Page 129 of The Forbidden Dragon King
“Keep up. Your legs must be as short as Luc’s and that’s saying something.” War pushes aside a tatty tapestry to reveal a hidden stairway.
It’s dark.
My skin crawls, as I peer up the narrow steps into the darkness.
“The North Tower is up here,” she declares. “Last chance to back out. If by the worst fucking luck in the world, Maximinus is up here, we’re both dead. Then Relius will resurrect me in order to execute me again for getting you killed.”
I tilt up my chin. “I’ve never seen a resurrection. Worth it.”
“You won’t see it,” War mutters, stomping up the stairs and dropping the tapestry deliberately on my head. “Your eyes would already have been poked out, before our head was chopped off.”
I splutter, coughing as dust explodes in clouds from the tapestry. I shove through it, clattering up the spiral steps after War.
The only light filters through slits of windows.
I follow War in tense silence.
The muscles in my thighs protest, as we climb higherand higher. This part of the palace is ancient, older than any that I’ve been in so far.
At last, War stops in front of a gold gilt door abruptly enough that I nearly overbalance and tumble down the staircase.
She swings around and grabs me by the arm, as I lose my footing on the crumbling steps.
“Fuck.” I gasp in fear.
“Careful, wolf, you wouldn’t want to fall and break your neck.” War’s hold tightens on my arm but that still feels like a threat.
“No falling,” I reply, breathless. “Definitely no breaking of necks.”
War hauls me up onto the narrow step next to her like I weigh no more than a wolf pup, slamming me against the door.
I stare up at her with wide eyes.
“Unless you use what I’m about to show you to hurt my King.” War lowers her face closer to mine. I press my back against the wall, trapped. Now, I feel like true prey. “Then I guarantee that there will be.”
“I won’t.” I’m surprised how sincere I sound.
In fact, how sincere I am.
I may be a spy but I’m also now Aurelius’ mate.
His secret Queen.
I still want to topple Draca Kingdom but I don’t want to ruin Aurelius as well.
Is that possible?
War appears to read something in my eyes because shenods, grabbing me by the shoulders and shoving me into the door. “Omegas first.”
“Such a polite Alpha,” I mumble with the gold pressed against my lips.
I fumble for the metal door handle, pushing it down.
I stumble into the tower’s room. Then I raise my arm in front of eyes, blinded by the golden light.
“It’s like your eyes are being boiled out of your head by a hundred suns, when you first see this tower.” War edges around me, further into the room. “I hear that it’s worse the further you go into the tower, becoming even more extravagant. I’ve never ventured further before. I only come here sometimes with Aurelius when he’s summoned. I won’t let him come alone anymore.”
I can guess who is summoning him.Theanymorehas me on edge.
