Page 80 of The Dragon Queen

“My king!”

I might be able to make clear how I felt about Draven in public, but that had its own issues. Everyone wanted some of his time and never more than now.

“Bloody hell…”

My king was about to kiss me, but instead was forced to pull away and see to what the latest issue was.

And I was left to stare out across the courtyard.

It wasn’t a patriotic celebration anymore, it was a leave taking. Flags littered across the ground as the rider’s families, as the soldier’s clung to their sides. I didn’t have any family to come and see me off, but I did have a visitor.

“All those soldier boys ready to trot off to war.”

I spun around to see Marcus standing there. He smirked at my expression, then followed my gaze as I looked around wildly for protection.

“If you think you’re going to kidnap me again–”

“Not that, lass. I’ve got a gift.”

“There’s nothing I want from you.” I jerked my belt knife out and held it firm, but that just made his smile widen.

“This you will.” He jerked a piece of parchment from his tunic and waved it around like it was a lure and I was a fish. “Going into Harlston, that’s risky.” Marcus glanced back at the crowd. “Some of those boys, they’re gonna die.”

“To protect their country,” I snapped. “To protect the dragons. A noble sentiment, I’m sure that is completely foreign to you.”

“Only for them young dragons to be enslaved,” he told me, suddenly serious. “Made to fit into a role from the moment they’re born, something the common man can sympathise with, I think.” Suddenly, he was close, thrusting the parchment scroll at me, my hands forced to go up and snatch it out of his grip. “You’ll be in danger, little queen, and that, milady, is a map most men of my ilk would step over their grandmothers to get their hands on. Shows all the smugglers’ routes, the safe houses and hideouts. If the worst happens…”

I felt a cold breeze play over my skin, forcing me to shiver despite the thick leather of my uniform.

“If the worst happens, then you’ll have exactly what you want,” I said. “No Royal Riders to meddle with your plans. No king to get in your way.”

“Better stay safe then,” he said, backing off with a wink. “You go and save the country from a civil war, and I’ll…” He looked around with a self-satisfied smirk. “I’ll look after things at home.”

“Pippin.” I spun around to find Draven standing there wearing a dark expression. It wasn’t me he was focussed on, but the companion who’d inserted himself into my presence. Marcus was gone by the time I turned around. “What the hell did that bastard want?”

“Time to go, my king,” Rex called out as he climbed back into Herald’s saddle. “The infantry is moving out.”

“Nothing,” I replied, because what could I say? “Marcus wanted nothing.”

“Nothing, hmm…? We’ve got a long ride to the border of Harlston. We’ll talk about exactly what that nothing is on the way.”

I scrambled up into the saddle and Draven followed suit. One arm went around my waist, tugging me close, while his other handwent to his sword hilt. Riders everywhere moved to mount up as well, dragons shifting all over the courtyard. It was the same one where the assassins were exposed, and I hoped all of this would have a much happier ending. The people’s cheers got louder, right as Draven’s sword was pulled out and held pointed to the sky. Darkspire, the rest of our wing, mobilised, the dragons rising up on their feet. ‘Spire’s wings fluttered as all his muscles began to clench in anticipation.

The people couldn’t hear Draven over the noise, but the riders could.

“We ride out every day to keep our beloved country safe, and never has that burden been heavier than it is today. The man I called uncle did more than just end the lives of my parents. He stole the lives of so many people’s loved ones, but beyond that, our futures. There are dragons still in the egg, far from the warmth of the hatching sands. The gods only know if they’re still alive, but we ride out to demand answers and to take out on the duke’s worthless hide in retribution for everyone and everything he’s harmed.”

When he thrust his arm up into the air, every dragon rider did the same. I almost felt about for my own sword, but that wasn’t my purpose. Males protected and Glimmer and I needed to sit pretty and be the pretext for their actions.

It’s more than that, she informed me.Males of all species strive to win the attention of the females. This is their way to gain our favour.

In the vain hope that Glimmer, that I might look their way, men would march out, fly out and meet the enemy in his den. I couldn’t help but remember the way the dragons screamed as they fell to earth. How many of them would fall? The thought was an unwelcome intruder as each dragon rose up, taking wing after us, then flying forward.

There was only one way to find out.

Chapter 38

By all the gods, I’d spent days in the saddle before, both on dragon and horse alike, and yet I’d never been as sore as I was now. I shifted my hips back and forth, trying to get comfortable, but every part of my posterior ached.

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