Page 27 of The Forbidden Dragon King (Shadow Kings #1)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Shadow Court

F reya

My heart pounds in my chest as I stroll down the grand corridor, which is flanked by marble columns. I do my best to pretend that I’m meant to be here and not look like I’m actually stealthily stalking the King.

I have enough experience of this from all the times that I acted the servant, while actually stalking Bard.

Pining one-sided loves do come in handy for something. Who knew?

Luckily, Aurelius is also acting like prey right now, ripe to be hunted. He’s distracted, lost in his own head.

A wolf would tear him apart in this state.

It feels good to be hunting again.

My legs are still shaky from my heat. I’m desperate to curl up in my nest and sleep.

Yet after serving breakfast to Aurelius and the Golden Family, I am left with more questions than answers.

And I’m fucking determined to get those answers.

I have to know why I’m drawn to my enemy in this all-consuming way. I have to know why it’s concern that’s dragging me after Aurelius down this shadowy corridor, rather than back to my warm, safe bed.

When Aurelius passed me in the dining room, he looked like his knees were close to buckling.

Had he been about to say something?

Why won’t he talk to me anymore? Only issuing cold commands and glancing at me from afar?

Is it because of my bond to Daire?

Yet Aurelius feels like he’s my pack, and not knowing whether he is or not is tearing me apart.

I hang back, keeping my gaze fixed on Aurelius’ broad, straight back.

As long as you don’t break yours at the same time…

Does Aurelius truly love me? If he does, however, why is he avoiding me?

I hug my arms around myself.

When Lucius warned me that dragons notice when you steal shit, it was on the tip of my tongue to say that wolves notice too.

For example, I’ve noticed the missing pillow cases, hair ties, and the tunic that I had to request to be replaced .

I narrow my eyes at the golden hair, which curls softly at the base of Aurelius’ neck.

A certain dragon who forbids me from entering his room must be using my stolen items to line his nest.

Aurelius will never admit it. Yet he needs my scent, as much as I need his to sleep.

I’m his Omega, and he’s my Alpha.

I can’t be wrong.

Aurelius is courting me but being cold to me at the same time.

He’s lucky that I no longer have my spear on me or I’d show him what I think about that.

I slide into one of the alcoves, which line the side of the corridor, when Aurelius pauses at a set of silver doors.

My mouth dries.

Why does Aurelius need to meet with Maximinus?

I’ve never had the misfortune of talking to the most powerful sorcerer in Draca Kingdom and I thank my fangs for that. I am curious about what treasures are hidden in his study, however, since my thief senses tingle that the best magical items to steal lie behind that intimidating door.

I bite my lip.

Surely, it wouldn’t be that dangerous to steal a small item, right? What if I could find something that’d release the iron magic, which the asshole is using to suppress Daire’s own magic?

The other servants whisper about Maximinus, the ambitious Regent who raised his dead brother’s sons, the shadow behind both their thrones .

Creator of magical nightmares. Horror of Bael. Pet-hater.

The housekeepers draw lots to decide who will clean his rooms.

Is that why it feels like Aurelius has made sure that my duties are on the other side of the palace and hasn’t brought me into contact with his pet-hating uncle?

Yet Daire has been trained by Maximinus. Daire won’t talk about it with me.

I shiver, when I remember what Daire told me about Maximinus’ poisoning of the fae lands with iron, slowly weakening the magic of the Winter Court, until they couldn’t fight back in the First Fae War.

I hate that Daire has to spend any time with a dragon who has already taken his family, friends, and entire court from him.

Is the danger of this Horror of Bael, the reason that Aurelius has built his deadly friends around him as a protective bodyguard unit, rather than relying on his uncle who raised him, along with the Council?

What happened in his past?

I watch, wide-eyed, as the silver doors suddenly swing wide by magic and Aurelius enters the study.

When the door slams shut behind him, anxiety rushes through me.

I run forward.

Why am I frightened?

Aurelius is a powerful dragon shifter. My enemy. A warrior king.

He conquered the Unseelie Kingdom and caged Daire. Anyone who can do that has nothing to fear from anyone, right?

I’m still trembling with fear, however, when I reach to touch the door. Its magic coils out and like the fangs of a snake bites me.

I hiss, wrenching my hand back. I shake the pain out of it.

A Beta servant, a young man with short cropped blond hair and too small eyes, snickers.

“Don’t even try it, stupid wolf. The sorcerer’s study is protected by his filthy metallicum magic.

