Page 74 of The Dragon King

“When I reminded him of what Talon had done for the elves, he said it wouldn’t have mattered if your race had perished because the island would have remained a secret. My father gave his life to keep this island a secret, and Macabre doesn’t give a damn about that either. When I asked to proposition the other dragons, he ordered them to block me from their minds. He may be a dragon, but underneath those scales is a monster.”

Her composure remained perfectly in place as she regarded me with those piercing blue eyes. “I like to bestow my wisdom upon the young. It gives them invaluable perspective. So allow me to share some with you. In life, we do good things and expectnothing in return. We helped Macabre and his kin because we wanted to. We offered them protection and salvation in exchange for nothing.”

“Not even love and loyalty?” I asked incredulously. “Because he clearly feels neither for you. You’re his servants. Just as all the females in his cave are servants?—”

“Macabre’s personal life is none of my business, just as my marriage to a human is none of his,” she said calmly. “If you came here to poison my mind with insults to Macabre’s character, I would rather spend that time completing my flower crowns for the hatchlings. Are we finished?” Her tone sharpened.

I didn’t want to take this conversation in this direction, but I had to. “We can both agree that your race, your forest, and the afterlife would be gone if Talon hadn’t saved it. And I know we can agree that your hatred toward him has blossomed into affection and friendship.”

“What’s your point, Calista?”

“He came to your aid—and now it’s time you come to his.”

A cloud suddenly passed over the sky and blocked the sun. A shadow came across the land and the mountain. It matched the change in atmosphere, the way everyone at the table was provoked by what I just said.

Her expression slowly hardened, her eyes turning sharp like the blades she wielded in battle.

I held my stance.

“I gave Talon the dragons, as we agreed.”

“In exchange for killing the dark elves, a feat at which you hoped he would fail. But he’s done much more. He saved everyone—including you. Like it or not, Your Majesty, you’re indebted to him for a lot more than an introduction to a stubborn dragon.”

Her eyes flicked back and forth between mine, her hostility slowly rising. “This conversation should happen between monarchs?—”

“He’s too broken to speak. Macabre’s refusal has cut him down at the knees. He’s devastated because he’s bound by his honor to do this and succeed. So I will do it for him. You will command Macabre and his kin to fight with us.”

“I can’t command him to do such a thing?—”

“Then you will pledge your army to us and ask him to support you?—”

“Don’t you dare interrupt my queen.” Uncle Ezra wore no armor, but he looked as formidable as he appeared on a battlefield. “You forget that you speak to Riviana Star’s longest reigning monarch, a queen who is more deadly and more beautiful than the sun. Interrupt her or disrespect her again, and I will personally escort you out of these chambers. I don’t give a damn if you’re my niece.”

I looked at my uncle and saw the ire in his eyes.

“It’s alright, Ezra.” Queen Eldinar spoke quietly. “She can speak to me that way in private—because I’m her aunt.”

A rush of warmth moved through me, bringing a rouge to my cheeks that had nothing to do with the heat and humidity. The last woman to show me love was my mother, and I hadn’t known it since she died. I stared at the queen for several seconds,touched by her gesture of maternal affection. It made me falter before I continued. “You will pledge your army to fight with us. You will tell Macabre you’ve done so and ask him to join you. You said you’ve built a deep friendship with him. If that’s true, I can’t imagine he would deny your request.”

She stared at me for a long time, her eyes as clear as the sky. “I don’t appreciate being coerced like this.”

“I would never coerce you. It’s a request that you can deny.”

“Then I deny it,” she said quickly. “I will not pledge the elven army to fight for a cause that doesn’t concern us or involve the very beings I’ve given my life and service to protect.”

And just like that, my plan went out the window. The disappointment hurt more than the first time because I didn’t have a backup plan. That meant we would have to sail to the Southern Isles and find another way.

I sat back in my chair and looked at the flowers upon the table, the ones she would attach to the flower crowns she would gift to the little dragons she clearly cared for. There was nothing left for me to do but leave, but I didn’t want to return to Talon without something to lift his spirits.

“Calista.”

My eyes found hers again, waiting for another rejection.

“I will pledge the elven army to your cause, not because you asked, but because it is my wish. Because I’ve come to care deeply for the man who’s claimed your heart. I don’t agree out of obligation, but desire. Desire for Talon, the Death King, the rightful King of the Southern Isles, to avenge his family and his people—and find peace.”

All I could do was blink, shocked by what she’d said.

“I will ask Macabre to fight with us. But I can’t promise he’ll agree.”

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