Page 24 of The Forbidden Dragon King (Shadow Kings #1)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Umbra Dining Room, Shadow Court

F reya

I balance a heavy tray of food, staggering into the Umbra Dining Room.

I grit my teeth, as my knees feel like buckling.

Yet the sun is shining through the arched windows with marble columns that look out over a pretty courtyard.

A glimmering dragon shaped fountain gushes water from its mouth like flames in the middle of the courtyard.

I can sense Daire’s happiness through the bond, as well as the tender sweep of his elegant fingers over our snowflake mark.

And this morning I’ve learned more from Lucius about both the Shadow Court and Aurelius than I have in a month.

The Shadow Dragon King loves me…

My heart clenches.

Is Lucius right? Or is it only a manipulation?

My gaze snaps up, as if drawn on a thread to Aurelius.

The King is reclining on one of three golden couches that flank the grand marble room.

Dark shadows bruise underneath his amber eyes.

Despite his leather tunic, breeches, and crimson cloak looking as impressive as ever, I can tell by the tight way that he is holding his shoulders that it is an effort for him not to look as exhausted as I am.

He's just been through a rut alone. He didn’t have a rut mate.

At least I had Lucius to help me through my heat.

My cheeks flush, and I’m excruciatingly aware of Aurelius’ heavy gaze as I clatter across the floor.

The walls are covered with frescoes in earthy tones of feasting royalty surrounded by dancing, naked Omegas, while circling dragons fly above them in vibrant colors.

I glance through my eyelashes at War.

She is reclining on the couch on the back wall with Lucius draped across her large body. She is casually playing with his nipples through his silky tunic.

Lucius is barely reacting, as if he’s his Alpha’s toy.

His gaze is lowered, but his smile is sly as he raises it to me, then winks.

My flush deepens .

I tighten my hold on the tray of flatbreads, cheese, wheat pancakes, dates, and cheese with a pot of honey.

Two women, Betas, lie on the third couch with their legs tangled around each other.

They are the final members of the Golden Family, who are as of yet a mystery to me. I have a feeling, however, that they are a mystery to most of the Shadow Court, which is how they like it.

Vicious is in her late twenties. She watches me like she always does with an assessing smirk, as if she knows an entire world of secrets that I don’t. It makes me uncomfortable, since she wears the black robes of the Guild of Assassins.

She wears a golden sash to mark her personal loyalty to Aurelius.

She has short, dirty blond hair and ice blue eyes.

Wraith is younger than Vicious. She lies quietly in Vicious’ arms, allowing her white blond hair, which has been plaited with a gold ribbon, to be stroked by Vicious.

Wraith could be overlooked in this room of glowing, powerful, terrifying dragons.

But that would be a mistake.

Wraith is part of this inner court exactly because she does go unnoticed, until she chooses to speak. She is fragile with a sharp, pointed face and calculating jade eyes.

She is also dressed in the matching jade robes of the Guild of Spies.

I must never forget that these aren’t only Aurelius’ friends. They’re his protectors, some of the most dangerous dragons in the kingdom.

When Wraith’s gaze narrows, dropping to the scratches and bruise marks on my wrist, my pulse speeds up.

I stumble.

Aurelius half rises from his seat, holding himself back with difficulty.

His hand curls into a fist; the morning light catches on his gold ring. “Be careful, Spark. Put the tray down. Serve us, then go and take the day off. You need more rest.”

Lucius huffs. “When was I allowed to rest after my heats in the academy? Caligo whipped me that one time I dared to sleep in.”

“Spark isn’t a soldier.” Aurelius’ eyes darken

“She could be.” Lucius tilts his head. “What if she…?”

“Spark is my pet.” Aurelius slams his hand down on the wooden arm of the couch.

I jump, but Lucius only shrugs like it’s a victory. “So grumpy, Relius. It sounds like you’re the one who needs more rest.”

War tweaks Lucius’ right nipple in punishment. “Be respectful, Omega.”

Lucius only moans in pleasure. “ Harder .”

I bite my lip to stop myself from laughing.

Lucius truly knows how to play these Alphas.

