Page 17 of The Forbidden Dragon King (Shadow Kings #1)

CHAPTER EIGHT

Draca Military Camp

F reya

I creep stealthily through the nighttime camp with my back pressed to the defensive wall enclosing it, which is built out of wood, earth, and stone.

Adrenaline rushes through my veins, as I force my trembling legs to carry me through the camp.

I glance over my shoulder, panicked that I’ll discover Aurelius stalking after me. Somehow, it feels like he knows what I’m thinking and doing too much of the time.

Having lowered inhibitions with the wine around him was a bad idea.

Did I really call him pretty ? With beautiful but cruel lips ?

I shake my head.

I can’t remember if I told him that I wanted to kiss them…?

Except, I did yearn to and just how much frightens me, as does how much I missed him when he was away and the joy that I felt on his safe return.

I push myself to walk faster under the shadow of the wall. I’m blocked from the view of the barracks by the granary, not that there are soldiers around to see me anyway.

Aurelius has thrown a victory feast in the central Forum for everybody, apart from his prisoners and pets, of course.

I pause, listening to the cheers and laughter.

Aurelius sounds popular.

But then, there’s an ancient Alpha saying: He who supplies the mead is king for the night.

The rain has finally stopped, but a freezing breath of wind blows across my cheeks and tangles my hair across my eyes.

Impatiently, I push my hair back, scanning across to the darkest, forgotten corner of the camp.

No torches blaze here. There are no campfires to warm it.

It wasn’t hard to get chatting to my Beta guards, as soon as I woke up from my rest with a thumping headache and a determination to never drink wine again. They gloated with glee about the fallen Shadow Fae King, once a divine being, now a prisoner , and where he was being held.

I clasp the hunk of bread under my arm.

I bet Aurelius would be petty enough not to feed Daire. I hate to think of anyone being hungry, when I’ve spent so many days with my stomach clawing with hunger pains.

As if I’d stay inside Aurelius’ tent just because he’s ordered me to.

I may be a pet but I don’t take orders.

I dive between shadows, fixing my gaze on a large iron cage that hunkers in the corner next to the high wall.

I can’t see any movement inside it.

On the moon, what if I’m too late? What if Daire has died?

A chill runs down my spine.

I crouch down, crawling through the mud toward the cage.

The cage is made of thick, iron bars.

I wince.

Iron is a poison to the Shadow Fae. It suppresses their magic agonizingly and stops them from being able to fly.

No wonder Aurelius hasn’t bothered to set guards in front of the cage. He doesn’t need them.

The top and bottom of the cage are gold, which makes it look like a gaudy bird cage, but at least means that Daire won’t be burned, simply by sitting and standing in it.

Should I care?

Is Daire a villain ?

Does it make him villainous simply because he’s an enemy to the Draca Kingdom?

Or a freedom fighter?

In which case, what does that make Aurelius?

I have to see for myself.

I’ve only caught glimpses of Daire training his army from a distance, when I’d break curfew and sit on the fae side of the cliffs, looking down at the Unseelie Kingdom border.

The fae who I’d dream about, while bringing myself to the best mind-blowing orgasms of my life, isn’t real. He’s a beautiful daydream, who I used to escape the boredom of my life. No matter how much I hunger to kiss him…and failed to…in every fantasy.

I’ve yearned for the touch of a bandit for years, yet I don’t know him at all.

What if Daire is nothing like my dream but rather, is a nightmare?

My pulse speeds up.

I crawl closer to the bars, peering inside.

Then I jump at a sudden flutter of movement at the back.

Finally, my eyes adjust to the dark.

I can’t see Daire’s face, only a figure huddled at the back who is being careful not to touch the bars.

The fae’s ash covered raven wings, which shimmer and gleam like they’d feel as soft as silk under my fingertips, are pulled around him. He appears to be trying to hide as much of himself as he can. His burned wrists rest on his knees .

Glowing eyes fix on me.

My breath hitches.

I’m frozen.

Caught.

They say of fae that they are impossibly, painfully beautiful. The most beautiful people in all the realms.

With Daire, I used to think that if I sat on that ledge and indulged in staring at him too long, then I would be blinded.

It’s why the other realms have often coveted to conquer and possess the Unseelie.

Now, the Shadow Fae King himself is held in an iron and gold cage, displayed as not only a pet but a trophy.

My heart aches.

Beauty is dangerous; it gets you noticed. I have always led a life of being invisible. It’s lonely but safer.

Except, haven’t I been noticed now?

I glance down at the dragon scale bracelet, which jangles around my wrist.

On the other hand, beauty can also be sharper than a blade…like the look right now in those lavender eyes.

