Page 40 of Courting the Dragon King

“Oh.” Wraith racked his brain but could come up with no clear reason. Except that they wanted to get rid of him. His stomach sank. Was that why?

“If you spend time with him, you can strengthen that relationship, which will benefit the treaty.”

Relief flooded Wraith. It was about the treaty. His mother wasn’t just trying to get rid of him. “Right. Of course. That makes sense.”

“We will send word when more is required of you.”

“I will wait for your instructions,” Wraith said.

His mother lifted a necklace from the dresser, holding it to her neck. Her eyes narrowed as she considered the object. Then she placed it down and lifted a second necklace.

Clearly, she had nothing more to say to her son.

Wraith bowed. “Thank you, Mother.”

His mother continued to peruse necklaces, saying nothing. Wraith left her room. He paused for a second in the corridor, wondering if he should just leave now. But something inside him turned his feet and made him continue walking further into their quarters.

Wraith had done a good job. He’d married a man who hated him. He’d helped the peace treaty. And the previous night, the shadow king had even looked at him without obvious hatred. Maybe for the first time ever, the king felt more positively towards Wraith.

The shadow king’s voice floated through the open doorway from the meeting chamber. He heard another voice respond. Wraith paused in the doorway. A long table filled the room. Five necromancers sat along it, the shadow king at the head. A couple of the necromancers glanced at him before looking away.

“I agree that we need to be careful moving forward,” the shadow king said. His gaze flicked over the room, including the open door with Wraith standing in it. Then the shadow king looked at the servant standing by the door. “Shut the door. This is a private conversation.”

The servant turned and closed the door in Wraith’s face.

The murmured voice of the shadow king continued on the other side of the wooden door.

Wraith took a step back. He blinked rapidly. The guards along the corridor did not look at him, but no doubt they were acutely aware of how he had been so completely rejected.

Eyes stinging, he strode down the corridor. He shouldn’t be surprised. He shouldn’t be hurt. He should be used to this sort of treatment by now.

As he exited the Necros royal family rooms, the guards closed the door firmly behind him. He doubted he would return. At least, not unless he was summoned.

But now where should he go? He meandered, no idea where he went. No one wanted him.

Except, of course, for Umbra. He closed his eyes. “Come to me, Umbra. Come to me. Come to me. Please.” He let out a shaky breath. “I need you.”

Umbra appeared beside him. He dropped to his knees and patted her. Her tongue lolled, and her tail wagged.

Wraith smiled. “At least you’re happy to see me.”

Umbra licked his face. “Of course! You’re my human. The best human!”

A tear leaked from his eye, and he hugged Umbra tight. He rubbed his damp cheek against her and just breathed for a few seconds. She smelled so familiar, of smoke and incense. Then Wraith rose. “Let’s go for a walk, shall we. See if any ghosts want our help.”

At least Wraith had someone who cared for him. But he dreaded returning to the Draconian quarters. At some point, he’d have to.

Chapter

Twenty-One

Konrad glared at Wraith’s chests piled in his room. He’d just gotten back from one of his meetings, and the sight of Wraith’s possessions caused his blood to boil over.

Maybe if his half-brother, Leon, went back to Draconia, they could put Wraith in the room he’d been occupying. But Konrad did not want to send Leon away. He didn’t want to kick him back to Draconia when he’d just lost both his parents.

There were some rooms that were not bedrooms in their quarters. Maybe they could convert a sitting room for Wraith to stay in. Or perhaps a closet. Or maybe he could ask the grand monk to find Wraith a room far, far away on the opposite side of the upper monastery.

And why the fuck would Wraith be moving in with him anyway? Was this some sort of necromancer plot? Maybe the plan was to get Wraith to spy on them, learn the Draconian secrets so the necromancers could attack them and bring them down.