Page 4 of Dragon King's Cursed Mate

“We start attacking their supply chains. I hate doing that because the people will suffer as well, but it will hurt and weaken Malakar,” Dain said. “We should also hit some of his outposts—preferably the ones affected the most by his absurd laws and heavy-handed rule. If we can take a couple of them, the people will join our fight.”

Lucian, who was a master strategist, nodded. “If we can take one or two, others will join. Malakar will find his kingdom constantly shrinking until all he has is the immediate vicinity of Wyrmhaven.”

“The House of Ashthorne has suffered greatly under his rule. They’ve had to fight to keep their lands and have had most of their rights and wealth stripped away. Lord Garren pretends to be neutral, which has angered Malakar,” Kael said. “He’s still respected by some of the other nobles in the area. I think that he will secretly support us and perhaps persuade some of the other houses to join us.”

“They are kin on my mother’s side,” Kade Bloodwing said. “I might be able to sneak in and have a conversation with them to get a feel for their loyalties.”

Kade was a scarlet dragon. He’d been a prince of a rebel kingdom, but his kingdom had been completely burned to the ground when he was a child. His family moved to Wyrmhaven, and he’d joined Dain’s court before Malakar swooped in.

Dain nodded at Kade. “That would be great.”

The group separated and Dain went to the river, staring into the crystal-clear water as though hoping to find the key to winning back his throne hidden there. He hated the idea of innocent people, mundane and shifters, dying in this war. However, if he didn’t take back his throne, more people would suffer.

Early the next morning before the sun showed her face, Dain and Kael flew to the outskirts of Wyrmhaven and shifted into their human forms. They pulled clothes out of the bundles they carried with them and hurriedly dressed in all black, with shabby gray hooded cloaks pulled over their clothing. They hoped to find some weakness they could exploit. People were always talking, even when they were terrified of being overheard.

“Maybe someone close to Malakar is tired of his cruel tyranny.” Dain pulled the hood over his head, using it to hide his white hair and most of his face. “Insider information would be very helpful.”

“If we could trust it.” Kael pulled his cloak around him and tugged his hood up. “We’d have to verify any intelligence given to make sure that our informant isn’t working as a double agent.”

Although the morning light had just started to penetrate the darkness, people were moving about in the kingdom. The marketplace was humming with activity as men and women set up booths to sell their goods. Whispers confirmed that Malakar intended to collect taxes again, and many people were afraid they wouldn’t have enough to give.

Dain’s heart exploded with anger. His face turned bright red, and his eyes glowed as he thought of the suffering the people had to endure. He clenched his fists until his nails dug into the palm of his hand.

Kael, sensing his fury, whispered, “Calm yourself. Nothing good can come of your anger now.”

Sucking in a huge breath of air, Dain nodded. Kael was right. They were good warriors but wouldn’t last long against Malakar’s army by themselves.

“Did you hear that the Oracle is to be executed this morning?” one of the men asked his friend as they set up their booths.

“Who hasn’t heard? He sentenced her to death yesterday when she repeated her prophecy that King Dain would soon regain his rightful throne, and she refused to recant.”

“I heard that he offered her riches and protection if she’d join his group of advisors, but she refused,” the first man said. “My cousin works as a guard there.”

“She’s braver than I am.” The second man stacked several handmade rugs in his booth. “I think I’d agree to anything he wanted to keep him from torturing me.”

The first man laughed. “Luckily, you don’t know anything more than I do about the king, his rule, or his future. Our ignorance keeps us under the radar.”

Kael and Dain looked at each other, and they rushed toward the ruined temple as quickly as they could without drawing attention to themselves. They hid in the shadows to watch the proceedings.

A murmur rippled through the crowd as an extraordinarily beautiful woman stepped onto the platform. The gentle breeze waved her silver hair around her, making her look like an angel that had descended upon them. Her silver eyes were steady, and her smile never faded.

Dain felt a tug inside of him. He felt as though he knew her from somewhere, but he’d never gone to an oracle. The thought had actually never occurred to him.

The executioner whispered something to her and she replied, the look of peace and calm never leaving her face.

“She’s incredibly brave,” Kael said. “She looks like she’s been invited out for a picnic.”

Dain didn’t answer. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Everyone knew who Seraphina was, not only in this realm, but in distant lands as well. He was surprised that a kingdom more powerful than Wyrmhaven hadn’t swooped in to save her. Perhaps that was why Malakar was having her executed so swiftly—he was trying to avoid that.

Seraphina looked regal in her blue tunic. The sunlight seemed to make her glow. Everyone looked up at her in awe, some of them with their hands folded as though in prayer. Dain wondered if they were praying that Seraphina be saved at the last minute or they wouldn’t suffer the curse that would swiftly follow.

He licked his lips and gazed at her. A warmth flowed through him, and he felt the sudden need to hold her close to him. Anunfamiliar ache inside of his gut made him want to pull the tunic off and make love to her. It was more than her beauty. Most people would have been terrified and begging for mercy at this point. He admired her strength.

Dain shook his head.What in the hell is wrong with you?

Varik, a venom fang dragon shifter who loved seeing people suffer, stood in front of the crowd to read the charges against Seraphina. “Oracle Seraphina Nightbane has been found guilty of treason against our great King Malakar. For her crime, she has been sentenced to death by beheading.”

The crowd gasped. King Malakar might be powerful, but everyone knew the lore that if one killed an Oracle, then their death would be swift and excruciating. The people hoped they would not suffer his fate. They’d heard that the king had sentenced her to death, but they didn’t think that he’d actually go through with it.

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