Page 6 of Court of Secrets and Flames (Dragons of Tirene #2)

Chapter Six

Loud pounding jerks me awake.

I scrub a hand over my face and ease my legs over the side of the bed, wincing when my back twinges again. Clearly, my time in the arena didn’t help my injury any.

As I approach the door, the knocking grows impatient.

One of my guards addresses me from his post in the hall. “Lady Lark, you have a visitor.”

Is it morning already? And who could possibly be visiting? Am I being summoned again? People waking me from my sleep is becoming a habit. Thanks to the king’s little surprise announcement last night, it took me a long time to doze off. I feel about as spry as something regurgitated by a dragon.

I attempt to finger comb my hair, which is still halfway pinned up from last night’s banquet. I couldn’t muster the motivation to let it down before collapsing into bed. “Come in.”

The door pushes open as I rub my eyes.

As my visitor enters carrying a tray and kicks the door shut behind her, a knot of emotion swells in my throat.

She sets the tray down and straightens. Two seconds later, she launches herself at me, and we cling to each other like it’s our last day alive.

My sister embraces me tightly. “Gods, Lark. It’s so good to finally get to spend time with you without the entire Tirene court watching our every move.”

I squeeze her back, and for the first time since leaving Aclaris, my muscles relax. “I missed you.”

Leesa releases me, rearing back to scan my body like she’s checking for injuries. Her manner is oddly reminiscent of Sterling’s before he escorted me to the celebration. Seconds later, her eyes mist with tears. “Are you okay?”

The knot in my throat grows, and I choke out a laugh. It’s either that or cry. “I’m drained and a little tired since I slept like crap last night, but I’m fine. Just happy you’re safe and here with me. Until today, I wasn’t sure if you were even alive. I’ve spent the last two months worried sick.”

“And then the first time you see me, I’m this close to becoming a dragon appetizer.” Leesa sniffles. “I hate that I worried you. What you did out there with the dragons, though…that was incredible. You realize you saved both of our lives? You’re amazing.”

I study my sister, much like she did me moments ago. “Funny. I don’t feel amazing. More like a spectacle, or maybe an experiment.” Vulnerability crawls into my voice. “Like I don’t fit in anywhere.”

Leesa tugs on a strand of my hair. “Are you kidding me? Who the hell cares about fitting in? You’ve got a supposedly extinct and amazing magical ability, which is a million times better. Seriously, little sis, don’t ever conform, especially not for the sake of other people. Blaze your own path.” She squeezes my arms and shakes her head. “I can still hardly believe it. My baby sister is a dragoncaller.”

Despite the horrors of recent events, my mouth kicks up at the corners. “See? I always knew I was cooler than you.”

She smirks. “Now you’re pushing it.”

A comfortable silence settles over us, and I take the time to drink in the sight of my sister. Her dark golden blond hair is loose down her back, much like it was at the banquet last night. The shiny tresses and brown eyes complement her light olive skin. She’s tall and curvy and has a small bump on the bridge of her nose like our mother does. With their shared hair color, the two of them could be sisters.

I’m the outlier, with straighter, dark brown hair streaked with gold, large hazel eyes, a slightly upturned nose, and pale skin. We’re even built differently. I’m more slender and several inches shorter. Petite, as my mother says.

Although, as I learned at Flighthaven, Lynnea Axton almost certainly isn’t my biological mother.

And Leesa isn’t my biological sister.

The reminder returns some of the stiffness to my body, and a dull pain throbs in my chest. “How long did you know I wasn’t your real sister?” Hurt laces my voice.

“Not for long, I promise. I didn’t start putting all the pieces together until Flighthaven.” She pauses to cross her arms and glare. “And don’t you dare say I’m not your real sister. We may not share blood, but we’re family in all the ways that matter. Got it?”

My eyes burn. I didn’t realize how much I needed her reassurance until she said the words. “Got it.” Raking my teeth over my lower lip, I gather my courage to ask a question that’s circled my head since last night. “My biological mother…do you happen to know if she’s here in Tirene?”

Her face falls, puncturing the tiny ball of hope lodged in my chest. “I asked about her, and she passed away years ago. Like the king, she was told you were dead, but I guess she kept the faith for a long time before accepting you were gone for good.”

