Page 17 of Lady Dragon

KIREK

“ You fool! ” Kirek thundered, marching right up to the fool-headed fool of a princess now that she had human-shaped legs beneath her again.

Kirek’s chest burned hot around both the Heartstone and her fury.

“Do you know how easily you could have gotten yourself killed? I had the situation well in hand—er, claw .” She shook out her hand in irritation, missing her claws already.

“Didn’t look like it to me,” Samansa muttered mutinously, folding her arms defensively across her chest. “It looked like you needed help . Or at least a distraction.” Her gown was streaked with ash and dirt, her red hair a wild tangle, and there were scratches on her face that must have come from flying debris.

But at least she wasn’t dead, or burnt to a crisp and dead, much to Kirek’s relief.

She looked proud , and that made Kirek feel a little burst of pride for her, too, despite herself.

Until the princess added, “You’re not the only one allowed to put herself at risk.”

“Yes, I am, because the risk involved for me is far less than it is for you!” Kirek hissed through her teeth. The guards were eyeing her warily, but at least they weren’t fool enough to approach an angry dragon, human-shaped or not.

It wasn’t only the princess’s actions that stoked the fire of her anger, but rather the actions of her own kind. And yet, Kirek wouldn’t betray that to a human.

“I’m not useless ,” Samansa hissed back, heat sparking in her own amber gaze. “At least not so much as everyone seems to think I am.”

No, she wasn’t useless, and she had actually given Kirek a significant advantage with her distraction, but the risk had still been too great. The last thing Kirek wanted to do was encourage such reckless behavior.

So she spat, “You might as well be useless, your effect is so negligible.”

Kirek immediately regretted the words when Samansa drew back as if slapped, any fire in her eyes drowned by tears as she blinked in shock.

“I didn’t mean—it’s not worth—” Kirek stammered, wishing she could take back the hurt she’d caused, and yet unsure how.

“I’m not worth much to you, I know. I’m beneath you.” Samansa’s voice was choked. “Not worth the space I take up in the field of battle, not worth carrying in flight—”

“I’m going to carry you,” Kirek said abruptly, cutting her off.

For a moment, Samansa was caught with her mouth agape, which would have been an amusing sight under other circumstances. “ What? ”

Kirek hoped she wouldn’t regret this . Her pride could take it. And she did owe the princess a debt, after all, especially after insulting her honor.

“I’m going to carry you,” Kirek repeated.

“Home. Right now. And if you ever breathe a word of it to another dragon, I’ll swallow you whole so no one can ever hear from you again.

” When Samansa’s face went ashen, Kirek rolled her eyes.

“It was a jest ,” she snapped at both the princess and the guards, who were apparently more alarmed by the dragon girl now that she’d voiced a threat to the princess, their hands flexing on their weapons.

“It’s not as if you regularly converse with dragons.

Anyway, however dangerous the castle is, I think this proves it’s better than out here.

And with any luck, they’ll have caught the next assassin by now.

We’ve been gone days—by slow carriage. Flying is both the safest and the fastest way back. ”

And I must get back , Kirek thought furiously to herself. I must know if my mother was behind this.

“Your Highness, need I remind you that a dragon just attacked you,” one of the guards said, his hand not leaving his sword.

“And it was a dragon who saved my life,” Samansa said firmly.

“The other one acted alone, I assure you,” Kirek added, “just as she did in attacking the village.” Dark suspicion ate at her insides even as she said it, but she didn’t let it sound in her voice.

“We can’t exactly ask her now, can we?” another guard grumbled, casting a glance at the slain dragon’s unmoving bulk.

It was becoming a pattern with Kirek, leaving no one to question. Except, whereas it had been an accident of passion with the others, this time she’d done it quite intentionally.

While she needed to know who was truly responsible for this attack, no one else did—at least not yet, especially if her suspicions were correct.

“Your Highness,” the first guard persisted, “we should indeed take you away from here with all haste, but are you sure it is wise to go with—”

“Yes,” the princess interrupted, her cheeks flushing. Still, her voice was admirably steady as she said, “Yes, it is. But… how?” she asked Kirek, sounding less certain.

Kirek gave her a smirk. “You’re not riding on me, if that’s what you’re thinking.

I’ll carry you in that , with my claws.” She nodded at their small carriage.

