Page 11 of Rapunzel's Gambit (All That Glitters)

“I…I…” This conversation was nothing like what I’d imagined. “What do you want instead of treasure?”

The dragon’s forked tongue flicked through its teeth and more smoke furled from its nostrils. “I never said Ididn’tcare about it. I was simply curious why you are making assumptions about me.”

I took a deep, steadying breath. “I wish to form an alliance with you.”

The dragon opened its maw, and the sawing noise once again grated at my ears. It was laughing at me. “What could a human girl do?”

I curled and flexed my toes within my flat, slipper-like shoes, still determined to give no outward sign of fear. “I’m no mere girl. I’m Rapunzel, the Crown Princess of Rookwyn. Perhaps I’m not the only one here making assumptions.”

The dragon’s crafty black eyes gleamed with greed. “And what is your proposal? If your intention is to lure me into security then slaughter me in my sleep, I can assure you that you will be sorely disappointed. Dragons are difficult to kill.”

Its tail whipped from side to side again, uprooting several bushes. I refused to allow my gaze to stray from the dragon’s face and went on, “My father promised my hand in marriage to anyone who can slay you, and I came to warn you.”

“Is that all?”

“No.” I swallowed back the fear clogging my throat as I stared back. “I want to swindle other royalty out of their wealth.”

“Why?”

“To…” I kept getting distracted by the smoke gently furling from between his fangs, wondering how long it would take him to eject flame. How much warning would I have? Would I be able to dodge in time? “To give it back to my kingdom’s subjects who are struggling, since neither my father nor any of the other royalty will assist them. I plan for this to be a punishment for their abuse of power.”

“And you wish to use me to help you enact your revenge?”

“I wouldn’t exactly call itusingyou, but…essentially yes. In return, I’m offering a pact. If you and I help each other, you could amass riches beyond your wildest imagination.”

The dragon’s wings opened and beat a few times, sending a wave of leaves and small sticks flying through the air in a flurry of dust. My dress blew back, and I shielded my eyes but held my ground. It was difficult to determine the dragon’s feelings by its facial expression, so different from a human’s, but the silence stretching after my statement was filled with intrigue.

“You would give your portion of your riches back to your people?”

“That’s right.” I quickly added, “Only my portion. None of yours. You can keep all of yours.”

“What sort of partnership do you propose? How exactly would this work?”

“Imagine a dragon who holds a princess hostage. I am sure there would be no end of wealthy princes and noblemen willing to rush to her aid if it meant that they would be rewarded with becoming the king of Rookwyn. What a shame it would be if said dragon captured them and claimed ransom for each one. They say a prince is worth his weight in gold.”

“Why should I trust you?”

Why should he trustme?I was the one putting my life on the line by approaching a dragon. My silence must have stretched too long, because the dragon clarified, “What do you have to gain by this proposal? Surely, you’re not lacking for wealth as crown princess, which begs the question—what do you seek by abandoning your crown to become an outlaw?”

I lifted my chin defiantly. “I don’t think my position as a princess would allow me to help my subjects the way I could teamed up with you. My father refuses to intervene, and the people are struggling.”

The dragon shifted its wings, eyes gleaming with a new interest. “Fascinating. And you believe you can accomplish this by robbing your fellow royalty blind?”

I nodded decisively. “I’d rather be seen as a threat than a means to an end.”

The dragon tilted its head to the side. “I would be willing to consider a trial period teamed up with a rogue princess. If it doesn’t work out, I could always eat you instead.”

“If you eat me, you will be missing the best opportunity to find treasure you’ve ever had,” I retorted.

The dragon snorted, and a shower of sparks rained down, singeing tiny holes in my dress. “You’re entertaining as far as humans go. Very well, I claim you as part of my hoard.”

CHAPTER6

Ibristled. “You can’t claim me. I don’t belong to anyone. I’m offering myself as a partner, not as a possession.”

His eyes flamed a bright orange. “You have spirit. But I stand by what I said. If you were satisfied being a part of your father’s hoard, you would not have come to me.”

“Then…then you’re part ofmyhoard, Master Dragon,” I told him, then immediately cringed at my childish comeback.

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