Page 84 of Dragon Fight

And with that it appeared our business was done. Ged turned to me, putting out an arm to shepherd me out of the room.

“So has this got anything to do with the deposed queen-in-waiting at the keep?” Our feet stopped at the sound of Marcus’ arch question. “I’ve caught wind of some very curious stories, of a golden queen dragon bonding with a noblewoman, but that somehow she was thrown to the mercy of you riders, rather than ascending as the Crown Prince’s bride.”

“You got some of it right.” Ged turned slowly to answer him. “The woman in question is my wing commander’s wife. The king—”

“The king hasn’t had an independent thought since the moment that Harlston cunt took the throne,” Marcus snapped. When I turned my head at this open expression of treason, his eye looked as hard as malachite. “This is the queen’s doing.” His shifted his head to shift his gaze very obviously to me. “Isn’t it, milady?”

My eyes jerked up to meet Ged’s, which wasn’t bloody smart. It was as good as an admission of guilt if ever there was one. Ged stared down at me, emotions warring on his face. When I reached for my kerchief, he shook his head slightly, but I jerked it down anyway. I turned to face Marcus who had a smile spreading across his face.

He had no attention to spare for his companions because he was studying my face with absolute focus, storing away every mole, every blemish for later, or so it felt. When he tilted his head to one side, I mirrored the movement, sporting my own inscrutable smile.

“That it was,” I replied. “And if you find those boys, I’ll give you the ins and outs of it.”

“Pippin—”

“Pippin? Not Lady Pippa Wentworth? I must say, that’s an awfully familiar term to be using for your wing commander’s wife.” Marcus’ smile turned knowing. “Before I’d even had my first drink of the day, word came to me of a big red dragon parking his massive behind on the outskirts of the city, dancing attendance on a much smaller golden one.”

“Find me those lads, and you’ll have the truth of that too,” I replied in a lethal tone.

“Amusing that you think I won’t find out anyway,” Marcus said, “but, I can respect a lady’s right to privacy… for the right coin.”

“How much?” I asked flatly. I had coffers I could draw upon, now my estate was my own again.

“Nothing so base as money,” he replied, his eyes sliding almost palpably over my body. “A favour.”

“Do not—” Ged started to say.

“Done. But those boys need to be returned—and in good health—for the deal to be done. And soon. They’re… hurting.”

“And why would the queen of all of Nevermere order the kidnapping and torture of four young cadets, who are no doubt from humble origins?”

“Of course they are,” Ged rumbled.

“To what end?” Marcus’ eyebrow rose slowly. “It’s almost like they’re hostages of a sort, to ensure compliance. Who would need such an incentive?”

“That goes beyond the scope of the deal,” Ged snapped.

“No matter. I’ll find out anyway.” Before we could turn to go, Marcus pulled a signet ring from his little finger and tossed it at me. Ged caught it before it could reach me. “There’s been a lot of well-heeled souls coming tracking down here looking for poisons that are tasteless, odourless. The traffic of such things is entirely my purview, so I notice when there’s a sudden influx of orders. That ring there is nephrite jade. Drop it in anything you drink, press it against anything you eat and if it changes colour, find a medic and quickly.”

Ged frowned and then placed the ring into my palm, the stone still warm from the original owner’s touch.

“Why would you give me such a thing?” I asked.

Real amusement appeared on Marcus’ face.

“I’ve never been fond of those in power. But that Harlston bitch? She’s her brother’s whore, doing things with him that would make these two blanch.” He gestured to the twins. “And willing to do more besides. War is coming. The man on the street might go on, oblivious, but not me. We’ve lived under the rule of a vicious queen and an indifferent king for a long time. But nature’s a funny thing. Abhors a vacuum, it does, and this one's about to get filled.”

Marcus performed a funny little salute then, touching his forehead, his nose and his lips, and I recognised it as something my father had told me people used to do long ago, as a sign of deep respect.

“Times of change can be a catastrophe or an opportunity and I’m determined it’ll be the latter. We’ll speak soon, Rider Ged, Queen-in-Waiting.”

“Fuck…! Fuck…!”Ged cursed under his breath all the way back to the dragons. When we reached them, Cloud Rider lay basking in the sun with Glimmer curled up on his back. Cloudy raised his head to see what had his rider agitated. I ducked around the big dragon to be able to dispense with my disguise. As soon as I’d pulled the kerchief down and the hat off, Ged was on me, spinning me around to pin me against his dragon. “I should never have brought you down here. What the fuck was I thinking?”

Glimmer moved to perch on Cloudy’s neck, watching everything that happened.

“That you wanted to spend time with me?” I suggested. “That you wanted me to be part of the process of recovering Lance and the others?”

“Gods, yes.” He sighed. “I was always going to have to chat to Marcus. All roads in the docklands lead to him. But now I’ve put you in his sights.” He pressed his forehead to mine and, even though we were within the safe harbour of Cloudy’s body, I wondered who watched us.

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