Page 40 of Caress of Fire
“I know men like Ignio Marula.” He spoke slowly, making sure she paid attention to each of his words. “He won’t risk losing what he spent an entire life building. He’s too greedy, too set in his own ways. I will find him, and I will find your brother along with him.”
Marielle held Fedryc’s silver eyes for a long time. Slowly, she saw the truth in Fedryc’s words. He was right. Ignio Marula loved nothing above his money, above his standing in the slums as an absolute master. He was a devious man without morals but he was also cunning, too smart not to understand that killing Devan would be his own death sentence.
“You’re right.” She nodded. “Ignio Marula can’t kill Devan. He’s in hiding now, and he has many allies in the capital, but he also has many enemies. Sooner or later, someone will betray him, and then you can kill him for me.”
“With pleasure.” Fedryc’s mouth took a cruel, savage line as he spoke. “I will end his life, alongside anyone else’s who made his empire of misery possible.”
It comforted her to turn anguish to anger, and anger to purpose. As her worries dulled to an aching pain in the pit of her stomach, Marielle took the time to truly look at Fedryc. Deep lines of worry were carved in his features and there was a cruel edge to his mouth.
“That’s not all, is it?”
His eyes sharpened with surprise, then softened. He sighed and passed a hand through his dark, silky hair. “No, it’s not,” he said with reluctance, his eyes leaving hers to look somewhere far away. “But I don’t want to trouble you any more. This burden is not yours to bear.”
Marielle chuckled, then frowned when she understood he was serious.
“If I am to be your Draekarra,” she began, and lifted a brow at Fedryc’s sudden growl. “Okay,becauseI’m your Draekarra, you have to tell me everything. This trust thing, it goes both ways. I trust you, but you have to trust me too.”
Fedryc looked at her for a long time, his silver eyes going a darker, deeper shade as they trailed down her face to her mouth, then back up. “You are a wonder, Marielle Jansen.” His arm pulled her closer and she welcomed the warmth of his skin through the silk of her dress. “It is my duty to protect you from harm, yet you want to share the burden of Aalstad with me.”
“I do. You can tell me everything.”
He inhaled, his silver eyes full of doubt then, finally, he nodded.
“Ignio Marula works for an order called the Knat-Kanassis.” His eyes became even darker. “The order believes that once the pure of blood are the only ones alive, this world will be a paradise for Draekons and their dragons. They believe the mixing of blood cast a curse on the Draekons that made our women few and infertile, and our dragons smaller in size. All others—all the mixed-bloods and those who don’t view the worlds as they do—have to die for them to have their paradise.”
Marielle stared at Fedryc, frowning. “What would they want with Devan?” This just didn’t make sense. “We’re not Draekons or even Delradon and it’s not like Devan can have a baby.”
“The Knat-Kanassis hate humans most of all.” Fedryc pulled his arms away and took a step to the side. “You and all the other women who are compatible with Draekons threaten their view of the world. The children born of human women are stronger than the Draekon have seen in many centuries, their dragons bigger. Almost none die, whereas before, as many as one in three passed before their tenth birthday.”
“That is why they came after Devan through Ignio Marula.” Marielle felt a cold stone settle between her ribs, full of anger and hatred. “For some fanatical belief that killing us all would bring them power and glory.” Marielle scoffed, shaking her head at the thought of all her pain being caused for such folly.
“They killed my father.” Fedryc turned his head slightly toward her and she saw his eyes, those two silver mirrors full of the same rage she felt. “There was a man in Ignio Marula’s tavern and he confirmed the suspicions I had all along. It was them. The Knat-Kanassis killed Lord Aymond Haal to take control of Aalstad.”
“But didn’t you say the person who killed your father had his trust? How could Lord Aymond trust some religious zealots if he wanted his own son to mate with a human woman?”
Fedryc’s mouth curved down and his brow creased with a fearsome scowl. “And therein lies the biggest threat of them all. Someone close to us is working with the Knat-Kanassis and has obtainedVenemum Arderefrom them.”
Marielle held Fedryc’s stare in silence for a long time.
“What now?” she asked him for the second time in the short while since she’d met him.
“Now, we close ranks and we find that son-of-a-bitch before he can do more damage.” Fedryc kissed her, then left for whatever tasks he needed to perform as High Lord. Marielle hugged herself and for the first time since she’d met him, she was afraid… for him.
* * *
Fedryc saton his father’s throne. No, not his father’s anymore.Histhrone.
Below him stood a tall, well-muscled young Draekon lord, his face set in aristocratic, confident lines as Fedryc read the letter of genetic compatibility once more.
His distaste for Lord Anion threatened to boil over, but he knew he had to tread carefully. Genetic compatibility was not a light matter for Draekons, and the law was clearly on Lord Anion’s side.
Henron stood slightly behind him on his right, his face closed off and in silence, but Fedryc could see the signs of anger on his friend that no one else would recognize. The way the left corner of his mouth was slightly turned down, and the tiny vein at his temple that throbbed just a little too hard.
Fedryc agreed with him. This was an unacceptable request.
To the left of the young Draekon Lord stood Isobel and Silva. The girl wore an excited, almost giddy expression while his aunt’s face remained as expressionless as ever. He knew he would disappoint both, but it mattered not.
“I am glad that you found a compatible mate, Lord Anion.” Fedryc folded the official letter carefully before handing it over to Henron. “But I am afraid my cousin is too young for a mating. You may come back with the same request in four years’ time, and I will be more than happy to accept your claim.”
