Page 67 of Dragon Blood

For Zadora, no cost was too high.

She’d groomed Kolina her entire life to follow in her wake, and she’d proudly watched her granddaughter Kymri slide right in line behind her.

Until her defiance to breed had brought the world crashing down around them.

Kymri had rebelled against the one duty that all dragonesses had to fulfill, that metal dragons could not deny. Providing a youngling to solidify Aeleftherian society. Produce offspring to secure their survival and relieve that biological necessity.

Her resistance had thrown her into an acute heat, endangering their nation when she refused to execute the heir of their greatest enemy, and instead took him to her bed, leading the enemy into the heart of their nation.

And somehow, in a matter of months, managed to turn Aeleftheria’s staunch stance against male dragons into one that now seemed to accept nearly all of them.

The change had been blistering, and Zadora struggled to regain control over the Aeleftherian narrative, holding the course.

Regina had seemed to succumb to the poison of the outside world and let her guard down. She’d grown soft. Weak.

So Zadora had done what was necessary before she gave everything up. She had to fix what her daughters had broken.

She had another granddaughter, as dedicated as herself.

She needn’t know the depths of Zadora’s machinations, but she’d always been useful. Unwavering.

Zayli would understand. In time.

For now, all she had to do was follow orders. Zadora’s orders, by way of the Council, Zayli believed. And so far, she’d done nicely.

Now. Zadora just had to gently work her way to the inner chamber that housed the blessed seal that recognized only royal blood.

She had to get it to distinguish that she had royal blood, too. Her mother had been queen.

But she was also running out of time.

If Zadora could no longer claim the title of queen, she could at least guide the errant princess Astred on the right path. The righteous path, to protect their little nation from exploitive, destructive males.

At least until it was time for the Mother to reawaken.

Zadora could and would do that.

She just needed more time, and she’d nearly lost her advantage during her confrontation with the Consortium agent’s arrival and refusal to cooperate.

Guardian Marli Fleetwing had almost uncovered her identity.

Almost.

By some luck of the goddess, she was sure, Fleetwing had not been able to capture or identify her, and it had taken much careful maneuvering to have the investigation placed in the hands of less skilled guardians without too much suspicion.

Zadora had to be careful.

She’d grown impatient and nearly lost everything she’d worked so hard for.

Now, as she stared at the locked and warded door, she sought the connection she’d nearly lost centuries ago.

Nearly.

There was still a whisper.

The thinnest of strings tethering her to the Mother. Her destiny.

She’d given herself to the greatest of earthly treasures protected by the astral sanctuary deep beneath Aeleftheria.

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