Page 67 of The Kingdom of Flames and Ash

Hestia placed her hand on her own weapon, watching the exchange. She was another who’d gained my favor for the way she protected and loved Lira.

The fact that Lira gave me a choice made removing my hand and allowing her to carry the sword easier.

Our bond expanded, indicating that she’d been worried, and I hated that I’d put her through undue stress. I’d caused her enough grief.

Dropping her hand from the weapon, Hestia rolled her shoulders while Lira held the sword at her side, blasting stunning with Eldrin’s blood spattered across her gown, her face flushed still from the adrenaline that coursed through her, and with the sword at her hip, she was the epitome of royal, swordsfae, and perfection. Add in the way she loved those close to her, the concern she had for others, her fierce personality, and she had to be the most perfect being in Ardanos.

Some of the anger receded, and I took her hand and led her back outside. I commanded, “Lorne, get someone to clean all this up and relieve you down here. Now that Eldrin iseliminated, I’m not as worried about someone doing something foolish.” I needed to pretend we didn’t have anything else to worry about. I hoped that we didn’t, but with everything that had transpired, there was no way to be certain.

When we stepped back outside, the sun shone faintly through the dark clouds I allowed to hover. The Unseelie preferred darkness, but now that we had returned home, some light helped aid nature with growth and, most importantly, Lira needed it. Seelie fae weren’t made to be without the light.

Flying back toward the front of the castle to enter through the window, I looked at Lira and asked,A geologist? You went somewhere to learn about that?

She smiled sadly, causing my breath to catch and our bond to constrict slightly.On Earth, children attend school to learn, and once they master the basics, some continue their education in a subject that interests them. Water and earth always spoke to me in a way that didn’t make sense to humans. It made me want to learn more about the planet so I could understand why the elements brought me such peace. It wasn’t until I returned here and remembered my heritage and my royal blood that I finally knew why.

I couldn’t imagine what it was like growing up as a human with no recollection of fae life. It must have been confusing, something I hadn’t considered… until she had an explanation as to how the rocks made of dragon lava could hamper the land even after they left. Though the explosive lava rocks didn’t contain dragon magic but rather the poison that affected the land.

Soon, the eight of us returned to the dining area, where our food remained as it had been when we’d rushed out, fearing Lira was in danger. Lira placed the sword against the wall in the corner of the room while the Seelie king took the seat across from me once more, the queen next to him and across from Lira.

“Despite what was said in the prison, I’m assuming we’re retrieving Eiric from the ashbreath?” Finnian asked, sitting next to Lira.

I hated to consider going to war, but I’d do anything to ensure the dragons never touched Lira again. “You’re right. They would come here to fight for Lira, which is unacceptable. However, we have to plan this perfectly.”

“If they come here, they’ll want to make us weak, which would require destroying our land as much as possible.” The king took a bite of his bread and honey. “We need to take the fight to them.”

“Your Majesty, I do like the thought of the fight not happening on our land.” Hestia stood at the end of the table, pacing in front of the window. “But we knownothingabout the land there or how they’re organized.”

Lira leaned into my side and said, “And won’t their magic be strongest on their own land?”

“The dragons’ magic is internal and manifests through their flames, which affect the air and ground around them, making it harsh and barren and creating the lava that produces the volcanoes where it spills out.” The queen took a sip of water. “That’s why they’re able to move locations—their magic travels with them, unlike ours, which flows through the land we live on.”

Another reason that dragons were so untrustworthy. Their magic killed nature, the very thing the fae respected and clung to. The image of the ruined land and the suffering that my people had to endure crashed over me once more. Living like that had been horrific.

“Didn’t the fae visit the island the dragons relocated to and document the area?” Caelan propped himself on the seat of one of the windows, stretching out his leg. “Shouldn’t the information be in the Seelie library somewhere?”

Sighing, Brenin stretched out his wings. “Yes, the four of us stayed up late, researching dragons, and we had details about the island, but they’ve lived there for over fifty years now, and it will have already started to react to their magic.”

“And we have no idea how the dragons populated the place. Where they placed their castle, where their villages are, nothing,” Hestia added.

The more we discussed, the more I realized we were still at a major disadvantage. Yes, we’d learned the dragons had manipulated us into the contract, which made it void, but that didn’t extinguish the real threat. The dragons wanted Lira, and they’d do whatever it took to take her from me. The idea of losing her had my mind racing and desperation sinking its claws into my chest.

Lira fidgeted. “Didn’t you get any information when you promised my hand to the dragon prince? Shouldn’t you at least have answers to some of those questions?”

King Erdan hung his head. “Our land was dying, and we thought we had a common enemy that needed to be contained fast. The dragons pushed for the agreement before they’d aid us, so no. We didn’t obtain any information or even think to ask many questions at the time. We believed we’d learn it when the time came.”

She laughed bitterly. “Well, that’s worked out well for us, hasn’t it?”

I placed my hand on her thigh, trying to provide comfort. “We’ll do the best that we can.”

“We can do better than that.” Lira lifted her chin in defiance, her one tell when she knew whatever she said was going to upset someone. “I’ll hand myself over, see the dragon land, and relay all that information to Tavish. Eiric will be safe, and you’ll know exactly where I am.”

My vision turned black, and I jumped to my feet, spreading out my wings behind me. “The blast you will!”

23

LIRA

Eyes, the color of storm clouds, locked with mine while Tavish’s determination and fear pounded into me like a tidal wave.

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