“Stop encouraging Luc,” Vicious’ voice is low and dark, “or I’ll take him back to my guild and show him pain that he won’t enjoy.”

Lucius’ eyes widen. He sits up straighter .

I collapse to my knees with a wince on the hard marble, dropping the tray with a clatter onto the low marble table that rests between the couches.

I snatch the honey to stop it from spilling.

Pitchers of milk and wine are already laid on the table next to golden goblets and platters.

“I hate you,” Lucius mumbles without heat, crossing his arms.

I don’t miss the way that he’s trembling.

“Kidnap him for your guild’s games ,” War growls, “and I’ll cut your throat with a rusty spoon.”

“Inventive death threats before breakfast, my favorite.” Aurelius sighs, reaching for a flatbread. “Nobody is being kidnapped or anything else . Why is everybody grumpy this morning?”

“The entire Spy Guild is abuzz with the reason for your indisposition.” Wraith’s voice is soft, hardly above a murmur, but it surprises me that the moment she speaks, everyone in the room is intently listening to what she says. “Is your knot sore? What about your wrist?”

War chuckles.

My cheeks heat.

I focus on taking the dishes off the tray and laying them out on the table.

“Fuck off.” Aurelius takes a savage bite of his bread. “You just have knot envy.”

Vicious laughs. “Why would we have that, Relius, when we have tongues…?” She twines further around Wraith, before lifting her fellow Beta’s hand in hers and licking up and down her fingers, as if it’s Wraith’s pussy, ci rcling the tips of her fingers, slowly and lovingly.

Her intense gaze never leaves Aurelius’. “And finger’s…?”

When Vicious pulls Wraith’s fingers apart and fucks her tongue in and out in between them, as if she’s thrusting into her pussy, Wraith’s eyelashes flutter.

Wraith humps her hips.

In Fang Kingdom, it’s taboo for Betas to be matched.

Once an Alpha has claimed an Omega, they may decide to allow a Beta to join their pack. Some Betas work within the kingdom their entire lives and are never lucky enough to be selected by a pack.

Yet here, these two Beta dragons are casually showing their affection for each other.

Is it more than that?

Can Beta dragons be together without an Omega?

“Can we go one breakfast without death threats or tonguing?” Aurelius sighs.

As if two of the most dangerous dragons in court aren’t putting on a performance in front of him.

“ No, ” the other four chorus at the same time like this is a question that Aurelius asks a lot.

Then they all laugh.

Vicious turns to Wraith, drawing her into a deep, lingering kiss that leaves her panting. They rest their foreheads together for a long moment.

Then they sit around, studying the food on the table.

“What do you want for breakfast, Luc?” Vicious asks.

It feels like the closest Lucius will get to an apology for her earlier attempt to frighten him.

I raise my gaze to meet Lucius’ .

“Pancakes.” Lucius grins. “Bet you’d never guess, Spark.”

I roll my eyes but slip a wheat pancake onto a platter. “Honey and dates?”

Lucius nods.

I add a handful of dates and then pour on a pool of amber liquid, which gleams like Aurelius’ eyes.

When I glance up at Aurelius, I catch him watching me.

Hurriedly, he looks away.

Vicious fills a goblet with milk and then passes it to Wraith, before serving herself one of wine.

“How’s your wrist?” Vicious gestures at my bond mark. “We have a biter here.”

I hide my arm behind my back.

Vicious smirks.

“I heard an interesting story about the fae pet in the dungeons.” Wraith takes a drink of her milk.

She gazes dreamily into the air, but everyone in the room is riveted to her.

“He went through a rut at the same time as our King did. He kept talking, whispering about his Omega, soulmate, Spark … The strange thing is that the rut didn’t make him suffer.

It was like he was spending it with a ghost of his Omega.

He was loud in his pleasure, moaning, writhing, and howling like a primal creature.

I bribed a guard to examine him afterwards.

And he had the same bruises and bites on his wrist. Interesting, huh? ”

I stand up, backing away from the table.

Wraith has laid bare something private, intimate, and sacred between Daire and me .

What more can they take from Daire? How much more does Aurelius desire to break Daire?

“Isn’t it enough yet?” My voice wavers. “Why can’t you leave my Raven King alone?”

