Page 12 of The Dragon King
A hint of a smile was still on his lips. “What did Queen Eldinar offer you in return for your service? There is no other reason the Death King would choose an ally that’s beneath him.”
I was certain that General Ezra and the others could hear us speak, but they didn’t understand the content since the language was unknown to them. Very few knew it because it had to be bestowed upon you as a gift or a curse. “My kingdom across the sea was taken from me. My family was executed. I need to find the remaining free dragons to fight alongside me as I take my revenge. Queen Eldinar knows their location and will share it with me in exchange for your defeat.”
His smile was back. “And you believe her?”
“She made the vow in the presence of her people. If she doesn’t fulfill it, she’ll be a liar.”
“Being a liar is one of her better traits.”
I didn’t care for her either, but I wouldn’t insult her in the presence of her enemies.
“She’s not the only one who knows the location of the dragons.”
I’d marched through the forest to fight with my sword and my speed, not with my mind. Now, I was locked in a dangerous chess game where every single move counted. “If that’s true, why haven’t you gone to them?”
“To do what?” he said. “If the dragons burn down the forest, they burn the gateway to the Realm of Caelum. The forest is too dense for their kind to fight alongside us, so they’re worthless in this regard.”
“How do you know where they are?”
“Because I was there when we freed the dragons from the humans and granted them asylum. I was one of the Guardians of Thalian until my service was completed, and I was allowed to return to Riviana Star. There is no other safe place for the dragons, so I know they haven’t changed the location.”
It might be foolish to believe him, but I did.
“Join us. Raise your army of the dead. Help me take the Realm of Caelum, and I’ll give you what you seek.”
Uncle Barron wouldn’t have succeeded in his plan without the aid of the dark elves. If Riviana had never cursed them, this gift of mental subjugation never would have been bestowed and none of this would have happened at all. I wasn’t sure who deserved the blame—Alaric or Riviana.
In either case, I was the one who’d paid the price.
He pressed me when he grew anxious. “What say you, Death King?”
“I can’t betray my alliance. I’m a man of my word and have to preserve my integrity.”
He blinked several times as he stared, trying to hide his disappointment. “I understand. Then excuse yourself from the battle, and I’ll still give you what you seek.”
They didn’t seem to fear the elves. Only me.
“Don’t trust her, Death King. She may shake your hand in public, but she’ll stab you in the back when no one is looking. The safety of those dragons is her responsibility, so there’s no scenario in which she trusts it to an enemy of Riviana.”
“I’m not an enemy to Riviana.”
“You’re sired by Bahamut, God of the Underworld. You’re forever under his command, so yes, you’re an enemy to Riviana.” Alaric continued to stare at me. “I will give you their location this very moment if you agree to stand aside. That is a small sacrifice to have what you want above all else. I offer my hand, and it would be unwise to push it away.”
I continued to stare, my heart racing with my predicament. Those dragons were all I needed and I could continue my war, but what price was I willing to pay for them?
Alaric’s stare was locked on my face, his eyes shifting back and forth as he waited for my answer with palpable desperation.
At that moment, General Ezra joined us. “I grow tired of these secrets.” His hard gaze pierced the side of my face. “What says he?”
Alaric acted as if he weren’t there.
I said nothing.
“Speak,” General Ezra commanded.
Alaric smirked.
“You’ve been at war with Queen Eldinar for a millennium,” I said, still speaking to Alaric. “If you go to war with Riviana Star, those of you who perish will never reach the afterlife. The battle is not worth the risk to your vulnerable mortality. The Realm ofCaelum is heavily guarded, and you have no chance of breaking through that defense. I give you one week to vacate this forest and reside at least a hundred leagues elsewhere. It’s time to move on, Alaric.”