Page 149 of Three Dark Kings and the Gilded Serpent

“The land where dragons originated.” The tips of Antony’s fangs appear, a sign that sets me on edge as he continues. “That’s where the ancient dragon tongue was spoken. The fucking tree is there, too.”

“All of this connects,” Stellen says, but he’s suddenly glaring at Antony. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Stop,” I say, keeping my voice low, gratified when their attention immediately turns to me. “Think about what?”

Antony’s dark gaze settles on me. “We need to know what kind of magical being struck the curse. The answer will lie in the east, and if we need those answers, I should be the one to get them.”

His hand shoots to mine before my rebuttal can reach my lips, the darkness in his eyes stopping me cold.

“I’m the one who has been forced to watch you float beneath that tree swarming with shadows,” he says. “I’ve torn my heart apart to reach you. There is nothing I won’t do to protect you, Thyra. Besides, I’m uniquely placed to survive in dark places and I can fly on my own without endangering a loyal creature like Nara.”

My rebuttal resurges. “But⁠—”

“But I’m not leaving you,” he says, his expression softening.

“You just said…”

“I’m not leaving. Yet. For now, you need two of us together. When it’s safe, then I will go.”

Despite his logic and his reasons, a deep pit of dread has opened up in my stomach, threatening to suck me down.

“Does it really matter who struck the curse?” I ask. “If we can get the blade out of my arm, then we can break it⁠—”

“No.” Antony and Stellen both speak at once, united so completely that I’m left blinking at them.

“No?” I ask.

“We’re fucking lucky the hammer crumbled,” Antony says. “Fucking lucky the anvil wasn’t accessible and Maxim’s heritage wasn’t known to us sooner because, had all the pieces come together, I’m certain we would have tried to break the blade by now.”

“Not luck,” Stellen says, his voice strained. “The blood bind stopped us.”

I glance between them as I repeat, “The blood bind needs to be removed. I have to get rid of it and get this blade out of⁠—”

“No.” Again, they’re united, and it’s fucking scaring me.

“Why not?”

“Because dragon magic is stronger than any other magic,” Stellen says, “and breaking the blade could kill you.”

Chapter Fifty-Four

Maxim

War.

Ortansia’s ominous threat hangs in the air between her and me as I fight to restrain my fire, small flames leaping dangerously from my fingertips.

She steps farther back into the gloom. “Possibly not my smartest move, telling you that right now.”

“That the Tol-Dakri will go to war with Ember because I took the dragon’s hide?” I shake my head. “Possibly not.”

My people already face death suffocating on the Iron Kingdom’s toxic smoke in the north. To have to fight a battle to the south as well? I can’t let it happen.

Ortansia’s exhale is heavy, her silhouette in shadow as she anticipates my thinking. “You could raze this entire clay city to the ground with your fire,” she says. “But you should consider that the Tol-Dakri survived fire dragons. Trust me when I tell you we are equipped to survive you. You must also trust me when I tell you I don’t want it to come to this.”

“Then what will it will take to avoid war?”

“You must return the dragon’s hide in the arms of something even more precious.”