Page 84 of Dragon Blood

With his other hand, he grasped Astred’s. Trembling, he transferred the amulet from his fist to her open palm so that she held both powerful artifacts.

Surrounded by the mix of Keone’s powerful shadow magic, bolstered by Kai’s, Astred pressed the amulet against her chest bone. Scales immediately flowed over the shadow-wrapped artifact, trapping it within her body.

With the stone’s song muted, Kai drew a deep, shaking breath, then growled, stepping away from her. “What the fuck was that?”

“That, my son, is the source of the Steelscale power.” Keone accepted the Aeleftherian seal from Astred, bundling it in protective shadow magic before placing it in the cavity where the stone had been, locking it in place.

King Long slid his palm over the lock. Then Astred did likewise.

Kai struggled against the anger, replacing the fading power, which continued to whisper to him.

With both artifacts safely stowed away, Dai Zen clapped his palms together. “Tea?”

Chapter 26

Inthenewcouncilchambers embedded in Katoa Koro’s peak, Odson Blackridge stared out of the vast windows overlooking the rolling emerald slopes below

His nephew, King Jori Mountainside, stood next to him, rubbing the back of his neck.

Several paces away, Stenlen Flintail straightened, waiting.

Jori finally turned away from the vista. “This is bad.”

Odson nodded.

“Marli?” Stenlen’s voice was very low.

“Doing her job. Quietly.”

The tall, black oak council room doors bounced against the wall with reverberating thumps.

“What do you mean the queen is ill?” Kymri Steelscale’s voice whipped across the length of the council room. Despite the rounded belly dominating her slight frame, she stalked forward, eyes pinned on Odson, swinging to Jori and back.

Odson’s gaze flicked to his sister, Elora, who trailed several steps behind Kymri. He stiffened to his full height as Kymri lifted a finger.

“Just because I’m pregnant does not mean I cannot handle the truth of what happens in my home realm, Odson. I never pegged you for the type of male to hide things from me.” She scowled up at him, her long, brightly painted fingernail dangerously close to the tip of his nose.

It took everything the old dragon had not to chuckle at the highly irate diminutive dragon woman, who was now a queen in her own right.

No, the former Commander of the Aeleftherian Guard would not be too pleased about being left out of the conversation.

“Five minutes, Elora,” he growled at his sister. “I asked for just five minutes.”

Elora shrugged her delicate shoulders, brow raised.

He turned back to Kymri. “Your Majesty—,”

“Cut the shit, Odson. You know we don’t do that here. You’ve never placated me before. Don’t start now.”

He couldn’t stop his gaze from dropping to her belly. “No, ma’am.”

The bigger her belly grew, the crankier she got.

She growled through her teeth, then inhaled deeply through her nose as she lowered her hands to her sides and straightened her spine. Calm returned, she opened her eyes. “The queen is ill, and my mother is in the traitor’s dungeon for helping my brother escape. Astred is on a secret mission—with Kai, of all people, and my grandmother is in charge? Is that right?”

“That’s what I’m told.”

She was silent for a long moment. “Who else knows?”

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