A few people merely looked bewildered by his intent perusal—the zyndari, for the most part—but others in the audience bowed their heads, and dozens of murmured expressions of gratitude jumbled together.
“You’re welcome, Your Majesty,” Zenia said, though she still felt she hadn’t done much to deserve all this attention.
“I have an award for you.” Targyon waved, and a page stepped forward with a gold medal on a cushion, similar to the ones the others had received.
Zenia bowed her head while he placed it around her neck. It clacked against her dragon tear, its heft surprising her. The gold gleamed in the setting sun, but the dragon tear flared a brilliant blue, as if to make sure nobody would doubt that it was the superior pendant.
Targyon snorted softly, noticing.
Zenia leaned back, prepared to be dismissed as the others had been, but Targyon held a hand up. His herald came closer, unfurling a scroll.
“I also have a second honor to bestow on you,” Targyon said. “Though there are some in the crowd who aren’t certain this is as much of an honor as it seems.” His eyebrow twitched as he looked toward Jev.
Jev still had an arm slung comfortably over the bench, and he didn’t look chagrined or embarrassed in the least to have his monarch single him out.
The herald cleared his throat. “Zenia Cham, daughter of Sverola Cham and Veran Morningfar…” Several murmurs of surprise came from the audience at the second name.
Zenia forced her face to remain neutral, though she didn’t want to be associated with Morningfar and couldn’t guess how Targyon or his people had even found out about the relation. Or the name of her mother. Someone must have gone through the records in the Water Order Temple.
“It is His Majesty’s honor to award you a prize that has not been awarded in the kingdom for more than two hundred years,” the herald continued. “You and all your descendants are hereby granted the status of zyndar and all the rights, privileges, and expectations that come with the position.”
Zenia’s jaw dropped to her feet. Or at least to her dragon tear.
“You will receive land to be outlined in an official deed for which you will heretofore be responsible. It will be for you and your descendants to maintain, build upon, farm, log, or otherwise care for in accordance with kingdom needs. Should you establish a stronghold suitable for the defense of said land, you will have the right to invite commoners to live as tenants under your protection.” The herald lowered the scroll.
Still stunned, Zenia didn’t know what to say. Or if she was supposed to say anything. After being shunned her whole life by the nobility, she never would have asked for this honor, and it crossed her mind now to reject it.
“It’s in the mountains,” Targyon whispered, his solemn expression disappearing as he cracked a grin. “With lots of caves in it.”
It took her a second to realize what he was implying.
“Such as for a dragon?” she asked quietly.
“She can shop around and see if she likes any of them.” He winked. “The land is about fifty miles from the capital, so not that close, but I should think she could cover that ground in a half hour. It’s not a lot of land, mind you, and there’s little more than sheep and goats up there, but it’s possible there is ore that would be worth mining. If you have a mind to.” Targyon twitched a shoulder. “I was actually surprised to find any land left to grant. I’d assumed everything was taken, but when Jev mentioned that giving you this position might solve a problem for him, I went looking to see what was available.”
Jev had asked for this? Was she receiving this status as a favor to him?
“I wasn’t truly planning to go along with his suggestion, mind you,” Targyon continued, perhaps catching her glance at Jev, “not simply to help him with his marriage problem, but then you flew into the city on a dragon.” He beamed at her, like a kid excited by some magnificent story being told by a grownup. “And your timing was impeccable. We really do owe you. You’ve already done such good work for the kingdom, and you’ve only just begun. I realized you truly are the stuff of nobility—maybe far more than some of the current nobility are…” Targyon didn’t look at anyone in particular. Rather he glanced heavenward, as if longing for help from the founders. “And being zyndari in your own right would make your job easier, I’m certain. Especially if, someday, Jev has to leave the agents to run his estate. Further, I did some reading last night while I was pondering this, and it seems it’s extremely rare for a dragon to bond with a human. That she came back with you to fight as a favor to you is amazing. A dragon wouldn’t choose someone who wasn’t worthy of zyndar status—and more. So… officially…”
Targyon raised his voice and his arms. “Please welcome Zyndari Zenia Cham as one of the kingdom’s official zyndar protectors and stewards.”
