Page 80 of Blood of Dragons

I could see Calista sitting there, hating me for what I’d done, what I’d taken from her.

It made me hate myself.

I remembered her as a girl as well, could picture her clearly in my mind, but she looked so different as a woman that I hadn’t seen the similarities. Not when trauma and heartbreak had hardened her eyes and masked her innocence. I remembered how scared she was when we found her in the study, in the same room as her father’s corpse. My men wanted to kill her, but I didn’t kill kids. I let her go, assuming I was doing her a favor, but I’d sentenced her to a life too horrible to live.

She should hate me.

But I should hate her too.

We were destined to be enemies…and nothing would ever change that.

“What is it?” Nadia asked, seeing my focus disappear.

“You should go, Nadia.” I stepped away. Buck naked, I walked to my dresser and pulled out a clean pair of boxers.

“I—I don’t understand. You called for me.”

“I know I did,” I said in a bored voice. “And now I’m asking you to leave.”

“What did I do?—”

“Nothing.”

“Your Highness?—”

“Get the fuck out, or I’ll throw you out. Which is it going to be?”

I sat in my study with the map before me. It was more than just the map of the lands I’d conquered, but a crude sketch of the other places I knew about. The Southern Isles were down below, along with all the islands and lands I’d visited in my travels over twenty years. Everything to the north was sketched out too, but since those lands were uninhabited by humans, they didn’t have names. I just knew where the mountains and the swamps were. Knew where the forest was placed and the beaches.

We’ll start at the northwest and make our way east. Start at the coast and make our way inward. We’ll have to travel back and forth to the castle because people can’t realize how often I’m away.

I agree.

I examined the White Mountains, seeing how huge they were.These mountains are so large…it makes me wonder if that’s where the dragons are hiding. The peaks are so tall, they practically reach the sky.

But it would be dark and cold. No dragon would want to live there.

But they would be safe, invisible to everyone else.

No amount of safety is worth that torture. If I had to choose between living underground or death, I would choose death.

A bit dramatic.

Not to a dragon.

I continued to stare at the map. “Where the fuck is she?” Her father must have given her a crude map and handwritten directions, and that was enough information for her to find what I’d spent ten years searching for. What was I missing?

“Your Majesty?” Commander Navarrese appeared in the open doorway.

“What?” I asked as my eyes punctured the map, desperate to see what was right in front of me.

He entered my study and stopped before the desk. “I have another missive from the scouts.”

“Yes?” I asked with disinterest. General Titan was the least of my priorities right now.

“General Titan has gathered an army of orcs.”

My eyes narrowed on the map before I lifted my chin and looked at him. “What did you just say?”