Trusting the Dragon Prince

by Rinelle Grey

  But if dragons weren’t accepted here, then that would cause as many problems for Trima clan as for Rian clan.

  For a moment, Calrian was tempted to reach out to him in dragon speech, to try and reason with him. But one look at the sparkle in the Trima leader’s eyes suggested he wasn’t going to be interested. He was having fun. He was enjoying baiting Sarian.

  Apparently, if he couldn’t convince her to mate with him, then any interaction was an acceptable substitute.

  Beside Ultrima, his life dragon, Latrima, was silent as she surveyed the group.

  Despite her stony exterior, she might be more approachable. From what he’d heard, Rian clan’s dealings with Latrima had been quite reasonable, when Ultrima wasn’t present at least.

  Calrian hesitated, but he had little to lose. He reached out to Latrima using his dragon speech. “Are you going to sit by and let your leader sabotage this meeting?” he said to her. “I know you would like peace. You tried to negotiate peace with us in Ultrima’s absence. This is our chance, but Ultrima is going to blow it.”

  There was silence. Almost as if the Trima life dragon hadn’t heard him. But her eyes swivelled in his direction.

  After several long moments, she said flatly. “I am loyal to Ultrima. I negotiated peace with you in an attempt to gain him a chance to speak to the princess, but when that approach failed, the deal failed too. I see no reason to discuss this with you.” She turned away from him as she spoke the last words, as though the conversation was over.

  But Calrian wasn’t quite ready to let it go. “Your negotiation wasn’t conditional on Sarian declaring her undying love for Ultrima,” he reminded her. “You just wanted us to give him a chance to talk to her, which he got. Doesn’t it matter to you that she’s not interested in speaking with him? Does that not tell you something about the kind of dragon he is?”

  Her piercing blue eyes focused on Calrian, and for a second, he felt uncomfortably like she was staring into his soul.

  But he had nothing to hide. He wasn’t ashamed of anything he’d done.

  And her stare, though slightly more adversarial, reminded him of Mora.

  So he looked back honestly and openly, hoping against hope to win an ally. Because they were going to need one.

  For a few moments, he thought he might have a chance. Latrima’s eyes softened slightly as she searched his face. Then she grinned. “Ultrima is the kind of dragon who keeps his word,” she said flatly. “He’s fiercely loyal to those he loves. He would never abandon them for over twenty years just because his enemy threatened him.”

  The dig was blatantly directed at him, and it hit too close to home for him to be able to easily shake it off. Calrian knew the life dragon was playing on his emotions, not even needing her life dragon magic to trigger his ever-ready guilt. But he had to admit, it had worked.

  He abandoned any idea of trying to negotiate with the life dragon, as she’d no doubt intended, and instead focused on the human delegation.

  They were the ones he needed to convince. And hopefully the humans wouldn’t hold Trima clan’s actions against Rian clan.

  The Prime Minister cleared his throat. “Well, it seems we might have a bit of a problem. If the dragon clans don’t even have peace between themselves, how can there be peace between dragons and humans?”

  Ultrima shrugged, apparently unconcerned. “The war between Trima and Rian clans does not concern you humans. It has nothing to do with you.”

  Calrian winced. Somehow he didn’t think that would go over too well.

  As predicted, the humans looked horrified. James Nyles recovered first. “Actually, it does,” he insisted. “A dragon battle in the skies above one of our cities is going to be dangerous to anyone around even if they’re not involved. There’s a very real risk of humans being caught in the crossfire as very nearly happened in the recent dragon conflict.”

  Sarian spoke up. “While I was not around for those events, I can assure you Rian clan has, and will, do everything it can to ensure humans are not harmed by any of our dragons.”

  “But as you said earlier, you can’t be responsible for Trima clan,” James Nyles said immediately.

  Sarian turned and looked darkly at Ultrima. “I cannot,” she agreed. “You will have to discuss that with Trima clan.”

