I turned and my breath caught. Despite the heat, the air froze in my lungs. On the pavement all around us were people with spears in their hands.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
TYNAN
As soon as I dismissed Alina’s maid, Sage appeared from around the corner. There were several people in Darragh I dreaded seeing, and Sage was on the very top of my list. I scrutinized his neatly pressed, light grey suit and carefully combed hair. Even his face looked sharper, more rested, and I could have sworn that his skin had changed color.
“I need to speak to you and Lady Alina. It’s urgent,” he spoke to me in his usual commanding tone.
“She’s resting.”
“I’m her official advisor. I have the right?—”
“Everything you want to bother her with, you can tell me.”
It was obvious he did not like hearing what I had to say, but he made an effort and nodded.
“We have set up the pyres for the fallen. Darragh lost many warriors and civilians, and as much as all of us want to give thema proper ceremony, we can’t allow the bodies to decompose.” Sage paused waiting for my reply.
“Make it our priority.” I hesitated. “Have you found the remains of Solomon?” I finally asked.
“I will have to get back to you on that. Another thing, as the new clan leader, your presence is necessary. Among the losses are many who were highly respected by the community. Hanoch, Grace...”
I lifted my eyes to him. Grace. Grace was gone.
I did not realise how painful it would be to lose Sol and the last two people from my family. Despite everything that I already experienced, I was not prepared for the feeling of regret.
I nodded.
“There’s strong tension between the clans, especially after you killed the two clan heads. The white clan was always more independent compared to all the others. There’s a high chance they will choose to fight Darragh instead of submitting to a new leader. We can’t afford another conflict, we already lost too many warriors.”
I inhaled. Even after a brutal battle with a herd of undead dragons, and two challenges to the death, the fight was not over. I still had to make the white and blue clans accept me as their leader to prevent further loss of life.
“Organise the pyre ceremony.” I turned.
“I would recommend you to include Lady Alina in all your future decisions. She’s the heiress to the throne, and your wife. It will strengthen the position of our clan. I can help outline a plan.”
“What?” My eyes found his face.
“I can outline a plan.”
“What did you just say?” I stepped closer.
“It strengthens?—”
“What did you say about me and Alina?”
“Didn’t milady talk to you about the ceremony?” Sage swallowed.
“What ceremony?”
“I don’t believe that I should be the one to tell you.”
“What? Ceremony?” I fisted the collar of his shirt.
“Lady Alina paid an unimaginable price, buying time while you were... recovering.” The way his voice changed on the word ‘recovering’ sounded as if he blamed me for being unconscious. “She had to delay the inevitable, to prevent the clan warriors from storming the castle and dragging your half dead body out on the streets, claiming your title while you couldn’t defend yourself.”
I clenched my jaw. That was exactly the way clan disputes were handled in the old days. When a ruler was too weak to defend against his own clan, he was physically removed from his position. Dragons always prioritized strength over all other qualities, and even gravely
