Page 47 of Lady Dragon

SAMANSA

Samansa sucked in a huge breath that, even though it was scorching hot and bitter, tasted better than anything she could remember. It was the flavor of new life, perhaps forgotten at birth. Because she was alive . And she was most certain she had been dead.

She’d stabbed herself to stop Raka. Was she only alive because she’d failed?

Samansa pressed herself up from the hard floor of the cave into a seated position, clutching her chest. Her kerchief around her neck was still twisted out of the way, and above the ragged scraps of her gown’s neckline, she couldn’t spot any wound, but there was something else there that made her gasp again.

A stone was still buried deep in her chest, but fractured like a snowflake, or better yet a star. It was blue, gold, silver, and most fortunately not shining with any internal light other than what the glow of the cave threw at it, let alone any red.

These were almost her mother’s colors, she thought hysterically. Those of Andrath’s queen.

And then she remembered: her mother. Her queendom. Kirek.

Kirek was standing next to her—Samansa wasn’t sure how she had missed the dragon at first glance, since Kirek was, well, rather big.

She also wasn’t the only dragon. Valraka was in the cave with them, pitch black and lurking behind Kirek, her red eyes watchful. But Samansa couldn’t focus on her for long, whatever danger she presented.

“Kirek,” she croaked, tears welling and spilling out of her eyes. “ Kirek. ”

The dragon knelt down on her forelegs and brought her snout to the crown of Samansa’s head, her breath gusting over her hair. Words cannot describe how happy I am to see you alive. Even crying. Even then. Give me only your tears, and I will be happy forever.

Samansa’s hand found the hard edge of Kirek’s jaw, heedless of the sharp scales. She looked up into those silver eyes, more magnetic than any pool of lava. “That’s terribly romantic, but no more tears for me, please.”

Kirek blinked. You can understand me, still? I didn’t imagine—

“Of course I can. But, Kirek, you’re bleeding .”

And it was true. The dragon seemed to be bleeding from everywhere, blood staining her purple-gray scales red.

Red, like Raka. Instead of shying away, Samansa dragged herself to her feet, still holding on to Kirek. “Where is she? Where’s Raka? I’ll—”

Whatever threat she’d been about to deliver was cut off as the bond snapped into place.

Like her first breath of life, it was like nothing she remembered ever feeling before.

Suddenly, she wanted to cradle this huge dragon in her arms, nurse her back to health, and murder whoever had done this to her.

It wasn’t just passion. She felt it with every thread of blood and shard of bone in her body.

“Lords and ladies,” Samansa exclaimed—rather inanely, in this place—standing stunned as if she’d been hit with a hammer upside the head. “So this is how it feels. The pair-bond.”

Kirek’s eyes narrowed even as her nostrils flared. The bond—you feel it? How?

“I don’t know,” Samansa said, and then tipped her head back to laugh at the cave’s ceiling. Oh , how she missed the sky. “But it’s incredible. Overwhelming. It feels… unbreakable.”

And you… feel this for me? Kirek asked cautiously.

Samansa rounded on her, whipping her hand away from her jaw to wave it in front of the dragon’s face.

“I already cared for you, you giant, thick-skulled fool! I love you. I told you I loved you! I did then, and I do now, and this has nothing to do with that! This is just… different. Not more powerful,” she insisted, folding her arms, her glare skipping from Kirek to Valraka over her shoulder.

“I don’t like her standing so close to you. Get back , Valraka.”

Kirek didn’t even turn, as if she had no care in the world but Samansa, let alone the clear and present danger behind her. Then we feel the same now. In every way.

Valraka actually shifted a step back as she spoke. These feelings between you are… unnatural. The distaste in her voice made it seem like the politest way she could put it.

Our feelings were only cursed because Raka polluted the Heartstone with her wrath , Kirek hissed, rounding on her, an answering threat rising off her like a heat wave, despite the cave being plenty hot already and the blood oozing all over her scales.

She was jealous , Kirek continued with blistering precision.

What’s between Samansa and me may be unusual, and require a Heartstone to even occur, but our bond, even our deeper feelings, are not wrong.

It was Raka who was wrong, her resentful and hateful feelings that are twisted, which over the centuries became woven into draconic beliefs—beliefs that are incorrect.

Beliefs that transformed your mother beyond even your recognition.

That’s what you came here to see, yes? If she would lose herself?

And she did. And you chose to let her go.

So let her beliefs die with her and Raka.

