Page 79 of The Flame King's Queen

My mate’s dragon is standing tall and proud in the morning sunlight, and looks as intimidating as ever. Aurissa hasn’t been seen since Emmeric used Corin’s face to enter the castle, but Auryn, Ragdyn, and Auriana are competing, and I haven’t forgotten how they caused chaos and injury in the first event when it wasn’t allowed. Now they have been given permission.

Only twelve dragons and riders have entered the final event, and I don’t think any less of the riders who have chosen to sit this one out. It’s painful to witness your dragon injured, even if it’s just a scratch.

I kiss my mate and wish him and Scourge good skies, and ensure that my hair ribbon is still tightly tied around his arm for luck. I feel more nervous about this event than any others, and my anxiety only increases when I retreat to the edge of the dragongrounds with the other dragonriders, onlookers, andHratha’len. Every dragon will be in competition with one another, and my mate will likely be targeted first.

Fiala and Dusan pat my shoulders comfortingly as I join them. Ravenna is close by, her expression somber, and Zenevieve is standing not far away, pensively holding something as she watches the dragons. I realize as she lets it go that it’s a ribbon. Two ribbons. Emerald green and midnight blue. For Minta and Shar, the dragons she loved and lost. Perhaps she thought it would be inauspicious to present Stesha with colors belonging to dead dragons, or perhaps she was worried he, the most Maledinni man in all Maledin, would rebuff a human custom.

The wind blows the ribbons over to me, and I pick them up and put them in my pocket.

Turning back to watch Zabriel, I find myself gnawing on the corner of my lip.

“No need to fret, my queen,” Fiala tells me cheerfully. “It’s not a battle they’re flying into.”

So why does it feel like it is?

Sooner than I’d like, the horn sounds, and all twelve dragons fly up into the air. They soar around over our heads with the sound of snapping teeth and warning snarls. Dragonfire erupts in the skies, and it’s not the typical bright orange flames, but pale, glowing light, and it paints dragons’ flanks with stripes that glow. But first, a dragon has to get close enough to another. The maneuvers begin to get tighter and faster, dragons twisting in midair to gain the advantage over the others. There’s a screech of a marked dragon, and then another, and both dragons flutter to the ground while Auryn roars in victory. I recognize the dragons as Merrex and Lethis. I breathe faster and faster as I watch Scourge evading both Ragdyn and Auriana, their teeth snapping at his wings and tail between bursts of dragonfire. Verdun marks Ragdyn, and he’s out, but then Auryn catches up with her and paints her wing with harmless flames.

It ends when there are just three dragons left unmarked in the skies. Auryn, Scourge, and Nilak. The victor is the dragon and rider that marked the most dragons. All three dragons are unmarked, but Scourge and Nilak were so hounded by the wild flare that they failed to score as many points as Kane, and he and Auryn are the winners. Zabriel and Stesha’s expressions are bitter with disappointment as they dismount, both of them aware that they still hold equal first place.

I feel as disappointed as my mate looks. “Is it all over? Are there two winners of the Dragon Games?”

“Not yet,” Fiala tells me. “Kane must fight another dragonrider of his choosing to first blood.”

Kane and the dragonriders line up before the Temple Crone, and she regards the blond-haired rider with a thoughtful expression.

“You and Auryn flew well, Kane. I’m pleased to see that your dragon did not unnecessarily injure other dragons in your quest for victory. To secure it, you and your dragon must battle another rider and their mount. You may choose your opponent.”

Kane is a coward and a bully, and I expect him to choose a woman, or Pavel, who is a Beta and smaller than Kane, and though Pavel rides a large Alpha male, his dragon is nowhere near as large as Scourge or Auryn. His gaze travels along the line of dragonriders and comes to rest on a tall, stern figure.

“Him.” Kane jerks his chin at Stesha.

I feel a burst of surprise, and then a begrudging amount of respect. Could it be that Zabriel’s and Ravenna’s words have finally gotten through to him, and he realizes he must act with honor if he wishes to earn gratitude?

The dragonmaster steps forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “I accept.”

Zabriel exhales sharply through his nose, and steps back with the other riders who weren’t chosen.

“You wanted him to choose you,” I say softly, reaching for his hand.

Zabriel squeezes my hand, not taking his eyes off the former witchfinder. “Our dragons are more evenly matched. The Dragon Games are not the place for Kane to settle a personal grudge.”

It’s plain to see that Stesha doesn’t agree. The dragonmaster’s eyes are gleaming with anticipation of settling things between him and Kane once and for all.

The Temple Crone nods serenely at Kane, and turns to Stesha. “You need not accept, dragonmaster. As you and King Zabriel are tied for first place, I will remind you that if Kane bests you in this event, you will place third in the Dragon Games overall, and King Zabriel will be the victor of the Dragon Games. You may nominate King Zabriel in your place if you believe it will secure your ultimate victory.”

“I will secure the ultimate victory by besting Kane,” Stesha pronounces.

The crowd goes mad, waving blue and white banners. Everyone is eager to see their dragonmaster force the interloper into conceding defeat.

I glance up at Zabriel, feeling torn. I’m glad that he won’t be in danger from Auryn, but I’m still worried for Nilak and simultaneously disappointed that my mate may not be crowned the winner of the Dragon Games.

“Do not fear for Nilak. I have little doubt that she and Stesha will pummel him into the ground,” he tells me.

“Which means he will win the Dragon Games,” I say softly.

“Then I will be proud to see you place the winner’s laurels on his head.” He smiles down at me and squeezes my hand. “Really, I will, for it means a dragon of our flare has been victorious in the final flight.”

I go up on my toes and kiss him. My mate truly is the biggest-hearted and fairest-minded Alpha of them all.

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