Page 44 of Courting the Dragon King

A young servant woman approached him and bowed. “Can I help you with anything, Your Majesty?”

Did Wraith need anything? He needed a place where he could go and was welcome. But he didn’t think the servant could help him with that.

“No. Thank you,” Wraith said and walked away.

After some searching, he found a small library. The smell of old books filled the air. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, catching on specks of floating dust. There were several chairs, some even long enough that he could lie out on. Perhaps he could sleep here tonight and not bother Konrad.

Yes. This could be a suitable place to hide.

“Hello, King Consort Wraith.”

Wraith startled and turned towards the voice. Prince Elias Storm reclined on a chair in the corner of the room. An open book rested on his lap. Shadows surrounded him. Wraith had not seen him tucked away like that.

Perhaps he is hiding too.

“I’m, ah … sorry for disturbing you.” Wraith raced from the room, hoping he’d not annoyed or angered the prince too much.

In the end, he found a balcony that overlooked a small garden with a large pond. Water lilies floated on top. A dead monk pruned rosebushes that lined a brick wall.

It did not seem to bother the monk that her actions had no effect on the bushes. Another dead monk chanted in that ancient language the monks knew and that no one else did. They’d used that chant during his wedding, but he did not remember the name of it.

In the sky, a green dragon flew around the East Tower. Was that Konrad? Perhaps it was one of his siblings or another dragon altogether. Wraith did not know how to tell them apart. He just knew that Konrad, like his siblings, was green.

The dragon flew away, growing smaller and smaller. Wraith returned his gaze to the chanting monk.

“I have to confess, I have always been very curious about necromancy.”

The hairs on Wraith’s neck stood on end. He looked behind him.

Prince Elias stood two paces back. Wraith had not heard him open the door to the balcony and approach.

“So I was wondering if you could tell me what it is like being a necromancer?” Prince Elias asked, violet eyes bright.

Wraith tried to remember what he knew of the prince. Or was he still a prince? He’d been a prince of Voltaria, but now he was married to Gerard. Did that mean he was still a prince? Or did he have a new title now?

Although, Gerard was also a prince. So what did that mean for Elias’s title? Wraith had no idea.

He remembered that Prince Elias and Gerard had been recently attacked. They had survived, partly because Prince Elias was a lightning archmage, which no one had known until then.

Now Prince Elias smiled at him. He didn’t seem put out at Wraith’s presence. He had also followed Wraith out onto the balcony, suggesting he did not mind being near Wraith. And he was clearly waiting for Wraith to respond.

“I do not know,” Wraith said.

Prince Elias raised an elegant brow. “You do not know what it is like to be a necromancer?”

“I was born one and know no other way of being, Prince Elias.”

The prince laughed. “Fair enough. And none of that prince nonsense. No need for formalities between us.” He paused, tapping a finger to his lower lip. “So you do not know what it is like to be a necromancer,” he mused as he came up beside Wraith. “Well, do you see the dead?”

Wraith had to stop himself from turning to look at the monks, one of whom he could still hear chanting. He hesitated. He did not want to lie, but if he told the truth, would Elias explode in anger like Konrad had?

Suddenly, both Elias’s brows rose, his eyes widened, and he took a step closer to Wraith. “You do see the dead! Do you see them now?”

Wraith had no idea how he’d given himself away. But that was not anger. Or revulsion. In fact, all he saw in Elias’s eyes was an intense interest. He sounded excited too.

Wraith gestured behind himself. “There are a couple of dead monks in the garden.”

“Really?” Elias leaned over the balustrade, looking down as if he could see them. “What are they doing?”