  When the director-general turned towards Ultrima, the lightning dragon looked unconvincingly innocent. “Trima clan means no harm to any humans, but if they attempt to come between us and our…” he stared at Sarian, his eyes dark, “… interests… then I can’t be responsible for what happens. When dragons are feeling passionate, there’s no telling what will happen.”

  The Prime Minister looked taken aback. “Well… if you can’t even control yourselves then… I’m not sure there is anything we can achieve at this meeting.”

  Calrian ground his teeth. Ultrima had sabotaged the meeting before it had even begun. And there was nothing he could do to stop him.

  He tried anyway. “Rian clan has no problem controlling themselves,” Calrian said firmly. “And I might suggest that Trima clan could find a way to do so if they were determined to.” He gave Ultrima a frown. “But instead it seems like they’re determined to stir up trouble.”

  Ultrima gave him an innocent grin. “Why would we be doing that?”

  Meaning he was.

  But what could Ultrima possibly have to gain by hostilities with the humans? He stood to lose as much as Rian clan if the humans declared war on them.

  Dragons might be big and tough, but human weapons would make short work of the dragon clans—both of them.

  The human at the head of the table looked equally confused. And concerned. It was clear this meeting wasn’t going the way they’d planned either.

  The Prime Minister held up his hand. “Look, perhaps you need to sort this out among yourselves. Your arguments have nothing to do with us, but I don’t think it’s wise for us to make an agreement with you if you can’t agree with each other.”

  And bam. There it was.

  Calrian didn’t need Ultrima’s triumphant grin to know this was what the lightning dragon had been aiming for.

  His heart sank, and he couldn’t help glancing over at Sarian, who looked like she’d just unwittingly bitten into an apple and found the middle was rotten.

  “He’s trying to bait us,” Calrian warned her. “Don’t let him get to you.”

  His sister didn’t reply, but she did manage to make her expression look slightly less sick. “An agreement between Rian and Trima clans isn’t on the table,” Sarian told the humans. “We have too much bad blood.”

  The Prime Minister didn’t look sympathetic. “How can we believe you can promise peace with us if you can’t even uphold peace between your two clans? You don’t have to be friends, but surely you can end this war?”

  After three hundred years of enmity that didn’t seem likely. But Calrian hesitated over repeating that. Sarian had already said it, and it had made no impression on them.

  Calrian didn’t expect them to understand. Even if he tried to explain, it would seem ridiculous to them that this whole war was over a jilted mate. For their clan to have split and then spent three hundred years locked in a war because Sarian had refused Ultrima’s advances would seem crazy to the humans.

  But Calrian knew it was so much more than that. This wasn’t just about Sarian saying no, it was about Ultrima’s inability to respect her and her decisions. It was about a dragon’s choice to mate who they wanted.

  Rian clan would support Sarian’s decision to the end of their days. To the end of their clan if necessary.

  And apparently, Trima clan felt the same. Latrima’s loyalty proved that.

  There was nothing Rian clan could do to change that, and any other choices weren’t an option.

  “Then I suppose there’s no further point in continuing this discussion,” Calrian said firmly. “Because Rian clan will not give up their principles for peace with Trima clan, and we will not do so for
peace with the humans either.”

  That shocked them. Calrian could tell from the widening of their eyes and the flaring of their nostrils. Not to mention the stink of fear.

  It was as if they thought both clans were just going to attack them here and now.

  And yet that’s apparently what they did think because the men with guns all turned towards the dragons.

  “What do you expect us to do now?” James Nyles demanded. “You are leaving us with little choice, you know? We can’t just have you out there, waiting, not knowing if you are going to attack. People can’t live in fear.”

  He looked from Trima clan to Rian clan, as though he somehow expected them to suddenly agree.

  That was never going to happen. Ultrima would accept nothing less than Sarian as a mate, and Rian clan was not prepared to bow to that demand.

