Page 13 of Of Blood and Banes
“I know to whom I am speaking.”
“Then you should know, one, I’m not a child. So, stop referring to me as one—it’s not going to make me listen to you. Nor will it make me respect you. And two, Cole is the one who commands this squad. Not me.”
“Yes, you are,” he says with a tight tone that conveys a deep frustration, despite his mask of cool apathy.
“No. I’m not. What do you not understand about that simple statement?”
“What I don’t understand,” he clenches the wooden lip of his desk until his knuckles turn almost white, “is why in the Gods’ names you’ve been chosen.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You mentioned that last night, too. What makes you think I’m this so-called ‘chosen one’?”
“The prophecy.”
“Well, you must have things wrong. I don’t know what prophecy you’re talking about, but I can assure you, it’s not me.” I turn away from him and take a few steps to the door.
The soldiers cross their swords in front of me.
Sethan says behind me, “Do you think this is what I want? What any of us want? We’re all relying on you, Katerina. It could have been anyone else, but for some unknown reason, it’s you. You are the chosen one, whether or not you like it. And if you sit idly by, more innocent people will die. The King will slaughter all the dragons. And all their blood will be onyourhands.”
I swivel at the threat of people dying on my behalf. “You just said it yourself. It could have beenanyoneelse. Maybe it is someone else—maybe you’re confused. I’ve come to the Dragon Lands to live in peace with my dragon. I’m not here to fight in your war.”
He clenches his jaw, working and failing by the second to disguise his frustration. “I am not confused. There is no one else but you. The elders translated the prophecy, and it stated Arterias would be restored byairandnight—who else could thatpossibly,” he spits that last word out, “be? Your dragon is a moon dragon. Air. And. Night.”
CHAPTER 4
MOON DRAGON
Ashadow falls over one of the windows in the office behind Sethan, and I jump. A white eye with a slitted pupil appears, scanning the room from the outside. When I make eye contact with her, her pupil dilates.
“Very subtle of you,”I snort.
“I wasn’t going for subtlety.”
“What in the Gods’ names is a moon dragon? Have you heard of one?”
“No. I know about as much as you do.”Her attention shifts over to Sethan, and she pulls her head back to face the window head-on. As her lips curl up to reveal her jagged, dripping teeth, the window clouds with her hot breath.
I turn my gaze back to Sethan, finding him anything but intimidated. “A…moon dragon? I only know of fire, water, earth, and air dragons.”
He sighs, rolling his eyes as he walks from his desk to a matching mahogany bookshelf crammed tight with rows of dusty, muted tomes. “Of course you don’t.”
I narrow my eyes. How can he possibly be irritated with me for my lack of knowledge when I’ve lived my entire life in a kingdom that forbids even the mere mention of dragons? Theonly knowledge I have is because of my father’s journal. And I shouldn’t even have that, considering it could have cost me my life had I been caught with it. Or cost Cole his—since he hid it within his possession for so long to keep me safe. And because he knew how much it had meant to me.
I lift my chin. “So, you expect me to just know these things? I don’t. I didn’t grow up here in the Dragon Lands.”
“Neither did I. Many of us sacrificed our families, friends, and livelihoods to be here.”
“You mean like Melaina and your wife?” Probably should have toned down the disdain. I can’t help it. I stare at him as I consider the depth of pain he caused Melaina and her mother by faking his death and living his life out in the Dragon Lands. And never returning. I can’t imagine how difficult it is for Melaina to process. She must have felt a surging mix of relief, longing, and anger when she first saw him several days ago. I wouldn’t blame her for being upset with him, if she is. It’s a lot to process.
Sethan ignores me, but there’s a small tic to his jaw. He pulls a thin brown book from the shelf, strides over to me, and shoves it into my hands. “Educate yourself and make a decision. You need to be the one to choose and to command your people. They’ll listen to you.”
Taking the book from his grasp, I scoff. “What sort of command do you think I’m capable of instilling? I’ll save you some disappointment—they won’t listen to me.”
“You and all the Arterians must swear to stay and never leave the Dragon Lands, and must give up your weapons permanently. And if your people won’t listen to you out of respect, they will listen to you out of fear.”
“I will not threaten them to listen to me.”
He grabs my forearm, his eyes boring into mine. A warning growl rumbles outside the office, quaking the window panes.
