Page 24

Chapter

Nineteen

T he universe tilts on its axis and gets stuck. Shock paints each of the knights’ faces. I can feel their sadness lapping at my soul. I wish I could take it away for them, but sometimes we have to live through the pain to understand it.

“How?” Nash whispers.

“Easy. I held him in the dungeon below the castle and selected women for their beauty. I enchanted them to forget the encounter in the darkness that impregnated them. Once they had birthed a son, I got rid of them for the next.”

Nash’s hands clench at his side. “No, how did our father die?”

“The Idols took issue with my command of the kingdom. Accidents occurred, too close to discount. So I murdered my brother Alexander on a cool autumn night. I had four sons, so there was no need for him to continue breathing.”

Theo sucks in a breath at the callous words spoken by their uncle.

My sword vibrates in my hand, thirsty for the blood of the man who broke it apart with his greed for the crown.

Nothing in this realm, no matter how shiny, could ever tempt me to kill Gwyneth.

The bond between siblings is sacred. It subverts Idol demands and material wealth.

What use is it if you are alone? I’d rather be rich in love than gold.

Love is priceless and timeless; riches are fickle and easily lost.

The king struts back and forth. “I might have been the runner-up, the consolation prize, but I was the one with the brains and skills to pull off such a strong deviation. Really, I proved myself the worthy knight through my clever actions.”

He pauses and flicks his gaze at Excalibur, still resting in my hands.

“The one thing I needed was the sword. I was with Alexander when we called the Lady of the Lake. Sure enough, she came with grace and beauty, offering the blade to his pathetic ass. At the last moment, I snatched the hilt, but the damn thing resisted and snapped in my hands. But it was enough to power the narrative in the short term.”

“What were you going to do when one of us stepped up?” Malachi asks, coming to stand at my back. Nash does the same, while Hart and Theo flank the end of the table, blocking off Arthur’s escape routes.

“Retire and live out my remaining annuses in the arms of a different female every night. I have no interest in blocking your ascension. I only wished to avoid death by refusing to satisfy the Idols’ wicked appetite.”

Why would he die? Unless...

“You are...” Theo’s tortured voice trails off.

Arthur gives a curt nod. “That’s why I did what I did. I needed Hart to hate you, and vice versa. My brother had ample opportunity to kill me. He let his emotions rather than logic rule him, and the cost was his life.”

“I did not see that coming,” I mutter.

“He’s what?” Malachi snaps.

“The dragon of his generation,” I answer as my hand tightens around the lethal sword in my hands.

“No matter how hard I trained you, your father’s pathetic genes persisted.

You are still a broken quad of idiots who value family bonds over power.

” His eyes flick over Hart in distaste before settling on Theo.

“I forced you to burn your brother over and over, to create the ball of hate needed to overcome genetics. Yet, as you made him suffer, your bond grew stronger. You are all broken and useless. A joke. Even when the Idols drop everything you need into your laps, you still ignore it because of soft emotions.”

He means me. I am the one that dropped into their laps and became a vital part of their story, one which they are failing to grasp and deal with.

“If you won’t take the opportunity, then I will arrange a new plan of succession. I’ve trained my blood-born sons in secret, and they are enough to rival you.”

Those final, menacing words send a jolt through Theo, igniting a roar that shakes the very walls.

The sound of tearing fabric rips through the air as I scramble to my feet, backpedaling in a frenzy.

Strong arms clamp around my waist, yanking me against the cool stone of the wall.

I instinctively raise my arm, shielding my eyes from the blinding burst of light that pierces the room, only to reveal the breathtaking sight of Theo’s golden scales glimmering against the stormy hue of Arthur, the blue dragon.

They crouch, muscles coiling like springs, and circle in a dance of primal fury.

On the far side, Nash and Hart press against the wall, fear etched on their faces, while Malachi looms protectively behind me.

“What do we do?” I gasp, caught in the crossfire of awe and dread. The two dragons mirror the extremes of nature—fire and ice, fury and fate. This realm cannot contain both of them.

“Stay the hell out of their way!” Malachi snaps, just as the ground trembles beneath us. I roll my eyes, though he can’t see the gesture. These knights may mistake my clumsiness for weakness, but I cling to enough instinct to survive this madness.

Arthur pivots, his spiked tail whipping like a sword through the air, wrapping around Theo’s tail in a vise-like grip.

Theo’s roar erupts, a sonic blast that scorches the space around us, flames bursting forth and splattering crimson droplets that arc and shimmer like falling stars.

My stomach drops, and I grip my sword, feeling it pulse with an energy of its own, eager to get involved.

With a fierce snap, Theo clamps down on Arthur’s snout, and I can almost see the jagged split in his scales, a grotesque reminder of their bond unraveling violently.

As they unleash their fury, hesitation lingers, a flicker of familial ties holding them back.

But this is a battle of survival, and my heart races as I witness their vicious dance.

Arthur backs toward us, flicking his lethal tail, a formidable weapon that threatens to unleash chaos.

Malachi shoves me closer to the wall in a futile attempt to shield me from Arthur’s deadly swing, but a sense of dread electrifies the air.

And then, with an unfathomable intentionality, Arthur corners me, eyes glinting with violent purpose, just as Theo locks onto my movements like a hawk honing in on its prey.

I realize with a pang that he is ready to make a decision that no dragon should have to contemplate—destroying the father figure that betrayed him.

“No one should have to carry such a burden,” I murmur as Theo’s ferocious roar fills the room, sending Malachi to his knees, hands pressed tightly over his ears.

I bolt forward, adrenaline surging through my veins.

I’m willing to face the peril if I can release him from this torment.

My eyes lock on Theo’s blazing orbs as I dash toward Arthur.

