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“We do not mix races, Ronan. You cannot marry this elf girl. I forbid it.” It was the dragon king’s voice, Ronan’s father.

Thane glanced back to make sure no one was around. This was not something he’d anticipated. He thought Piper’s relationship with Ronan would be an asset, a potential line for an alliance, but knowing the Drakonans from Ryvengaard, he should have realized.

“I love her.”

“What do you know of love?” King Drake snapped. “You care for nothing but yourself. You don’t do anything I ask. You brought shame upon our family for years acting like a buffoon in the local taverns. You went against my wishes to fight with the elves, thinking only of yourself. You could have brought that curse back here to our people.”

“I’m not convinced the curse can affect any race but elves. And I will be the reason we get to go back to our home realm, if we do this right. Thane is the god of war.”

“It’s a myth! Nothing but a legend,” King Drake bemoaned. “You live in a dream world, Ronan. There is no other realm. I don’t even believe in the gods. Thane is nothing more than a mage. A powerful one but a mage nonetheless.”

“You smelled it in his blood!”

“What I smelled was magic in himandLayala. I went along with this belief they are descendants of the gods because the people believe in the gods. I let them have their faith, but it is a story to give people hope.”

“I know Ryvengaard is real, and so is Runevale. Piper has been there.”

“Ryvengaard? Runevale? This elf girl has poisoned your mind. These places don’t exist! She is a seductress trying to gain our favor for an alliance with the elves and their plight.”

“Ryvengaard is our homeworld of the legend you speak so poorly of.”

“Ronan, you’ve been fooled. They are using your dreams and aspirations as leverage. You should know better.”

“It is real, and we will go there, and when we do, I will bring Piper as my wife.”

“No, you will end your relationship with her. She is not one of us. What would your children be? We are Drakonan dragonsfrom a long line of the strongest and fiercest. Our mates are chosen for the future of our family name.”

“Father.”

“I will not allow it!” he boomed. “You’ve already ruined three betrothals in the last two hundred years. It is a disgrace on the Drakonan name. You will marry Sensa, as I arranged for youfiveyears ago, and you will not purposefully break her heart like you did the others.”

“You know I don’t follow orders well, father.”

“You will do it or so help me, boy.”

“You’ll deny me the throne? I’m the second-born son, father, and your firstborn already has two sons of his own. I’ll never see it.”

“No, but I will make sure that this elf girl is no longer a problem.”

Silence fell a few beats and Ronan said, “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Don’t test me.”

Heavy footsteps from inside the room had Thane scrambling for somewhere to hide but in the long hall there were no alcoves or exits. The door flew open and crashed into the wall. Ronan stepped out and turned in Thane’s direction. His crystal blue eyes widened and then he shut the door on his father.

“Thane. How much of that did you hear?”

“Enough.” Thane put his hands in his pockets. Enough to know Piper was going to be heartbroken. The bigger problem was Thane planned to use a promise of going back to their homeworld of Ryvengaard as his leverage to get them to fight. King Drake didn’t even believe it was possible to leave Adalon. Myth and legend he called it. But in all honesty, he didn’t blame the king. There had been no sign of the gods or portals to other realms in over two thousand years. It was going to be more difficult to convince Drake than he thought.

“He’s a stubborn old fool.” Ronan tilted his head as a gesture to move on. They started down the hallway, putting distance between them and the king.

“Your father is skeptical, and not to blame.”

“It is real, though, isn’t it?” Ronan hadn’t directly asked him before.

“It is.”

“You’ve seen it? You’ve seen it with your own eyes? It’s not a story that was passed down?”