Page 28 of Enchanted Queen

He’s just protective,the queen added after a moment.

“Of his country or his lost position as king?” I fired back. “Because last I checked, you were perfectly capable of defending yourself.”

He was just jealous,Malachi added.Had you not handed her the necklace, he would have been far less belligerent.

“Speaking of,” I added, reaching into my jacket. The bracelet I brought with me today was so light, I forgot it had even been there.

I held it out over a finger and walked toward the queen.

She squinted and blew smoke rings at me before using her talon to snatch it away quickly.

I grinned. “Is this a dragon urge or a human urge, your appreciation for pretty things?”

Yes.

I laughed. “In all seriousness, I wasn’t intending to flirt. I was intending to give the queen a gift. A show of good faith.” I gave a half a shrug. “Why does it matter who the queen flirts with anyway? I thought you were no longer betrothed?”

The queen didn’t answer.

Amory offered, “She isn’t. The engagement was called off when it became clear our Enchantment was stuck for good.”

I sat back in my spot and took a sip of my tea. It was far stronger here in Dra Skor, but I was trying to get used to it rather than ask for more water. “Well in that case, I don’t think he has a right to be a prick over every delegate that brings the queen a gift.”

No one said a word, but Malachi and Amory exchanged a quick glance that had me wondering if they agreed with me. We were being far more honest with each other than we had been before the night they showed up on my balcony in the dead of the night. I wouldn’t say we were all friends yet, but being in on the secret of the water vials had at least made us co-conspirators.

Amory was standing at a table looking at the map of Dra Skor we had out. “I think you could possibly get to the lake at The Aaruk, the area for the equine shifters. The horses typically graze during the day. How long would you need?”

“At least a half an hour,” I answered.

“Wouldn’t it be bett—” Amory had been about to ask the queen a question, but a winged wolf, the same one I just saw at the advisor meeting yesterday, landed roughly on the balcony.

The queen’s head snapped his direction.

“That’s Whitten,” Amory provided to me. “Or Whit as most of us call him.”

Malachi headed for the balcony immediately.

“What is it?” Amory asked. I could see the frustration all over her face. Had she been able to be in her shifted form, she wouldn’t even have to ask.

At least I wasn’t the only one left in the dark. Judging by the fact that the queen looked ready to pour fire into the sky and Malachi was fidgeting, something was amiss.

One of our land dragons is trapped underwater,the queen provided, heading for the balcony immediately.

“Aren’t they amphibious?” I asked.

Amory nodded her head. “Yes. Instead of scales like Esta, they have skin which is more traditionally reptilian and can absorb the oxygen from the water. But eventually, they do have to come up for air. It took them an hour to find him. And took Whit close to an hour to fly here. We are running short on time to get him free.”

“So let’s go,” I offered with an arm out. Emric was right by my side.

Malachi was bobbing his neck restlessly.Hurry up and hop on.

I gave him a look. I had ridden a horse close to my entire life, but even I didn’t know how to mount bareback.

Oh, for the love,he muttered, then dropped low on his hooves, like he was going to lay down.

I didn’t need further urging, I threw my legs on either side of the horse and he stood back up.

The queen will take Amory and your friend in her talons,Malachi told me.

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