Page 70 of Marked By the Dark Lord
“You forget your place, Rokk,” the dragon rumbled ominously, smoke drifting from one nostril. “This ismycourt. You will show respect and not slander when speaking to me!”
“Respect is a two-way street between us,” I hissed. “When you betrayed me to the Houses, you lost that respect.”
The dragon’s yellow eyes opened wide in surprise, the pupils narrowing to slits. “Betray you to the Houses? I did no such thing.”
I hesitated, unprepared for such denial. The facts all pointed to someone exposing me. How else would Mila know where to come looking?
“Bring forth your evidence,” Dannorax said. “I have great respect for you, Lord Rokk. I choose to believe you would not make such an accusation idly.”
It was the first time he’d used my title in conjunction with my fake name. A name he continued to use, even though there was no longer a need. Perhaps he was telling the truth?
I told him of the attack in the marketplace. Of Mila’s true nature.
“Your logic is sound,” Dannorax rumbled, sounding thoughtful. “I see how you came to believe I was behind the deception. However, I was not.”
Dannorax was a crusty old dragon with a cruel streak wider than his wingspan. But he wasn’t a liar.
I glanced behind me at the broken door. “You have my apologies, then, for how I burst into your quarters.”
The dragon, perhaps to avoid further confrontation, something neither of us truly desired, waved it away with a flip of one giant wing.
“Rest assured, Lord Rokk, that if Ihadknown the truth of her nature, I would not have punished her as a human but as a Fae. And you know such a penalty is death. Do you dare say I wouldn’t have done so?”
He was challenging me to say he wouldn’t have followed the law. If I did, I’d be saying he wasn’t fit to be the Judge of the Court. And such a challenge would result in a battle.
I gritted my teeth. I was still furious about being duped by Mila, but it seemed the conspiracy ran in another line. One I had yet to uncover. But it didn’t involve Dannorax.
“No,” I told him. “I will not say such a thing.”
“Good.” The dragon curled back onto his heated rock.
“She fooled us all,” I rumbled. “Does that not concern you?”
“Me?” Dannorax replied, closing one eye, the other still fixed on me. “Why should it concern me? She isyourcharge, Lord Rokk. What are you going to do now?”
I eyed the dragon. “I’m not sure yet. However, I will find out who the betrayer is and bring justice to them.”
“That is your own endeavor. I shouldn’t have to remind you that you took responsibility for her. Therefore, you must go get her.”
I sputtered. That was not something I’d intended to do.
“You branded her,” Dannorax said in hard tones. “You took personal responsibility for her, something yourequestedfrom me. Anything she does is onyou, and Iwillhold you to that under the law.”
Biting down on my temper, I took several deep breaths. It wasn’t Dannorax I was mad at. He was right. Mila was myresponsibility. She had to be captured and brought back to the Court to be tried properly.
As a Fae.
One way or another, I would have to deal with her. Which meant I had to get her.
I sighed.
That meant returning to Faerie.
To home.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Mila
