Page 92 of Dragon Blood

What are Kymri’s intentions once her child is born?

How large is the Katoa Koro army?

How long have you been working to usurp the queen so that Kymri may take her place?

At what point did you know that Elora planned to install her son as King of the Mountain?

How many other clans will follow Kymri and Kai’s lead to take control of Aeleftheria Nisi?

Kolina gaped at Launia’s impassive face.

The other dragoness gave no hint whether she believed in what this line of questioning said of the council’s opinion of Kolina’s integrity. Each point a slap in her face. Her heart screamed at the implied accusations.

She swallowed it all down, allowing it to foment in resentment buried deep in her gut. “They finally have what they need.” Kolina said, referring to the Council.

Launia lifted a brow as she held Kolina’s gaze.

“To turn Aeleftherians against a chance at peace with the mountain males, blinding them to who the real enemy is. Have your guardians rooted out the traitor?”

Launia’s lips tightened as her gaze flicked over Kolina’s face.

They hadn’t.

“They believe you are the traitor.”

Kolina snorted. “Impossible. I was on the other side of the world when those events happened.”

“Supposedly.”

“Surely Marli would have known me and given me up.”

“Perhaps she did, and out of loyalty to Kymri, she keeps your secret.”

“Do you really believe that of her? I don’t think you do. She may love my daughter like a sister, but we both know that her work for our queen and for us has brought her into so many missions which hammered home the need for our sovereignty.”

Launia remained silent in the face of Kolina’s words.

“Marli Fleetwing would never betray the queen and rightful ruler of our people. Nor would I. No matter how much we might desire peace and unity with the males after so long sundered from one another. We’re all tired of this particular war. There is another, deeper, older war, so buried we’ve forgotten about it biding its time in the permafrost of our convictions, Launia. The Consortium.”

Launia crossed her arms.

“How stupid we’ve been for so long. No, not stupid, exhausted. We’ve exhausted ourselves dealing with the surface battle to survive. Never having the resources to investigate below the festering hatred to see where the infection truly lies.”

“If that is as you say, how did they get to Her Majesty? Whose hand brought her illness on? If not your son, or you, then who? Marli Fleetwing? Your niece Zayli Steelscale? Remember Kolina, I know these guardians almost as well as you do. Who is left? Princess Astred and her crew. Do you accuse them?”

Kolina’s heart twisted. There was one that she could see cast a shadowy hand over the queen’s health.

Not out of spite or greed for the throne, but out of love for her nation and duty to obey orders from her superiors.

Zayli.

She would do whatever the council ordered her to do.

Kolina swallowed, mouth dry.

“Launia. We’ve seen pressure to ramp up aggression on the males before. A generation ago.”

A slight jerk of Launia’s head, eyes widening.

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