Page 28 of The Dragon Queen

“I will not allow my parents’ deaths to be in vain.” Despite the fact that Raina was the Duke of Harlston’s co-conspirator. “And I will not allow their legacy to be destroyed by one man’s greed!”

He gripped my hand as he jerked his sword out with the other, raising the point to the sky. At that moment, dragons flew up from behind the church, led by Darkspire. People gaped openly now, watching their path, then tracking those that landed on the ground around the pyres.

Cloud Raker was one of them. Ged jumped off his dragon’s back and stood beside him, several other red or orange dragons joining him in a loose circle. People instinctively pulled back.

“I return my parents to the air, to fire, but know this. We will burn away the past…” The dragons’ jaws opened, a hot wind instantly starting to whip at our faces. “So we might protect the future from anything that threatens to take it from us!”

I truly believed him then but I didn’t know why. There was nothing he said in his speech that he hadn’t spoken aloud before, but Draven… He was a prince born, and that showed now. Every eye was upon him, even as the dragons surged forward. Through the blasts of flames, he was a golden figure, strong and defiant, the perfect leader everyone could get behind, as was evidenced by the cheers from the crowds.

He is a strong male, Glimmer told me.One that seeks to secure our territory. He was quite annoying before, but… I think you may keep him.

I think I may, I replied as Draven stepped forward. He produced a belt knife before sawing a length of his hair off, the black strands fraying as soon as they were cut free. He tossed them to the wind, to the fire, to burn away in a traditional sign of respect.

One I’d need to emulate.

I thought of Raina as I took Draven’s knife, of the way she sneered at me, of her horrific hold over Zafira, as I cut the ends of the wig free. Fake hair, a fake gesture, it made sense to me as I let the strands fly, watching them curl on the wind as they were singed and then burned away.

Is it done?Draven sounded exhausted.Have we kept up the pretence for long enough?

If you wish it to be done, then it is,I replied, staring at him as the crowds cheered.You are king.

Not yet then.He took my hands and drew me closer, each centimetre feeling somehow forbidden. More cheers, more shouts from the crowd, as our lips hovered over each other.I told you not to hold today against me, and I fear I must ask you to fulfil that promise, because there’s yet more to do.

More?I glanced back at the pyres, now burned down to ash thatwas scattered by the gusts of air stirred by the dragons’ wings.What more is there?

A wake will be held under the stars, he said.The aristocrats will tell themselves that it's a nod to my parents’ sky burial, but…The far off bugle of a dragon had us all turning around. We frowned as we sought its source but didn’t see anyone. Dragons flew the sky, but that was to be expected. The general had not spared a man from his duties today.Today I put my parents to rest, but tonight I must identify those who would seek to threaten the stability of this country.

“You’re…?” My throat worked, feeling dry and rusty as I spoke rather than thought my reply.

“Before the end of the wake, each of the assassins will be identified and brought to justice, that I promise.”

I believed him because that was his gift. Draven could persuade anyone to do anything, and now he was talking me into following him into some kind of investigation. Glimmer climbed onto Darkspire’s back when he landed, Draven helping me climb into the saddle before we took off as well. We circled the palace once, twice, three times before coming into the courtyard, the rest of the wings’ dragons landing beside us.

“So.” Brom pulled off his gloves and then shoved them into his pocket. “How exactly are we going to do this?”

Chapter 15

If the funeral was ghastly, the wake was worse.

“Should we be doing this now?” I asked Draven as we stood together on one side of the courtyard. People milled around, making small talk over drinks and canapés, which always felt like an odd thing to do after a funeral. He watched each one of them closely, like a dragon selecting its prey. “Draven…”

I stepped between him and the crowd.

“I want to take off this damn wig, pull off this breastplate.” I wiggled my shoulders. “Apparently I am no warrior, because the straps are cutting in terribly.”

I had his attention, those blue eyes fixing on mine, a sly smile spreading across his face.

“Just a little longer.” He was moving forward, hooking his arm around my waist and tugging me closer. “Do that for me and I promise to remove every single scrap you’re wearing…”

He frowned slightly, staring down at my lips as if wondering what had come over him. I had the same thought. We were playing the role of king and queen, and that meant forgoing any display of real affection.

“But before I sleep tonight, I need to see the bastards that murdered all those people brought to justice.”

And they walked among us right now, of that we were sure.

Commoners or particularly ambitious house guards might’ve been tempted by the duke, but it stood to reason that the people with the most to gain by a drastic shift in the line of succession to each ducal seat were those in the old dukes’ families. I pulled away, feeling suddenly cold at the thought of it. My step-family had sought to steal all that was mine by birthright, but even they hadn’t stooped to murdering me.

“So, how is this going to unfold?” I asked him, grabbing a glass from a nearby server and drinking the sparkling wine down in one mouthful. Perhaps it was the wine, perhaps it was the clouds hanging low overhead, but the atmosphere in the courtyard felt terribly close.

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