People clapped and cheered with more enthusiasm than Zenia would have expected. There were a few stunned stares from the crowd, including that of Heber Dharrow, but most people seemed willing to go along with Targyon’s proclamation and pretend they agreed she deserved all this.
Zenia shook her head in bemusement, not certain she did, but if it meant that the dragon would have a cave of her own…
A shadow flew across the gathering, and everyone gasped and looked up. The dragon sailed over the courtyard, her scales gleaming in the dying sun, her magnificent wings spread. She tucked them in, then rolled in the air before turning a somersault, her tail streaming out behind her. She blew a puff of fire from her nostrils, and people gasped again.
Show off, Zenia thought, her dragon tear warm through the material of her dress.
That smug sensation emanated from the gem as the dragon flapped her wings and flew out toward the sea.
Targyon dismissed the crowd, telling them to drink heartily and enjoy the food. Jev bounded up the steps of the dais and wrapped Zenia in a hug.
“My lady zyndari Captain,” he said enthusiastically. “Congratulations on your new title.”
“Thank you.” She smiled a little, though she was still stunned. “It comes with dragon caves.”
“Yes, I figured that was the only reason you accepted.” He winked, but his good humor faltered when he glanced over her shoulder.
His father was walking up to them. Zenia held back a grimace, worried he would say she was still common in his eyes and that this changed nothing, that he would never approve of his son marrying her. Judging by the wariness in Jev’s eyes and the tension in his arms, he expected something similar.
“Your dragon peed in my moat,” Heber said.
Zenia stared at him. “Pardon?”
“You heard me. We saw it zooming around in the sky this morning, and then it came to snap up a fish out of our pond. It landed on the drawbridge to dine and relieved itself in the moat before it flew back into the air. The staff aren’t sure whether we’ve been blessed or cursed.” Heber glowered at Zenia.
“I don’t have any control over her actions,” Zenia said, “especially now that she’s free.”
“Too free. Tell her to stay up in whatever remote ogre-filled land Targyon just gave you.”
“Father,” Jev said, “I’m going to ask Zenia to marry me. Now that she’s zyndari and has saved the city from devastation, you can’t possibly object.”
“Don’t invite that dragon to the wedding, not if you’re having it at our castle.” With that, Heber stomped off to rejoin the white-haired zyndar primes. He snatched a mug of beer from a servant’s tray and downed half of it with a gulp.
“I’m not sure what just happened,” Jev said, staring at his father’s back. “Was that… he didn’t object, right?” His brow furrowed, and he looked at Zenia.
As if she had a grasp on the old man.
“He didn’t object,” she confirmed, allowing herself to feel a shred of hope. “Though I certainly plan to invite Reesa to my wedding.”
“Reesa? Is that her name?” Jev glanced in the direction the dragon had flown, though she had disappeared over the walls.
“I don’t think she has a name, but she needs one. I chose that one because of Reesa the Mercenary Princess from the legends.” It had been the only female warrior Zenia could think of from the various children’s stories and myths. Most of the storytellers of old had been certain women should be rescued instead of doing the rescuing.
“I certainly wouldn’t mind having Reesa at our wedding.” Jev flattened his hand over his chest. “Which, as confusing as it sounds, we may be permitted to have without more family drama.”
“As long as we don’t have it at your castle.”
“I’m sure Targyon will lend us his castle. There’s no moat or pond to tempt dragons to land, after all.”
“Just the fountains.” Zenia looked toward one gurgling in the garden nearby.
“Perhaps you can let Reesa know those are sacred pools and not suitable for post-dining activities.”
“I’ll do my best to convey that.” Zenia smiled into Jev’s eyes, the tension gradually fading from her limbs. Nobody was glaring at her right now, nobody could object to them having dinner together in public anymore, and his father was halfway to being drunk. She clasped his hands in hers. “Will you marry me, Jev Dharrow?”
