Page 39 of The Ruby Dragon Prince
It took a bit of prodding and some growling on my part to convince Groswick to move and even more to force him to speak, but before long, we were parading along the town’s main street with Groswick shouting to all who would listen to him about his and the king’s plan.
“The farmers were to be turned against each other,” he cried out. “They were to be taxed into poverty so that they would be too weak to oppose the rule of a tyrant. I was going to build the most beautiful house by the sea.”
Everyone stopped what they were doing as we marched past. Men, women, and children, alphas, omegas, and betas, turned to see what the commotion was. As Groswick made his confessions, they gasped and muttered to each other. Most of them followed us, and by the time we reached the market square, a large crowd moved to fill in the space as we approached the dais where King Freslik, his councilors, and the other five omega princes sat.
“What is the meaning of this?” King Freslik shouted, gesturing for the entertainments they’d been watching to stop. “I thought you had left.”
“You tried to get rid of me, Father,” Tovey shouted bravely, marching straight up to the front of the dais. “You tried to silence me and my brothers when we learned the truth of your plan to tax and ruin the farmers in order to enrich yourself.”
A gasp went through the crowd. King Freslik looked murderous, his councilors confused, and the princes hopeful.
“Lies,” King Freslik shouted, glancing around the huge crowd of his subjects that had formed. “All of this is lies. Omegas aren’t trustworthy.”
“And alphas are?” Tovey demanded. He didn’t wait for an answer before saying, “Then Lord Groswick will tell you. He’s an alpha. You’ll believe what he says, right?”
Groswick whimpered and looked like he wanted to run. His enormous nose was dripping, making him look like an overgrown child having a tantrum because he could not get his way.
“Tell them,” I ordered the man, poking him in the back.
Groswick cried out, then turned in a circle, saying, “It’s true. The king has a plan to bleed the wealth of the farmers into his own coffers and to take away the land and the right to work it from anyone who is not a male alpha. He plans to turn farmer against farmer in his efforts to enrich himself and impoverish his subjects.”
“Liar!” King Freslik shouted. “How dare you say such wicked things against me? I would never seek to harm my subjects. I love my subjects. They are great and wonderful people. The farmers are the foundation of everything our kingdom has accomplished.”
Tovey caught his breath and turned to stare incredulously at the king. Everyone in the crowd murmured and whispered in confusion as well.
“Guards, seize this man at once,” King Freslik went on, pointing straight at Groswick. “This man has spread lies. He isa traitor to his king. He will be stripped of all his lands and titles and thrown into the dungeon. And if he should trip and fall down the stairs on the way there, well, that cannot be helped.”
“No! No, you cannot do this!” Groswick shouted.
“I can do whatever I want, I’m the king,” King Freslik said with a sniff. “Take him away.”
“No! No!” Groswick shouted, but it was all in vain.
The king’s guards surged forward and four of them grabbed him. They tugged and pushed him off to the side, presumably taking him to the dungeon.
“Wait! Wait!” Groswick cried out, digging in his heels when he was at the edge of the dais. “That man is a dragon! Tovey is a sorcerer who controls him. They are the evildoers here! They are the ones who should be locked away. That man is a dragon!”
A sharp gasp went through the crowd and all eyes shot to me and Tovey in horror and disbelief.
“A dragon, you say?” King Freslik said, rubbing his chin in thought. It was hard to tell if he believed the accusation, but I wouldn’t have put it past him to use the claim as a way to punish Tovey.
I was about to step forward to protect my mate, perhaps even transforming to show the evil king just what a dragon could do, when one of the king’s councilors stepped forward, laughing.
“Your Majesty,” he said as if the situation were ridiculous. “Everyone knows there’s no such thing as dragons.”
I narrowed my eyes. There was something decidedly familiar about the old, stooped, grizzled councilor. He had a long, white beard and a slightly hunched back, but the more I stared at him, the more I could see that wasn’t his true form.
“Dragons are beasts of myth and legend,” the old man went on. “Clearly, Lord Groswick is so overcome with fear, because his attempt to undermine you has failed, that he will say anythingto try to save himself. There are no such things as dragons.” He lifted his hand and waved his fingers slightly.
“There are no such things as dragons,” King Freslik repeated, as though the notion was his idea. “Take this man away and lock him up at once!” he shouted, pointing at the guards.
“What? Your Majesty, no! No!” Groswick shouted. “After all we’ve been through together? We were going to take over all of the surrounding kingdoms, you and I! We were going to be?—”
Whatever they were going to be was lost as the guards dragged the man away and silenced him.
I peeked back at the dais, catching the eye of the old man who had convinced the king to declare there were no such things as dragons. The old man winked at me.
“Argus, you devil,” I muttered, recognizing my cousin at last.
