A comment rose to my tongue about the inconvenience of it all, but Tsunami hadn’t yet tested Nienna’s or Gyrak’s control. As long as they contained the beast, I would restrain myself from complaint.
The fleet lingered behind us, resting their dragons. Their presence surely unsettled the people of Lon, but it would only be a day. Elwood could manage it.
I knew the man in passing. As a lesser noble, his blood ties to Lon’s rule were diluted enough to pose no threat to Mai. Right now, his loyalty mattered more than lineage. Fallione trusted him, and he would never leave a city at our backs in careless hands.
“Are black scales a dominant trait?” I asked.
We held a fair amount of distance from the men to allow ourselves this sliver of private conversation. I knew what we marched toward, even if the outcome remained uncertain. But her presence steadied me. She offered calm amid the storm battering Radaan, and I tried to accept it without guilt.
Confusion softened her features, easing the tension in my shoulders. Her mask had slipped, allowing her to be a woman rather than a figure of endless answers.
“There are more black dragons than any other color,” I said, adjusting my grip on my spear. “From what I saw in Draconia.”
She nodded, hair streaming behind her like a banner. “They are more common. Gold eyes as well. There are variations, but obsidian scales and golden irises tend to dominate.”
“Does it trace back to Argos?” I asked. “How old is your father’s dragon?”
Her expression dimmed, mouth tightening with worry. “Argos has ruled beside kings for three generations. He is two hundred sixty-three. After the flight from the Wild Shores, this may be his last reign.”
“Grounded or not, he’s a fierce beast.” I was nothing more than an insect beneath his claws. He could protect their island—even flightless.
“A dragon who cannot fly is a dying creature,” she said, fingers fiddling with the reins. “It’s not that he can’t survive—he won’t want to. Father is the only steady voice left to him, and he already bears too much. This shall be Argos’ final rule. Kalepsi won’t take him as a mate. Nor will any other female.”
Ronan was little more than a speck against the endless blue. “Then Gyrak will reign beside your brother.”
“Yes.”
“I should be grateful, then.”
“For what?”
“That the size of your brother’s dragon matches his ego. Otherwise, the Draconis throne might tremble.”
She laughed, shaking her head. “None would challenge him. Our line has ruled long enough that the people trust us. Besides, no one would risk a war that could destroy the island.”
The silence that followed broke only beneath the steady plod of hooves. Words spoken in jest struck too close to truth.
Sweat traced my temples; the gilded armor stifling. Elohios’ blessing hadn’t returned since the charge, and I had not asked for it. When we met Tallon’s forces in Reem, I would call upon it again, praying it might still sway my people.
The ideal outcome would see Tallon handed over by the citizens themselves, though I held no illusions that such mercy awaited us.
I would try to draw him from the city. Contain him. See him judged. But he wouldn’t be so foolish, not with Egath at his side. He would send a truce first, attempting to secure my word that I wouldn’t harm him.
“We will take the Golden Palace,” Nienna said, breaking into my thoughts. “If Tallon moves against us, Gyrak will end him.”
“Nienna, you cannot burn him without cause.”
She cast me a look that challenged me to define cause.
“If we enter without talks of peace, Sarai’s words in Lon will only be reinforced. The people must remember who I am. I’m not a reckless youth chasing desire across the sea. I am the same king who led them through decades of war. If you strike Tallon too soon, whatever respect I reclaim won’t extend to you.”
Her gaze lifted to the dragons overhead. “As if I need it.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to restrain a smile. She understood the stakes.
“If he threatens you, or meets us in open battle, then unleash them.”
“I almost wish he would,” she said, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Let it be finished. He’s a snake. There’s no reasoning with him.”
