She laughed , though her throat constricted with the dangerous levels of worry that rose within her.
Markus squeezed her s houlders . “I’m serious. You could make a whole new Council with both peasant and noble members. What better way to bring the classes together than to let them both have a say in how the kingdom is ruled?”
“I still can’t control myself.”
“Not if you keep telling yourself that. Why don’t you try? Come on. We’re going out to the clearing right now to figure this out.”
Adrienne followed, trying to focus on her breathing. The memory of pain from every transformation thus far swept across her mind, though a voice emanating from the burning in her chest purred at the prospect of release. She couldn’t let that part of her take over again. What or who would she kill this time? What if she couldn’t transform and her sister was stuck with a miserable marriage for the rest of her life? What if she did transform and her dragon half killed her husband?
She stopped, frozen in place. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you-”
“I CAN’T!”
Markus blinked. In all their years of courtship, in their entire marriage, she had never raised her voice to him. She ’d never raised her voice ever, in fact, that she could remember. Tears now flowing, Adrienne leaned against one of the trees and took in a deep breath . R emoving a glove and running her hand over the rough bark . S melling the charred grass up ahead . T aking in every detail of the leaves on the ground . S avoring the fading bitterness of the porridge . L istening to the birds chirping above them.
Markus kept his distance, watching her with a wary eye. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t realize… I didn’t think it was such an ordeal for you.”
Adrienne nodded, reaching out for his hand. He took it, bringing her back into the present. “We still need to get to your sister.”
She nodded again. “We’ll ask Claudius. He can help.”
Markus narrowed his eyes in thought and she remembered everything she’d been unable to explain in the short time they’d been reunited.
“We’ll still have a lot of time on our hands while we walk, so if you have any questions?”
“I’ve been meaning to ask… Is Claudius your instructor or what? Do dragons just pop up out of nowhere or…?”
Adrienne bit her lip, looking to the side before meeting her husband’s eyes from under her hood. “Actually… The rumours about queens looking outside of marriage to provide heirs is more true than most want to admit. Claudius is your real father-in-law.”
Markus groaned. “Great. I don’t know which is worse, the father-in-law who could have me beheaded or the one that can fry me to ashes.”
Adrienne smirked. “There’s more.”
“More?”
She brought her husband in close, kissing his ear before whispering in it. He shuddered, then stilled, pulling her away to look in her eyes, his expression almost pleading. “Are you certain?”
She nodded.
He beamed, pulling her close and leading her back to the inn. “Then your sister is going to have to wait a while longer.”
PART VI
They walked in relative silence as Adrienne led them through the tangles of the desert brush toward a secluded hillside. She could feel her hands still trembling and hoped Markus didn’t notice. It would be nice to simply enjoy each other’s company rather than worry about current issues, but that didn’t seem like a possibility at the time. Part of her wondered how the Drake community would react to her bringing her all-human husband to meet them. The only other human they’d ever trusted was Agniss, and even then most Drakes theorized she had remnants of dragon blood in her lineage. Adrienne smiled. Agniss herself claimed to be a twelfth royal on her mother’s side. It was nice to think they could be related, however many generations apart.
She looked back at Markus, admiring his fit physique and curled black hair before opening her mouth. “I know you’re the charismatic one, but let me speak when we get there. Just like everyone would be wary of me if you told them I was a dragon, the Drakes aren’t going to trust you if I tell them you’re human.”
Markus laughed. “Thanks for thinking I have charisma. I’ll be sure to keep my mouth shut.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Her husband smirked and she rolled her eyes with a smile.
A red glow with a halo of black emanated from the peak of the hill and Adrienne frowned. Was there some kind of festival going on? The Drakes weren’t this careless…
Her stomach tightened and her skin quivered, the whisper of a growl echoing in the back of her mind.
If I release you now, we’ll put everyone in danger, if there is any at all.
Her Dragon’s Chamber warmed, but settled down. Adrienne still didn’t breathe easy. It was the first time she’d been able to reason with her dragon half, and she wasn’t sure how far she trusted herself to keep it in check.
Markus crept up next to her. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know, but I almost charged in, breath flaming.”
He grinned, but she noted a hint of uneasiness in it. “That would have been something to see.”
They laid low in the wet, brown grass, and peeked over the top of the hill.
Shacks, nests, and grass sat in flames as smoke rose into the morning sky. Adrienne’s heart stopped when she saw several smashed egg shells strewn about the clearing and her nose burned as she held back tears. A couple dozen men, women, and children stood with chains around their necks, a few mothers comforting their infants.
Markus nudged her and nodded toward the wide trail of damp earth that ran around them that the fire had not yet reached. “Someone’s thought this through.”
The butt-end of a spear cracked against Markus' temple and Adrienne jumped, pins and needles caressing her skin as her dragon half demanded release.
“I’m sorry, your majesty.”
Cold metal clamped around her neck, chilling her and cooling her Dragon’s Chamber, shutting off all access to any form of transformation. She reached up out of instinct to pry it off, but to no avail. Markus lay in the moist earth, blood dripping across his face, and she watched his chest.
