Page 51 of Lady Dragon

My character should not be appealing to such a creature, and such a creature should be frightened of me , Valraka said stiffly.

Samansa ignored the possible threat. “Though your eyes are actually quite pretty, once you get used to them.”

Valraka’s nostrils flared. Pretty? she said in affront at the same time Kirek exclaimed in disbelief, “Pretty?”

“Pretty… terrifying?” Samansa added hesitantly, obviously trying not to laugh.

The dragon, after a moment’s further consideration, as if trying to spot the lie with those bloodred eyes, nodded at the perceived compliment, and Kirek’s face hurt from not-smiling.

“I remember when you called me handsome,” Kirek said, turning back to Samansa. “I didn’t take it so well then, either.”

Samansa looked coyly up at her through her lashes. “What if I were to call you handsome now?”

“I—I would not be so offended,” Kirek stammered, “though it would take some getting used to as well.”

“Good. You’d better get used to it.” The princess stepped closer to her, placing a hand on Kirek’s chest, just over where the dragon girl’s heart was beginning to race. “Would you be offended, then, if I told you that, as handsome as you look, you still need a bath?”

Kirek barked a laugh. “No, because you speak the truth.”

“Then perhaps you won’t mind that this is still stained.

” Samansa withdrew her mark of favor from where she’d tucked it in her gown.

The kerchief was damp from an obvious attempt at washing, but it nonetheless bore the faded color of her heart’s blood.

Kirek held her breath as Samansa gently retied it where she once had after the tourney—around the dragon girl’s upper arm, what felt like a lifetime ago.

It had been a lifetime. Samansa had died since. Now the delicate fabric felt as heavy as a promise against Kirek’s flesh. A life , promised.

All Kirek could do was try to be worthy of it. For a moment, tears stung her eyes as she stared down at it—and for once she didn’t mind.

Samansa obviously wasn’t thinking of such weighty matters. She was still looking up at Kirek in a way that made the dragon girl’s skin tingle. “We could go together to the baths later. I would love another. Or even a third, after what I’ve been through.”

“I… think I would like that,” Kirek murmured, her head beginning to tilt downward, her lips drawn to Samansa’s like a bee to a flower.

The queen suddenly cleared her throat behind them, once again making her presence known at their private moment—well, one that was already attended by the massive black dragon on the wall. Merard shadowed her at a respectful distance, as always.

“Now that you’ve taken extensive time to see to your personal comforts, Samansa,” the queen said dryly, “can we finally discuss what is to be done between the two of you?”

Samansa took Kirek’s hand as she turned to face her mother.

“I don’t care if our love is permitted. You can cast me out like you once did Cenara…

or change the rules like you just did for her.

In any case, Kirek is staying with me. I don’t know what our future looks like, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take. ”

The queen sighed. “Of course I won’t be casting you out. You’re my daughter, my heir, and not to mention central to our new alliance with the dragons.” She frowned. “But you still need an heir. I already have one, so whatever I do with Cenara now is our business.”

“And if you want to keep your heir, Mother,” Samansa said through politely gritted teeth, “you might need to care less about my own.”

“But the dragons—the Treaty relies on queens sitting the throne—”

Valraka shifted a giant claw that made everyone flinch save for Kirek.

“She says blood succession wouldn’t matter with me so near to the throne,” Kirek translated.

“So we could adopt an heir. Or—as she’s rather forcibly reminding me, I—I can have offspring.

” She stumbled over the words. “On my own. And they would be as much Samansa’s progeny, in the dragons’ eyes, since we are pair-bonded. ”

The queen stared. “You’re what ?”

“I hadn’t quite gotten to that part yet, Mother,” Samansa said quickly, “but it’s nothing to concern you. We’re just protective of each other, is all.”

Never mind that it was far more than that, but Kirek imagined they could broach that topic later.

“Well,” the queen said after a moment, blinking and most likely struggling for diplomatic phrasing. “I’m not sure how the rest of the realm would take such an heir. Either one that was adopted or one that was… a dragon. ”

Samansa cleared her throat. “I don’t think it’s necessary to go so far afield, though of course if Kirek wants a child—I mean hatchling —”

“Not right now,” Kirek insisted a little too adamantly.

“Well, then.” Samansa blushed prettily, exactly as she used to, and it eased something in Kirek’s chest to see it.