  They needed to find another option. “You need to deal with the situation you have,” Calrian said firmly. “Dragons are here now. There’s nothing you can do to change that. We have no choice but to find a way to live together. Rian clan is prepared to offer peace, regardless of what Trima clan chooses. Isn’t it better to have peace with one dragon clan than none?”

  He could see the human delegation turning that over in their minds.

  They might have agreed with him.

  If Ultrima hadn’t launched himself across the table straight onto Calrian.

  Chapter 71

  With no warning at all, in the middle of the town hall full of human and dragon diplomats, Calrian found himself fighting for his life. Or at least that’s what it should have been.

  Ultrima was powerful. And the intervening years had only made him more powerful.

  But right now, he was using none of that power.

  Ultrima didn’t attempt to throw lightning at Calrian. He didn’t transform his claws to rip into Calrian’s skin as he had done to Verrian. He didn’t even call on his life dragon to help. Latrima just watched, her arms folded and her expression impassive.

  In fact, all Ultrima did was land on Calrian and throw a punch to his jaw followed by a couple to his belly, knocking the wind out of him.

  Calrian was so surprised it took him a few moments to fight back.

  The punches weren’t hard, not compared to a true dragon fight. They hurt, but Calrian could tell Ultrima was letting out his frustration, not trying to kill him.

  So he did the same when hitting back.

  If he wasn’t so busy ducking and punching, he might have laughed.

  Two great dragon leaders in a down and out scuffle on the floor. It must have looked hilarious.

  But when Sarian finally hauled the only mildly resisting Ultrima off Calrian, sending him sprawling back on the opposite side of the room, no one was laughing.

  The humans looked half terrified, half furious. The Rian clan humans looked concerned too. And Ultrima’s delegation… well, they apparently were the only ones to see the humour in the situation. Even Latrima had a smile on her face, albeit a sour one.

  “Further discussion is not possible at this point,” the director-general said firmly.

  Calrian sat up, realising the Prime Minister had disappeared. Security guards must have spirited him away as soon as the fight began.

  “We will discuss this again once we’ve had time to confer. Until then, we shall have no other option than to consider your clans hostile to humans. I suggest you remain in your lairs until this matter can be settled or else we shall be forced to take drastic action.”

  Calrian could guess what that meant, and the thinly veiled threat sent his blood cold.

  The director-general and his team left the room, though the men with guns remained.

  Ultrima was already up, dusting himself off, and wasting no time in coming across the room to Sarian.

  Calrian jumped to his feet with every intention of defending his sister if he had to, but Ultrima stopped when he was still a few metres away from Sarian. His eyes bored into Calrian’s sister, and his voice was resolute. “If you want a treaty with the humans, you need to find peace with me first.”

  Calrian drew in his magic, ready to blast the Trima dragon if he tried anything.

  Sarian stared at Ultrima condescendingly. “I would sooner live in the freezing cold of Antarctica than make any kind of concession to you.” And she turned and stalked away.

  Her actions relieved Calrian of his biggest worry, that his sister would give in to the lightning dragon’s demands to protect the clan.

  But he wasn’t reassured for long.

  Once Rian clan was safely back in their lair and she was alone with only her brothers and sister, Sarian’s shoulders slumped, and her demeanour changed.

  “This has to end,” she said firmly. “I appreciate every one of your defences over the years, but I can no longer let any of you be hurt protecting me from Ultrima. The only way our clan will ever know peace and prosperity is if I agree to mate with him.”

  Everyone stared at her in disbelief for a few seconds. Then Taurian, Verrian, and Lyrian all turned to Calrian, their eyes and hearts asking him what to do.

  As if he knew.

  Apparently being the oldest had many disadvantages.

  The reality was there was only one answer. Calrian didn’t hesitate for even a second. He said firmly, “I won’t allow it. Rian clan won’t let you to sacrifice yourself in this way. There has to be another option.”

  His siblings nodded in agreement. “There has to be,” Taurian echoed.

  Sarian didn’t budge. “None of you have the ability to ‘not allow’ me to do anything. You don’t get to choose for me.”

