Page 51 of A Court of Thralls and Thorns

Had the mighty Prince Zander Rayne fallen for a commoner?

I kept my expression calm, but my thoughts raced.

Elara had lavender eyes.

That meant she would have fae power.

If she were his daughter, then what had happened to her mother?

The guards went silent as a shadow loomed over us.

Siergen.

The red dragon strode forward, his scales gleaming like burnished copper in the light. He moved with fluid grace, his wings folding neatly against his body as his golden eyes locked onto me.

How is my little rogue princess today?Siergen purred into my mind.

A second voice—not mine, not Siergen’s—cut through my thoughts.

Rogue princess?Zander’s voice echoed inside my head with incredulity.

I snapped my gaze to him, shock slamming through me like a bolt of lightning.

He was staring at Siergen, not me.

I was talking to her, Royal.Siergen’s voice was laced with amusement.And watch your tongue. Don’t forget who rescued your ass when you decided you were old enough to take down a wilderbeast.

Zander’s jaw ticked.I was ten.

Siergen grunted.You weren’t even smart enough to bring your bow.

I stared at Zander.You talk to Red, too?

Zander’s lavender eyes snapped to me.You hear him?

I arched a brow.Well, duh. And Siergen, it’s Order daughter, not rogue princess.

Siergen let out a deep, rumbling chuckle.That’s why I like her.

Zander, however, looked anything but amused.

The treaty…he started, his tone cautious.

Siergen bared his teeth in something that was not quite a snarl—but close.

Do not dictate that which I created,he rumbled.You were not even a sparkle in your mother’s eye when the treaty was conceived. I was there, and I uphold its laws to this day, but they do not apply to me. Never forget that.

Zander nodded curtly.Of course.

But his gaze slid back to mine, something unreadable behind his controlled expression.

I folded my arms. “So… you’re telepathic, too?”

“No,” Zander said. “Siergen created this link and chose to share it.”

Siergen glanced away.I must go.

And just like that—the link shimmered and died.