Page 105 of The Death King
My eyes dropped, thinking about what he said. “I want to tell you something…but can you keep it to yourself?”
YOU ASK ME TO HOLD A SECRET.
“Yes.”
YOUR SECRET WILL REMAIN HIDDEN BEHIND MY HARD SCALES.
I didn’t know why I wanted to tell him. The only friend I had was Khazmuda, but I could never share how I truly felt, not when he was loyal to Talon. “I come from the blood of kings. My father was the king of Scorpion Valley, and once I became of age, I was to have wed and become queen. But Talon, the Death King, came to our lands and conquered it with his mighty dragon. My father took his own life, and I had to flee.”
His intelligent eyes watched me. AND TALON KNOWS NOTHING OF THIS.
“No.”
He turned quiet, thinking. NOW YOUR COMMITMENT TO HIM IS EVEN MORE BAFFLING.
“Like I said, it’s complicated.”
He looked at the fire for a while. YOU’VE ENTRUSTED ME WITH A POWERFUL SECRET. I THANK YOU.
“I guess I like you.”
He turned away from the fire and looked at me again. NOW, CAN I TELL YOU A SECRET OF MY OWN?
“Yes.”
IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD DESTROY HIM.
My heart started to race, the pulse hard in my neck. I swallowed even though my throat was dry.
YOU LOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF HIM.
“I know. But I know he’s sorry. And nothing will fix what’s already come to pass.”
HOW CAN HE BE SORRY FOR SOMETHING HE DOESN’T KNOW.
“He’s sorry that I ended up in the Arid Sands, and I know he means it.”
I JUST FIND IT INTERESTING. HE’S DESPERATE TO MURDER THE MAN WHO DID THIS TO HIM, BUT HE DID THE EXACT SAME THING TO YOU.
I suddenly felt cold, even colder than I did when I suffered from hypothermia. The feeling was so icy, it stopped my lungs from working for a second. A rock dropped into the pit of my stomach and splashed acid everywhere.
He stared at me, waited for a reaction.
I broke contact, unable to accept what he’d just said.
He let it pass. I SAID I WOULD KEEP YOUR SECRET. BUT CONSIDER WHAT I HAVE SAID.
My eyes remained locked on the fire, unable to look away. “What’s your story? How did you escape?”
I ESCAPED BECAUSE I WAS SMARTER THAN THE OTHERS. I NOTICED THE SHAMANS IN OUR LANDS, AND I WARNED THE KING OF THEIR PRESENCE. I WARNED HIM THAT SOMETHING WOULD COME TO PASS. BUT HE FAILED TO HEED MY WARNINGS. I WAS THE FIRST TO LEAVE. FROM WHAT I CAN PIECE TOGETHER, THE ATTACK HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTERWARD. MY SISTER REFUSED TO COME WITH ME—AND I LEFT HER BEHIND.
“I’m sorry.”
YOUR WORDS RING TRUE, CALISTA. I’VE OCCUPIED THESE LANDS ALONE AND FREE, BUT WHEN I’M ISOLATED FROM MY KIN, UNABLE TO MATE OR HAVE HATCHLINGS OR HUNT WITH MY KIND…I DON’T HAVE A PURPOSE. THE DAYS BLUR TOGETHER, AND THE ONLY JOY I PARTAKE IN IS MY MEALS. IT’S NOT LIVING…ONLY EXISTING.
“So, you’ll help us?”
NO. I’LL FREE MY KIN. AND YOU. I HAVE NO INTEREST IN HELPING KING TALON WHEN HIS FAMILY IS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR MY GRIEF—AND YOURS.