  True, in one respect. But Calrian wasn’t buying it. “If you truly wished to mate Ultrima, if you loved him, none of us would stand in your way.” He looked around at the others, half expecting some sort of protest, but even though Taurian and Verrian looked uncertain, they did all nod. Calrian turned back to Sarian. “But you’ve made it quite clear that isn’t your wish. Meaning you’re sacrificing yourself for our wellbeing. We can’t let you do that.”

  His siblings all nodded and murmured agreement.

  Sarian didn’t back down. “Not just for your wellbeing, but that of the entire clan,” she insisted. “That’s my choice, indeed, my job, as queen.” Sarian lifted her chin defiantly, daring them to challenge her.

  “But you’re not queen. Not yet,” Taurian pointed out.

  “And even if you were,” Calrian added, “It’s our job as your princes and princesses to keep you accountable. This is a bad choice, and you know it.”

  The set of Sarian’s jaw didn’t relax, but her voice was less resolute as she challenged him. “Give me a better choice then.” She sounded desperate, like she really hoped they had a better solution.

  Unfortunately, Calrian was all out of ideas right now. But he wasn’t going to admit that. “Give us some time to find one,” he pleaded.

  Sarian pursed her lips and stared at him for a few minutes. Then she heaved a sigh and threw her hands up in the air. “We don’t seem to be lacking in time, although our food is going to run out quickly if we obey the humans’ directive to remain in our lair and can’t get out to hunt. I give you two days. Then, if we don’t have a solution, you’d better all prepare for a mating.”

  She stared at them all challengingly, but no one raised any objections.

  Probably, like Calrian, they were all trying desperately to think of an alternative.

  “Good luck,” Sarian said, unconvinced. “I’m going to go have a nap. I’m tired.” And she stalked out of the room.

  Everyone was silent for a few moments after she left. No one was quite sure what to say.

  It was Lyrian who broke the silence. “Do you think there’s any chance Sarian is looking for an excuse to mate Ultrima?”

  “That megalomaniac dragon?” Taurian asked, his voice tinged with disgust.

  Verrian gave a shudder. “I can’t see why.”

  Calrian, though, had wondered the same thing
. It was an entirely plausible reason for Sarian to agree to such a crazy scheme.

  But he couldn’t be sure, and either way…

  “Even if she is, mating under these circumstances is a recipe for disaster,” he said firmly. “She would always be resentful at being forced into this situation. We need to give her another option so she’s free to make a real choice.”

  Taurian was staring at him in disbelief. “You really feel she might want to mate Ultrima? After everything he’s done? After what Warrian said he tried to do to her?”

  Calrian hesitated. “I know it seems crazy,” he agreed. “But there is more to this than meets the eye. I’m sure of it. I don’t think the situation is as straightforward as we’ve been led to believe.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Taurian demanded. “He tried to kill me.”

  “And me,” Verrian agreed. “I can’t see any reason Sarian would want to mate with him.”

  “And yet, he didn’t kill either of you,” Calrian pointed out. “Or me. After all the chances he’s had. And in reality, if he hadn’t been involved, would either of you have won your mates?”

  That was when it hit him. If Ultrima hadn’t told him his clan was dead, Calrian would never have stopped looking for them. And if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have a family and an island resort home.

  As much as the fact stuck in his throat, he owed Ultrima.

  And he wasn’t the only one. Both of his brothers were silent. Seething, but unable to deny his point.

  “Without Ultrima, Brad and I might never have realised we cared about each other,” Lyrian said soberly. She looked at Taurian and Verrian challengingly.

  “He did give me the excuse I needed to convince the clan to accept my mating to Karla,” Taurian said grudgingly.

  “But he tried to forbid me from ever seeing Lisa again,” Verrian argued. “We only realised we loved each other in spite of his interference.”

  Calrian couldn’t help giving a grin. “Really? Or did you realise it the moment he insisted you’d have to let her go to save her life?”