“You might want to unhook the horses first. But, then again, I might get hungry on the way, while hauling such a load, and need a quick bite.”

Her words drew a horrified gasp from the princess, as intended, and Kirek tossed her head as she turned away, hiding the pleased smile—without teeth—on her face. “Skies above, I’m apparently more adept even at humor than you are.”

“You’d be more amusing if you once again didn’t have blood all over your face,” Samansa muttered behind her, which only made Kirek’s smile grow.

The first thing Kirek did after returning to the castle and dropping Samansa off in the central courtyard—unharnessed carriage and all, leaving the princess surrounded by guards and ready to debrief the queen as would no doubt be required—was to wing up to her tower room, claw her way inside the giant double doors with their dragon-friendly latches, and head for the Songstone.

Not , of course, before shifting back into human-shape so she didn’t destroy the furniture.

As soon as she activated the Songstone, she snarled at it, “I told you where we were going, and then we’re attacked by a dragon ? I had to kill one of our own, Mother!” Guilt was clawing its way up her throat like bile, instead of the dragon fire she felt like hurling through the Songstone.

What was she thinking? This wasn’t only her mother, but the Mother. Her emotions felt out of control. But Kirek was furious at her, because only the dragon queen had known where they were going, outside of that secret meeting with the humans beforehand. Because Kirek had told her right after.

Maybe she should be furious with herself instead.

And yet, while she’d betrayed the secret itinerary of the princess, it shouldn’t have felt like a betrayal when it came to her own mother.

She was here on behalf of the dragon queen.

But Samansa had nearly been killed as a result of her mother’s actions—at least, Kirek assumed it was because of her.

And then Kirek had been forced to betray and kill one of her own kind to save the princess.

The Queen Mother’s cold, silent voice came back. You could have let her kill the daughter heir instead.

Those were the exact words Kirek had been afraid to hear—convinced, in her righteous anger, that her mother might not speak them.

Feeling as though an icy fist had seized her lungs, she said in a choked voice, “So you do want the daughter heir dead, even though we’ve only ever upheld the line of succession throughout the centuries.

Why, at this precise moment? And why didn’t you tell me?

I already understood that you’d sent me here to search for any human weaknesses. ”

She’d suspected it might come to this, in her darkest thoughts. She’d just hoped it wouldn’t.

Perhaps I didn’t trust you not to betray the plan, more than you already have. The human world is soft, my daughter, comfortable, and intoxicating. I know how it can lull you with its sweet song, or even inspire you to fits of unchecked rage. And yet, you dare censure me ?

The cold seeped into Kirek’s bones now, making her freeze as if in front of a predator. Her mother was a predator, and Kirek had been foolish to treat her as anything but.

“I’ve forgotten myself,” she murmured.

Yes, my daughter, you have. You’re growing soft from your surroundings. You’re not thinking like the queen you need to become, or even as my challenger. You are not considering the complexity of this situation: both its risks and benefits.

“What benefit is there in the princess’s death?” Kirek forced herself to ask.

If it cannot be traced directly to us? the dragon queen mused. You tell me.

“Branon is trying to kill his sister, the daughter heir,” Kirek said slowly.

Thinking of her like that was easier than as Samansa , the girl who’d been teaching her how to laugh.

“It hasn’t been proved that he sent the assassins—yet—but I know he did, and it’s only a matter of time before everyone else realizes it as well.

” Maybe they nearly had, especially if the plan to catch the next assassin had succeeded. The queen already didn’t trust her son.

It was almost too much to hope that Branon would be outed as a traitor and put to death before he could succeed in his plans.

Or perhaps Kirek shouldn’t want that.

Whether it is a rogue dragon or an assassin, what do you think the prince will do upon the daughter heir’s death? the dragon queen asked.

“Use it as an excuse to claim the throne. Especially if he thinks dragons will stand by and do nothing. And if the princess’s death isn’t linked to us, the human queen will never surrender, because she’ll imagine she has our strength behind her.

” Kirek took a deep breath. “Will we stand by and let this unfold? Is that your intention?”

And what purpose would that serve? My sister, and many of her followers, are pressing for war. They think the humans weak, and they think me weak for continuing to treat with them. If one of them challenges me before you have the chance, your rule could be lost before it has even begun.