Page 16 of The Dragon's Captured Heart
My chest rose and fell, heavy breaths racing in through my nose.
“You’re saying it wasn’t accidental. That someone planned her death, targeted her specifically, and because of that, I’m still alive?”
“That is my assumption, yes,” the sovereign said.
“Why didn’t you tell me this was a possibility?” I snapped, losing my manners in my building rage.
“I apologize,” the woman said, without any sign of recognition I was ready to explode. “I honestly thought you knew, Callum.”
“No, I did not.” I clenched a hand so tightly my knuckles popped. “For two years, I have lived with this guilt. Dealt with the looks of my peers, been treated like an oddity, a freak who doesn’t belong. And now you tell me it’s because someone murdered my mate. I could have been looking for them all this time.”
The room was silent after my outburst.
“You have to take her back,” I said, pointing at Madison.
“No.”
Gritting my teeth, I nodded. “Yes. I’m going to find out who killed Noa, and I am going to make them pay.”
There was no question about what I meant by that.
“She will help you.”
“I will?” Madison yelped. “I don’t think so. I amdonebeing volunteered for things.”
“Her help is neither needed nor wanted,” I said. “Send her back. Let someone else pick her. I’ll do this on my own.”
“A second viewpoint could prove useful.” The sovereign wasn’t backing down. “Do you have any ideas where to start?”
“Not yet,” I admitted. “But I’m sure I will once I think about it.”
Internally, I wasn’t as sure. To the best of my knowledge, everyone had liked Noa. She had been extremely popular and well-respected in the community around the palace. Her passing had shocked most.
No, not her passing. Her murder.
I had to adjust my mindset.
“Find out what happened to her. Punish whoever is behind it. Only then will you be truly free,” the sovereign said. “If anything comes up that I can help with, please let me know.”
With that, she was gone, leaving me alone with Madison and a whole new perspective on the worst thing to ever happen to me.
“So,” Madison said after a long moment passed. “Where do we start?”
I stared at her. “We?”
Chapter Ten
Madison
“Look,” I said, putting my hands up in the air. “I’m not overly thrilled about it either.”
“Then why bother?”
“Because,” I said, chewing on my bottom lip. “You seem genuinely upset about what you heard. You clearly cared a lot for this woman, and if she truly was murdered, then she needs justice.”
Callum just stared, his blue-green eyes trying to decipher if I had a hidden meaning.
“Or, if it sounds better, you can just think I’m doing it so you’ll kill this mystery dragon, and I’m doing it to help there be one less dragon around. How’s that?” I said, returning to my sandwich while I let him choose whichever reason made him feel better.
