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I wait until she’s inside before I speak again. “What if my father refuses to evacuate the throne?”
“Your father might be an ass, but he’s honorable when it comes to rules. He’ll step aside. But that’s not what’s eating at you, is it? You’re worried he’ll order our execution before she can be crowned.”
“Do you blame me? Elaria’s gone. I failed to get her to leave Solaria and we both ended up in the king’s dungeon. Not to mention, I was his only heir and I abandoned him after being released. My mother was his true mate. With her gone, he’ll never take another which means there'll be no more children inhis future. He’d rather kill me than let me inherit his lordship over Frost Forge.”
“He can’t blame you for Elaria... You tried. She had a mate here. Nothing you could’ve done would’ve convinced her to leave without him. And you might be a traitor in the law’s eyes, but you stayed here for a noble purpose. What do you think would’ve happened to Brenn, Mira, and Vik had you not found them? You stayed to take care of the dragons that couldn’t leave and to aid the rebels so one day, we could get our queen back. You were braver than any of those cowards. They took their freedom and ran.”
“My father will never see it that way.” I shake my head, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Fine, then we don’t tell her.” Jesper tilts his head, giving me a knowing look. “The outer realm is never going to be safe for her and you knew that when you agreed to Asmo’s offer. Where did you intend to take her?”
“I thought we could keep her identity a secret. All of you agreed she didn’t look like a princess, so…” I shrug.
“She tells one person, or any of us accidentally slip, she’ll be burned at the stake. There are seven realms, Lor. She’s a dragon. She doesn’t need to stay here in this realm. We can leave. If taking her to the dragon realm is an issue, then go to Hell Hold, the Elven Isles, anywhere other than here. Mate the girl. Be happy for a change, start a family, whatever you want to do.”
“She deserves to know and decide for herself what she wants to do. I don’t want courting me to influence that decision, either.”
“Then we’ll figure it out, whatever she decides, but even if the others choose to stay and guard the Luminaries, you’re stuck with me. If that’s walking into our execution on the moons or finding some random place somewhere else, so be it.” He takes another sip of his ale.
I’m not sure what to say to that beyond thanking him.
“Are we sure Calamity doesn’t already know who Megara is? Or that she’s a dragon? If there are paintings in her cell, well her dream cell, I think it’s safe to assume she knows something about us.”
“No… If she knew her mother was the queen of dragons, then she wouldn't have needed to steal a bestiary to figure out what she is.”
“Is it possible the bestiary was her trying to figure out what we are?”
“I don’t know. Vik talked to her and she can sniff out a lie anywhere with her magic. She believes Calamity didn’t know she was a shifter at all, let alone a dragon.” I weigh my head side to side. “I just wish I knew why they kept it from her. Asmo was there when the queen gave herself over. He knew who she was. Why not tell Calamity that, especially if she’s her daughter? She said Asmo and Megara raised her…. There’s got to be something we’re missing.”
“Too bad you wiped his memories. You could’ve just asked.” Jesper shrugs.
My spine straightens, my body unmoving as I stare at him.
“You didn’t wipe his memories?” His voice carries across the cavern, his eyes widening.
“Keep your voice down!” I whisper-shout. “And I did, just not everything. He needed to remember her to pull off the execution, but he was supposed to come find me after he faked Calamity’s death so I can remove the rest. He never showed. It’s been days.”
“And you didn’t think that was suspicious? Like he could be fucking dead or in a dungeon cell? Or worse, like Brenn believes, that this is all a trap?”
“Honestly, I hadn’t thought about it until now. I’ve been preoccupied.”
Jesper tosses his hands. “Yeah, I’d say.” He starts to pace in front of me, then quickly turns to walk toward the stairwell. “Let’s go. We’re getting answers.”
“What are you going to do, summon him?” The sarcasm hangs heavy in the air between us. He stops and I almost plow into him, not prepared for the sudden shift as he whirls to face me again.
“The boy’s got demon blood in there somewhere. I’m going to draw a pretty star, sing a little kumbaya andpoof. Daddy Asmo, in the flesh.”
“I’m beginning to get a little worried, seeing as I understood that.”
Jesper grins, rocking his head side to side as he trots to the hot spring door. “Watch Calamity,” he yells inside, then shuts it before Vik can reply. “Now, let’s go raid bar boy’s stash for some witchcraft shit, ay? He’s gotta have what we need in there.”
We gather what we need from Gael’s alchemy den, then head upstairs, opting to check on the horses while we’re there. Once outside in the clearing between the forest and the bar, Jesper gets to work pouring salt. He creates thick white lines in the grass, while I set out the old, well-abused candles. One for each of the five points.
Then the bar door opens and the both of us freeze in place until Faelor steps through the crevasse.
“You know, you could have warned a man before you coming out here to do fucking seances,” he grumbles.
“Not a seance. A summoning,” Jesper corrects, continuing to work.
