Page 131 of The Dragon Queen

A small sound of distress and Glimmer was marching forward, leaving me to trail after her.

It was then I saw the sacrifice Cynane had made. All the gold had faded some time ago, her body too thin after bearing all these eggs.

“Queens…?” I whirled around to see that my men had followed, and they stared wide eyed at the nest. Hadrian shifted from where he was coiled around his daughters’ eggs, staring down the lot of them through slitted eyes. “They’re all queens?” Draven asked.

“Yes, and don’t go getting any ideas.”

Marcus flipped a crossbow up and then aimed it at his king, a clear act of treason. No one said anything about that, not when Lance and the other former cadets appeared from between the dragons, their own weapons in hand. Glimmer chirruped when she saw their dragons as well, but that did nothing to defuse the tension.

“I hear I have you to thank for saving my city.”

Draven strode forward, completely unfazed at so many weapons being trained on him.

“Might have something to do with that.” Marcus shrugged. “Seemed like someone had to.”

“He’s a hero,” Lance insisted.

“You as well, lad.” Marcus gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Cutting down that bastard who tried to take me out was a stroke of genius. You’re as good a swordsman as your da.”

He didn’t see Lance’s cheeks colour with pride, instead fixing Draven in his sights.

“So how about a knighthood?” Draven asked. “In recognition of your service.”

Marcus smiled slowly, those gold teeth flashing in the dim light.

“How about making me prime minister?”

I watched Draven frown at that, but Marcus’ focus shifted to a boy who came running across the sands.

“The pyre is ready, Marcus,” he said, tugging his cap, as if talking to a gentleman.

“You’re just in time.” The smile faded from Marcus’ face and he dropped the crossbow in favour of a bottle of rum, taking a long drink from it before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “You’ll forgive me, but I requisitioned the grand square. Every bit of wreckage we’ve been able to find from those fucking Harlstonian ships has been collected there. A fitting pyre for a grand lady, I reckon. Hoping you don’t mind.”

We didn’t get a chance to reply. Hadrian moved, and another dragon took his place, curling around the eggs, casting us one long look to make clear what a mistake it would be to approach, as Cynane’s mate reared up, hoisting the body of his queen in his arms.

“A grand lady…” someone murmured as we walked past.

“Died for us…”

“He left her side…”

I felt like a legend was being born around me, the stories people were creating in response to Hadrian’s passing no doubt to be told over and over again after this day. Right now, though, all I could do was focus on him. His set jaw, his grim, staring eyes, I knew grief when I saw it, and right now, Hadrian was lost in his.

We got caught up in the mass of people streaming out of the hatching sands, following them down the hill and into the main square. No market was held today, and as Marcus had said, a mass of wreckage had been pulled from the water and left to dry out on the cobblestones, forming a massive pyre. Red and orange dragons were drying it out with short bursts of fire, but they pulled back when Hadrian stepped forward. He nodded to them in recognition and then laid her down.

Dragons were not people, just as we weren’t dragons, but I couldn’t help but think of a groom laying his bride down on the marital bed, as Hadrian laid Cynane down on her pyre. This bedshe would never rise from, though, and as a result, the whole crowd went quiet.

“We gather here to say goodbye to a great lady.” Everyone turned when Marcus entered the square. “A veteran of the War of Two Queens, Cynane protected the wild dragons, and when we were under attack, us as well. She knew she was dying…” His voice broke on that, my own ragged breath turning to a silent sob. “And yet she sent her mates out to smash those curs in their poxy ships. She took her last breath alone.” He turned to the queen dragon’s prone form. “But she’ll never be forgotten, not by humans, not by dragon kind. Farewell, great lady.”

He turned and poured his rum onto the pyre, but before the fire dragons could set fire to the pyre, Hadrian moved to the head.

We dragons are different to humans. We know the other half of our heart the moment we see them. Mine was Cynane. I loved her when we were both hapless hatchlings, staggering around in the nest. I loved her when she grew to maturity, flying higher, faster than any other queen dragon. I loved her in times of war and times of peace and I will love her for an eternity afterwards, because when it’s my time to go, I know my soul will be with hers.When his eyes lifted to the sky, so did everyone else’s.Hers will be the brightest star in the sky, leading me home to her. Farewell…His claw rose, and he went to touch her, then stopped.Farewell, my love. Rest now, for our time will come again.

“Why are they burning the queen dragon, Mummy?” a little voice asked. I saw a young girl standing close to us, her hand clasped by her mother. The woman shot me a sheepish look, then turned back to the pyre.

“Everyone has a way of saying goodbye to those people we lose. We buried your pa in the big cemetery down in Cheapside and we go there on rest days to lay wildflowers on his grave. Dragons?—”

Burn their dead, freeing their souls from the body that served them their entire life. The heat was palpable, a wall of it forcing all of us to take a few steps backwards, but as I watched them burn Cynane, I saw her body turn to red gold all over again, her scales burnished, right before they crisped up and were incinerated.

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