Page 27 of No Ordinary Drakeling
Chapter 10
“We’ve been over this before, Dame,” Zane said. “I’m not going to take the title of Imperial Duke. There’s only one of those, and you’re it.”
Damian’s black eyes flashed with irritation. “Only because you’re too fucking stubborn.”
“It’s called tradition.”
“Look, you’re the one who Chrys wants protecting Ellery. He’s an emperor. That makes you Imperial Duke.”
Zane gave his brother a baleful stare. “I’m not going to take your title.”
“I’ll still be Imperial Duke. How are you taking my title? We’ll both have it because we both do the same job.”
“That’s not true—you’re the one in charge.”
“Bullshit. You do the same stuff I do.”
“Dame, let it go.”
“No way. I’ve let you get away with this shit for centuries now. What the hell’s wrong with you? You’ve earned the title.”
“I don’t want it.”
Damian folded his arms across his broad chest. “It’s because of your father, isn’t it?”
Rarely did Zane allow himself to think of Imperial Duke Bernal Draconis. The man had been a traitor, and it embarrassed Zane to be related to him. It filled him with shame that his own flesh and blood could do something so sinister and treacherous as planning the murders of two emperors. “Of course not,” he lied.
“I don’t know who the fuck you think you’re fooling.”
“Why are you so annoying?”
“You’ve known me almost your entire life. If you haven’t figured out the answer to that question by now, I doubt you ever will. Besides, if you knew my parents, you wouldn’t even need to ask. I come by it naturally.”
Zane was glad to have been saved from meeting Andriana, Gelon, and their mate, Niko. Their sons had little nice to say about them, and Chrysander and Damian weren’t the types of men to give up easily on people. “Speaking of family, where the hell is Chrys?”
“Went up to his room to read a bill. He wants more than just the notes on it,” Damian revealed. “Where’s our elf-dragon ruler?”
“With his face buried in a book upstairs.”
“They probably don’t even realize how much they have in common yet,” Damian said as he grabbed a beer from the fridge and handed Zane a Sprite. “Tell me what you think of Ellery. I’ve barely gotten the chance to have more than a few conversations with him.”
Zane popped open his can and flipped a chair around to sit. “I like him. He’s got that regal quality that Chrys does. I think he’s going to make an excellent emperor once he gets the lay of the land. He doesn’t give much away, but I know he has to be overwhelmed.”
“I’m worried.”
“I know, we all are. I want his first shift to hurry up and happen, but I’m also ready to shit my pants at the thought of it. I keep telling myself there’s no fucking way Fate would give Chrys his mate, then snatch him away.”
Damian took a swig of his drink. “She damn well better not. He needs one.…He’s had to carry the weight of everything for too damn long.”
“Ellery seems to be happy with his dragon trainer. I know they talk on the phone at least once a day. He thinks Ellery needs to be tethered to the ground for his first shift or maybe even for the first couple.”
“How are we going to tether a dragon powerful enough to be an emperor?”
“It’s a good question, and I think that’s why Ellery told me about it today. So far he and Jeremiah haven’t come up with a plan.”
“I’ll think about it too and talk to Chrys to see if he can think of something.”
“We’ve got to find a way for him to survive.”
