Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 116396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Commander Brutus entered the dining room. “Her Majesty said she’s not hungry.”
I’d spank her ass right now if I could. “If she doesn’t get her ass in here, I’ll come get her myself. Tell her that.”
He nodded and dismissed himself.
I didn’t wait for her to join me before I started breakfast. Instead of a ridiculous royal spread of more food than I could ever eat, I requested a simple plate of breakfast meats, potatoes, and sliced toast.
Minutes later, she came into the dining room, dressed in her armor and weapons, like she intended to work with the dragons right after breakfast was concluded. She dropped into the chair across from me, barely making eye contact with me.
A servant poured her a cup of coffee then put a plate of food in front of her. He dismissed himself, leaving us alone together.
I ate my food as my eyes focused on her across the table. “We make decisions together, so when you refuse my request for an audience, you’re wasting my time along with everyone else’s.”
“Don’t scold me.”
“Don’t act like a child.”
Her eyes widened with fire.
“You’re Queen of Delacroix—act like it.”
She chewed the inside of her cheek like she wanted to say something but couldn’t find words scathing enough.
I took a few more bites of my food and watched her ignore hers. “You can be pissed at me all you want, but we’re in a war right now, so you’d better get your shit together. Keep it separate.”
She shifted her gaze away for a while. “Fine. So, what did you want to talk about?”
“Sending Ryker to the Capital. What’s your opinion on it?” I stabbed a breakfast sausage with my fork and took a bite. I knew she was loyal to me behind all that rage and resentment, so I trusted her assessment.
“I think it makes sense—if he doesn’t get caught.”
“You don’t think he’ll tell Rutherford everything and turn on us?”
“No.” Her answer was immediate, without a shred of doubt. “He’s not happy about what you did to my father, but he supports our cause all the same. He wouldn’t betray me. He wouldn’t betray what we’re working toward.”
That was enough to convince me. “Then I think he should go.”
“He should leave immediately. If he waits any longer, Rutherford will be suspicious.”
“I agree,” I said. “He’ll leave this afternoon, and I’ll take Storm and some men to Minora. It should be conquered before the Capital has any idea what happened.”
“And what about me?” she asked, eyebrows furrowed.
“You’ll stay here.”
“And do what?” she asked incredulously.
“Rule. I doubt Rutherford will attack Delacroix before I return, and if he does, you can flee on Pyre.”
“I’m not worried about me, asshole,” she snapped. “You think I’m just going to stay behind while you conquer a city by yourself?”
I did my best to suppress the grin that wanted to appear on my face, but it was impossible. It came through, seeing her love and loyalty bright like a beacon.
“What?”
My grin widened. “Nothing.”
“I think it makes more sense for both of us to go.”
“I’d rather keep you safe.”
“Well, I want to keep you safe too. Every step of this journey has been made together. We aren’t separating now.”
“Alright. Then I’ll have Commander Jerome stay behind and protect Delacroix.”
“Minora will concede much quicker with two dragons rather than one.”
“One is enough if you ask me.”
“They won’t separate anyway.”
“You’re going to have to convince them to eventually.”
She gave me a hard stare. “If we won’t separate, how can I convince them to?”
I’d never known a woman who could love me so much and hate me so much at the same time.
“It may be imperative for the two of them to be in different places at once. If we claim the rest of the Kingdoms, it’ll be easier if we can maintain order by dragon flight. I could visit all Kingdoms in the same day if I could fly to each of them. And I could leave my queen behind, knowing her dragon will defend her.”
“They aren’t always going to be around, Huntley. Once Dunbar is gone, they have no purpose here.”
“Do they have a purpose there?” I asked. “You and Pyre have become close. I imagine he wouldn’t want to leave you.”
“I’m sure he’ll visit, but he’ll have his own life. He won’t be interested in helping us maintain order. Just because they’re dragons doesn’t mean they’re innately violent and domineering.”
“Maybe they are—they’ve just forgotten.”
She finally grabbed her fork and took a bite of her eggs. Her head was down and her eyes were focused on her food, but her mind seemed elsewhere.
“What is it?”
“I worry about my brother. Just when we’re together again, we’re apart.”
“Ryker has more than proven himself. He’s capable of taking care of himself.”
“You don’t know Rutherford. You don’t know the Capital.”
“You forget that I was a Blade Scion, that I was a spy right under their noses, and they had no idea. You forget that I was selected as one of the greatest fighters for the king, one of the few worthy enough to defend him.”