Page 42 of Brutal Dragon King

“L—like what?” I ask boldly, to which both her brows lift.

“Like attempt to flee the palace, or do anything untoward,” she chimes back.

My frown deepens, and something inside me snaps. “Why?!” I retort, despite being in the presence of the Queen Mother who, up until now, seemed to demand my respect. My resistance to her was futile until this moment.

“Because I'm the king's slave and should do as I'm told?” Something inside me flickers, set off by a sudden need to become defensive to hide my true intentions. I lift my arms up and drop them to my sides defeatedly. “Everyone keeps reminding me that I'm the slave. Do you think I don't know that already?” My breath comes in hot, haggard pants as if I'd just run a marathon.

Mana remains quiet, her lips pressed into a firm line as her eyes narrow at me. For a split second, I thought I saw her approval, as if she'd just become intrigued by my response, when the corner of her mouth twitched as though she was about to smirk proudly.

“You're a feisty one, aren't you?” Mana chuckles lowly as she peels herself from the chaise lounger and swiftly approaches me as if floating forward. “Might I remind you that your task here is to become with child? The king's child, and sire an heir for the Kingdom of The Spine?”

I gulp from how imposing her presence is, realization dawning on me at that moment with the crippling weight of that reminder setting in.

I'd been so caught up in the initial back and forth with the king, thanks to the immensity of the physical attraction I felt for him, and now my aching need to fulfill my own quest, that I'd been neglecting what I'm truly here for.

Sire an heir for the Kingdom…

Mana hums, drawing my attention back to her as a smooth finger hooks beneath my chin. “Your only true purpose here is to be the human incubator. You didn't forget, did you?”

I'm compelled to let out a skittish whimper as I nod slowly, letting the reminder settle in. Mana's emerald eyes glow as if she's about to put me under a spell, and perhaps that's why I suddenly feel the weight of the reminder wash over me with horrendously daunting consequences.

“N-no…” I whisper tentatively, to which the witch smiles.

“Good,” Mana chuckles. “So don't get any bright ideas about fighting what is inevitable. For all we know, you might already be with child. Your time here is ticking, child-bearer.Just because the king kept you alive through your insolence does not mean he won't take care of things once the child is born.”

I nod tersely, gulping as her words leave a bitter aftertaste on my tongue. She removes her hooked finger from my chin and then floats across the room toward the main door.

I can't help but watch in awe of her effortless grace, while my mind remains fixed on the task I'd just been reminded of. She throws me a wink as she turns around with long, cascading sleeves twirling around her perfectly sculpted figure.

“Don't let that temper of yours fool you, child-bearer… Perhaps the reminders are exactly what you need to know about your place in this kingdom. All you're meant to do is become pregnant and give birth to a healthy dragon cub.”

“A dragon cub?” I murmur without thinking.

The Queen Mother rolls her eyes and sighs.

“Did you think you were to give birth to an ordinary human?” She shakes her head distastefully. “A dragon cub will be born as the next in line for the king's throne. You will not be carrying an ordinary child.”

Blinking fervently, I don't know why I'm suddenly interested in the details of the pregnancy. Perhaps I have more things to consider, and more options to weigh if I go through with my plan. I need to know what I'm dealing with.

“Does that mean that the pregnancy will not be normal?” I ask, wondering if I'll even be able to move, let alone get my revenge on the king.

“Of course, not,” Mana reveals, clicking her tongue. “Since my son, King Haidën, is a dragon shifter, the pregnancy will last only three months before you give birth.”

“Will I survive the birth?” I ask with a nervous gulp.

The Queen Mother nods briskly. “Only if you get your act together and stop being defiant. That's the only thing that will get you killed.”

With that, the Queen Mother Mana turns and swiftly exits the room, the door closing behind her with a deliberate thud that resonates in my soul as my spirit takes a knock again.

Three months?

I'll have to act quickly, cleverly, if I want to get revenge for what the king did to my parents. I don't have much time, and I have no idea what will happen to me once I've given birth to the dragon cub.

Will I be expelled from the kingdom? Will I be shipped off to some exile island, or never see the light of day again?

Or worse, will the king take my life to punish me for all my defiance? Is he keeping me alive only to get what he needs from me, only to dispose of me when the child comes?

Gulping, my hand absentmindedly lifts to cup my belly as I wonder if I'm already pregnant. Perhaps Mana knows more than she's letting on, and that's why she'd come to give me a warning.

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