Page 16 of Queen of Legends and Lies (Dragons of Tirene #4)

Chapter Fourteen

The man I’m in love with is reduced to a deathlike stillness, his normally bronze-hued skin drained of color.

I cry out, my voice breaking as I fall to my knees beside him. My vision and hearing waver, like I’m underwater, the world fading out.

His chest rises and falls with shallow, laborious breaths.

Relief washes over me. He’s alive.

Whatever Xenon did to him or made him do, we’ll work through that. I’ll heal his corruption with my tears, and he’ll recover. It worked on Leesa, and it’ll work for Sterling.

My vision stabilizes, and the world comes back into focus.

The crowd’s gasps and murmurs swell into a cacophonous wave, their shock resonating with my own. Their almost king has been delivered to them mere moments after my ascent to the throne.

Hands reach out to help, but I swat them away as I whisper his name. “Sterling… Please, please, please.” I blink hard, squeezing my eyes tight, trying to coax out tears.

Eldor crouches beside me. “Careful, Lark. He’s still corrupted.”

“But I can?—”

“If you try to heal him in his weakened state, it might kill him. His body needs non-magical attention first. In a safe place where he can be guarded.”

Though every fiber of my being screams to break the rules, to use my tears to heal Sterling immediately, Eldor’s right. I have to wait.

I stumble backward, watching helplessly as Agnar and two of the guards carry him inside. Alannah trails behind them, thanking the gods as tears stream down her wrinkled cheeks.

Bastian looks like he might follow but stops, glancing between my sister and me with concern.

The Tirenese people gawk, their eyes wide, their whispers buzzing like angry bees.

They’ve seen me fail, seen me powerless to cleanse Sterling of the corruption. Not a good morale booster in my first hour as queen.

“Lark.” Eldor’s grip on my arm tightens. “Remember who you are now. The queen. You can’t do anything for Knox just yet, but you must do something for your people before they lose faith.”

He’s right.

I gaze around, spot a maid, and gesture to her to bring me a drink. I need a moment to gather the shards of my composure.

The maid retreats and almost instantaneously returns with a golden goblet. “As you requested, Your Highness.”

“Thank you.” I have no idea where she found such a thing on short notice, but it’s perfect.

I sip, take a deep breath, and climb back onto the temporary dais, careful not to dislodge the heavy crown. When I raise my hands, the clamor dies down, giving way to silence, to attention.

Unexpected but welcome.

“Tonight, we’ve witnessed a miracle and reclaimed someone we feared was lost. Thanks to three brave Aclarians, Knox Barda, the Crown Prince of Tirene, has returned.

The gods have truly blessed us.” I lift my chin, fighting to appear steady despite the tremor in my soul.

“As your queen, I will lead the fight against Xenon and the drachen to the best of my abilities, with Prince Knox at my side. Please, join me in praying for his swift recovery.”

As far as speeches go, I’ve heard better, but all around me, people whisper prayers to the gods, so at least they listened.

I give them a moment. When the prayers come to a close, I continue.

“These are perilous times for Tirene, and I’m grateful to all of you for being here, for putting your faith in me.

But above all, I want to thank you for your love and loyalty to Tirene.

Tonight, please join me in celebrating our kingdom and every person who is a part of it. ”

With that, I lift the glass and gulp down more wine as cheers swell around me.

“Long live Queen Lark! Queen Lark!”

The chant goes on for several seconds. All I can do is force a smile and stand there until it dies down.

“Long live Tirene!” I gesture to the closest musicians.

The music starts up again, hesitant at first, then blossoming with confidence. The scent of spiced wine drifts on the breeze, mingling with the perfume of night-blooming flowers.

As the crowd disperses toward the revelries, my gaze lingers on the path to the infirmary where Sterling lies beyond my reach. For now, I stand firm, Queen of Tirene.

While I was busy, the council arranged themselves like pieces on a chessboard. They’re all eyes and whispers as they grill Helene, Elijah, and Celeste.

With the crowd distracted, I step down and join them just in time to hear Celeste.

“When they came back to Flighthaven after checking on their families, they found me hiding. We formed a plan to get the prince away from Xenon, then waited for the right opportunity to escape.” Celeste tilts her head toward me, taking in my finery like she’s seeing me for the first time.

“Lark, or, Your Highness,” color rises to her cheeks, “I'm so glad to see you’re safe. We didn’t mean to interrupt your coronation. ”

“No need to apologize. I’m beyond grateful for what you’ve done.” I gesture to her companions. “For what you’ve all done. And Knox will be grateful, too, once he’s…himself. How did you manage to get him here?”

Celeste winces, ducks her head, and glances up at me through her thick lashes. “I had to tranquilize him but didn’t use a full dose. Only enough kerrymean to knock him out for the flight here. He should wake up very soon.”

“Kerrymean?” Dalya’s eyes widen, her short magenta hair almost purple in the moonlight. “The herb used to put dragons and alicorns to sleep for surgeries?”

“It was all I could get my hands on.” The confident woman of a moment ago has vanished. Celeste wrings her hands together, visibly nervous before the Royal Council of Tirene. “It was the only thing I could think of to control him while I brought him to you.”

