“I bet you’re thinking I’ve made a big enemyout of you and the dark fae,” the Lord said.
Silence.
“Normally, I would say you’re right, butyou’re wrong here. Your father’s arrogance got him killed, as didhis lies. He never planned to hand his sons over to me, butyou’llhave no qualms about doing so. You will not become myenemy, Cole, and do you know why?”
Cole kept his mouth shut as he eyed thedragons slithering around him. They were eager for his blood, butthey didn’t strike.
“Because if you become my enemy, countlessdark fae will die. Do you understand me?”
He still didn’t speak.
“Do not eat him, my friends,” the Lord saidand rubbed the back of the one protecting his throne. “If hedecides not to play nice, you can have him, but that’s not going tohappen because he’s going to be one of our best friends.”
Cole’s jaw clenched as images of tearing thisbastard’s head off and dancing around it filled his mind.
“Now,” the Lord said as he steepled his handsbefore his face, “you’re going to go back to the Gloaming, and asthe eldest prince, you’re going to take control of the dark fae. Iknow you’re only a half-breed and you will have to endure thetrials, but youwillrule them.
“If you survive the trials, some will fightyour rise to the throne, but that’s not my problem. Youwillget the dark fae to fall in line, or I’ll destroy the Gloaming. Youwill be my greatest ally, or I will label the dark fae as traitorsand hunt them across the realms. Do you understand me?”
Cole scowled at him. Before this was over, hewould make sure thisthingwas nothing more than pieces ofmeat strewn across the ground for his dragons. And then, he wouldslaughter all the dragons.
The Lord’s eyes flicked past him, and asecond later, a rush of hot air billowed against Cole’s nape as adragon exhaled behind him.
“Do you understand me?” the Lordrepeated.
Cole didn’t bother to look at the dragon, whowas so close its nose brushed his skin, as he replied throughgritted teeth, “Yes.”
“Good, because it is time that all theleaders of the realms learn I amnotfucking around, andthey areallreplaceable. They will do as I say.Youwill do as I say, or I’ll kill them all.”
He was crazier than Cole realized, and as thehot breath of the dragon continued to warm his neck, a chill ranthrough him.
“You just killed the king of the dark fae,”Cole snarled. “The fae will not be excited to obey you.”
“And I have crowned you the new king, and youshould have no problem with making them fall in line.”
There would be a huge problem. The dark faehad admired his father and followed him because he was powerful,fair, and quick to eradicate his enemies. They wouldn’t have suchfaith in Cole, and they were going to bepissedthe Lord haddestroyed their king.
But even with all their powers, and even ifthey got help from the other immortals, they couldn’t defeat thedragons. And there would be some who were glad Tove was dead; theywould come for him and Brokk and try to destroy them.
The Lord had no idea the unrest he’dunleashed on the Gloaming by killing its king. If Cole couldn’tkeep the realm together, it would crumble into civil war, just likeDragonia once did.
“Do you understand?” the Lord demanded.
Cole started to tell him where he could shovehis declarations, but when an image of Lexi entered his mind, hebit back the words. He had to return to make sure she was safe, andhe had to let the other coalition members know what happened here.He couldn’t do those things if he were dead.
“Yes,” Cole growled.
The Lord grinned at him. “Good boy. Now, runalong.”
He waved his fingers at Cole as he shooed himaway like an errant puppy. When Cole got the chance, he’d tearthose fingers off and shove them up the Lord’s ass.
Cole turned to look at the puddle of hisfather’s blood again. It had mixed with the blood of the dragon,but it was still there beneath the dragon’s head. Sorrow swelled torepress his rage, and then it burned hotly through him again.
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s cleanedup,” the Lord said. “Now, do as you were commanded and leave myhall, or I’ll let my dragon eat one of your arms. I’m sure youcouldn’t survive the trials without it.”
Though Cole only knew a little of what thetrials entailed, it would be impossible to survive without it.
He bent and lifted the dragon’s head from theground. “I’m taking this with me.”