“Is it petting time at the zoo, love?” Daire’s musical voice is coolly amused, but there is a frosty edge underneath that makes me shiver.

Daire is Unseelie, cold death and shadows. I must never forget that.

I wet my dry lips, shakily grabbing the hunk of bread and holding it up to the bars for him to see.

“Looks like it’s actually feeding time at the zoo. Throw it to me then. Maybe I’ll perform a trick for you. ”

“You are a trickster,” I reply, before I can stop myself.

Silence.

The hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

“Shadow Wolves once knelt for fae. Nay, you worshiped us as gods .” Daire’s amusement transforms to rage. His gaze becomes dark and icy. “You’d gladly lay down your lives on the battlefield as an offering to the old feathered gods . Yet as soon as I am caged, you mock me…?”

To my shock, he rises to his full height, sweeping his large wings out behind him.

I’m frozen to the spot, unable to run. Except, terrified as I am in the face of the Raven King’s righteous fury, I’m spellbound by him.

Like this, I could worship him.

Daire is no less of a king than Aurelius is. It doesn’t matter that Aurelius insists that the fae is fallen or that his magic is suppressed by iron.

When Daire stalks closer to the front of the cage into the pooling moonlight, I gasp.

This close, I realize that every legend about the Shadow Fae’s unnatural beauty is right. Except, Daire has been wounded in the battle. I don’t know how he’s managing to stand.

My heart aches like seeing something holy desecrated.

Daire’s ice white skin is covered in scattered bruises, blood, and dirt. His right eye is swollen shut. His lip is busted.

Somehow, these injuries enhance his beauty because they show that a god can be hurt.

He can be touched .

He’s a lure — a trap.

I dig my fingers into my arm to resist leaning closer to him.

Daire’s silver curls, which tumble to his shoulders, are streaked with something that looks like ashes. So are his gorgeous wings, which are large enough that they have unfurled perilously close to the sides of the cage.

It strikes me suddenly that Daire is missing his tall bronze and emerald crown of intricate feathers.

Did Aurelius take it from him? Fuck, that must have been a blow.

I had my bond stripped from me. Does it feel as hollowing for a king to have their throne taken?

What am I saying?

My bond was only my heart. A throne is the hearts of thousands… millions …of soldiers and citizens.

I’m glad that I’ve only held my own life in my hands. I’d be a disaster as a ruler.

Probably, as much of a disaster as this Daire is, despite his posturing as a god, since he ended his kingdom.

I wiggle the bread side to side, when Daire’s knees buckle with exhaustion and hunger. “No mocking, I swear. I stole this from Aurelius to bring to you.”

“You stole it from him?” Daire’s expression instantly warms. His wings fold away again. He grimaces, holding his side like his rib may be broken. “Now you’re speaking my language.” He collapses to his knees, as if he’s used up all his energy. I watch him, worried. “Give me a moment, aye?”

“Your face…?” I bite my lip .

“I know. God-like.”

I can’t help smiling. “I mean that you need a healer.”

He looks up, and his curls obscure his eyes. “You should see the other guy.”

Except, I have.

I don’t remember everything that Aurelius said to me this morning. But I do remember that he strolled back into the tent looking immaculate in his golden armor.

I don’t say that to Daire.

He appears to have lost enough already in the last few days, and I won’t also take his knot.

“Do you know who I am?” He asks, carefully.

“You’re King Daire.”

His smile is thin. “Aye, I once was. But the King died in the burning ruins of Rune forest with his friends. My blood was sacrificed to the greed and lust for power of the dragon shifters. Now, there is only Kit, the pet bound to serve King Aurelius.”

“That’s a lie. You can’t be only anything.”

“I don’t lie. Also, are you flirting with me?” Daire drops to a seductive sprawl in front of the bars close enough that I could reach through and see if his wings are as soft as they look.

Close enough to kiss the blood from his swollen lips.

I know not to trust him, but by the moon, I want to. Fae lie through their truths.

I look at him with wide eyes.

“I wouldn’t dare.” I shove the bread in front of him through the bars.

“Now, that’s a lie.” Daire snatches up the bread and rips into it with canines that are sharper than my own in a way I know means that he hasn’t eaten for days, probably since before the battle.

I watch him, feeling remarkably satisfied. I didn’t know that it could be rewarding for an Omega to feed an Alpha. But I’m definitely getting a kick out of this.

Daire takes another bite, before studying me over the top of the bread as he chews. “You’re another prisoner, aye?”

I settle onto my knees. “I don’t know.”

“I wasn’t trying to trick you. It was a straightforward question.”