The sharp tearing sensation to the left of my sternum catches me off guard. I scold myself for being dramatic. I have no memories of the woman who birthed me, so how can I possibly mourn her absence?

Hope. Faith. Two of the most necessary elements to bring light into your life. And two of the most painful to lose.

“You got that information from a trustworthy source?”

“Yes. I’m sorry, Lark.”

“What about other blood relatives?”

She lowers her eyes and toys with a loose thread on her sleeve. “From what I could gather, it sounds like your mother and father were both only children. Your father’s parents are dead, and while I couldn’t get a straight answer about your mother’s parents because they’re from a more remote region, no one’s heard them in ages, so it doesn’t look good. I’m sorry,” she repeats.

A hollow ache spreads beneath my ribs. “That’s okay, thanks anyway. I appreciate you trying to find out.”

Her gaze darts to me and away again. “No need to thank me.” Changing the subject, Leesa gestures at the food she brought in. “I know we have lots to talk about, but there’s plenty of time for that. You need to eat.” She settles the tray on a low table in front of the plush couch. “You’re probably starving. I noticed you didn’t eat much at the banquet.”

Although my body needs the sustenance, my stomach sours at the thought of eating. “I didn’t have much of an appetite last night. All I could think about was how close I came to losing you. How close we both came to dying. And these people…they just sat there and watched. The king wants to use me for his own gain. I don’t know all the details, but I intend to find out exactly what he’s up to.”

My sister pales, glancing around the suite like the walls have ears. “Be careful. I’m just as upset as you are, but trust me, you won’t get anywhere if you demand answers. That will only put you in more danger.” She sits and uncovers a plate on the tray, revealing an array of meats, cheeses, fruits, and fresh bread. “Palace life is cutthroat. Everyone has ulterior motives and hidden agendas. It’s like a game where the rules always change.”

I join her on the couch. “Then I’ll learn to play the game.”

And that’s what I intend to do. No matter what that entails.

Conversation lulls as we nibble on the food and sip on coffee. Leesa was right. Yesterday’s ordeal with the dragons drained me, and as I pop a cube of cheese in my mouth, I realize just how hungry I am.

For a few minutes, I revel in the familiar glow of sisterhood that I’ve sorely missed since Leesa left our estate for Flighthaven Academy. Even after all we’ve both been through, sharing a meal with her seems so normal.

It’s like being home.

During my brief time at Flighthaven, I searched for clues regarding Leesa’s disappearance and followed the breadcrumbs she left behind in case she vanished without a trace. Never in a million years could I have predicted our reunion happening in Tirene, and the experience is more than a little surreal.

I refill our mugs with steaming coffee. “You appear entirely too healthy and hale for a woman half the academy thought to be dead.”

Leesa pauses with her cup halfway to her lips. “People thought I was dead?”

“Some did. Others thought you ran off with your Tirenese lover. But I knew you wouldn’t just run away. Not without a damn good reason.” I put a hand on her arm. “Tell me what really happened.”

She clasps her hand on top of mine. “I’m guessing the same thing that happened to you, happened to me.”

“You weren’t snatched during your first trial in front of everyone.” I roll my eyes and sip my coffee.

“No. I was on my way back from the library close to curfew and got knocked out and snatched before I reached the dorm. Afterward, when I first woke up, I was convinced I’d been taken on King Xenon’s orders. I noticed that something was off with Flighthaven’s dragons and then caught someone hauling eyril into the dragon aerie, which made no sense. When the king came to Flighthaven, he cornered me to ask questions about you. If you’d showed any signs of a strong elemental ability, if I ever noticed you acting odd around alicorns or other magical creatures. If Mother ever mentioned you were adopted. By that time, I’d already stumbled across the gravestone.”

Silence stretches between us. One of the biggest shocks of my entire life came when I followed Leesa’s clue to a spot near Castle Axton and found a hidden gravestone with my own name etched into it.

Lark Axton

Beloved daughter and sister

Same name. Same birth year. Only, that Lark Axton died at the age of four.

Goose bumps pebble my skin. Every time I picture that white grave marker, a chill sweeps over my body.