He’s focused, but that also means he’s blind to his uncle’s threat.

With a terrifying lunge, Arthur snaps his jaws wide, aiming to end it all in one brutal bite.

I duck, narrowly avoiding his strike, my sword raised high as I channel everything I am into that moment.

With a wild swing, the blade cleaves through Arthur’s hard scales, the metal singing with ancient power as it slices effortlessly, igniting with an ethereal glow.

As the legends of knights long gone seep into my being, a rush of knowledge floods my mind, memories not my own intertwining with my spirit.

I gasp, a primal scream ripping from my throat as the warm blood spills down my arm—my skin painted with the weight of my actions.

“Daphne!” Nash calls, his voice echoing as if from across a vast chasm, each word booming against the chaos.

“Let go! It’s done!” Let go? No! I refuse to abandon them.

I can’t let anyone touch my knights. Not now, not ever.

A strong hand grips my trembling wrist. “Come on, Calamity. You’ve slain the dragon. It’s time to rest.”

My shoulders slump, and my sight returns in time to see the sword sliding free of the dragon’s chest. “What have I done?” I whisper.

Nash appears in front of me, his hands cupping my face as he kisses my forehead. “You did what we could not.” His thumb swipes over my damp cheek. “Don’t cry, not over this scum.”

I drag my bottom lip between my teeth. “O-okay.” Murdering someone is tough on the soul, even if deep down, I know it was the right thing to do.

“I can’t believe she did it,” Malachi says. His voice is full of wonder. “But what does this mean? She just fulfilled the legend. She owns the sword and slayed the dragon.”

Oh, my Idols. No. I can’t rule myself, let alone a kingdom. All those eyes on my chaos wouldn’t be good. I had the distinct impression it enjoyed an audience.

“We’ll figure it out,” Nash mumbles. “Don’t panic, Daphne. We will figure this out.”

“Theo is injured, Calamity. Can you take care of his wounds while we brainstorm what to do next?” Hart asks. He has a bowl of water with a few cloths floating on the top. I place the sword on the table and clutch the bowl with a nod.

“Don’t leave the room. We need a few things,” Nash declares as he shoves a tube of antiseptic cream at me. Like I would ever leave Theo alone. Wait, where did they get this stuff? Are they walking around carrying a Daphne disaster kit? Makes sense.

I approach the prone dragon, whose gaze tracks me carefully. “I’m coming to clean your wounds,” I tell him, lifting the bowl for him to see inside.

He huffs, releasing a ball of steam from his nostrils, making me smile. My heavy heart beats a little easier as I studiously ignore the dead dragon behind me. My dragon is hurting, all because of me. I need to help him.

“Where are you hurt?” I ask.

His tail lifts and flops down on top of my feet. The scales have a huge gash in them, and his blood seeps onto my boots.

The genie pops into existence on top of Theo. He glances around like he’s confused about being so high up. I place the bowl of water on the floor and wave at him to get his attention.

“Down here,” I shout.

Genie’s gaze finds mine. “Do you know there’s a dead dragon behind you?”

“I do.”

“It’s not Theo?”

My lips twitch. “No, you are on top of Theo.”

Genie’s eyes widen, and he floats up to the ceiling. “What happened?”

“Their father was actually their uncle, and he was the dragon of his generation. He threatened them. I took care of it.”

Genie blinks. “My message from Gwyneth is to stay out of trouble. I feel like it’s a tempo too late.”

“We can start from this point,” I offer as I pick up a cloth and squeeze out the excess water.

I squat and run it along the open wound.

Theo’s tail twitches and a low warning growl rumbles in his chest. I make quick work of cleaning the blood from his scales, the water in the bowl quickly turning crimson.

After slathering some cream on my fingers, I smooth it onto the gash, and Theo emits a mini roar.

My brow raises. “Stop being a big baby. It’s just the tip.” He huffs like he’s laughing at me. I rub more in, wanting to cover everywhere to avoid infection. He growls again, a little louder this time.

Genie floats next to me. “Be still and let her put it in.”

“Phrasing,” I grumble.

Malachi, Hart, and Nash rush around the corner, their faces a mixture of fear, shock, and disbelief. They skid to a halt at the sight of us.

“That is not what I expected,” Hart says.

“Thankfully,” Nash adds.

Malachi’s lips twitch. “I don’t know. I was morbidly fascinated.”

I scowl at them. “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing,” Nash snaps. “Theo, Daphne’s treated you. Return to your human form.” Theo snarls at them in reply.

“I don’t think he wants to,” I point out.

“We’ve worked out a plan, but it involves you being human,” Nash coaxes. “Hart is going to take the credit for slaying the dragon who ate the king.”

The plan is deceptively simple. The problem with simple plans is that you haven’t thought through all the consequences. A blinding light erupts, revealing a naked Theo on the floor. I lick my lips. This is a great consequence. I’ll take it.

“One problem,” Theo says as he scoops me up into his arms and cradles me against his chest. “The kingdom will expect Hart to hold Excalibur when he claims the throne, and if I’m not mistaken, that sword is still keyed to Daphne. If she deems him worthy, won’t it kill her?”

See? Consequences. Except I claimed the sword and killed the dragon.

For some reason, Excalibur has judged me worthy this generation.

Take that, Idols. A clumsy maiden from Strongfair is breaking all the rules.

All you kings, princes, and lords better watch out.

The female populace is about to learn their worth lies in their own strength, not in what she can do for a man.

I’m a pioneer, a trailblazer, and a trendsetter.

Theo slips in the blood on the floor. We fall backward, and his back slams against the floor, sending me bouncing against his hard chest. Okay, fine, I’ll tone it down.