Page 81 of A City of Flames

Testing me, he’s testing my loyalties to the queen. I ball my fists, knowing my answer is uncertain. I’ve already proven my loyalties do not lie with her by helping Darius, but do I trust the queen? That is an entirely other question I’ve not explored. “You got the pendant,” I grumble, choosing not to mention Sarilyn again. “Now, give me what I need.”

He winces. “About that, Goldie.” flicking a finger up, he brings it to his lips. “My blood doesn’t grant immortality.”

If the world around me didn’t just shake, I’m certain it’s the anger inside trembling instead. “What?” A hiss of breath seeps out of me.

He strolls around the room, dangling the pendant from his hand, clueless to my glare at his every movement. “Sure, it possesses healing abilities like any other dragon blood, but if you wanted that, you could just go to the illegal markets in the Draggards and pick a vial up yourself.”

A lie, that’s what it all was.

“So, all this time, you’ve been tricking me into believing you had what I needed?” My voice is pure fury igniting my very veins.

Pausing, he now looks at me with a pert smile. “Well, I didn’t make you believe. I just never said if I did or not.”

The fury from before pulses within every blood vessel of my being as I lunge at him with my fist in the air. But he snatches my wrist, crossing it between us and not lowering it as he huffs in mock, “What did I say about the face?”

That just makes me want to strike him even more, arrogant ass. “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you!”

Even with his arm barricading us, he still holds me and leans in. “Did you ever trust me to begin with?”

“No... I didn’t.” I try and slide out of his grip, but he makes it impossible to do so.

“That’s because you hate me, isn’t it?” A taunt, a ridicule over the other day.

“With a passion.” I grit, and he finally releases me with a humming smirk as I stumble backward.

“Well, Goldie, it’s been wonderful working with you.” He saunters over to one of the windows. “Feel free to scream for any venators to come, although that won’t help your case if you don’t want to be trialed and hanged.”

“Have you always been this selfish?” I rush up to him, lifting my gown a little. His leg is just over the ledge when he wraps the pendant around his neck and stares at me—a soul-purpose stare.

“I’ve been worse.”

“Solaris, I despise you.” I shake my head, my words sharp, almost gritting.

His eyes flicker to my lips, and then he lowers himself to the side of my head. “I know,” he whispers, and my breaths draw in shallow. “But do you despise me that much to take me down with you... Naralía?”

My lips are unmoving. Yes, is the answer I want to form but can’t bring myself to say it.

Air brushes my hair back as his presence vanishes, and he jumps from the ledge with dexterity. I immediately brace my hands against it, watching him wink up at me, but he’d not transformed. He’s not using any powers to escape, all because... because he can’t fly.

And I’m not yelling towards anyone for help, to inform them of who I’ve seen since he is right, I’ve helped him, and another side of me can’t rat him out and what I know of him.

Numbly, I walk into the throne room again, laughter echoes the walls, but I don’t make sense of it as I focus on Illias. He’s smiling, content with Link. I can’t imagine the sorrow they’ll feel once my brothers leave early in the morning, to head back to Ivarron.

“Where were you?” Freya cuts my thoughts off, furrowing her brows in front of me. “Do you know how hard it is to please Idris—”

“I’m sorry, Freya. I just—I need some fresh air.” I glance at the open balcony overlooking the city.

As if she notices how out of it, I am, she touches my shoulder consolingly. “Would you like company?”

I shake my head, taking a step to walk past her. “I’ll be fine.”

She latches onto my upper arm, and I swivel my head to meet her stare. “But you’re not fine, are you?”

Something about how she looks at me is like a heavy observation, as if she can see right through me and... read me.

I thread my fingers under hers, plucking each one off as I sigh. “I’ll tell you everything soon, I promise.”

A look of worry skims her features, but she nods reluctantly, and I stagger towards the balcony.

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