Page 125 of Queen of Legends and Lies
I inch closer, reaching out to stroke Dame’s scaled cheek. Her massive belly rises with each shallow breath.
She’s alive but still recovering from the effects of the corruption. They all are. And it’s my fault.
I should’ve been faster, stronger, smarter. I should’ve found a way to protect them from the corruption that forced them to fight against their will.
Tears sting my eyes as I sink to my knees beside Dame and rest my head against hers. The scent of sulfur and blood clings to her scales, a remnant of the battle we just fought and nearly lost.
“I’m sorry. I’m so damn sorry.”
Ryu nudges me with his massive snout in a gentle reminder that I’m not alone. That, even in my brokenness, I’m welcome here. His message soothes me, but it’s not enough to ease the pain in my chest.
I curl up against Dame, my wings wrapping around me like a cocoon.
As I drift off into a fitful sleep, exhaustion claiming me, I can’t help but wonder how much longer we can go on like this. How much more we can endure before we break completely. And what will happen to our kingdom when we do.
Minutes, or maybe hours later, a gentle touch on my shoulder startles me awake. I blink up at the familiar face hovering above me. “Leesa?” My voice is rough with sleep and unshed tears. “What are you doing here?”
She settles down beside me. “I couldn’t sleep either. Not after everything that’s happened.”
I nod, understanding all too well the burden we both carry. The responsibility for the lives of our people, both human and dragon alike.
“I don’t know if I can do this.” The words tumble from my lips before I can stop them. “I thought I could handle it on my own, that I could protect everyone. But I was wrong.”
Leesa’s hand finds mine, her fingers lacing through my own in a silent show of solidarity. “You’re not alone, Lark. You never were.”
But the guilt is too heavy to bear and the shame too deep to shake. “People died because of me. Dragons were corrupted and forced to fight against their will. And I couldn’t stop it.” My shoulders quake with the force of my sobs, and the tears I’ve been holding back for so long finally break free. “I can’t handle losing or endangering anyone else. But danger seems to follow me wherever I go. I’m a curse.”
Leesa pulls me into her arms, holding me tight as I cry. “You’re not a curse, Lark. You’re our queen. Our leader. And we need you now more than ever.”
I wish I had half the confidence my sister has. “I feel so ashamed. So embarrassed. So helpless and hopeless.”
Beside me, Dame stirs, her consciousness brushing against mine. Love and loyalty radiates from her, along with unwavering faith in me even though I’ve lost faith in myself.
A leathery wing settles around Leesa and me, the dragon’s maternal instinct on high alert. Her scales warm my skin, and the steady thrum of her heartbeat mimics my own.
And then, one by one, the other dragons begin to gather around us, their massive bodies pressing close, creating a shield from the horrors of the world beyond. Ryu, Chirean, Kaida, Nailah, Tanwen. They all come, forming a wall of scales and unshakable devotion.
It’s as if Leesa and I are their hatchlings, their precious eggs that they would do anything to protect. And I nestle deeper into their embrace, basking in their balmy comfort.
The tears continue to fall, but there’s a glimmer of something else now too. A flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, we can still find a way through this darkness.
Leesa holds me until the weeping finally subsides, and I whisper the words that have been haunting me for so long. “I don’t know how to push through this. I’ve lost my way. My hope. I’m just…lost.”
She pulls back, brown eyes searching mine with an intensity that catches me off guard. “That’s it!” I note the sudden spark of excitement in her voice.
“What are you talking about?”
Leesa just shakes her head, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “I think I might know someone whocan help us, Lark. The God of Lost Things. Maybe you need to summon him.”
A brief, hiccupping laugh escapes my lips before I can stop it. “It’s not like I lost my hairbrush, Leesa. This is a little bigger than that.” The idea seems almost absurd, given the enormity of what we’re facing.
“Lost ways. Lost knowledge. Lost faith and hope. All of these things can be lost as well.” She reaches out, grasping my hands in hers. “And if anyone can help us find them again, it’s him.”
I stare at her for a long moment, scouring her face for any hint of doubt or uncertainty. But I find none. Only a fierce determination and steadfast belief in her words. “You really think he could?”
Leesa nods, her grip on my hands tightening. “I do. And even if he can’t…well, it’s worth a try. At this point, what do we have to lose?”
I suck down a deep, shuddering breath as her words sink in. She’s right. We’ve already lost so much. Our loved ones, our sense of safety, our very way of life. What’s one more gamble in the face of all that?
