Page 6 of Killian
“You know well I serve as negotiator for our people,” Saura replied. “And my mate would not meekly turn tail.”
Killian and his fellow leaders were led into the Great Hall. It was richly appointed, with lavish tapestries and heavy wooden furniture. The dragons did not appear to lack for coin. A stern-faced man dressed far finer than any of the Fate-chosen rulers of The Council stalked in. His dark scaly gaze was shifty and untrustworthy as he pinned his eyes on them.
The man wore a crown larger than even the monstrosity on Egidius’s head. “Welcome to Castle Draconis. I am Imperial Duke Bernal.”
“Good morrow, please accept our condolences on the loss of your rulers,” Saura said, then introduced each of them to the dark-haired man.
“You have our sympathy,” Killian added when the man ignored Saura.
“Yes, it is a great loss,” the Imperial Duke said, bowing his head for a moment. “Emperors Drystan and Conley were fine men.”
As a man who preferred the company of his own sex, it was both joyous and sorrowful to know the dragons were recently led by a mated pair of two men.
“Although we appreciate your visit, it is dangerous to linger here,” Imperial Duke Bernal cautioned before anyone could find their tongue. “The castle is cursed.”
“Cursed?” Killian asked.
“Yes, a young dragon arrived yesterday with a most unusual appearance. It has brought a blight upon this place. His refusal to leave will doom us all.”
Even though Killian was skeptical of the man’s words—since he did not believe in curses—he couldn’t accuse a man in mourning of telling a falsehood. “You believe this dragon had something to do with the death of your leaders?”
“Not in deed. It was humans who ended their lives, but without the dragon’s arrival, I doubt the humans would have managed the feat.”
“Nonsense. There is no such thing as a curse,” Chander insisted.
“Believe what you will, but I would not linger here,” the Duke stated, then left them alone.
“I think that man was trying to threaten us,” Jurdann commented.
“Can we leave now?” Egidius asked.
“No, we need to find these rulers,” Saura insisted. “I would see the wounds and come to my own conclusions.”
“We are taking the bodies,” Chander added.
“Whatever for?” Jurdann asked.
“Because we cannot trust the dragons,” Kolsten said. “They have no respect for women. We stand in a heavily guarded castle with thick walls. How did humans enter it? I have no faith in that Imperial Duke. His gaze reminds me of the cruel men who once held my Masse and my brother Elis against their will.”
Not one to ignore her curiosity, Saura grabbed the hem of her cloak and led them through the castle until they found two dead men laid out next to each other. They had been handsome men, but their kind clearly had no respect for them despite Imperial Duke Bernal’s attempt to convince them he was in mourning.
They were dressed haphazardly, their plain crowns barely on their heads, and blood still soaked their skin. A sword lay on top of each of them, but they were crooked, and the taller man’s weapon was more on his arm than his chest. If this was how the dragons honored their dead, their rituals were far from those of the peoples of The Council.
Saura laid her fingers over her mouth as she gently touched the arm of the shorter of the two men.
“Oh, what unspeakable havoc did you face in your last minutes?” she murmured, her blue gaze damp.
Bending down, Kolsten examined the men closer.
“Calloused hands. These men wielded weapons often. They must have been caught by surprise or vastly overwhelmed.”
Whipping up the shirt of the taller dead man, Egidius frowned. “Riddled with wounds.”
“A messy execution,” Chander snarled.
“To allow this,” Saura whispered. “Such disrespect. Do dragons have such little honor?”
“Not at all what we expected to find,” Killian said. “Your eldest will not wish to hear of this.”
