Page 190 of Crown of Briars
“It’s a deception!” Orla cried, waving her sword at the people standing behind her. “Do not fall for their tricks! They mean to confuse us so they can slaughter us while we are unawares.”
“We do not mean you any harm!” I shouted, my voice rising over my sister’s. “The Shadow Faenevermeant to harm humans. Their land was cursed by the poisonous shadows. That’s why they needed human brides; only a human from the Earthen Court could break the curse.”
Orla’s nostrils flared. “Howconvenientthat you just happened to break this alleged curse right when my army is upon your doorstep.”
“It’s not convenient at all to destroy the lives of my people based on false information,” I hissed. “Ask Gerard. Hismotherwas the one who cast the curse.”
Orla opened her mouth to speak, but Varius interjected.
“Gerard is dead.”
I stared at Varius. The darkness in his eyes told me what I needed to know:Hehad killed Gerard.
Deep down, I had known; the curse could not have been broken without Gerard’s death.
Even so, the truth of that statement jolted through me. Varius uttering it made it all too real.
Gerard was dead.
Shocked murmurs rippled over the humans, and Orla’s face turned ashen. “He—He’sdead?” she whispered.
My stomach sank. Stones, had she truly cared for him? I assumed she had just married him as a slight to me, but the look of devastation on her face made me believe otherwise.
“He wanted to stop us from breaking the curse,” I said as gently as I could. “Hewantedwar between our kingdoms. Orla, he wanted the Necro Shadows to get stronger.”
Orla shook her head, her eyes squeezing shut. “Be silent. I don’t want to hear any more of your lies.”
“Icannotlie!”
“I don’t believe you!” she roared, jabbing her sword at me. “You deserve to die along with them. You murdered my husband! And you will pay for it.”
She advanced, teeth bared and hatred burning in her eyes. I stepped away from Varius and drew my dagger, which seemed pitiful in comparison to Orla’s massive sword.
But if she wanted a fight, I would give it to her.
A low growl rumbled from my dragon, and she stomped toward Orla, placing her massive blue-scaled body between us.
“She says if you want to kill Sybelle, you will have to go through her first,” Varius said. “And you will also have to go throughme.” His voice was lethal and deadly. When I glanced at him, his teeth were bared, and there was fire in his eyes.
All hesitation and anguish were gone. All that remained was a fierce king, willing to do anything to protect his people.
To protectme.
Suddenly, I registered something. Since when could Variuscommunicatewith Azure? I shot a surprised look at him, and he offered me a half smile.
Orla staggered back a step, glancing between me and Azure. “That’s not—you can’t?—”
“If the rest of you decide to leave peacefully, we will allow it,” I shouted, my voice carrying over the soldiers. “But if you do not, my dragon will attack. And she will not show mercy.”
To prove my point, Azure snarled, revealing her fangs. Her entire body seemed to rumble with a growl. She couldn’t breathe fire—none of her kind could.
But the soldiers didn’t need to know that.
Several of the humans whispered among themselves, backing slowly away from the dragon. When Orla noticed, she screeched, “Stop! You obeymycommand! And I order you to attack!”
No one moved.
“Attack!” Orla screamed, waving her sword wildly.
