Page 130 of Flameborne: Fury
Kgosi snorted his derision, but I also felt the crawling in his skin.‘Don’t worry, Donavyn. I am as determined as you to find out.’His words were braided with reluctance because he loathed stepping between dragons and their bondsmen. But he would never allow anything like this to stand.
To my relief, he continued, his disapproval heavy in the link.‘You the King of your bond. Make a plan. But leave the dragons to me. If they have knowingly betrayed your mate, or the Kingdom, I’ll punish them far worse than you or your King ever could.’
He underestimated me there—but I hid that little twist of cruel delight from him as well.
A knot of unease tightened in my chest when I thought of keeping these secrets from my dragon, but what choice did I have?
Mate came before all. And my mate had been maliciously violated.
Those responsible would pay, whether it placed me under judgment, or not.
I muttered a curse as I turned the final curve in the road to the palace. The land opened before me to reveal the wall and the gate. Guards saw me coming and snapped to attention, two of them running towards me, two back into the castle to notify the King that I approached.
Kgosi still growled warnings and reassurance in my head. I let him believe I’d heard his caution. But in truth, I’d only wait as long as it took to make certain I knew the depth of Ruin’s treason—to women, or to the Kingdom. Then I wouldhandle this.
I wouldn’t leave this in anyone else’s hands. I’d protect her. I’d avenge her broken heart—to my dying breath, I vowed to myself and before God.
In the distance I heard my dragon roar, and many others answer him. But I marched on to face the King and his deceptive, self-serving Queen, and considered how to convince them I needed to contact the team we’d sent away months ago.
Access. First and foremost, I needed access in a way no one would suspect.
But then I smiled. Because I was an honorable man.No onewould suspect me of plotting murder on another Furyknight.
No one.
EPILOGUE
SOUNDTRACK:Lostby Tommee Proffit, Sam Tinnesz, and Billy Ray Cyrus
~ DONAVYN ~
“Explain,” Alexi said darkly, the moment the door closed behind the guard who’d ushered me in. The King’s expression was stern, but there was a hint of trepidation in it as well. He trusted me. But now I’d disappeared without explanation twice in short succession.
I raised my hands to soothe him, opening my mouth as the side door from their chamber opened.
Diaan, the Queen, slipped into the chamber, her eyes widening, darting from me, to Alexi, then back.
I quivered with barely restrained rage, yearningto unleash and tell herexactlywhat I thought of her conduct. But this wasn’t the time. And perhaps it was better this way. Let her bear her shame before her husband.
“Permission to speak bluntly, Your Majesty,” I said quietly, turning back to the King.
“You have it, always,” he said. “You know that, Donavyn.” I nodded to accept his grace, but he continued. “Now tell me whythe fuck our dragonPrimarchand his mate were tearing off roofs and stealing my General away?”
I took a deep breath and raised my chin, bracing. “I told you that we returned to the Keep earlier than was wise with two mating dragons because of Furyknight Kearney’s discovery of the enemy.”
“Yes, yes, I’m clear—it’s why we expected you both to fly two hours ago!”
I nodded again, keeping my expression blank, though my hackles rose at the Queen’s scrutiny.
“There was a disturbance with Akhane, his mate,” I said, glancing sideways at the Queen, letting no hint of my attitude creep into my expression, but letting my gaze carry the weight of my anger towards her.
“The girl’s dragon?”
“Yes, Sire.”
“What kind of disturbance?”
I glanced at the Queen again. She’d taken a seat on one of the plush benches along the wall and sat with hands folded demurely in her lap, her expression mild. But her knuckles were white because she gripped her hands so tightly.
