Page 9 of Fae Crown

Nothing at the palace was designed with dragons in mind anymore. Not since King Erasmus the Bloody had waged war on the creatures the fae had once revered and treasured.

By the time the goblin was back at my side, Saffron was wrapped around me like a snake slowly strangling its next meal.

The already nervous goblin gasped at the sight of him tangled around me. Clueless that he was being a bother—a very cute bother—Saffron dragged his rough tongue against my neck before I chuckled and pushed his face away.

“W-we must hurry,” the goblin stuttered while eyeing the little dragon.

“So I heard. With him awake, that won’t be as easy anymore. I’m going to need to leave him behind while I participate in the trials.”

As if he understood, a conclusion that was seeming more and more likely with each instance of his “coincidentally” timed reactions—the little sneaky rascal—he dug in deeper, his claws biting into my arms.

“Owwww.” I struggled to peel his claws from my flesh. “Saff,ow, stop.”

He only burrowed his face into my chest. The robe’s two halves gaped open, and his snout burrowed between my breasts—directly over Rush’skiss of deathscar.

“Milady,” the goblin interjected in a nervous wobble, “we must hurry, hurry, hurry, or it’ll be off with both our heads.”

I no longer bothered with the argument that the queen wouldn’t be so unreasonable as to punish either of us with our freakingdeathsfor mere tardiness.

“Unreasonable” should be one of the bitch’s many middle names.

“Saff, come on, boy,” I cooed, running a soothing hand along his spine, between his wings. “You’ve gotta let me go.”

If anything, he tightened his hold.

“Milady—”

“I know. Are there any goblins who are good with the dragons?” Clearly, this she-goblin wasn’t among them. “Pru’s great with him.”

“No, milady, I don’t think so.”

“Elowyn,” I said.

Her bare brow climbed her forehead. “Elowyn … what, milady?”

“Call me Elowyn.”

Almost violently, the goblin shook her head. “Oh no, milady, that wouldn’t be appropriate.”

I rolled my eyes but didn’t bother insisting. Even Pru only called me by my given name maybe a third of the time.

“I have to leave him with someone,” I argued. “He’ll tear up everything in my rooms if he stays here alone.”

Worse, he’d panic, believe I’d abandoned him. He’d feel alone and unsafe when, more than ever, he needed to feel secure so he could begin healing from all the queen had subjected him to.

“There are no goblins that know the ways of dragons, milady. Not anymore. The time of the dragons has passed.”

I stood. Saffron went with me. “The time of the dragons hasnotpassed.”

The goblin scrunched up her features in an obvious,Just ‘cause you want something to be so doesn’t mean it is.

With sharp steps, I closed much of the distance between us until I towered over her and Saffron’s tail was within flicking distance. When she cowered, I backed up, but pinned her in my most determined, fierce stare.

“Iwillfind a way to free the dragons.I will.”

I had no idea if she was aware dragons were prisoners several levels beneath our very feet. Either way, it made no difference.

“Now, is there someone who could fetch Drake Hiroshi Asher of Bendisantos? Rush told me he’s fond of the dragons.”

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