Page 45 of Queen of Legends and Lies (Dragons of Tirene #4)

Sterling goes to check Serle’s quarters across the hall.

As rapid footsteps approach, I whirl around, wings flaring, magic surging to my fingertips. But it’s Agnar and Leesa who round the corner behind three royal guards. Both are slightly out of breath, worry creasing their brows.

“We came as soon as we heard the horns. Followed these guys once we knew they were coming to you.” Agnar’s usually jovial expression turns solemn. “What’s going on?”

“Celeste escaped.” I’m already moving off, planning to search the Council Tower next. “Moise is the one who broke her out. They must be working together.”

Sterling comes back into the hall, nodding a terse greeting to the new arrivals. “Clear. No sign of either of them in Serle’s room.”

Understanding and anger dawn on Leesa’s face as she and Agnar fall into step beside me. “How’d she get past the guards?”

“Moise drugged them with eyril.” The betrayal stings like nettles under my skin. “I was a fool to ever trust him.”

She shoots me a sympathetic glance. “You had no reason to believe he was a traitor. No need to beat yourself up about it.”

A second after we burst into the council room, my heart sinks. The circular chamber is deserted, several chairs toppled in haste. The curtains dance in the breeze from the open windows, and papers are strewn across the massive table.

The scene tells the tale of a panicked exit. They knew we would come here.

A leaden realization drops into the pit of my stomach as I voice all our fears aloud. “They’re escaping the city.”

I stride to the nearest window, scanning the palace grounds below. My breath catches when I spot them in the fire paddock. Celeste, Moise, and Serle prep Dame, Chirean, and Tanwen for flight.

A flicker of hope ignites in my chest.

The dragons…of course!

I reach out with my mind, tapping into the familiar connection I’ve formed with the magnificent beasts over the last several months.

As soon as I do, searing agony lances through my skull.

I stagger back from the window with a cry, barely catching myself on the stone sill. It’s like touching a serpent covered in oil. A maelstrom of chaos and wrongness and corruption floods my senses.

It’s absolutely vile.

“Lark!” Sterling is at my side in an instant, strong hands gripping my shoulders. “What is it?”

I can barely choke out the words past the bile rising in my throat. “The dragons… Something’s terribly wrong. Worse than the enslaved Aclarian dragons.”

Dame, Chirean, Tanwen…they were with us in Aclaris, when the drachen attacked. And again at the palace.

Horror pools in my stomach.

Oh, gods. They’re corrupted.

I failed them.

I failed my dragons.

High overhead, so high I can’t make out their shapes, I know the rest of the Tirene dragons are circling. Even a few of the Aclarian dragons are up there.

Emotion stings my eyes as I force myself to look back at the paddock, at the creatures I thought I knew so well. Their eyes, once golden and vibrant, are now black and desolate.

“I think the drachen corrupted them…or maybe Celeste did. And I never saw it coming.”

Sterling’s grip tightens on my shoulders, his expression hardening. “This isn’t your fault, Lark. None of us could’ve known.”

But the guilt still churns in my gut like sour wine. Some queen I am. Oblivious to enemies infiltrating my own council. To my own dragon allies. And now those I’m sworn to protect are in danger because of my ignorance.

In the paddock below, Celeste, Moise, and Serle have mounted up. The dragons spread their massive wings, the membranes pulsing with sickly veins of red. Their poised to take flight.

Ready to escape with their traitorous riders.

“We can’t let them get away.” I extract myself from Sterling. The dragons may be fast, but so am I. If I can just stall them long enough…

Agnar must read my intent because he jerks his head toward the dragons. “Go. We’ll rally the guards to help pursue them.”

He’s gone before I can respond.

“Be careful.” Sterling cups my chin, then tilts it toward him for a quick but passionate kiss. “I love you.”

Damn if this man can’t make me melt, even in the bleakest of times. “And I love you.”

I take his hand, and as one, we leap from the window. For a breathless instant, we’re suspended in the open air, with nothing but the wind beneath our feet and our hold on each other.

And then, we unfurl our wings and dive.

The ground rushes up to meet us with dizzying speed. Wind whips my hair into a frenzy and tears at my clothes. Beside me, Sterling’s expression hardens, his sword already drawn.

We hit the sand in the paddock hard, rolling to absorb the impact. In a heartbeat, we’re up again, charging toward the traitors.

I stop mere feet away from the three angry dragons. “Stand down!”

Celeste’s mocking laughter rings out. “You have no power here, little bird. These dragons answer to a new master.”

Kaida, the black dragon my sister rode to the Lost City, steps around the others, quivering with barely restrained violence.

And slung over his back like a sack of grain is a limp human figure.

With a tight throat, I take in the strong, weathered features, the dark hair streaked with gray around the temples, and the warm beige skin turning a grayish pallor. The grandfather I’ve only started to bond with.

Horror ices my blood. “What have you done to Eldor?”

Moise smiles, cold and cruel. “Insurance. The old man has knowledge we require. And should you attempt to stop us…well, I’m sure you can use your imagination.”

My grandfather stirs, blinking blearily. Our eyes meet, and I see pain and fear there.

But beneath that, I glimpse a steely glint of defiance. “Lark, don’t let them?—”

From her perch on Dame’s back, Celeste reaches over and smacks Kaida’s neck and yells. The dragon roars, lashing his tail, and the others follow suit. As one, they gather themselves and leap, claws gouging the earth.

I lunge forward, and Sterling matches me stride for stride. But it’s too late. The dragons are already airborne.

Taking my grandfather with them.