My sister exhales a loud breath. “I’d already started researching and was trying to form theories while keeping my eyes peeled for any strange happenings around campus.” Her eyes go distant, as if she’s remembering her time at the academy. “I’d heard that the king was all about some prophecy. Then I saw a reference in a book to a prophecy about a dragoncaller, and it occurred to me that those two prophecies were one and the same and you’re the dragoncaller in question.”

I sit up straight. “Prophecy? Did the book give any specifics?” Despite Leesa’s references to a prophecy in the clues she left behind at Flighthaven, I was never able to track it down.

Disappointment piles on my shoulders when she shakes her head. “No. But someone stole that book out of my room anyway. That’s when I started to get paranoid that someone was spying on me. I worried that they might try to get rid of me, so I left hints behind in places only you’d have access to or know where to look. If I vanished, I knew you’d be summoned to Flighthaven to take my place, especially given the king’s interest in you. I needed a way to warn you something was wrong without fear that the information would fall into the wrong hands and hurt you. I was snatched before I could finish searching for answers though.”

“Kidnapped by a Tirenese soldier? I guess that means some of the rumors were half right.”

“By King Jasper’s order.” Her thin lips tighten into a grim line. “He hoped to use me to get to you. In one sense, I suppose I owe him my gratitude. Instructor Thorne…I mean, Prince Knox, seems convinced that King Xenon was days away from having one of his cronies abduct me. And if that happened, I’m not sure I would have lived to tell the tale.”

A chill runs down my spine at her words. King Jasper. King Xenon. My entire life, I’d been taught that the Tirenese were a ruthless people and their rulers even worse but apparently, they’re no different than the ones in my own kingdom.

“And you believe him? Ster…er, Prince Knox?”

Leesa shrugs. “Only because what he said makes sense to me.”

My grip tightens on the cutlery, anger pooling in my gut like molten lead. “Did they hurt you when they took you? When you got here?”

Leesa shakes her head. “They haven’t harmed me, and treat me well enough. But I’m not a guest. I’m a prisoner, just like you. We’re both pawns in whatever game King Jasper is playing.”

My heart clenches. “I’m so sorry.”

“Sorry? For what? None of this is your fault.” The way she immediately defends me reminds me so much of our childhood days, when she would speak up for me when Mother’s smothering became too much. “Now tell me about what happened after I left. How was training? Were you able to overcome your fear of alicorns? Oh! And were you able to pass the trial before Prince Knox carried you away?”

“Yes to overcoming my fear of alicorns. Oddly enough, I owe that to the prince. He devoted time gave me private lessons until I felt confident enough to fly on my own.” I leave out the part where Sterling and I sometimes hooked up during those lessons. “No to completing the trial. The dragon went rogue before we could finish.”

As we eat, I fill her in on everything that happened during my short stint at Flighthaven. Digging for clues to try to find her. The hazing, my training, befriending Olive Holte. Olive’s horrific death.

While I want to reveal everything about falling for the prince when he was my instructor, and the very real—albeit confusing—feelings I still have for him, I keep that to myself for now. I know my sister would never betray my trust, but it’s too risky. Above all else, I want to protect her, and asking her to keep my secret about our dalliances feels dangerous.

Also, I’m embarrassed. How do I admit I fell for Sterling and invited him into my bed when all the while, he was deceiving me?

I do tell her about the special exemption our mother attempted to acquire in order to get me back home.

Leesa reads the ambivalence in my voice. “She may have withheld information from you, Lark, but that doesn’t change the fact that she loves you and wanted to keep you safe.” She pushes the remainder of her food around on her plate. “After losing one daughter at Flighthaven, I’m certain she feared this exact thing would happen. That you would be taken from her too. In fact, I imagine her fears regarding you being taken are why she kept you under lock and key.”

A bitter flavor sours my mouth. Whatever her reasons, Lynnea Axton kept me isolated in Castle Axton. My first taste of freedom didn’t come until my summons to Flighthaven a couple of months ago. At age nineteen.

I believed my life was finally changing. Yet here I am, trapped in a gilded cage once again, just in a different kingdom this time. And as eager as I am to learn more about my background and dragoncaller heritage, I’m not sure anything is worth being trapped again. “What in the realms are we going to do now?”

