Page 30 of Lady Dragon
“And it was a dragon who saved my life,” Samansa said firmly.
“The other one acted alone, I assure you,” Kirek added, “just as she did in attacking the village.” Dark suspicion ate at her insides even as she said it, but she didn’t let it sound in her voice.
“We can’t exactly ask her now, can we?” another guard grumbled, casting a glance at the slain dragon’s unmoving bulk.
It was becoming a pattern with Kirek, leaving no one to question. Except, whereas it had been an accident of passion with the others, this time she’d done it quite intentionally.
While she needed to know who was truly responsible for this attack, no one else did—at least not yet, especially if her suspicions were correct.
“Your Highness,” the first guard persisted, “we should indeedtake you away from here with all haste, but are you sure it is wise to go with—”
“Yes,” the princess interrupted, her cheeks flushing. Still, her voice was admirably steady as she said, “Yes, it is. But… how?” she asked Kirek, sounding less certain.
Kirek gave her a smirk. “You’re not ridingonme, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’ll carry you inthat, with my claws.” She nodded at their small carriage. “You might want to unhook the horses first. But, then again, I might get hungry on the way, while hauling such a load, and need a quick bite.”
Her words drew a horrified gasp from the princess, as intended, and Kirek tossed her head as she turned away, hiding the pleased smile—without teeth—on her face. “Skies above, I’m apparently more adept even athumorthan you are.”
“You’d be more amusing if you once again didn’t have blood all over your face,” Samansa muttered behind her, which only made Kirek’s smile grow.
The first thing Kirek did after returning to the castle and dropping Samansa off in the central courtyard—unharnessed carriage and all, leaving the princess surrounded by guards and ready to debrief the queen as would no doubt be required—was to wing up to her tower room, claw her way inside the giant double doors with their dragon-friendly latches, and head for the Songstone.Not, of course, before shifting back into human-shape so she didn’t destroy the furniture.
As soon as she activated the Songstone, she snarled at it, “I told you where we were going, and then we’re attacked by adragon? I had to kill one of our own, Mother!” Guilt wasclawing its way up her throat like bile, instead of the dragon fire she felt like hurling through the Songstone.
What was she thinking? This wasn’t only her mother, buttheMother. Her emotions felt out of control. But Kirek was furious at her, because only the dragon queen had known where they were going, outside of that secret meeting with the humans beforehand. Because Kirek had told her right after.
Maybe she should be furious with herself instead.
And yet, while she’d betrayed the secret itinerary of the princess, it shouldn’t havefeltlike a betrayal when it came to her own mother. She was here on behalf of the dragon queen. But Samansa had nearly been killed as a result of her mother’s actions—at least, Kirek assumed it was because of her. And then Kirek had been forced to betray and kill one of her own kind to save the princess.
The Queen Mother’s cold, silent voice came back.You could have let her kill the daughter heir instead.
Those were the exact words Kirek had been afraid to hear—convinced, in her righteous anger, that her mother might not speak them. Feeling as though an icy fist had seized her lungs, she said in a choked voice, “So youdowant the daughter heir dead, even though we’ve only ever upheld the line of succession throughout the centuries. Why, at this precise moment? And why didn’t you tell me? I already understood that you’d sent me here to search for any human weaknesses.”
She’d suspected it might come to this, in her darkest thoughts. She’d just hoped it wouldn’t.
Perhaps I didn’t trust you not to betray the plan, more than you already have. The human world is soft, my daughter, comfortable, and intoxicating. I know how it can lull you with its sweet song, oreven inspire you to fits of unchecked rage. And yet, youdarecensureme?
The cold seeped into Kirek’s bones now, making her freeze as if in front of a predator. Her motherwasa predator, and Kirek had been foolish to treat her as anything but.
“I’ve forgotten myself,” she murmured.
Yes, my daughter, you have.You’regrowing soft from your surroundings. You’re not thinking like the queen you need to become, or even as my challenger. You are not considering the complexity of this situation: both its risksandbenefits.
“What benefit is there in the princess’s death?” Kirek forced herself to ask.
If it cannot be traced directly to us?the dragon queen mused.You tell me.
“Branon is trying to kill his sister, the daughter heir,” Kirek said slowly. Thinking of her like that was easier than asSamansa, the girl who’d been teaching her how to laugh. “It hasn’t been proved that he sent the assassins—yet—but I know he did, and it’s only a matter of time before everyone else realizes it as well.” Maybe they nearly had, especially if the plan to catch the next assassin had succeeded. The queen already didn’t trust her son.
It was almost too much to hope that Branon would be outed as a traitor and put to death before he could succeed in his plans.
Or perhaps Kirek shouldn’t want that.
Whether it is a rogue dragon or an assassin, what do you think the prince will do upon the daughter heir’s death?the dragon queen asked.
“Use it as an excuse to claim the throne. Especially if hethinks dragons will stand by and do nothing. And if the princess’s death isn’t linked to us, the human queen will never surrender, because she’ll imagine she has our strength behind her.” Kirek took a deep breath. “Will we stand by and let this unfold? Is that your intention?”
And what purpose would that serve? My sister, and many of her followers, are pressing for war. They think the humans weak, and they think me weak for continuing to treat with them. If one of them challenges me before you have the chance, your rule could be lost before it has even begun.