Am I crying?

Lucius is casting me a pitying look.

Why can’t I be better at this like Lucius is? Like all of them around this table are?

They’re spies, assassins, and warriors.

What chance do I truly have against them?

“Can we all start paying more attention to the king who is still a threat and less to the one who is already conquered?” Lucius affects to look bored, but I know that he’s trying to rescue me…

and my fae Alpha. Did Lucius truly mean it about being my friend?

“This is boring. Our strategy against Lanlin is what we need to discuss.”

Vicious’ expression lights with a dark excitement. “That barbarian Blood is the only assassin who can match my skills. Now him I am allowed to capture and examine, play with, and take apart in my guild, right?”

I flinch at the same time that Lucius does.

This Shadow Vampire King may be a villain, but I can’t help a stab of sympathy for him. Nobody deserves to be held by the Guild of Assassins.

I hate vampires. A generation ago, they massacred my parents and entire court. As much as they’re my enemy, however, do I hate this unknown vampire king, who is fighting the dragons now?

At least, hate him enough that I want him to suffer Daire’s fate or something worse ?

Aurelius offered me revenge on the vampires, as well as the shrine for my parents. I craved it then.

Now, I still want revenge but I’m no longer certain that this is the way I should take it or whether destroying the current king for the sins of his parents would make my own parents in the heavens proud or disappointed.

Lucius pretends that Vicious hasn’t spoken. “Kit is already declawed, whereas the Shadow Vampire King is an admittedly beautiful monster but is now causing real distress to the citizens.”

“Luc is right.” War tightens her arm around Lucius. “The fanged fuckers have intensified their raids. Increasing numbers of villagers are destitute and terrified. They’re streaming into Bael, thinking that they’ll be protected.”

“Because we all know Maximinus’ compassionate opinion on refugees and the poor,” Lucius drawls.

“Luc,” War warns, grabbing him sharply by the curls.

Lucius struggles. “Then tell me our plan to stop them from starving.”

War lets him go, turning to Aurelius. “We crush the Shadow Vampire King. We force him to kneel like we did the ex-fae king. Then you burn him to fucking ash.”

“That’s too easy for him.” Aurelius’ voice is a low rumble. “He deserves to suffer as I have.”

Frozen, I stare at Aurelius in shock.

Aurelius’ expression has darkened. His dominant pheromones flood the room. His amber eyes are glowing, swirling, fathomless.

Dread grips me .

When he’s like this, I feel like I don’t know him.

I raise my hand to touch the cool Golden Dragon brooch, which shows that I belong to the King’s personal household.

I’d been insulted, when I’d first been given it.

Both Vicious and Wraith, however, wear golden sashes as a sign of their loyalty and fealty.

War is dressed in the King’s personal armor.

Lucius’ entire soul was already given willingly to Aurelius when he was just a kid. He doesn’t need to be marked outwardly. He’s branded on his heart.

I trace the outline of the Golden Dragon.

This brooch was meant as an honor.

It shows that Aurelius already sees me as part of the inner circle, as loyal to him as his friends are.

Why didn’t I see it before?

Aurelius installed me in his suite of rooms, which to a dragon is his nest. He smiles at me in a genuine way that I haven’t seen him smile at anyone else. He gives me courting gifts.

Despite being his enemy’s Omega, he’s granted me the honor of this brooch.

He doesn’t treat me as an ordinary pet, but rather, as one of his personal servants, part of his inner circle.

And I haven’t seen him trust anyone else in the entire court.

My breath hitches, and my hands curl at my side, as I stare at the large, coldly dominant dragon who is still such a mystery to me but is treating me like I’m his pack already.

I know one thing for certain now .

He’s falling in love with me…

“Lanlin took my brother from me. He murdered him in front of me.” Aurelius’ strong jaw clenches.

“I won’t execute him, until he knows what it feels like to lose everything.

I will take the person he loves from him, as he took Tarq from me.

” His voice becomes emotionless and hollow. “I will break his dark heart.”

Lucius’ concerned gaze flicks to me, before he says, quietly, “As long as you don’t break yours at the same time.”