There. A rise. He was only unconscious. She could breathe again.
“Who do you think-” A familiar face greeted her and Adrienne felt a chill that had nothing to do with the cold metal collar around her neck. “Captain Gaius?”
“Lord Havard’s orders, your highness. He told us the whole story . H ow you sat in hiding for years . T rying to kill him at the banquet when he confronted you . K illing two of our men to escape when you r true self had been revealed.”
Adrienne swallowed. It sounded terrible when put that way. “I- I didn’t know-”
“What? That you were a dragon ?” The captain snarled. “Havard said you might pull that one. How gullible do you think I am?”
She glowered. “Not very.”
If Gaius had caught her sarcasm, he didn’t show it. He called several soldiers over and they marched Adrienne and still-unconscious Markus to the rest of the Drakes. Her chest tightened when a child, not yet five, whimpered to her mother about the chill of the collar and she dropped one of her petticoats to the ground with a meaningful look at the pair. The mother nodded and stretched out of line to pick up the garment, wrapping it around her daughter.
Once comfortable homes lay in blackened ash and smoke. Adrienne tried not to think of the crunching sound under her feet and took a shuddering breath when it hit her.
It was her fault.
She’d agreed to come here with Claudius. She’d shown herself to an unknown number of witnesses at the palace during her first transformation. She should have known after Havard’s Ignition that she would become a target.
Now who knew how many had lost their lives in her flock? This was supposed to be her family and she’d betrayed them.
Cages sat in the back of dozens of wagons, most of them filled already with their vic
tims. One lay open before her. Gaius had ensured her place among the prisoners.
Shadows crossed the sky above, making prisoners and guards alike look up to see the source. Adrienne grinned. She knew those shining gold scales anywhere.
Three other full-grown dragons flanked Claudius and belted out roars that shook the earth, whisking away three or four guards each and tossing them to distances unknown. Claudius himself landed next to Adrienne, snapping up one of her guards and throwing him into the flames of one of the burning nests.
She didn’t know whether to feel horrified or relieved. She’d never imagined witnessing a dragon battle .
Claudius growled at the rest of Adrienne’s escort, smoke curling from his nostrils, his eyes glittering with rage. He arched his neck and expanded his belly, ready to set the clearing even more aflame, but the soldiers ran. He lowered his face and nestled a tooth into Adrienne’s collar, breaking it off with a slight jerk of his head before transfiguring back to his human self and taking her into his arms.
“They didn’t harm you, did they?”
She shook her head, but turned to Markus, whose limp body lay abandoned in the ash, and Claudius knelt to examine him. More dragons, freed from their chains, swarmed around the little village, soldiers fleeing in all directions.
Claudius sighed, still examining his son-in-law. “Thank the heavens we were still out scouting when they came or I don’t know what we’d have done.”
Adrienne nodded, still distracted by her thoughts. “I’m sorry, father.”
He chuckled, hoisting Markus onto his back. “For what?”
“I led them here. I should’ve known they’d come hunting for me.”
“Well that’s a little narcissistic, don’t you think?”
Adrienne looked up. “What?”
“It isn’t all about you, my dear. The Council has been hunting us down for years. It was only a matter of time before they found us. This was our fault for not being better prepared.”
She pursed her lips, not saying anything, and checked on Markus again.
“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. He’ll have a nice bruise and headache when he wakes, but not much more. Agniss said you had bigger concerns, anyway.”
Adrienne set her jaw, meeting Claudius ’, her father ’s, eyes . “Nothing is more important than Markus' well-being . I did get a notice, however, that my sister… well, half -sister, I suppose… is marrying the same man who sent these soldiers. He can’t keep what he’s done a secret forever and I’m afraid when she finds out…”
Claudius nodded. “Just tell me what I can do.”
PART VII
Adrienne held a now awake Markus closer to herself as Claudius pumped his wings through the damp air, wishing her husband had seen reason and stayed behind.
The humidity at this height was a welcome relief from the dryness and heat of the outer kingdom, but enjoyment of the moment did not last long. That was the palace. They would have to land a good distance away so as not to alert anyone to their presence.
She patted her father’s scaled neck. “The back end of the royal gardens should do the trick.”
One puff of smoke. He hadn’t heard her. Sighing, she inched forward, next to his head, and pointed to where she thought they should land. He adjusted his trajectory and slowed while she scooted back to her husband, who squeezed her and kissed the back of her head. He’d meant it as reassuring, she felt certain, but it only reminded her of the possible cost of exposing her sister’s betrothed . Markus could make her feel beautiful in spite of the long scars that now covered every inch of her body . H e could make her feel empowered to pursue her goals and push her to reach for her limits . E very once in awhile , however, some little motion would set her off to worrying. And she had much, much more to worry about now.
She prayed it would be worth it.
Her father landed and they dismounted as he changed back, his shift graceful and effortless, even dressing as his body transformed. Adrienne hoped one day she’d be able to shift like that, to welcome the change instead of fighting every moment of it.