His lips parted in surprise. “I’m supposed to ask you that and have a jade ring to give you. And the blessings of my order’s archmage.”
“Yes, but you were taking too long.”
“It’s been a busy month, but Zenia—” Jev clasped her hands right back, “—I will absolutely marry you. Do you want to do it now? Those archmages are still lurking around. I bet we could find one to make it official.”
Now, it was Zenia’s lips that parted. “Now? I thought an autumn wedding would be nice. There’s no rush, is there? It would give us time to schedule an afternoon in Alderoth Castle for a ceremony and time for guests to buy fancy clothes and do… all the things people like to do for weddings.” Zenia had never actually been to a wedding—that was what happened when one had so few family members and friends who were free of chastity oaths—and had vague notions about what went on at one. Maybe Wyleria would know and could advise her.
“And time,” Jev said, “to educate your dragon on the proper use of fountains and moats.”
“I’m not positive that wasn’t the proper use of a moat. Weren’t those once designed as repositories for the castle sewage? Before sewer systems were commonplace? I imagine that was the true reason nobody wanted to cross one to storm a castle if the drawbridge was up.”
“This is not a conversation I ever expected to have during my wedding proposal.”
“I’m sorry. Am I not doing it correctly?”
“Nah, it’s quite nice.” Jev wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.
She leaned against his chest, delighted that they didn’t have to care that hundreds of people were milling around the courtyard and could see them.
“Hm,” Jev murmured against her lips. “If the wedding won’t be until autumn, does that mean we have to keep waiting to share a bed?”
“Actually, I was hoping you would whisk me off somewhere romantic tonight so that we could—”
Several gasps came from the crowd, and Zenia leaned back, fearing she and Jev were scandalizing people with their kiss. But the dragon—Reesa—had returned. She swooped down into the courtyard, wings spreading for a landing. People skittered back—far back.
Kor’s subjects might appreciate that Reesa had helped drive away the trolls, but that didn’t mean anyone had forgotten she was a deadly predator. It was hard to forget when all she had to do was open her maw and reveal those long fangs.
“What’s she doing?” Jev whispered.
Reesa had landed at the base of the dais, and those eyes and fangs were pointed in their direction.
An image came to Zenia, courtesy of her dragon tear. In it, she and Jev were riding on the dragon’s back as she flew up into the mountains to investigate a woodland lake on Zenia’s new property. Zenia and Jev could enjoy each other’s company while Reesa fished in the lake.
“Offering to take us somewhere romantic,” Zenia said. “Why don’t you go get a blanket and some snacks for later?”
Jev’s eyes widened in understanding—and sheer delight. He bounded away, snatched a tablecloth from a table, and filled it with enough food and wine to last them a week.
“It’s not a blanket,” he said apologetically as he hurried back, tying the foodstuffs for travel, “but if it gets chilly tonight, I promise to keep you warm.”
Reesa turned her head to gaze at him and then at Zenia. An image of her standing on the bank and breathing fire near Zenia and Jev to keep them warm came to mind.
“I don’t think that will be necessary,” Zenia said, walking down the stairs and resting a hand on the dragon’s cool scales. “But we accept your offer of a ride to the mountains.”
“What did she say?” Jev asked. “Or, uh, think?”
“She just agreed that we could find a way to stay warm tonight.”
Zenia winked at him, and they climbed onto the dragon’s back.
THE END
Afterword
Thank you for checking out my Agents of the Crown series. I hope you enjoyed the adventure!
Right now, I’m considering this series complete, and I’ve moved on to other projects, but I occasionally go back to my old series and do new installments or write spin-off novels. If that’s something you would like to see, the best thing you can do is tell a friend and/or leave a review for this bundle. I’m definitely swayed by encouragement from readers!
In the meantime, you might enjoy checking out some of my other fantasy series. I’ve got a bundle of Book 1s called Beginnings that you can get for free if you sign up for my newsletter :
http://lindsayburoker.com/book-news/
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