Page 8 of To Claim a King

“But what about the mages, the Elves and the Fae? Surely someone can help.”

“Andera, the Kingdom’s most powerful mage, has been on the case and can find neither cause nor cure.”

Shadow,Xandrie thought. If the cause was Shadow, there was little chance anyone who didn’t know of it could find ways to fight against it. She bit her lip, wishing she could loosen her tongue; but she wouldn’t. Keeping her word wasn’t something she thought of asoptional.

Just then, Claws rolled over, purring, and plunked his head in Demelza’s lap.

“He does that when I’m sad, too,” said Xandrie. “I think he’s secretly an empath tiger, if there’s such a thing.”

“Possibly. He’s certainly very fond of you; he followed me up here and watched over you as you slept. But don’t you two fret on my account - these deaths are just part of our lives. I should be used to it by now; my own mother died having me,” Demelza continued, running her fingers through the cub’s ruff.

Xandrie felt awkward as fuck, wanting to ease Demelza’s pain, befriend her, show her how grateful she was for saving her from the fall, but words had never been her forte. Sass and sarcasm, she could dish out like they were on sale for a dime a dozen, but meaningful words of comfort she had no experience with.

Xandrie racked her brains for anything that might take Demelza’s mind off dying mothers and orphaned dragonlings. “I had to clean the toilet with a toothbrush last week.”

Demelza frowned. “A toothbrush?” She laughed. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope, Mother said something about not damaging the precious porcelain. I use a toothbrush for the lavvy, chamois leather for the windows, elbow grease for everything else. I go through a powerful amount of elbow grease, let me tell you.”

“You’re a maid?” there was no judgment in the she-dragon’s tone. “Your energy and stance aren’t consistent with ‘maid.’ You read like a fighter.”

She grinned, taking it as a compliment. She liked to think that her effort to keep herself fit had paid off.

“I belong to a family of mages, but managed to enter the world with no powers or gifts, so I make myself useful. Could be worse. Once my chores are done, I come to the forest where I train with Claws for a few hours. Then I slip back into the village, under cover of night, and…dragon’s scales!” Xandrie cursed, looking around, but with no sky in view, it was impossible to tell the time. “I’ve been gone for too long today. I need to head home.”

Claws rubbed his head on Demelza’s arm one last time, then returned to Xandrie’s side.

Xandrie had a pang of deep sadness in the center of her chest. She’d felt such warmth and camaraderie sitting with Demelza, she wished she could blow curfew and hang by the fire and talk. But she couldn’t. If she didn’t get back when there were chores to be done, she’d be punished.

“’Til we meet again,” said Demelza.

“Shall we?”

She didn’t care that she sounded eager. She was sure this woman was meant to be her friend.

Demelza seemed to think it through.

“I live far, beyond the Plains and Lakelands. But yes. Yes, I believe we should.”

Rage

Rhey growled low, his ill humor growing worse each day.

Since the shields had fallen, countless swine had swindled their way inside his Kingdom - thieves, goblins, and worse. Each day, he and his men patrolled. Then, he received the mages, Elves and Fae he’d called to his aid, and let them explain how they couldn’t just reform an Aether wall. When he was done with that, he had to wine and dine the countless nobles crawling about his City.

That left very little time for anything else. It had been days -days- since he’d counted his gold.

And, true, he didn’t exactlyneedto check every single piece of treasure amassed in his chamber. But he wanted to. By gods, he wanted to.

“She did it again!”

Rhey growled again; what was it with his cousin barging in his office without so much as announcing his presence?

“Demelza has left.Again.”

Rhey cocked an eyebrow, inviting his cousin to talk.

“At least twice a week, for the last month, she’s flown away after seeing to her duties. She doesn’t come back until dawn.”

---