Page 14 of The Forbidden Dragon King (Shadow Kings #1)

He leans forward, tipping up my chin. “Aren’t you going to kneel before your conqueror?”

“Go fuck yourself in the arse.”

His lips twitch like he’s suppressing a smile. “Well, that sounds hard to do.”

I want to stab him between the eyes.

War growls, knocking the back of my knees out from underneath me. With my hands being manacled, I can barely catch myself. My face smashes into the leafy ground.

I can’t bite back the groan in time.

When I glance up, I think that I notice Aurelius glaring at War, before his expression smooths out again.

Maximinus laughs. “The fallen king looks better like that with dirt on his face and twigs in his hair. I hope that he’s already learning his place. But there is one thing wrong with this picture.”

Maximinus stalks toward me, grabbing the crown off my head.

Startled, I cry, “Nay, that’s mine.”

Now, that is sacrilege.

I’m shaking .

Furious.

If I still had my magic, it would have blasted Maximinus apart for touching the symbol of my kingship and ripping it away from me so casually.

Maximinus gives a cruel smile, hurling my beautiful crown like it’s trash onto the altar.

“Don’t worry. Your head, admittedly parted from your shoulders, will soon be joining it.

But you shouldn’t get the honor of dying, while wearing that crown.

You’re nothing but a criminal rebel to King Aurelius.

You were a child when this kingdom was first conquered.

You’ve never had a right to that crown.”

“I bled more times than you have murdered for this crown,” I hiss. “And we both know that’s a lot.”

Maximinus pales. “Legate, execute the criminal.”

War grabs me by the wing.

No one but my bonded Omega should ever touch me there…

I twist in disgust that War has dared to touch my raven wing, but she doesn’t let go. Instead, she hauls me toward the altar.

The ranks of soldiers are chanting now, low and droning, to the Shadow Gods. They clank their swords on their shields in triumph and victory, eager for my blood sacrifice.

Aurelius doesn’t even have the respect to look at me, as I glance back over my shoulder at him. My breathing is too fast, but I struggle not to fight. When these Dracarians talk about the capture and sacrifice of the Shadow Fae King, I won’t let them tell tales about my terror and cowardice .

I steady myself, blanking my expression. Then I shake War off, walking myself to the altar. She shoves me over it, stretching me onto my back.

I lie staring up at the thunderous night sky.

I wish that I could see the moon one last time, but it’s hidden behind the clouds that I summoned.

I stretch out my own wings to match the altar.

War snatches my manacled wrists and ties them above my head, stretching me further, until it’s hard to breathe.

My lungs burn.

War slides out her sword, resting it inches above my neck, as if to check the placement. Then she raises it.

The edge glistens, razor sharp in the rain.

This is it.

I blink the tears from my eyes.

I’ll be joining my friends. My brethren. My fallen people.

The fight is finally over.

My eyes slip closed.

I find that I don’t want to see death as it comes for me at last.

“Wait,” Aurelius’ icy voice commands.

Startled, my eyes snap open.

Aurelius is standing over me.

When he cups my cheek, thumbing along my cheekbone, I startle. His scent of leather and smoke is overwhelming. Dominant pheromones surge from him in waves, making my own rise up in answer.

War respectfully steps back.

My wide gaze meets Aurelius’ cold one .

This is cruel, even for him. If I’m to be his sacrifice, won’t he just let the blade fall?

Let me go.

“I want Daire as my war trophy,” Aurelius drawls. “I will take him onto my personal staff. He’s an excellent strategist. I am certain that he will in time learn to work as an adviser at my shoulder.”

What…?

I stare up at him. My strained muscles tremble.

Is he serious? Hope wells through me that I can save my people.

“There is no precedent for that.” Maximinus marches to stand at Aurelius’ shoulder, where Aurelius just said he wanted me . “It is the will of the Council that he is to be executed as a blood sacrifice to the Shadow Gods in gratitude for our victory.”

“Have I not spilled enough blood tonight to satisfy the Shadow Gods?” Aurelius’ voice rumbles with warning. “I’ll take him as a pet then. Isn’t that my right? Don’t worry, if he’s disobedient, he shall spend his days within the dungeon.”

Maximinus’ eyes light up with a violent desire that sickens me.

“As long as I may also claim him to tame and train in the courtesan arts. He can already dance and sing. He should make a pretty entertainer at our feasts. Perhaps, you have the right idea. What other kingdom will dare rise up against us, if they know that their King may end up on display in the Shadow Court?”

Aurelius hesitates, but then inclines his head.

The fae are nobody’s pets .

Nobody’s courtesans .

The sword would have been a swift death. A kindness.

I had thought that Aurelius and I shared a fate in some way. Always fighting on opposite sides of a war that neither of us started, I still admired the dragon.

Once, I thought that if not for his brother’s actions, we could have been friends.

Now, I hate him

He couldn’t allow me a simple death. Instead, he’s chosen a life for me of iron and humiliation.

“Aurelius,” I try, hoping that War isn’t wrong about the chance at a deal and knowing the power of a name, “tell me one thing. Are some of my featherglass still living?”

“For the moment.”

I bite my swollen lip, trying not to think about what that means. “And the rest of my army…?”

Aurelius crosses his arms. “That depends on you.”

The muscles in my back feel like they’ve been torn in two, as I’m pulled into a bow on the altar: Aurelius’ sacrifice.

But truly, I’m not his.

I’m my people’s; I always have been.

My flesh is already scarred with a hundred marks of that sacrifice. What is one more?

“How about a deal?” I say. “I promise to bend the knee and serve as your pet in the Shadow Court, as long as you let my people live. They will fight for you but as free mercenaries. They’re loyal to me. Good soldiers. You won’t treat them as pets.”

“Never make deals with fae,” Maximinus cautions .

“But he’s no longer a fae; he’s my pet,” Aurelius replies. “My Kitten .”

I bristle.

Aurelius leans closer, gripping my chin.

My heart leaps into my throat, however, when he presses a golden dragon dagger to my throat.

His pheromones become even stronger; his scent smokier.

“This is still sheathed.” Aurelius’ voice is low and hard. “If I ever use the blade, then you will be turned to ash. I take your deal, Kit , but don’t fucking test me.”

“May the Shadow Devils choke you, arsehole,” I spit back. “I am already ash.”

Maximinus chuckles. “You know that a wild pet like him will kill you.”

Aurelius never looks away from me. “He can try. He’ll fail.”

That’s what you think.

Shifters are fools when it comes to deals. They fail to realize that there are always loopholes.

I can serve Aurelius, while I plot against him.

I can serve and still scheme to take back my kingdom and free my people.

I can serve and bleed him out as the sacrifice to the Shadow Devils and finally… finally …rebirth the Winter Court.

Right now, I am alone, bound, and fallen.

But I am not without teeth.

I am not broken .

Aurelius thinks that he has caught me, when actually I have caught him .

He’s more shackled than I am, except the chains that bind him to me are invisible.

Aurelius cocks his head, frighteningly like he knows exactly what I’m scheming.

“As long as he hates the Shadow Vampire King more than me, and I know that he will in the end, then my Kitten can live…and plot. I am interested to find out what type of Alpha he is. Let’s take him back to camp and show him his new cage. ”