Do you think that he’d allow trespassers or for his secrets to be overheard?

Hold up, you aren’t trying to eavesdrop, are you?

That’s treason. Do you know what Maximinus does to traitors? ”

“I don’t but I’m certain that you’re eager to tell me in excruciating detail,” I mutter under my breath.

I still take a quick step away from the door.

Treason.

This asshole doesn’t need to tell me that it won’t be a slap on the wrist type of crime in Bael.

The man opens his mouth with a sadistic gleam in his eyes but before he can launch into the no doubt painful and vivid description, I wave my hand at him, as if shocked.

“Hey, careful how you throw around accusations, knotless.” I raise my chin, proudly tapping my brooch, hoping that this works. “I’m Aurelius’ personal pet. He told me to wait for him here. Are you trying to frighten me into disobeying the King’s own order? What’s your name again?” ”

I’m not above pulling rank.

Survival is what matters.

The Beta servant pales in a satisfying way, as his gaze fixes on the brooch. “Y-you’re t-that p-p-pet? Sorry. You truly mustn’t disobey. I’m nobody, really, nobody. No hard feelings, huh? Just one servant looking out for another.”

“Yeah,” I give him my scary smile that always worked back in Fang Kingdom, when I wanted to freak out the other servants, “looking out for each other.”

The servant gives an awkward, nervous chuckle, before ducking his head and rushing off down the corridor.

Hopefully, rumors will soon start about the badass personal pet, who the other servants shouldn’t mess with.

I pull back from the door, wishing that I could hear what was going on inside, almost as much as I wish that I knew what was happening to Daire in the dungeons.

When I visit, Daire can’t hide the bruises. But he’s a genius at hiding everything else.

Daire takes reckless risks, suffering beatings and worse. He only appears to care if I’m the one risking myself, or his featherglass are the ones in trouble. Even in captivity, he’s able to plot to protect his fae brothers and sisters as they settle into their new duties as mercenaries.

Deep inside, I can’t help the kernel of doubt that Daire is only serving me, as he is Aurelius, because of our deal.

Does he truly love me?

Or is he playing me, as trickster fae play everyone?

I sigh, wandering to the only window in the entire hallway, which is next to a sunken alcove. It is a tiny circular spyhole out onto a large courtyard at the back of the Shadow Military Academy.

Actually, I bet that this courtyard is the parade ground.

The parade ground is empty; the cadets must be inside the academy. The courtyard is cold and barren, apart from a tall wooden post that is erected in the center, which casts a long shadow.

Confused, I notice the iron shackles that are attached to the top of the post.

Then my mouth dries.

Shit, it’s the whipping post.

Is that why Maximinus has a window here to look out and watch?

Sick Alphahole.

I back away from the window.

A young Beta housekeeper with pearl colored eyes, who is carrying a stack of fresh blankets, casts me a curious look as she passes.

I ignore her.

Even for me with my long list of impulsive plans, venturing into Maximinus’ wing of the palace is risky.

I take one last look at the study door.

I’m not in the mood to come face to face with a pet-hater who gets off on spying on whippings and creating magical nightmares this morning.

I shake my head.

This undercover mission is over. My cozy nest is calling .

I turn on my heel, but then jump, when one side of the study doors unexpectedly swings open.

I twirl back, my pulse pounding in my throat.

I throw myself back into the alcove next to the window. My heart is beating hard in my chest.

My eyes narrow in confusion, when I hear the Beta servant gasp, followed by a thump of dropped bedding and the clatter of running footsteps along the marble corridor.

Why is the servant running?

Curiosity may have killed the wolf, but I still have to know.

Panting, I peer out of the alcove.

Then my eyes widen in horror.

Aurelius is pinned to the door by snake like silver chains at his ankles and wrists. He is collared, as if he is a thrall and not a king.

Aurelius’ eyes are wide with fear and desperation. Dried blood trickles from his bruised nose.

Unexpected, protective fury rises in me.

The same fury that I feel every time that I see Daire behind the bars of the dungeon cell. Except, the difference is that Daire carries it off as if he’s choosing to remain in his cage.

He’s free, as long as he is in his soul.

Whereas this is different.

Aurelius appears truly bound. Staring into his amber eyes, there is no freedom in his soul.

Has there ever been?

I take a ragged breath but force myself to listen .

So, this is spying on the two most powerful men in the kingdom.

Treason.

Maximinus wouldn’t have opened the door, however, if he didn’t want people to overhear, right?