“Just as the human half of the stone restored my life, the dragon half left something of a dragon in me.” She rested a hand lightly on her stomach.

“I think I have that fire now, to make my own child— on my own, as well as Kirek can. I can feel it.”

Kirek withdrew to give her a horrified look. “You’re not brooding— pregnant ”—she awkwardly blurted out the human word—“ now , are you?”

“ No. ” Samansa leaned forward to cup Kirek’s cheek, her eyes dancing. “But, brave Kirek—who stares down ancient dragon spirits and giant lava centipedes without flinching—you’re scared of a child?”

Mortifyingly, Kirek felt her own face grow warm. Cursed human emotions. “No. Not exactly. I’m just—like I said… I’m not ready yet.”

In her world, daughters were born to challenge their mothers and kill them. But that wasn’t exactly Kirek’s world anymore. This was simply yet another thing that would take some getting used to.

Samansa faced her mother abruptly, clasping her hands before her, but not before entwining Kirek’s fingers in hers, as firmly as braided rock.

There was such strength in the princess that wasn’t there before; Kirek could feel it in more than her grip.

And there was something yielding in Kirek that welcomed it .

Something human. The thought was no longer so horrifying. Even if, perhaps, children were.

“There you go,” Samansa said. “We’re not ready yet. But when we are, Mother, you’ll be the first to know. Now stop fussing about it.”

Kirek shot the princess an admiring glance. Samansa rarely took that tone with her mother, who was still the queen, after all.

The queen gave her daughter a look as if to remind her of exactly that—but then nodded her head. “While I barely understand any of this, I suppose the matter is settled. Then there’s only one more topic to address. When shall the royal wedding be?”

Kirek’s eyes flew wide, and she nearly choked on the words. “Royal… wedding?”

Samansa, somehow unfazed, said, “Again, whenever Kirek is ready.” She took a deep breath and smiled at Kirek, her amber eyes shining with tears and sunlight, making them glow like fire. “But I am ready.”

Kirek’s heart pounded wildly in her chest. Luckily, she didn’t have to say anything of her own, because Valraka spoke, forcing her to translate. “With the pair-bond, we are already as good as… wed… in the dragons’ eyes,” she said haltingly.

The queen gave a nod of acknowledgment to Valraka, then said, “But not in ours.”

The queen looked expectantly at Kirek, since Samansa had apparently foisted this decision upon her .

Kirek took a deep, calming breath. She had faced down worse, hadn’t she?

She was still a dragon , for the sky’s sake.

“As soon as can be arranged, then. As Valraka says, it’s already as good as done on our end.

I’ve declared my commitment to the princess in front of the Queen Mother, so I will readily declare it before all Andrath.

” She looked at the queen with what she felt was admirable, dragon-like equanimity.

“And Andrath’s queen and, of course, Andrath’s princess. ”

Samansa squealed with unbridled delight, even going so far as to jump up and down. Kirek leaned away from the onslaught, and yet couldn’t contain her own laughter. As always, the princess’s cheer was infectious.

“But I’m not wearing a dress,” Kirek added more severely.

Samansa grinned. “That’s fine. My dress will be big enough for both of us. Oh, I can’t wait .”

Kirek shook her head and gazed at her with wonder. “You are the oddest creature. Always a surprise.”

Samansa leaned forward to rub her nose against Kirek’s, the contact sending a pleasant jolt through the dragon girl’s body.

Maybe not all human emotions were cursed.

“Trust me,” the princess said. “Meeting you was the surprise of a lifetime. Here’s to more surprises.” She leaned away, frowning. “Except nothing so awful as all of that. Let’s keep awful to a minimum, shall we?”

Kirek bared her teeth in return, eagerness rising within her. “Just let anyone try anything, and I’ll be there to meet them—with a smile,” she added, knowing that both Samansa and the queen understood it for the threat it was.

Samansa rolled her eyes. “ Dragons. ”

The queen, however, dipped her head in grave sincerity. “You have my unending gratitude for that.” A smile played at the corner of her own mouth as she added, “Lady Dragon. ”

“I’m not—” Kirek started, but then she looked to the sky and sighed. “Perhaps that’s what I am.” Her eyes flicked to Samansa. “But then, so is your daughter.”

The princess’s laugh of protest was silenced as Kirek bent forward to press their foreheads together.

Her words ghosted over Samansa’s lips, making the princess shiver minutely, as she whispered, “ My lady dragon.”