“We play their game. Observe and learn everything we can.” Leesa smiles, the glint of sisterly wisdom shining in her eyes. “You need to keep the king happy. Hang onto his every word. He knows more about your lineage than either of us. And that is something we need to figure out. Because knowledge, dear sister, is a weapon. Speaking of, see if you can get the king to approve a visit to the Royal Archives. You need more information about what being a dragoncaller entails, and that’s the best place to look.”

The thought of spending time with the king churns my stomach. “No promises, but I’ll try. I’ll do my best to play the game.” I recall the weird feeling I got after the king gave his big welcome-back speech. “Did you get the sense that Jasper had more to say after his story about Tirene’s long-lost dragoncaller? Maybe I’m borrowing trouble, but I swear it seemed as though he was keeping a secret.”

She snorts. “ A secret, as in only one? Please. I may not have lived in Tirene long, but even I can tell King Jasper plays things close.” After giving my shoulder a squeeze, she gathers the tray in preparation to leave. “One more thing.”

“Hmm?”

“Be careful how you interact with the prince. I’m not sure what’s going on between the two of you, but the king might not be thrilled if he thinks you and his brother are involved.”

My eyes widen. “Why would you?—”

“Prince Knox rushed into the arena after you blacked out. He was the one who carried you to your chamber. Plus, his eyes never left you last night. From the way you’re blushing, something tells me the feeling is mutual.” When I open my mouth to argue, she pierces me with a knowing look. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me. The prince explained the rescue by claiming he can’t stop seeing you as a student in need of protection, so I don’t think the king suspects anything.”

“That’s good—wait, hold up.” I frown. “Neither confirming nor denying that there’s anything between Sterling and me. If there were, though, I don’t get why the king would care. His brother’s a big boy.”

“From what I gather, the royals and upper nobility here tend to be a little old school and favor arranged relationships and marriages. If that’s true, then Prince Knox may already be committed to someone, even if it hasn’t been announced yet. Even if he’s not, it’s never a good idea to reveal your pressure points to someone who might use them against you.”

A pit opens in my stomach, and I’m afraid I’m about to throw up. My mind struggles to grasp the concept. Knox can’t be betrothed to another woman. “That’s…I just…I don’t even know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. Just watch yourself.”

After my sister slips out of the door, I tell myself that the prince’s future bride is none of my concern, but my heart disagrees.

I remain in the same spot, unmoving, long after she disappears.

Once I snap out of my trance and eat breakfast, I almost feel back to normal. Almost. The back pain is only a twinge this morning, though I still move carefully as I dress in a pair of breeches and a sleeveless flowing white tunic. Hopefully that means the injured muscles are finally healing.

As I finish knotting the belt around my waist, someone raps on the door.

Perfect timing.

It’s probably Leesa again. At least I hope so. I’m growing restless in this suite.

“Coming.” I cross the space as the door swings open. “Oh. It’s you.”

Prince Knox stands before me, physically striking with his all black attire and his dark waves unbound around his shoulders. He regards me wordlessly, the masked expression on his face giving nothing away.

“Such enthusiasm,” he deadpans. “Better watch out, or I might start to think you like me.” As he performs his appraisal, one side of his mouth kicks up. “Have you eaten?”

The question throws me off-balance. He does nothing to intervene when the king literally throws me to the dragons, but he cares whether I’ve eaten?

“Does it matter?” The retort comes out frostier than intended.

“Of course.” He shrugs one shoulder. “The king wants me to give you the grand tour. Can’t have you passing out because you’re hungry.”

A sharp pain spears my heart. Right. How foolish of me. He doesn’t care about my well-being. He just doesn’t want to be inconvenienced if I faint.

I lift my chin. “I’ve had breakfast.”

“Good.” He offers his arm like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “Shall we?”

Gritting my teeth, I place my hand in the crook of his arm, resolved to “play the game” as Leesa and I discussed.

We step through the open door into the corridor, and Knox nods at the guards as we pass.

King Jasper specifically chose him for this chore. Why? Is this some sort of test? Does he suspect the past Knox and I share? The nights we spent entwined beneath the stars of Flighthaven, before everything fell apart? The king could only know of our romantic entanglement if Knox spilled his guts, but something tells me he kept the personal details of our relationship to himself. Especially after his comment last night when he accused me of fucking him with my eyes and warned me that the king wouldn’t be pleased if he saw.

