Page 79 of Consort's Dragon
“This is boring,” he declared.“I’m going to see my consort.Do not interrupt me.”
“We wouldn’t dream of it,” Klothi murmured.
Titus strode for the stairs and raced down the single flight to the common area.Avera’s door was closed.As if that would stop him.
He stomped to it, hoping she trembled hearing her husband coming to take his due.He didn’t knock but rather slammed the door open hard enough it bounced off the wall.
“Prepare yourself.Tonight, you truly become my consort.”He stepped into the bedroom only to frown.The space appeared empty.The bed was still made.No Avera lurking in a corner, nor under the furniture when he peeked.
He returned to the common room.“You can’t hide from me!There’s nowhere for you to run.”The many streams of lava outside made flight impossible, not to mention the lack of a bridge, were she so foolish to even attempt it.
One by one, he went through each of the chambers, his annoyance increasing when he didn’t find her.She had to be here somewhere.As he emerged into the common area he espied the stairs going down into the shrine.Had she foolishly thought he wouldn’t look there?The so-called holiness of the place wouldn’t stop him from taking her on the altar.
He galloped down the steps, grumbling, “This disobedience of yours is unacceptable.If you weren’t my consort and needed for breeding, you’d be beheaded for your temerity.”
No reply.
The shrine was empty.The lack of benches allowed him to see everywhere but behind the altar.She most likely huddled behind it, shaking in fear, the thought of which excited.
Rather than announce his approach, he moved stealthily, making not a sound as he crept to the altar.He leaped atop the stone and shouted, “Aha…” An exclamation that trailed off as he realized nobody hid behind it.
Perplexed, he remained standing on the altar, glancing left and right.The lights in the room dispelled all shadows.He could see every inch of the space and the fact Avera wasn’t there.
Where had she gone?
He must have somehow missed her.He returned to the level with the bedrooms and once more searched, this time tossing furniture aside, seeking a hidey hole, getting more and more enraged when he couldn’t locate Avera.How dare she defy him.Bad enough he’d had to put up with her lippiness while he’d pretended to woo her.He was her husband now.A consort was supposed to be obedient.
It occurred to him, as he clenched his fists in the common room, that perhaps she’d snuck to the roof to watch the dragons fighting.Perhaps tucked herself away discreetly enough he hadn’t noticed her upon his departure.
He returned to the rooftop to find the viziers each holding the chain attached to the collar of a dragon.He ignored them as he scanned the area.Still no Avera.
“Where is she?”he bellowed.“Where is my consort?”
“Gone,” Klothi stated almost smugly.
“She killed herself?”It wouldn’t be the first time a consort had vexed him in such a fashion.His second consort only lasted a few months before throwing herself from the palace tower.
“As if she’d do such a cowardly thing,” Karoki scoffed.“She’s fled the shrine.”
“Don’t be stupid.How could she leave?We’re surrounded by lava.Even if she avoids the ditches, the blistering heat would crisp her.”He waved a hand at the scorching plains.
“She is descended from dragons, and as such, anything fiery isn’t a problem for her,” Klothi admitted.
At hearing that tidbit, Titus gaped.“Immune to flame?How come I’m just hearing about this now?”
“Because we didn’t want you to know,” Kachezi stated with a hint of mirth.
“You lied to me!”The very idea enraged.“I’ll have your head for that.”
“No, you won’t,” Klothi replied calmly, pulling a bundle of straps from her voluminous robe.
“We’ll see about that.What else have you not told me?”he spat.
“Several things which, if you were smarter, you’d have figured out, seeing as how the Dragon Compendium was missing a few pages.”Karoki’s mocking answer only increased his ire.
“You treacherous sluts.”
“Ah, the mark of a little man, resorting to insults,” Klothi mocked.“Not really surprising given the diminutive nature of your cock.It wasn’t easy to fake being impressed by it when all I wanted to do was laugh.”
