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Agnar’s eyes widen with understanding. “Duke Arlo, the prince planned to corrupt every member of the military by sending them into an area where drachen await. Once corrupted, they would then move out to form a net around the island.”

“By the gods.” Duke Arlo gestures to the markers on the map. “After that, following the orders he sent out, the military would be set to turn inward and either kill or corrupt every living person on Tirene. People in other kingdoms too.”

Gasps and murmurs ripple through the gathered council members.

The queen blanches and begins handing out blank paper. “We must act quickly. Help me write the orders to stop this madness. Rhiann, I need scribes, quickly.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Rhiann is out the door in mere seconds.

Careful not to get any dirt on the furniture, I walk straight to the queen and stop in front of her. “What if that’s not enough?”

The queen pauses, quill midair, and glimpses up at me. “What do you mean, dear?”

The weight off all eyes in the room settles on me.

“Once the military gets orders to halt, they won’t be going into drachen territory. But what’s to say the drachen won’t come after them anyway? Based on previous drachen attacks in Tirene, it’s only a matter of time before they come here again.”

Rafe Bennett, a dark-haired man I’d think was handsome if he wasn’t always scowling at me, scoffs. “Foolish girl. If the drachen attack again, we’ll be ready. That’s why the queen is giving orders for the troops to retreat, so they won’t encounter any awaiting drachen. Weren’t you listening?”

Murmurs percolate throughout the room.

A lady with fiery red hair whose name I don’t recall whispers to Rafe, “Maybe she’s simpleminded. She has to be, seeking an audience with the queen dressed like a peasant who has been rolling in the mud with hogs.”

Rafe smirks, like she’s just told some sort of private joke that only the two of them can hear.

Except I’m standing right here. In front of you.

Fury is a living, breathing thing inside me. Some of these royal council members are no better than the nobles I dealt with in Aclaris.

Luckily, I’ve come a long way from the easily intimidated girl I used to be.

I back away from the queen to address the entire room. “I assure you I heard every word the queen said. And though my opinion doesn’t matter, she’s right. Rescinding the crown prince’s previous orders is the first, most logical course of action. But we can’t stop there. We need to go to Flighthaven.”

I ignore the “rolling in the mud with the hogs” comment. Sterling’s life and many other lives are on the line, and I don’t give a flying fuck what this woman—or anyone else, for that matter—thinks about me.

Sterling taught me that.

Duke Arlo furrows his brow, concern lacing his words. “Why would you want to go to Flighthaven when that’s where King Xenon and the majority of the drachen are?”

Gods give me patience.

Before I can reply, Queen Alannah goes still as ice, turning on the duke with a glare that could freeze the desert. “That is where my son, Tirene’s crown prince, is most likely being held captive by the monster wearing his body. And if Sterling is not returned in time to assume his place in the coronation ceremony, the crown will pass on.”

The room falls silent, the air heavy with discomfort. The assembled nobles squirm in their seats, avoiding each other’s gazes.

Agnar’s eyes remain blank, though oddly, I swear a hint of humor tugs at his mouth.

“Who would be next in line?” I realize for the first time just how much is at stake. Rhiann, the king’s cousin, flits through my mind, along with Jaime, a cousin of Sterling’s we once overheard a group of strangers dismiss as worthless.

The queen takes a deep breath, her gaze piercing mine like a dagger. “If there is no suitable heir in the king’s direct line, the crown and throne goes to the highest ranked dragoncaller in Tirene.”

A shiver runs down my spine as I realize the full complexity of the queen’s words. “But I’m the only dragoncaller.”

Queen Alannah nods gravely. “Precisely.”

I start to laugh. “Okay, very funny. Though I suppose we all could use a little humor right about now.”

Glancing around the room, I find that no one else is laughing, although Agnar’s grinning at his boots and the duchess appears to be biting back a smile.