Trying to ignore the fact that she used a tranquilizer on the love of my life, I blow out a slow breath. “And then what?”

“She came and got us.” Elijah glides forward, admiring our former instructor.

Helene nods. There’s no malice in her eyes. She’s clearly supportive of this decision too. “It was Celeste who led us out. Without her?—”

“We wouldn’t have made it through the corrupted.” Elijah shudders, his normally arrogant face haunted by memories of whatever he saw. “There were so many. Still, she knew where every troop was. We were able to dodge them all. Didn’t see a single black-eyed person the whole trip here.”

Vicar Moise leans in, curiosity sharpening his lean features. “Celeste, do you know what plans Xenon has laid out?”

Around us, the air thickens with anticipation. Other council members lean closer, too, their eagerness almost palpable. This could be the information we’ve been hoping for. Something that will force them to finally take action.

“I do.” She has the audacity to wink at the vicar, a sly edge to her voice. “As his chief lieutenant, I was privy to more than most. I was the one in charge of training recruits and intelligence gathering.”

“How did you manage that?” I ask Celeste as I watch the council turn their backs to me and bunch together. They don’t like me questioning their hopeful ally.

“By pretending I was on his side. Lots of sucking up. Plus, I knew the place, as well as everyone’s strengths and weaknesses from my time as an instructor. I’ve been integral in training many of the soldiers in the fields.”

I nod along, but most of my attention is focused on the council huddle. They’ve just crowned me queen. Their leader. Appointed by the gods. And yet, with them, I’m still on the outside looking in.

Serle catches my eye and beckons me closer with a subtle tilt of his head.

Maybe they do remember their manners.

Without bothering to excuse myself, I leave the trio behind.

“Perhaps Celeste should join the council.” Serle glances over my shoulder before his pale blue eyes narrow on me. “Her knowledge could prove invaluable.”

Moise nods, a faint smile twisting his lips. “She could help us assess our plans.”

Most of the others mumble their agreement. Though there’s skepticism on a few faces, no one outright vetoes the request.

“Queen Lark, you know these people better than anyone else here. Do you think she could be of use?” Duke Bron doesn’t hide the wariness in his eyes.

“I think…”

The council’s murmurs fade into a distant hum as I wrestle with the choice before me. I don’t have a reason not to trust Celeste. She was an excellent instructor, and Sterling seemed to think highly of her.

Still, something doesn’t sit right in my stomach.

Or maybe it’s jealousy. After all, Celeste is a gorgeous, leggy blond, and I can still picture Sterling comforting her following her near-death experience when the dragon she was riding fell from the sky.

Plus, there were those moments at Flighthaven when he feigned interest in her to keep me at bay.

Brief moments, yet I remember them well.

Yup. It’s definitely the jealousy talking.

“Queen Lark?” Vicar Moise prompts, his voice pulling me back.

“I think she’ll be an asset to the council. Let’s do it.”

My first official act as queen.

Gods, I hope I didn’t screw this up.

Their collective sigh weaves through the air, a tapestry of relief and expectation. I hope they don’t see the way my fingers tremble or the doubt clouding my eyes.

“Then we’ll take them away, Your Majesty.” Serle breaks the circle by stepping back. “We’ll debrief them, learn everything there is to learn, and ensure they have food and drink after their journey. You stay and enjoy the festivities. After all, we’ve put a lot of planning into it.”

That last bit comes off as a bit…condescending.

“Thanks.” The word sounds hollow, even to me. “I’ll do that. And I would like a report tomorrow.”

Serle’s smile dims a bit, but he takes his leave, escorting Celeste, Elijah, and Helene away for what I am sure is going to be a long night in the tower.

Around us, the revelry blooms like a field of wildflowers in the spring.

A riot of music and laughter, of life continuing despite the shadows that encroach upon our joy.

I could stay, watch my people dance under the waltzing flames that cast flickers of light across their faces, but the idea of celebrating while Sterling lies unconscious and pale as death…

I just want to go to him. To be there when he wakes up.

No, I can't face him now, not when he’d glare at me with those dark eyes filled with cold venom. Not when I’m sure his first act would be to try to kill me. Not tonight.

But that doesn’t mean I have to stay here either.

Each step toward my chambers is a battle. My body begs for rest, my mind reeling from visions of a war that’s already bleeding into reality. Part of me worries that Sterling hasn’t really returned. That it was just another waking dream.

I pass tapestries and portraits of monarchs long gone, their painted eyes following me with silent judgment. All of them Bardas. All of them the enemies of my family. Now I sit on the throne while the last of their bloodline lies chained and drugged. And still corrupted.

The only man I’ve ever loved.

Tears burn in my eyes.

Useless tears. They’re too late.

Finally, behind the safety of a closed door, I remove my crown, set it on the nightstand with a thud , and allow myself to collapse onto the bed. The room spins just a bit as exhaustion wraps around me like a shroud.

“Please, let this be the right decision,” I whisper into the dim quiet, sending the plea to whatever gods might be listening.

My eyes close, and I give in to the pull of darkness, the ache of my wings fading into the backdrop of dreams where no councils or cunning leggy blonds can reach me.