Page 28 of The Dragon Queen #3

“Divorce decree?”

I was vaguely conscious of the fact that Marcus didn’t get where he was without being an arch manipulator. That didn’t stop my feet from moving, walking away from the dragons and towards him. Thoughts of being queen, of serving my people, fell away as I tried to look after just one of them.

Brom.

People got divorced every day, but I was fairly sure it wasn’t the palace cook or one of the guard’s divorce that Marcus waved in front of me.

“Give that to me.”

I was being terribly regal when I snatched the papers from his hands, but there was no grace in the way I read the words. Densely written legal jargon, I struggled to parse the meaning of all of that writing, my eyes skimming over the conditions of the divorce to get to the most important points.

My name and Brom’s.

“No…” I stumbled backwards, as if that would help me get out of this situation, because the document was to be signed by two people to be official. One signature had been filled in already, only on e more needed to finalise the destruction of our marriage. My eyes jerked up, glad to stare at anything other than these damn words, only to see Marcus had become serious. “Where the hell did you get this from?”

“The desk of that general upstairs.” He pointed to the roof of the cavern. “Some of the girls that work in the keep, well, they’re friends of a sort and…” I waved my hand, not wanting a recount of his various spy networks. “I thought you might like to see it before the papers are delivered.”

With an expectation that I sign them, that was clear, probably in a place where it would look gauche or ill mannered to do anything else but.

“Are there any other copies?” My hands slapped down on my sides, feeling blindly for my coin purse before I pulled what I had out. Coppers, silvers and there, a gold coin. I held it out. “Are there, Marcus?”

His hand moved on automatic, wanting to snatch the coin from my grip, yet he shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Not that I’m aware of, but I can keep an eye out if you like.”

“For a price.” I said that with all the venom that felt like it was poisoning me right now. My head shook back and forth and then I flicked the gold coin his way, only to watch him stand back and let it fall on the sands.

“Gonna fucking kill me to say this, but I didn’t come here for coin.”

“So what exactly do you want, Marcus?”

He didn’t acknowledge the waver in my tone, nor the fact that I drew myself up. We were in familiar territory now, for him at least.

“Ready to bargain? Now you’re speaking my language.”

“No bargains. Tell me what you want.”

“What I want?” A strange expression crossed his face, one part longing, one part avaricious need. “Same thing I’ve always wanted, princess.”

“Queen,” I corrected, my title suddenly the armour I needed to wear to get me through this.

“Begging your pardon, Highness.” He made a show of tugging his forelock. “Men are stupid creatures, as evidenced by all the idiots that were in my employ signing up to be soldiers. You had a visit from some of the Duke’s men?” I stiffened without thought, something that had him smirking. “Thought that was bloody Royce’s dragon passing overhead. Can’t say I didn’t have similar thoughts as the Duke. Stealing dragon eggs? Seems a sure way to power.”

I thought then of his companions at the state funeral and anger flared hot.

“That’s why you’re keeping Lance and the other cadets away from the keep? If you think to create some kind of army built around the lads’ dragons?—”

“I thought about it.” That mischievous grin was back. “Of course, I did. Anyone who tells you he didn’t is lying. Trouble is, they’re not just a really good flintlock or a razor-sharp sword, are they?” Marcus looked down to where Glimmer approached. “They’re not even a really smart hound. They’re sentient creatures, a threat to our arrogance, and…” The smile faded as he met my gaze. “You need to know what I want? I just want to keep Lance, the boys, and their menagerie safe, my queen.”

Obsidian’s rider would never have signed that document willingly , Glimmer told me. He would never agree to anything that separated the two of you.

But Brom did.

I looked up then, wanting to ask Marcus to find other documents like this, but he was already gone.

Why, that’s what I needed to know, and while I was ready to burst into his war room meeting to demand answers, I didn’t need to. My guards informed me that the wing had returned to our chambers in the keep. I thanked them for their service and made clear I didn’t require it any longer before scaling the steps. I’d walked up here as a cadet, under the guise of being protected from the other riders by the prince’s wing. I’d slept beside the men I thought were my comrades, then my lovers.

But my ex-husband?