A tiny gasp escapes me. Oh my gods, is the reason he said that because Leesa’s right, and Knox is already committed to someone else? Surely he wouldn’t stoop so low.

Then again, nothing in our past leads me to believe I can trust him.

Save for the soft patter of our footsteps and the clinking of the guards’ armor as they trail us, our procession down the hall is silent, the tension a tangible entity dancing around us like the first chills of autumn.

Knox’s betrayal cut deep, leaving behind a jagged, painful wound. One that refuses to heal because every time I see him, the knife stabs me again, keeping the hurt raw and bloody.

At this rate, the wound will never scar. I’ll be bleeding for Sterling until my dying day.

His voice echoes in my memory, proclaiming words of affection that now taste of ash and deceit. My former instructor has proven himself an expert in the art of pretense.

As I’m lost in these venomous thoughts, a sudden clearing of Knox’s throat jolts me from my reverie.

“Here is the minstrel gallery.” Knox gestures to the arched entrance we’re passing by. “I used to hide from Jasper’s torments there.”

I peer into the shadowy alcove, imagining a younger Knox seeking refuge among lutes and lyres while the laughter of his elder brother echoed mockingly down the halls.

He seems unfazed by his own confessions. “Farther ahead is the salon. My mother always kept it filled with sweets. Cookies, comfits, you name it. She liked to spoil us.”

The image of a cozy room brimming with sugary treats contrasts sharply with the grandeur around us. For a fleeting moment, I see Knox not as the prince but as a boy, sneaking cookies beneath the stern gazes of courtiers.

We walk through countless corridors and rooms, and although Knox’s polite, he also carries a palpable aura of indifference, as if bored and merely performing this duty of showing me around at the king’s request.

Is he really this cold, or is my sister right? Would he act differently if the guards weren’t within earshot? If various lords and ladies and servants weren’t milling about? Is he ashamed to be seen with me? Or is he doing exactly what I’m doing and playing the game?

I don’t have an answer to any of those questions, but I’m certain of one thing. Knox was anything but indifferent on my first night in Tirene. The night we fought…the night he kissed me.

“As you know, this is the great hall.” Once again, his voice pulls me from my pondering. “That’s where we received the news. The death of my father and younger sister. The kingdom lost a king and a princess that day.” His demeanor is steady and devoid of apparent emotion, but a subtle shift in his gaze hints at buried pain.

My traitorous heart aches for him. I know the sting of loss all too well. “Your brother’s sudden coronation at such a young age must have been a shock.”

Knox’s face is as still as a lake undisturbed by wind or rain. Beneath the fine fabric of his tunic, he offers an almost imperceptible lift of his broad shoulders.

“That very night, our world shifted on its axis. Not too long after, Jasper sent me away to boot camp. The majority of my education in leadership came from the military rather than royal tutors.”

His voice holds no resentment, only the weight of fact, and I find an unexpected swell of compassion rising within me. I know all too well how swiftly fate can wrench one’s path in unforeseen directions.

But I swallow the sympathetic words that rise to my tongue because he doesn’t deserve my pity. Not after his betrayals.

We walk in silence, the air between us thick with unspoken thoughts and histories better left buried. The corridors of the palace seem endless. Each tapestry and suit of armor whispers of the past, until we finally arrive at the ornate door leading to my chambers. With a casual nod from Knox, the guards retreat, leaving a clear path for my entrance.

He opens the heavy door and waves me through before addressing the guards. “I’d like a private word with the lady. I’ll try to make it brief.”

Once the door is closed and we’re inside the suite’s plush interior, I wheel around to face him. “Thank you for the?—”

“Are you all right?” His keeps his voice just above a whisper, like he’s afraid the guards might overhear. “I was off performing training drills and had no idea my brother was going to throw you and your sister in that arena with the dragons. I came as soon as I did but didn’t get there until the very end. If I’d known, I would have done something, would have warned you. I swear.”

Exhaustion seeps into my bones. My back aches again, I feel like I could take a four-hour nap, and I don’t know who I am anymore. But I’m not about to admit any of that to him. “I’m fine.”

“Look.” He traps my chin between his fingers. “You can pretend you’re fine all you want, but you’ve been through a lot lately. More than a lot. It’s okay to not be okay.”

