinnacles of rock, eyes red like a blood moon, and a snarl that could crunch bone. “Every soul tastes different—and I look forward to tasting yours.”

And then the world changed, and I stared at the fireplace once more. The flames had died long ago because the hearth was cold. The scent of smoke was absent from the room. My breaths were quick and labored, like I’d run straight from the underworld back to this room. I turned to the bed, where I expected to see Calista sleeping.

The bed was empty.

I looked at the bathroom and saw the door was wide open, and no one was inside.

I was rooted to the spot, unable to move, unable to get the image of the monster out of my mind.

Where did you go?

The sound of Khazmuda’s voice made my eyes clench shut, desperate to rid my thoughts of the unspeakable things I’d seen.

You’re afraid. What’s happened?

Just had a bad dream.

Talon…you’ve been gone for a day.

Dread dropped into my stomach, and the unease followed.

Our minds always touch, no matter the distance. But I couldn’t feel yours.

I opened my eyes and lifted my chin. Against the wall, he stood, dressed in his midnight-blue armor, eyes blue like the ocean. That same satisfied smile was upon his handsome face, basking in my misery.

Talon?

I continued to meet his gaze, haunted by a god who would feast upon my soul.

The door flew open, and Calista stumbled into the room. “Talon.”

Bahamut disappeared like a wind blew away the smoke.

She rushed to me and gripped me tight, her face moving to my chest. “You have any idea how scared I was?” She stepped back, her eyes both vicious and emotional. “Where did you go? Khazmuda said he couldn’t feel you, and I was afraid you drowned or…” She couldn’t think of another explanation because there was none. There wasn’t a single story to explain how I’d left the hidden port without taking a boat, how I’d broken the connection with Khazmuda without breaking the fuse, how I’d been gone for an entire day as people searched for me. Her eyes shifted back and forth between mine, angry and desperate for an answer.

I was in shock from what I saw and unable to speak.

I’ve never felt such fear in your heart. What has happened?

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