I had adjusted to each change in our relationship with ease, but not that. The word felt wrong, ugly inside my head, so I wrapped my hand around the doorknob and then walked into our quarters.

I’d thought to wait for them, that way I’d have time to think of what to say without it sounding like an accusation, yet when the door swung open, there they all were.

“Get ready then, Flynn,” Soren barked. “Or the other lads will have drunk the bar dry.”

“And at my expense.” Draven stood there, arms crossed, watching the chaos unfold with an amused look. “My wing should enjoy at least some of that.”

“What are you…?” They all turned around as I stumbled inside.

You are queen here , Glimmer reminded me before heading down the stairs. Talk to your mates, because I will sleep with mine tonight.

“Where are you going?” Flynn looked up from the bag he was packing, then shot me a rueful smile. “And why are you packing a bag?”

“I was going to come and find you.” He shoved the door shut and then cupped my jaw in his hands. “The funerals, my family…” I gripped his wrists and didn’t want to let go. Flynn sucked in a breath and then forged on. “The family has held off on the burials until the assassins were found, but now that they have.”

He would go to see them laid to rest.

“I’ll come with you,” I stammered out.

“Pippin—”

“I will. A queen at the burial of your family will convey just how serious the crown takes this crime.”

“And then you’ll have to go to the burials in Tharfield and Cantlyn as well, otherwise you’ll be accused of showing us too much favour.” Another forehead kiss and again, it wasn’t the one that I needed. “I’ll be gone for a few days at the most and be back in time for us all to march out towards Harlston.”

My arms went around Flynn and I clung tightly, knowing this wasn’t the right thing to do to a man still grieving, and yet I couldn’t seem to stop. I needed to put on a brave front, to be a comfort to him, though he hugged me right back .

“And missing you desperately every damn day. I can admit it here, can’t I?”

“You must,” I replied through gritted teeth.

“Then I will. While in dear old Skane, I’ll spend far too much time composing terrible poetry about you and then read you every line when we are reunited.” I found myself laughing, despite the tears forming in my eyes. We pulled back and stared into each other’s eyes. “It will be awful, but I think…” His fingers slid down my cheek. “It will help me bear this.”

“Bad poetry and good beer.” Ged slung an arm around Flynn’s shoulders, giving the other rider a rough hug. “C’mon, plotting the destruction of Harlston is thirsty work, and the pub is calling.”

“We’re going out?” I asked.

“The wing did win the competition fair and square,” Draven replied, “though the places riders drink at may be no place for a lady, let alone a queen.”

“Perhaps we shouldn’t go.” Soren scrubbed at his face. “I’ll be up early with the final year cadets, taking them through the explosive manoeuvres.” He smiled at me. “A quiet night in our quarters. We could pretend like this whole awful situation had never happened.”

“Except we can’t.” How had I missed the brittle tension in Brom? I called him husband, but I was only seeing the lines in his face now. “There’s no going back, so let’s head down to the pub. The other wings will be waiting, and it’ll be good for morale to have their king drinking with them.” He nodded at me. “Their queen too.”

“Perhaps we should change the venue.” Ged looked me over with concern. “The Dragon and the Flame is probably a little… earthy for a queen-in-waiting to be seen frequenting.”

“Then I won’t be a queen.” I tore off the clothes I’d been given, my hands hovering over the chest at the end of my bed before pulling out my father’s old clothing. I swept my now short crop of hair back and under a tweed flat cap, then donned the shirt, pants and jacket. “I’ll just be one of the lads.”

“If you think you are fooling anyone…” Brom drew closer, pu shing one stray curl behind my ear before bestowing that small smile of his on me. The divorce papers felt like they were burning a hole in my jacket, ready to burn the bond between us up. “No lad ever looked as fair as you.”

I wanted to know what he was seeing, thinking. There were so many questions I wanted to ask, but of course, there was no time.

“Well, if we’re going, then we better be off,” Soren replied.

“I’ll drink beer and belch and leer at a barmaid’s tits like the best of them,” I assured Brom, and I would too. Anything to maintain the facade of just another lad having a drink as I quizzed him about what madness possessed him to sign those documents.