A bolt of anger thunders through me. “Oh, so now you care?” Laughter erupts from my throat, hollow and bitter. “Forgive me for not being able to keep up with you. One minute, you’re turning me over to an enemy kingdom. The next, you’re telling me what we’ve shared is real. And then you act like you don’t give two flying fucks about me. Honestly, I just can’t with you.”

The concern on his face morphs into something dangerous as he stalks toward me. Something predatory. “What filthy language coming from such a pretty mouth.” He closes the distance between us. “It gives me all sorts of filthy ideas.”

My skin flushes hot, and this time, it’s not from anger.

I swallow hard and step back. “That’s not a good idea…for a lot of reasons.”

“Believe me, Duchess. I know.” He crowds me until my back hits the wall and his breath tickles my ear. “But that just makes me want to touch you more.”

My body melts at his wicked confession. “I?—”

He drags the rough pad of his thumb over my lower lip, then kisses the corner of my mouth. Then the other. Every protest, every rational thought, flees.

Except one. “Are you betrothed?”

He rears back. “What? No. Why are you asking me that?”

His surprise seems too real to be fake. “No reason.”

“If you say so.” Knox cups my cheeks and trails kisses over the hollow of my throat. Under the sensitive spot below my ear. Along my jaw. When he reaches my lips, I’m on fire.

Then he covers my mouth with his, and my lips part for him. Welcoming him. Inviting him. Beckoning him. He accepts the invitation greedily, exploring my mouth like he’s getting reacquainted after a long absence instead of less than two days.

When we’re both panting, he draws back an inch. An arrogant expression I remember from Flighthaven arches his brow. “You were saying?”

I shake my head to convey that I don’t know. Because I can’t remember. Right now, I only have room for him. He’s done nothing more than kiss me, yet I’m already powerless to resist.

He kisses me again, slower. It’s thorough and sweet and every bit as all-consuming as before. I nip at his lower lip, and a guttural noise escapes his throat.

“If you don’t want this, tell me to stop…right now.” He pants the words. “Because things are about to get a lot more real.”

Again, I shake my head.

He wraps my braid around his hand and tugs. “Say it.”

“No. I don’t want to stop.”

Giving me one more quick kiss, he steps back and leans down. With one arm around my waist and the other below my rear, he scoops me up like I weigh nothing. But instead of carrying me to my bed, he stops in front of the window.

He draws the curtains and makes quick work of undoing the buttons on my pants.

“What are you?—”

“Sit.” My pants and undergarment hit the floor as he gestures to the windowsill.

A little hesitant, I do as he commanded. “But how?—”

“No more questions. We don’t have much time.”

“O-okay.”

As I try to wrap my mind around what’s about to happen, the prince of Tirene kneels before me.

He nudges my thighs apart. “Are you wet for me?”

I gasp when the cool air hits my center. “That was a…question.”

“Smart-ass.” Despite his narrowed eyes, one side of his mouth tips up in amusement. “I’ll just have to find out myself.”

He slips a finger inside, indeed discovering just how much my body wants him. He teases me, performing a slow exploration much like he’d done with my mouth. Then another digit slides in.

My gaze darts to the door where guards stand outside. “What if someone comes in?”

“They won’t.” His fingers continue their magic, working me into a frenzy. “The door is jammed with ice.”

This man thinks of everything.

Leaning back against the window, I close my eyes. Sensation upon sensation teases my body, building me higher and higher.

“Stay quiet,” he growls.

What? Did I say something? My brain is so hazy…

The stubble of his jaw scrapes along my thighs. I squirm, but his unoccupied hand splays over my hip and squeezes.

Is he going to?—

His tongue thrusts inside me, joining his very skilled, very naughty fingers to build the delicious pressure inside to me to a breaking point.

“Sterling!” Starbursts dance in the edges of my vision as I shatter into a million glittering pieces.

His fingers slow, then stop, and he withdraws himself. Placing a hand on each bare thigh, he drags his tongue across his lower lip and sucks.

“Mmm, sweet.” His eyes half close, the expression on his face positively wicked. “Every time I eat honey, I’m going to think of you.”

My heart stutters. “I?—”

“In case you have doubts later…that was real.” He rises, pressing a soft kiss against my lips. “Don’t be late for your walk with the king.”