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I couldn’t help bristling a little. “Irequested it,” I said, “because I have questions about the fae presence in the mountain over Sunridge. And also, now that I’m here, about the enchantment placed on a certain tree along our path through the neutralground.”
The monarch frowned, her eyes carefully blank. “Sunridge? The name sounds vaguely familiar, but I can’t say it’s a place I’ve given much consideration. And I know nothing about anytree.”
Yeah right, she didn’t. “There was magic on it,” I said. “An enchantment for it to attack me. No one except a fae could have donethat.”
“Are you sure? You haven’t exactly had much exposure to our kind, have you? From what I understand, you haven’t seen much even of your ownpeople.”
Okay, now my hackles werereallyup. Was that how she wanted to play this? Nate stirred, but I held out a hand for him to stand down. I didn’t need him fighting this battle. I wasn’t going to make it far as dragon shifter unless the fae monarch learned to respectme.
“I know enough,” I said. “And I have my alphas when I need extra guidance. I didn’t need any help at all to see what your people did to my mother on thatmountain.”
A flicker of something passed through the fae woman’s face, so fast an ordinary human wouldn’t have caught it. But I wasn’thuman.
“The last I heard of your mother, she’d run off from the kin groups many years ago,” the monarch said, but she was lying. I felt it through every bone in mybody.
I drew myself taller. Maybe not as tall as her, but I had a whole lot more meat on my bones, so I had to look a little intimidating. “There is a treaty between your people and mine. You will take responsibility for the crimes committed by yours. But if you really want to try me, go right ahead and lie to my faceagain.”
Behind me, Marco smothered something that might have been a snicker. A chill glittered in the monarch’s eyes. “Arethese your people?” she said in a cutting voice. “From what I can see, you’ve barely accepted two of their leaders as your chosen mates. And you’re speaking to me ofresponsibilities?”
My throat went abruptly hot, fire flickering at its base. My skin tingled with the itch to take on its scales. I kept the impulse to shift in control, just barely. “It’s still my life. I will make my choices in my own time. I’d have been more ready for them if your people hadn’t taken my mother from me. But Iamready to make you answer for thosecrimes.”
Aaron took a slight step forward. His voice rang out. “As alpha of the avian kin, I stand with Serenity Drakecompletely.”
Nate lifted his head. “As alpha of the disparate kin, I stand with Serenity Drakecompletely.”
Marco moved to stand at Aaron’s side. “As alpha of the feline kin, I stand with Serenity Drake completely. And I will for the rest of her life, wherever it takesher.”
I’d never heard him sound so serious. A piece of the hurt I’d still been feeling fellaway.
Before I could wonder if the wolf shifter would extend his loyalty that far, he appeared next to Nate. “As alpha of the canine kin, I stand with Serenity Drake completely. When she demands your respect, she speaks forallof us.” He glowered at themonarch.
The fae woman made a faint sniffing sound. “I have told you what I know. I have seen no proof of the crimes you claim. If all you’ve called me here for is baseless accusations, I’ve given you enough of mytime.”
She swiveled on her heel. Her fae attendants parted around her to give her room to passthrough.
She really was going to just walk away from me. As if I had no authority at all. As if she owed menothing, after everything her people had taken fromme.
No. She was going to learn right this moment what a mistake it was to dismiss this dragon shifter. It didn’t matter how long I’d been gone or how some of the bigwigs might talk about me. I was here now with my alphas by my side, and I claimed this power asmine.
“Stay right there,” I snapped, my voice already hoarsening. I had just enough wherewithal in my fury to tug off my silk dress as the shift came overme.
My muscles stretched and sang, the burn only pleasant now. Flames seared the back of my lengthening throat. I rose and loomed, flexing my massivewings.
The fae monarch whirled around. She didn’t look so tall now, standing beneath my dragon’s body. I peered at her with narrowed eyes. She gave me a cold smile. A crackle of magical energy glittered around herbody.
“To attempt to harm me would be an act of war,” shesneered.
But I didn’t want to harm her. No, the sizzling in my throat was the fire of the crystal, the fire of that gift of truth. I’d been afraid to try to claim it before, but I shouldn’t have been. Itwasmine, and I trusted myself. This woman needed to know exactly who she was dealingwith.
I opened my mouth and breathed from deep down in my chest, where a ring of loss ached around myheart.
Flames poured down over the monarch. They shattered her protective shield. Her attendants shrieked. But the flames weren’t the bright yellow and orange fire that would have burned her to a crisp. They flickered white and violet, surrounding the fae woman in sharp shards oflight.
Burning through to thetruth.
Her eyes widened. Her lips parted, her hands clutching at the base of her throat as if she were trying to hold back her voice. But it spilled out anyway, wavering through theflames.
“I heard of your mother’s death,” she said, sounding choked. “I knew a group of fae were responsible, but no one else did, so I let it be. I have not punished them. There are others I’ve heard speaking out against the shifters. I haven’t encouraged them, but I haven’t stopped them either. If one used magic against you today, I can easily guess who itwas.”
