Page 21 of A Kingdom of Fire and Fury
I thought back to the day of the heist when Umara flew above the capital.To think, someone might see me flying her someday.Umara chuffed in the back of my mind, and a tendril of excitement pulsed down the bond. It was such an odd thought but a welcome one.
Aurelia stayed silent until we headed back to the training zone. “I haven't changed my mind. The only other person allowed to ride Enmei is Luther. Everyone else who dares to will die.” She turned back at me, a glint in her dark eyes. “I’d say it’s been a pleasure, but I’d hate to lie.”
My world flipped upside down. A scream lurchedin my throat. I gripped desperately at Aurelia. Blood flowed to my head.Please,I tried to say, but no words would leave my throat. Aurelia’s grin tightened when my nails drew blood, but she knew. She only had to wait me out. Umara roared, blind fury shaking our bond.Please.
Each second felt like an eternity. Our eyes locked.Please.Such viciousness lurked in her gaze… a harsh cruelty that only a noble could exude. My armsscreamedat me, and my shoulders throbbed.Please.
My hands slipped, and I tumbled through the sky. The air threw me around like a ragdoll. Panic consumed me.Clara.I closed my eyes. My hands flapped uselessly. I tried to gain control, but I had no chance of survival..I’d been such a fool. What would happen to my sister?
I’m sorry.
Suddenly, I stopped flailing. At first, I thought I’d died. That my brain was trying to protect me. But then it hit me. Something cool had wrapped around me, covering me in darkness. I squirmed and the shadows followed, tightening their grip. They flipped me onto my back and lowered me slowly. It was like being wrapped in a blanket.
My breath hitched.Why? How?I barely processed when the shadow concealing my vision slipped away, leaving me lying on my back on a bed of shadows. The sunny sky stared down at me. My heart hammered against my ribcage.I’m not dead.Tears pricked at my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.I’m not dead.
A laugh bubbled up in my throat. I turned my headand spotted a shadow creeping up from the tall grass. Its shadowy tendrils led to Kieran’s boots. Kieran, whose hand was outstretched toward me. Kieran, whose expression was tight with unrepressed anger.
As soon as we locked eyes, he lowered his hand. The shadows cradling me vanished, and I smacked against the hard soil. I couldn’t even be angry.I’m not dead. Kieran Motherfucking Caddel saved my life. The very man who tried to execute me. What. The. Fuck?
I forced myself to stand and stared at the dragonsguard. Aurelia hadn’t landed yet, but everyone else had.Who all planned this?I stared at Nimue, but the surprise on her face was too real. Gareth stumbled forward but Kieran’s outstretched hand stopped him. Ben stared, gaping between me and Aurelia. Obviously it wasn’t him. And Luther… Luther’s scowl hadn’t left his face, not bothering to hide his disappointment.
Umara’s fury turned my insides to flames, and I curled my hands into fists. No wonder Luther hadn’t wanted Kieran to let me ride with him. He wanted Aurelia to murder me, to get the other Noble Houses and Andova to back down.
Luther stomped over to Kieran. “What the hell did you just do?”
The ground shook when Enmei landed. Luther’s dragon, Saanvi, snapped at Hesperos. Even though Hesperos was bigger, Hesperos lowered his head. And even though he growled slightly, he didn’t snap back at Saanvi.
Kieran stood unbothered in the face of Luther’s fury. “The little thief hasn’t completed her bond.”
“Exactly. Umara hasn’t claimed her yet. Which means we can do whatever’s necessary for the kingdom.”
Kieran scoffed. “Umara’s playing nice. If we kill her rider, do you think she’ll take that standing down? And if she decides to take her vengeance—rightfully so—her mate, Thaleia will follow. That’ll bringusdown to twodragons and facinganothercivil war to boot. The dragons listen to you, Luther, but don’t mistake their cooperation for obedience. Isn’t that right, Nimue? How’s Umara feeling right now?”
Nimue glanced back at her brown dragon. Thaleia’s lip curled into a sneer, and she shuffled her wings. “She’s pissed. Before Kieran caught her, Umara was going to fly over here. Even now, I can feel it. Her fury’s so strong that Thaleia’s agitated. She… she was ready to set fire to the capital.”
My eyes widened as Umara purred in my mind.‘You’re mates with Thaleia?’Maybe it was ridiculous to focus on that, out of everything, but it was the only thing my brain could comprehend.‘I thought you’d pair with a male dragon? Like… Hesperos or something.’
Umara growled, and the sheer disdain she sent down the bond almost made me smile.
Luther stiffened, his gaze going from Thaleia to Nimue to me. “And yet, she didn’t come to save her from falling.” He turned to Kieran. “I’ve put up with your bullshit, but you’ve taken things too far. Aurelia acted as an extension to me. I toldyou not to interfere. Kneel.Now.”
Kieran knelt, but his expression remained unflinching. “You know I’m right.” His stormy grey eyes met mine. “No one controls a dragon.”
Luther huffed a laugh, stalked over to the knapsack attached to Saanvi’s saddle and pulled out a long, leather whip. My stomach coiled when I saw it. The punishment whip was used for the harshest of crimes. The cat-o’-nine-tails. The nine little tails were all braided and had little knots… all meant to inflict maximum pain. “Be that as it may, dragons are to obey their riders, and riders must obey their king. The dragonsguardwillknow their place.”
To Kieran’s credit, he didn’t flinch when he saw the whip. He straightened his shoulders. Somehow, between the two of them, he looked more like a king, commanding respect even as he knelt. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it to the ground. His jaw tightened, and his hands lay flat on his thighs.
Gareth reached forward and gripped Nimue’s hand. The rest of us stood in a line and watched as Luther stepped behind Kieran and raised the whip. I flinched when Luther struck Kieran’s muscled back. Kieran didn’t scream, but he clenched his jaw, and his hands tightened. Blood trailed down his lips and along his jaw.
No.My stomach curdled.This isn’t right.Kieran saved my life. I hated him, but no one deserved this.
One strike. Two. Three. It continued. While Kieran was determined not to make a sound, Luther wasn’t. He grunted, putting his all into every blow, determined to make it as painful as possible. HowKieran managed not to scream as his back turned bloody, I’d never know.
Why? Why would he save me?
“No sharp retort now?” Luther snarled as another strike lashed Kieran’s lower back. “Remember this pain. This is what happens when you get too cocky. You answer to your king, not the other way around.”
Another strike. Then finally,finally,Luther stepped back. As soon as he did, Gareth ripped his hand from Nimue and rushed to Kieran. Kieran, who still knelt straight-backed.
