Page 8 of Crown of Slumber

Gods, the last thing I needed was another reprimand for turning Sir Levin away. I cleared my throat. “He… left. Sir Levin did not stay long. I don’t think he likes our court very much.”

All true.

Father arched a single doubtful eyebrow, and I resisted the urge to squirm under his scrutiny. He was far more stern than Mother, and I always had the sense that I never lived up to his expectations, especially as next in line for the throne.

To convince him to abdicate to me had not been an easy feat. And every day, I held my breath, expecting him to change his mind and keep the crown from me.

“Things were much simpler when you were engaged to the Autumn Prince,” Father said with a scowl.

I stiffened, trying not to dwell on what had transpired between me and the Autumn Prince. Those were memories I actively strived to forget.

But our engagement had been broken. I would never marry him, no matter what.

“You have a sacred responsibility to this kingdom, Aurelia.” Father’s voice was low and grave.

“I know that,” I said quickly.

“Do you?” he challenged. “Because I often feel you are more concerned with prancing through the forest than running the kingdom.”

Prancing.I bit back my ire and said in a steady voice, “I do care about running the kingdom, Father. I assure you. I am taking this seriously. If you have something pressing I must attend to, I will, of course, see to it.”

I stood straight, hands clasped in front of me, eyeing him expectantly. Inside, my chest coiled with a tightness that longed to be loosed, to be freed in a way that only flying through the sky could accomplish.

But I wasn’t lying. If Father had need of me, I would force down the urge to ride my dragon and do what the king asked of me.

I needed to prove myself to him. I was determined to show that I could be a worthy queen.

A long, tense moment passed between us. Father continued to eye me with doubt and disapproval while I held perfectly still as if a predator were sniffing me.

At long last, he waved his hand. “Go. I have nothing for you. But do return quickly, will you? It is unseemly for the future queen to be roaming the woods like a hag.”

I wrinkled my nose at the wordhag.Burning suns, was that really what he thought of me?

Instead of replying, I curtsied low and bustled away before he could chastise me further.

Even after I entered the nesting grounds, my insides still burned from my encounter with Father, reminding me of my constant shortcomings. But then I heard Mal’s low rumble of anticipation before I even reached the grove. I broke into a run, a smile already spreading on my face, my worries forgotten.

The moment I set foot under the canopy of trees, Mal bounded forward like a puppy, slamming into me and sending me careening toward the forest floor. His wing wrapped around me, cushioning my fall so the roots and hard earth wouldn’t scrape my elbows. I burst out laughing as we tumbled to the ground together.

“Easy there,” I said between chuckles. “If I break my neck from your violent displays of affection, we’ll never be able to go for a ride.”

Mal responded by licking my cheek. I retched, wiping the sticky saliva off my face. Dragon saliva was thick and pasty and certainlynotmy favorite substance to have coating my face.

“All right, let me up so I can saddle you,” I groaned, shifting against his weight still pinning me to the ground.

Mal grumbled but inched backward so I could rise.

“I don’t want to hear it,” I told him as I fetched the saddle and my riding boots from the tree hollow where I’d stashed them. I used to keep them in the stables but it was much easier to keep it among the nesting grounds. It also made for a quicker getawaywhen I wanted to escape my court duties. “I’ve ridden without a saddle before, and your scaleshurt.”

Mal huffed and lifted his snout as if affronted by the idea that anything about him would cause me discomfort. I hauled my saddle over to him and tapped his snout lovingly.

“You’re still my favorite,” I murmured. “Don’t you worry.”

I slid off my high heels and slipped on my boots, sighing with relief at the flexible comfort of the leather compared to the tight straps I’d been wearing earlier. I hoisted the saddle atop my dragon and fastened the leather straps underneath his belly and on either side of his wings. Mal obediently knelt, lowering his head to the ground so I could climb on. With practiced ease, I swung one leg over and secured the harness around my legs and lower back to keep myself from falling mid-ride.

“To the skies, my friend,” I said, patting the side of his long neck.

With an eager roar, Mal reared back on his legs and shot forward. We started at a gallop, the ride much bumpier than any horse I’d ever ridden. We had to clear the grove first or risk crashing into the tree branches and shattering my skull in the process. The wind whipped at my hair, tugging loose strands of hair free from my braid. I laughed, my eyes burning from the intensity of it as we darted down the path, Mal’s claws digging into the soil and leaving a spray of dust behind us.

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