Page 130 of The Forbidden Dragon King
Slowly, I lower my arm from my eyes, squinting around at the room.
The light isn’t from real sunlight, but rather the polished gold walls, floor, and roof.
The roof drips with moldings like flames, as if a dragon has roared its fire, which has then turned by alchemy to gold.
I stumble forward, twirling in a circle.
“I never dreamed…” I whisper, overwhelmed. “It’s incredible.”
Statues of golden dragons of all sizes sit on gleaming plinths, while beautifully decorated swords, daggers, and spears stand between them. Jewel encrusted golden bowls,plates, and goblets, along with glittering chains and rings, lie in heaped piles.
This is a true dragon’s treasure hoard.
“After Emperor Hadrian’s death, everything he owned in his palace was brought up here and stored in his personal wing.” War’s brow furrows. “Only royalty were allowed in here. Hadrian was to be forgotten and never spoken about again. The stain of his shame buried as if it ever could be.”
“How does it stay this clean?”
War looks amused. “Fuck me, I bring you somewhere this wondrous and that’s where your mind goes?”
I cross my arms. “I spent nearly two decades of my life thinking about how to keep a palace dust free.”
“Fucking sorcery, that’s how.”
“Shame that can’t be used in the rest of the palace. My knees would appreciate it.”
War stalks to me and snatches my hand, before pushing it down onto a golden statue with ruby eyes.
I scream at the burning sensation in my palm, which is searing.
“Do you want that poison flowing through the palace, simply so that servants can lose their jobs?” War growls. “This room lies beneath Maximinus’ control because it’s metallic.”
“Let go.” I struggle. “How about using words?”
“You’re the one who needs to touch the thorn to learn that it hurts.”
She finally lets go, and I hug my hand to my chest. But then, I stare at my skin in shock.
I expect to see it black and blistered. Instead, the skin is pink and unharmed.
“How…?” I shake my hand, as the last of the tingling pain fades.
“Fucking sorcery,” War repeats, making as if to grab my hand and show me again.
“I don’t need another demonstration.” I stagger backward, falling over a misshapen lump of gold onto my ass. “What’s this?”
I point at the deformed statue, careful not to touch it.
War’s expression becomes serious. “An example. Maximinus uses this place as a demonstration of the control that he can hold.” She nods at a giant statue that leans against the wall, which is shaped like a sword. “Another example.”
“For Aurelius.”
She nods.
“No matter how they tried,” I take a deep breath, studying the cool, monstrous statue next to me but knowing that it would burn me if I dared to reach out and touch it, “the Golden Dragon’s legend couldn’t be suppressed. There were paintings of him in a cave back in Fang Kingdom. I’ve been fascinated by the legend for years. Was Emperor Hadrian truly wicked?”
“You don’t know what wicked even means, Omega.” War pushes her hair back from her face. “I’ve fought battles against Unseelie and Bloods. I’ve witnessed…horrors…here in the Shadow Court. Yet none of it’s truly wicked compared to what went on during the reign of Emperor Hadrian.”
The golden gleam is making my temples throb. I can see my reflection distorted in a hundred surfaces around me.