“You should hurry.” Claudius gestured through the gardens. “I managed to use the clouds as cover, but surprise will mean nothing once the vows are spoken.”
Adrienne nodded. “Thank you.”
Her father smiled at her as Markus took her hand and they ran into the trees toward the palace. They both pulled plain hoods over their faces, easing into the back of a gathering of monks within the throng. Guards eyed their group as they passed, but none wished to tangle with the short-tempered Father and cause a scene on a royal wedding day.
Letting out a long breath, she and her husband followed their unintentional protectors to the head of the throne room and sat, not speaking. Havard would enter soon, surrounded by guards loyal to her, at least in public, and Adrienne would make her revelation then.
It hit. A gentle prickle at first, but with growing intensity every second. Scrambling for the meditation training her father had given her, Adrienne sucked in the air around her. She removed her boot and touched bare skin to cold stone, hoping to ground herself.
Markus leaned over. “Are you alright?”
One of the monks clicked her tongue in protest of the sound.
Before Adrienne could so much as shake her head, Havard entered the room, a dozen guards in gilded armor behind him. Now.
Unable to speak, Adrienne stood and walked forward with her best queen ly stride, removing her cloak and standing over the conniving Councilman, whose eyes widened in shock.
The room gasped. She heard her name muttered several times. The soldiers bowed.
They’d won.
Shooting pains raced down Adrienne’s spine and she doubled over as black leather wings the leng th of several horses shot from her back, spraying blood on the clean tiles. A woman shrieked. Havard smirked, though there was a spark of horror behind it.
A familiar croon entered her mind. Let me take over. I will end him for us.
She growled, the sound echoing throughout the chamber along with the scrape of chairs. This isn’t a good time.
The Dragon’s Chamber within her burne d white-hot. H er teeth, now pointed and sharp, bit through her split and stretched tongue. Her finger s and toes dug into the stone floor, bursting from her gloves and boots, leaving marks as they hardened into claws. Her balance shifted as her spine elongated, a tail reaching to the walls behind her. You do not control me!
With a great roar and feeling every inch of her skin burn as scales enclosed over it, her transformation finished. The entire kingdom would now know what she was.
Except, there was no more Adrienne. Only the dragon. Only rage without direction. Only instinct. It could see the guards preparing to attack, but only snorted in annoyance, smoke encircling its face. Amused, it watched to see what they would do.
Havard laughed. “What? A measly dozen soldiers too much for you? I must admit, my queen , I expected you to be… bigger, more impressive. Though black becomes a soon-to-be-widow, I’d say. Threatening a Council member by bringing an unsanctioned, dangerous animal to his wedding? Your husband will be executed by the end of the week, I assure you.”
Markus remained calm as a pair of guards subdued him, tying his hands behind his back and removing his weapons. He looked up at the dragon with searching eyes, but it didn’t acknowledge him. Mate crossed its mind, but it couldn’t be. He was too small and weak of a creature to be worthy of its glorious self.
Memories swept across its mind, however, and it blinked. Havard’s expression fell as he looked between the dragon and Markus. “Remove him. Quickly.”
But she recognized him.
Adrienne snarled . K nowing that she ’d be powerless if she changed back, she embraced her dragon half for the first time. Eivonne entered the room and screamed. She looked at her little sister, arched her neck, and lifted her husband from the soldiers’ grasp, pla cing him next to her. She spread her wings and roared at those who had threatene
d her family. To their credit, the soldiers raised their weapons and charged. Adrienne swept them to the side, careful not to harm them even as their blades sparked and clanged again st her scales. She then t urned to face Havard, but he no longer stood at the throne. Listening, tasting the air, she at last felt footsteps beneath her and motioned to Markus where they were headed. He nodded and took off. Stepping forward, she transformed back to her human self, approaching her stunned sister.
“I’ll need to borrow a dress, Ivy. Is that alright?”
“N-no, I mean, yes, please put something on, but… I thought-”
“So did Markus. I’m sorry. I didn’t exactly have the chance to explain or I would have. I’ll answer all of your questions after we catch that greedy little- uh, Havard.” Adrienne washed the blood from her back in the bridal chamber and took Eivonne’s morning dress from its hook. “I’m sorry about your wedding.”
Eivonne shook her head. “It was just a business deal. You know how it goes. Besides, I’m sure you had a good reason… if you’re actually my sister.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I just saw a dragon turn into a person. How do I know you don’t just turn into anything you want?”
Adrienne sighed, trudging forward and out of the palace. “Test me on the way. Right now, Markus needs help.”
“R-right. Sure. Just… I’ll be watching you so… don’t eat anyone, okay?”
She laughed. “Even if I wanted to, which I don’t, what would you do about it? Dragons don’t really care if ugly portraits of them pop up around the castle.”
“Nice try. Any one of the servants could have told you that story.”
“Fine. I almost left Markus at the altar because I was afraid the Council would remove me from the throne and I’d disappoint mother. You had to find me hidden in the coat closet and explain how lucky I was to have found love. That most marriages as royalty were only contracts to benefit the kingdom rather than the individual.”
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