Page 84 of Lady Dragon
Kirek briefly transformed into a dragon to testify before all the dragons present that Valraka had challenged her mother and won, to swear her allegiance to the new Queen Mother, and to announce that she would be remaining in Andrath—both out of respect for the exile with which Pavak, the old Queen Mother, had sentenced her, and in service to her new queen as ambassador to the human realm.
She spoke fervently, but quickly, anxious to get back toSamansa, even though the princess stood right by her throughout her speech. As soon as Kirek was finished, she took Samansa’s hand in her own—human once more.
It felt like coming home.
Samansa had relayed all Kirek said to her mother—who looked understandably baffled by the fact that her daughter could understand dragon-speech.
“I’ll explain later,” the princess said, smoothing the kerchief over her chest. Not only the starburst of the stone but the flowers of the fabric, Kirek saw, were now hidden by the brown-red stain of Samansa’s own lifeblood. “Oh, and I promised them hunting rights in Solomir.”
“Granted. And what of Branon?” the queen asked Samansa, utterly ignoring him, as if he were only a child throwing a tantrum.
“What ofme?” Branon cried, finally breaking his silence. “What ofyou! What can you do, without the dragons’ help?” He pointed at Kirek, making the dragon girl bristle with invisible spikes. If he pressed her enough, she would show them to him with relish. “Shepromised me you would not have it, before she deserted with Samansa like a coward.”
Kirek gave him a wild grin that sapped his already pale skin of any color. “Samansa is family to me now. And this ismyfamily.” She pointed at the dragons lining the walls in turn. “We do not suffer treaty-breakers or traitors, whatever you have been led to believe. My mother, who told me to tell you that we would, is gone. And she waslying.” Kirek faced the human queen. “Yes, I obeyed her orders enough to deliver her message to him, but no further, at which point my aunt slew her to gain our queendom. As you now have gathered, her daughter,Valraka, has taken her place as our new Queen Mother.” Kirek bowed to her cousin. She already had as a dragon, but now every human here understood they were looking at the dragon queen. “And we see eye to eye in this matter. We stand with Andrath’s queen. AndIstand with her daughter.” Kirek raised her fist with Samansa’s hand still clutched in it.
“What of me, then, sister?” Branon said, his feverish gaze finding the princess. “Will you kill your own brother?”
The queen was also looking at Samansa, giving her a brief nod. Allowing her to decide. Letting her take her first steps toward one day ruling herself.
Kirek felt a new respect for the queen grow within her. She, too, turned to the princess, wondering what she would do. Samansa would no doubt be tempted to kill him, especially with her new tendency toward violence that Kirek didn’t think had entirely disappeared with Raka. And yet, if Kirek could rein in her own violent impulses as a dragon, then so could the princess as a human once more.
“No, Branon, I won’t have you killed,” Samansa said, but his visible wash of relief was replaced with horror when she said, “You will go live with the dragons, if they will have you. You will be our ambassador, as Kirek is theirs. Whether you like it or not.”
Valraka nodded her head.He will teach us your ways, while Kirek continues to teach you ours. I’m sure he will find it… agreeable… as I hear he is a soldier in little need of niceties. It’s time to test your mettle among us, since you consider yourself so strong. And among us you will stay. For the rest of your short years.
Samansa translated on Branon’s behalf with obvious satisfaction, and then said, “What did you once say to me?I’m sureyou’ll love it in their lands. Very hospitable.” The princess grinned savagely. “Having been there, I can confirm: You’ll love it.”
“Our Queen Mother mostly only wants you for your hands,” Kirek added, as if helpfully clarifying. She waggled her fingers at Branon. “They’re good at sorting small objects. Tying knots. Stitching. Cleaning tight spaces. That sort of thing.”
“Cleaning?” he cried. “I can believe this humiliating notion of Samansa, but you, Mother”—he looked at her desperately—“you would dishonor me with a life of exile in ignominious servitude to thesebeasts? When I would have let you live out your days here in peace?”
“In a cage,” the queen corrected him coldly. “And for that I would do far worse than have you exiled, my son.” There was only steel in her gaze as she looked at him, and Branon was struck silent. Perhaps he’d never noticed how vicious his own queen mother could be, he’d been so focused on his own ambitions. “You would have taken from me the power to control my own life when Igaveyou your life—gave youallthat you have. You speak of dishonor when you are the essence of it. I would sooner wipe you away like a stain from our family line. You only have your sister’s and the dragon’s generosity to thank for your life. Not me.”
He took a stumbling step toward her, but the guards moved—eagerly now, with dragons breathing down their necks—to stop him. “If you want me executed, Mother, do it! I would rather be dead.”
That can be arranged, Valraka said.In time.
Samansa translated, and added, “And if that day comes, I won’t flinch.”
“Now we need to make other arrangements,” the queen said,turning her back on Branon and dusting her hands, as if he were dirt she was already rid of—already dead to her. The queen faced Kirek and Samansa with a coolly arched brow. “What to do with you two?”
Samansa drew herself up to her full height—which wasn’t much, but she looked taller to Kirek than she previously had. “First, Mother,” the princess said with utmost dignity, “I am going to have a bath and a proper meal—yes, a very large one, with cream puffs for dessert—and then I will meet you in the garden.” And with that, she strode off toward the castle, trailing her tattered gown like a queen.
Kirek returned to her old quarters in the blue keep’s tower, which had been cleared of debris and by and large repaired, though one stained glass window was still broken and a deep gouge remained across the door from the red dragon’s tail, along with a few other nicks in the marble walls. The Songstone was miraculously intact, sheltered by and tucked in its small alcove. Valraka would be pleased to know it had survived—the easier for them to update each other.
Kirek still had some of her previous supplies, even if the couch was missing. She washed herself as best she could with water the servants brought, saving her hair for the bathhouse later. For now, tending to her armor was more important. She oiled it piece by piece, sharpened her blades, and put it all back on.
And then she went to the gardens to meet her princess and the queen.Bothqueens, human and dragon.
The gardens were ripe to bursting, overflowing with blooming flowers and droning with fat bees. Kirek arrived first, butshe didn’t have to wait long before Samansa came strolling through the blossoms in a gown of pale green silk, studded in white and rose pearls, her soft-bared shoulders trailing a diaphanous cape of white chiffon as opposed to a reeking horse blanket. Thick strands of matching pearls had replaced the bloody kerchief to hide the starburst in her chest. Even Kirek had to admit the green looked stunning with her red curls and amber eyes, which glowed at the sight of Kirek. She was more lovely than any flower in the garden—like she was the crowning blossom of it all.
Kirek had never appreciated such cultivated human beauty before, but she did now.
Before she could say anything—though she didn’t know what she would have said with her throat so choked—she felt a light nudge against her calf. Samansa laughed as Kirek looked down to find the striped, orange cat twining around her legs and purring loudly.
“Thoman truly likes you,” Samansa said. “He wasn’t just acting as my accomplice to distract you while I was trying to kiss you.”
“Skies know why he likes me,” Kirek said, grimacing down at him. “Though I suppose I did save his life. And skies know why I didthat.”
