Page 92 of The Forbidden Dragon King
I hear a desperate gasp behind me, as the collar must have loosened around Aurelius’ neck enough to allow him to take in desperate lungful’s of air.
“Enough,” Aurelius commands. “I asked my pet to meet me here. She’s not a spy or a traitor. She was only following my orders, Uncle Max.”
“Uncle Max.How interesting the times that you choose to call me that.” Maximinus opens a file on his desk, pretending to read it for a long, excruciating moment. I struggle, kicking my feet. “When did you learn to lie to me, boy? Or have you always lied?”
My breath catches.
I didn’t intend to get Aurelius into trouble for me. But then, I didn’t expect that he’d cover for me either.
Yet isn’t that what he’s been doing from the start? Have I missed a hundred small moments like this?Has Daire?
“She’s my pet,” Aurelius replies, icily. “Let her go.”
“Why should I? The sentence for eavesdropping on the royal family is death.”
“Technically,” I say, “the door was open. I was more accidentally overhearing.”
“She has a point.” Aurelius’ eyes gleam. “You opened the study door. You planned for me to be seen like this. Youwantword of this to spread. So, let us both go. Lesson learned. You’ve made your point.”
“Is it made?” Maximinus is still not looking up from the official paper, which he is now scrutinizing like it’s the most important document in the realms.
“You’re only trying to execute her because she’s…” Aurelius stops.
Because I’m what?
What was he going to say?
Finally, Maximinus looks up. “I’msavingyou, insolent boy. Of course it’s only because it’s her.”
When the shadows around me begin to heat, singeing my clothes, I yell out in alarm.
“Aurelius,” I scream. “Please…”
Behind me, a roar echoes through the study, which shatters the windows and knocks the remaining scrolls and magical items tumbling to the floor.
It’s the roar of a primal dragon in deep distress.
One who is close to feral.
Shocked, Maximinus drops the shadows that are holding me. I fall hard to the floor. I yelp, as my hip cracks against the stone mosaic hard. My ass will bruise. Then I scramble around, cowering back against the desk.
I turn to look up with wide eyes at Aurelius…or who he has become.
Aurelius’ eyes are molten, swirling amber.
His curved, golden horns have grown even longer. Sparks ignite like dancing fireworks along their length. His canines are elongated and gleaming.
Powerful golden wings have burst out, ripping through his tunic. He flaps them, threateningly.
I’ve never seen a dragon who is partially shifted like this before.
He’s both terrifying and glorious.
“Release me,” Aurelius growls in a voice that’s deeper and more rumbling than before.
Maximinus is shaking. His tunic is steeped in sweat.
He shoves himself out of his chair and stumbles as far as he can to the back of his study, crunching over the shattered glass of his blown out windows. “This is why you need to be collared.”
