Page 4 of The Flame King's Queen

Godric shakes his head and holds out his hand to me. “You must have better protection than that, Lady Isavelle. It’s what your mate would want. Come with me, and I will take you to Zabriel. You cannot trust the dragonmaster. He has always detested you.Ma’lenhasn’t seen his hatred, but I have been watching him.”

“My personal feelings have nothing to do with this,” Stesha says coldly.

“I’m not who you want as Queen of Maledin, am I?” I ask Stesha.

“No,” he replies. “You have no idea of the place you are trying to fill. But it was never going to be my decision, and I’m not going to shed blood trying to change that.”

Stesha must have deeply respected Zabriel’s mother. From the way Zabriel has spoken about her, she seemed like a gracious queen. The perfect submissive Omega. Nothing like me.

“If I’m killed, Zabriel will take his own life. Do you understand that?”

“I’m an Alpha. Of course I understand that. The gods have driven you and the king together, and nothing but death can part you.”

“So by killing me, my murderer will also be killing the king.”

Godric implores me, “Lady Isavelle, please accept my protection. You must come with me to safety.”

Wind whips at Stesha’s long, loose hair, and with his gaze fixed on me, he says in a snarl, “Godric, you are very keen to separate Lady Isavelle from the rest of us and be alone with her.”

“Because she issafewith me.”

I thought I’d killed you with the ritual.Now that I think about it, Stesha’s words were filled with bitterness rather than venom. Everyone who spoke at that meeting condemned me to the Ritual of the First Heat. The Temple Crone. Godric. Ashton. The spellbreakers. They declared that I must take part in the ritual to prove I was worthy of sitting on the throne of Maledin. Everyone except Stesha. He was the only one who spoke about Zabriel’s responsibilities. An Alpha’s responsibilities to protect and lead.

“You said you have to do this,” I say to Stesha. “Draw your blade. Stand before me now. Do you mean…for Zabriel?”

“Of course for Zabriel. As much as you don’t hold a candle to the former Queen of Maledin, I swore to protect you. Zabriel will die without you.” Annoyance flickers over Stesha’s face as he glares at Godric. “So I must fight his enemies for you in his absence.”

The flare of his nostrils and the icy derision in his eyes are testament to how much he’d rather be anywhere but here. I never thought I’d feel so grateful for his annoyance.

I seize Dad’s and Anise’s hands and run behind Stesha.

“Fiala, Dusan, he’s an ally,” I call to my bewildered bodyguards. “You can trust Stesha.”

Gods, I hope we can trust Stesha.

Cautiously, they move to the white-haired Alpha’s side, brandishing their weapons at Godric and Ashton.

As soon as I’m behind Stesha with my family, the Alpha shifts on his feet to protect us with his body, and he levels his sword at Godric and Ashton. “Disarm yourselves.”

Ashton takes his dagger out and throws it away. The weapon clatters over some rocks and comes to rest far out of reach. Showing Stesha his empty hands, he says, “I would never harm the king’s mate. I am disarmed and am no threat to you, dragonmaster.”

Stesha turns his attention to Godric, who has turned pale, his gaze fixed on the point of Stesha’s sword.

In a tight, angry voice, the dragonmaster addresses him. “Godric. This morning, I saw you in furtive conversation with a wingrunner and aHratha’lenpriestess. Two people who failed to protect Lady Isavelle during the Ritual of the First Heat. Why did the king’s second-in-command meet with them? What did all of you have to say to one another?”

“Am I not allowed to consult with a fellow soldier? Seek spiritual comfort before a mission?” Godric asks indignantly.

“I have been watching you today,” Stesha continues. “You state that Lady Isavelle is in great danger, but you have called out no danger. The only danger is you, skulking about following the king’s mate, waiting for a chance to approach the lady while she’s separated from Zabriel. Why?”

“It is you who is the traitor, Stesha,” Godric accuses. “You have never liked Lady Isavelle. You have acted inappropriately with her.”

“Something which I have already explained, dueled, and apologized for. Now it is your turn to explain your strange behavior, and we are all waiting.”

“I will explain nothing to you, dragonmaster. I am here to protect Lady Isavelle, and I tell you thatMa’lenis in danger. It’s unthinkable that we are all standing around talking while he suffers.”

“So now it is Zabriel who is in danger?”

Over Stesha’s shoulder, Nilak growls threateningly.

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