Page 6 of The Forbidden Dragon King
I brace myself.
To my surprise, Lanlin turns away, however, and with a flap of his strong wings, flies out of the window. The moths follow after him like white mist.
The shadows draw back into the night. The rats scamper out of the door and down the winding staircase.
I stand breathing hard where Lanlin abandoned me and I don’t know if I wish that he had ripped out mythroat because now, I have to face what he’s left lying behind on the cold stone floor.
The adrenaline leeches away, but I’m shaking harder.
I force myself to look down at my brother’s corpse.
This is my fault.
If I hadn’t fucked up and been whipped today, then I would have been here sooner. I could have stopped this, fought at Tarquin’s side, or died with him.
I stare into Tarquin’s unseeing eyes, which are the same shade as my own. Then I sink to my knees in my brother’s blood, overcome by its coppery stench.
I cradle Tarquin’s head on my lap, trying to tidy his blood-caked curls. He wouldn’t like being seen like this, anything but immaculate.
“There,” I push a scarlet curl behind his ear, as he would adjust my hair as a child before inspection by my uncle, “that’s better.”
When I wipe my cheeks, I’m confused to stare at my fingers and discover that they’re wet.
When was the last time that I cried? When Maximinus sent me away to the Shadow Military Academy aged six, informing me that I would not be allowed to live at home anymore because I was abeast?
Caligo told me that Golden Dragons can’t cry.
I can.
I am.
“Brother,” I whisper, hugging Tarquin to my chest. “Wake up. I’m here now. I’m sorry that I was late. Relius is here. Wake up, please.”
I sob, rubbing Tarquin’s hand between mine. It still feels warm. How can he be dead?
He still feels warm.
The grief hits me, cold and hard and blasting down my carefully constructed walls of restraint.
I howl, as my wings stiffen behind me.
This emotion is overwhelming.
Devastating.
Too much. Too much. Too much.
I’ll never be able to become unfeeling again now that this is unleashed. I’ll need to wear a mask and become like my brother to survive the intrigue of the Shadow Court.
“I won’t fail you again.” I rock Tarquin, wrapping my wings around him. “I swear this Blood Oath tonight that I’ll lead the army as the best fucking warrior king. I’ll take revenge on the vampires. I’ll finish what you started and conquer the fae, as you always dreamed. But could you just open your eyes? Be with me instead?Please.I’m not ready to beyou. I know the strategies of war but not those of the court. Why did you want to meet, Tarq? What secret was worth dying for?” I kiss his forehead gently. “May your spirit fly eternally with the Shadow Gods. But please, for me, open your eyes, brother.”
I stare at Tarquin like this is all a trick, and he will.
He’ll open his eyes and he’ll laugh, easy and charming. A laugh that I have never been allowed to emulate and have no clue how to.
Tarquin continues to lie dead in my arms.
My reign as the unwilling Shadow Dragon Kingbegins in blood. It’s a bad omen, and my dragon roars inside, thirsting for more blood and vengeance.