The dragon glanced at Samansa. We are not an abomination. We are a marvel.

Samansa couldn’t help but smile at that—words she never thought Kirek would speak so boldly to her cousin.

Or—was Valraka still only her cousin, or something else now?

Samansa didn’t see any signs of Pavak, though the dragon was apparently dead.

A fight had clearly occurred, by the looks of Kirek, and yet Valraka was unscathed. So who was now Queen Mother?

“What happened?” Samansa demanded.

I killed Pavak , Kirek said bluntly. And sent Raka to a fiery end with her , she added, as if it had been no overlarge task, nodding at where the skull had once stood.

Which meant Kirek was… “Oh no,” Samansa said. “ No ,” she shouted at Valraka. “You two will not fight. You will not harm her.”

And what can you do, little one, to stop me? Nothing , Valraka said, though there was no relish in her tone. I have to answer Kirek’s challenge to my mother with my own.

“And back and forth it goes! I know Kirek was responding to her own mother’s defeat, and that’s just… foolish!” Samansa spun back to Kirek. “So foolish, after what we’ve gained and stand to lose. ”

I won’t let Andrath —Kirek began.

“I’m not talking about Andrath!” Samansa shouted, interrupting her.

“I’m talking about us . I don’t care if you’re a dragon and we can never be in each other’s arms again.

I’ll still love you wherever, whatever you are, like Raka couldn’t love Nakor.

But I will not let you stay here just to be killed by your cousin! This has to end!”

She turned back to Valraka before either dragon could get a word in. “Kirek could come live in Andrath with me. Even as a dragon. But I think I know where the other Heartstone is, now that I’ve seen what it looked like in Raka’s memory.”

It was Valraka’s turn to blink. There are two?

“There were two,” Samansa corrected, glancing down at her breast. “Now only one—I hope there’s still at least one. Nakor’s. It’s a long story,” she continued hurriedly. “But I believe I’ve even seen it. I just didn’t recognize it for what it was.”

And what of the broken Heartstone? Valraka said, eyeing her chest curiously.

Samansa rested a hand over it. It felt warm to the touch, but not hot. “What remains of it is in me. It’s never leaving. And I think it’s given me something I don’t understand yet.”

Life , Kirek said.

“Yes. And more. I’m not dying from this heat, for one, and I can understand you. I think I have somewhat of a dragon in me still.”

You can’t transform, can you? Kirek’s question was laced with fear—fear that Samansa might become Raka again.

The princess didn’t blame her, but there was no cause for it.

“No, I can’t transform,” she said softly. “And Raka’s not coming back. Don’t worry.” She turned to Valraka. “But you . Since we can understand each other, let me make myself plain. If you harm Kirek, I will spend my life, my queendom’s resources, everything I have inside and out, to destroy you.”

Even Valraka looked taken aback, but she tried to mask it with bluster as obvious as any queen caught out with a wine stain on her gown. Or I could kill you both now.

“Could you?” Samansa said coldly. “Or you could die.”

And then Kirek did the most un-dragon-like thing ever.

She turned to Valraka and said, I love Samansa, Daughter Heir of Andrath, and I want to be with her forever.

I declare my love and my intention before you, so that you know it is true, and so you understand I will do anything to keep her safe.

And know this, as well: As far as all are concerned here, you challenged Pavak for the title of Queen Mother because she was losing herself to madness. And you bested her.

Valraka’s red eyes narrowed. And what will I owe you for this… truth ? And what will you give me , beyond a title I did not earn, for the dishonor of bearing it?

The honor of knowing that you alone kept the peace between our realms , Kirek said, and averted another War of Fire.

Valraka hissed. We both know that’s a lie. You did, and now I must challenge—

Staying your claw is the challenge, cousin, not killing me , Kirek interrupted.

But if your mother’s defeat by me is a future threat against your rule, then I give you as good as my defeat, beyond the assurance my word should provide—I give you my exile.

She glanced down at Samansa. I will go live in the human realm, whether or not we can find the second Heartstone.

I will remain by Samansa’s side until death, and be your representative in Andrath as long as I live.

I will swear it to you now, and I will again before whomever you wish—whatever it takes to secure your position.

Anything I could try to claim after that would be the lie.

The dishonor on my name, not yours. Kirek bowed her head low. Queen Mother.

Samansa felt it prudent to add, “And you will have those hunting grounds in Solomir I promised, as a peace offering.”