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Amory pressed her lips together and I wondered if she hadn’t heard what the queen said to me until I responded out loud. It was an odd thing this telepathy. Constantly trying to figure out if the rest of the company had heard what you heard.
If I looked like that, I wouldn’t ever wear clothes,a deep voice offered. Malachi.
You don’t ever wear clothes anymore,the dragon queen argued and though it was dark, I thought I saw her roll her eyes. Or the dragon equivalent of it. She definitely looked upward and squinted while blowing out her large nose.
The horse strutted in place a few steps.Fortunately for you all, I look fantastic in both forms.
“Ignore them,” Amory began. “They grew up together and are... a lot. All joking aside, both Queen Esta and I trust Malachi impeccably, which is why he is here.”
“So the comic relief is a bonus?” I deadpanned.
You know what, I think I might like you,Malachi sent to me. Now that I was becoming more used to the shifter telepathy, I think I felt that it was directed toward just me.
I gave him a smirk before turning back to Amory. “So the water samples?”
“Right,” Amory began. “I have each one in this container. Each has a label of which lake we took it from and two vials from each just in case one wasn’t enough. And if that is still not enough, just let us know. We can gather more.”
“It is a start,” I offered. It was crammed on the balcony and I didn’t want any of the glass to break, so I put out a finger, sending out my magic, which wrapped around the container of vials at her feet and slowly moved it toward me until it was at my feet. I lifted it in the air until I could reach out and grab it.
“What will you do?” Amory asked curiously.
I looked her in the eyes. “Pour an outrageous amount of my power into the vials. But I have to warn you that I am not sure it will even work. My queen was standing in the water when she managed to change ours back.”
Going from lake to lake right now isn’t an option,Queen Esta told me.It is far harder to disguise what you are up to.
Be reasonable, Esta,the horse argued.If you explained this to the advisors, they’d likely show up to watch but leave him alone.
Not all of them,she snapped back.
I inhaled deeply. “I mean this in the most respectful way possible, as I just dealt with a rebellion in my own country, but do you not trust your own people, Queen Esta?” From what I was picking up on, she didn’t even trust all of her own advisors.
She didn’t confirm it, in fact, she didn’t say anything at all. I had to say I admired her unwillingness to talk down about her own people, but her silence still spoke enough.
“Is Wylan’s rebellion truly gone then?” Amory asked, and I saw in her brown eyes she didn’t seem disappointed, just curious.
A slow grin crossed my face. “For the most part. Because it was successful.”
Is that why you abdicated?Malachi asked.
I gave my head a shake. “I think you misunderstand. The rebellion was one I helped start. To take down my father. I was one of its three founders.”
“Oh,” Amory said, eyes wide.
I shrugged. “The founders of the disloyal were my brother, myself, and our guard and friend Owen Raikes.”
Did your father ever find out it was you?Malachi asked.
“Of course.” I paused to clench my jaw. “The day he died.”
Sorry to dredge up harsh memories, Prince,Malachi said quickly.
I looked him in the eyes as I said, “Don’t be. I am not sorry we killed him. You should have heard the things he was spewing that day. Tried to burn down the forest next to the castle just to weaken us. He’d gone mad. Could have burnt Kavan Keep and all the people in it to a crisp.”
I should like to hear the whole story someday if you are willing,Malachi said.
“He’s not trying to intrude,” Amory rushed to add. “Battle stories are honored here.”
Her comment had me realizing just how much Dra Skor’s Enchanted truly were like an army. The army my father had always wanted Wylan to have to protect her, but never really accomplished because he lied to them about using their magic too often. Dra Skor’s shifters were not just their protection, it was more than that. They were true warriors.
