Page 65 of Consort's Dragon
“Open her mouth,” the vizier commanded.
While Titus held her writhing body, Karoki and Kachezi grabbed hold of her head and pried open her jaw.As the liquid dribbled into her mouth, Avera tried to spit and gag, did what she could to avoid swallowing.
Failed.
A languorous feeling spread through her limbs.Her eyelids grew heavy.Perhaps if she slept, she’d wake to find out this was but a horrible dream.
“Don’t let her sleep,” snapped Titus.“Keep her awake long enough to say the words.”
Avera felt as if she floated.Her spirit detached from the body which obeyed the women in white as they ordered her to her knees.Titus hit the rooftop beside her.
The viziers pulled back their veils for the ceremony, exposing their faces.Their hands linked as Klothi began chanting ritualistic words about binding and joining their bloodlines.Avera found herself staring at Klothi, the youngest of the three.A woman who’d regenerated her youth and recently by the looks of it.
The recognition hit her suddenly, and despite the drug binding her will, Avera managed to whisper, “Opal.”
The woman’s gaze met hers.She didn’t confirm, only continued the monotone chanting but now that Avera had seen the truth, she couldn’t help but be angry.
Opal/Klothi had manipulated and lied to her.Opal never intended for Avera to return the Dracova stones to Fraegus Spire.This had been the plan all along.Have Avera fetch them so they might hatch and enslave the dragons.
Avera wanted to weep and scream and fight.Instead, she obediently repeated the ritual words.
“I bind myself to Titus Gugerknaut as his consort.To obey, to honor, for as long as I live.”
With tears rolling down her cheeks, she was married to the emperor.
Chapter16
The heavy plumeof volcanic smoke and ash most likely indicated a dragon—or more than one—recently hatched.Griff now faced the dilemma of what to do next.Go ashore, obviously, but then what?He didn’t know where to find Avera.Didn’t know what to expect if a dragon had been hatched.He wanted to save his little queen, but how?He couldn’t even be sure where to find her, although the smoking mountain in the distance was probably where he should start.
Argent read his mind.“You do realize by the time your slow plodding feet get your carcass to the volcano they’ll be gone?”
“If she’s even there.”
“She is,” Argent declared.“She will most likely remain in place for a few days as the volcano is located in a rather inhospitable place, a veritable barren wasteland.No food for miles around.”
“And knowing this helps me how?”
“Four dragons will require quite a bit of sustenance.”
“Assuming they hatched all the eggs.”
“They did.”Once more Argent spoke as if there were no doubt.
“Do you think they’ll kill Avera?”Griff asked.The reminder of Argent’s ire being a good indication that the newly freed dragons would be angry when they found out how long they’d been kept in their stony shells.
“We cannot kill the blooded,” Argent reminded.
“Because even if distantly, the blooded are related to you and you don’t eat family,” Griff summarized.
“Yes.A strange foible of our kind.”
“How do you think your brethren will react when they realize they were kept trapped in their eggs for a thousand years?”
“Poorly.Merisu never did like being tricked.”
It jolted Griff to be reminded the continents had been named after the former dragons.“Why would the emperor release them?Doesn’t he know about Zhos and how the eggs are needed to keep it from escaping?”
“You’re asking me?”Argent laughed.“I’ve no idea what goes through a man’s mind.Although, if I were to guess, he most likely thinks he can control us.A foolish endeavor for we are the mightiest creatures of all.”
