Page 41 of Dragon King’s Bullied Mate

Dr. Martin walked Mikael and Malaya outside the castle. “Since you’re leaving and there isn’t much more I can do here, I’m going to head back to Stagholt so I can get there before nightfall. I need to restock my vaccine just in case.”

Mikael nodded once. “Thank you for everything that you’ve done for me.”

“I still think you’re pushing it too soon, just to be clear.”

“I know, and if anything happens to me, I promise not to hold you responsible.”

Dr. Martin looked unconvinced by that. His weathered face remained thoughtful for a moment before he sighed heavily.

“Your Majesty,” he said carefully, “I have spent most of my life around farms and predators, and one thing I have learned is that foxes rarely announce themselves.”

Mikael glanced toward him and Martin held his gaze steadily. “Meaning?”

“You should be careful who you trust in your castle.”

The words settled unpleasantly between them. Mikael wanted to dismiss the warning immediately because the idea that danger had rooted itself inside his own court felt impossible, humiliating even, but too many things no longer fit together properly. The poisoning and Dag’s increasingly aggressive behavior.

Worst of all, his dragon sensed something was wrong and dragons rarely erred when it came to danger.

“I know,” Mikael admitted quietly.

Dr. Martin studied him for another long moment before offering a faint nod. “Then watch yourself, Mikael. I’ll inform Sven of everything that’s happened here in case you need backup.”

With that, the physician turned to begin his trek back to Stagholt.

Malaya exhaled slowly once he was gone. “Well. That wasn’t ominous at all.”

Mikael didn’t answer because he could still hear the warning echoing unpleasantly in his head.

Fox in the henhouse. The truth of the warning came with all the red flags.

Malaya drove as they headed toward the village. Dawn had broken, but Mikael barely remembered leaving the mountain pass. His dragon paced beneath his skin while Malaya focused on the roads in grim silence. Cold wind lashed against the windows.

Every mile they traveled only sharpened the fury simmering through him because of… he wasn’t even sure what he was most angry about. Beckett was still missing, Lyra was frightened and vulnerable somewhere beyond his reach, and he had no control over anything.

They rounded the bend near the lower ridge and Malaya slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting a van sitting half on and half off the road.

“What are your guards doing here?” she demanded as she flexed the stiffness out of her fingers.

“Looks like they’re changing a tire, but still a very good question.”

The guards visibly stiffened when Mikael got out of the truck. “Why are you not searching for the boy?”

None of them met his eyes immediately.

Mikael’s voice came low and dangerous. “Why are you returning to the castle?”

The captain swallowed hard. “Commander Dag recalled us, Your Majesty.”

Mikael stared at him for a long moment, saying nothing at all. Several guards shifted uneasily.

“Recalled you,” Mikael repeated at last, his tone quiet in the way that frightened men more than shouting ever could. “While a frightened child remains missing in the mountains.”

The captain looked miserable now. “We were told the village search had concluded and that the threat against the crown required immediate reinforcement at the castle.”

Threat against the crown.

Mikael nearly laughed at the irony of it. The greatest threat to the crown increasingly seemed to be standing inside its own walls.