Page 167 of The Wild Prince’s Favorite (The Dragon Empire Saga #3)

“...So you killed her,” Alezya muttered. “Instead of letting my mom leave, you just killed her.”

“Of course I killed her!” he scoffed. “What else was I supposed to do with that useless wench? Her clan was hounding me about sending her back! There were rumors about me being violent, unfair, or such nonsense coming from those harpies! As if it wasn’t my right to discipline my disobedient bitch of a wife!

Even other clans were pestering me, putting their noses in my clan as if she were some precious princess!

All she was was a venomous snake, going around seducing men and poisoning minds!

She would have taken my whole clan from me!

She strutted around like some high-born empress when she was just a mouthy little slut who forgot her place! ”

“You killed her because she spoke up,” Alezya hissed. “She wasn’t just fighting back, she was telling everyone about your abuse.”

A victorious, cruel smirk twisted his lips.

“She left me no choice,” he snarled. “She kept challenging me, and if she was so smart, she should have known better. It was almost too easy. She was so desperate to leave me, to go back to her clan, that in the end, she even agreed to leave without you. She died in one of those crevices, forgotten, with no one to listen to her stupid yapping anymore. When her clan came for her, I pretended she had gone and disappeared into the mountains. Everyone but her wretched fucking clan bought it. They ran their mouths incessantly instead of shutting up and moving on. They harassed me relentlessly, looking for their precious princess and dragging my name through the mud. What good was a clan of women, anyway? Always acting like they were so smart too. All I could see was a bunch of snakes spreading their poison and acting like they were men.”

“...So you killed the Lumiata,” Alezya choked out, her voice barely a whisper. “They didn’t just disappear. It was all you. You… You did this.”

The truth slammed into her like a blade to the gut.

So many times she had wondered why no one ever spoke of her mother’s people, why she couldn’t finally meet her mother’s relatives.

She had dreamt of meeting them, often. Dreamt of a place where she belonged, where she could be accepted.

That fateful day, when she had run with Lumie, she had prayed that, of all people, her daughter could find her way to her mother’s kin.

But there was no one to get to. They were gone, all of them. Not scattered, not missing, but dead. Slaughtered. Erased because her father couldn’t stand a woman defying him.

Her heart ached, thinking about all those women. They had tried to speak up for her mother, and her father had done exactly what he always did to those who dared to raise their voices: he silenced them.

He hadn’t just stolen her mother. He had stolen her history. Her people. Her freedom . Alezya’s eyes burned with tears as, for the first time, she was hit with the reality of why her mom had named her so.

It had been her last wish, or a prayer.

“They had to disappear,” he shrugged. “They had all this witchcraft nonsense going on. They knew how to survive the dragon attacks and wouldn’t share their secrets.

Those witches were all damned wenches, most likely plotting to bring clans to their downfall.

They seduced men but wouldn’t bow to them, what kind of a woman is that?

They’re better off dead. All the foolish rumors died after those witches were gone. ”

“...Gods, you’re a coward.”

His gaze fixated on Alezya, staring at her like he couldn’t believe she’d said that after all he’d just revealed. But Alezya acted far from scared. Instead, she didn’t even try to hide her snarl of contempt.

“The truth is, you weren’t strong enough to handle her.

You were terrified of my mother,” she hissed.

“You couldn’t take a woman being smarter than you.

You might have murdered my mom, but you’re the one who was afraid of her, because she saw you for the weak, pathetic excuse of a man you are.

All I hear is that she was brilliant, kind, and loved, and you couldn’t stomach how weak she made you feel.

You chose to kill her rather than face the fact that she was a better leader than you.

My mother was everything you’ll never be. ”

“She was a witch!” he barked. “She was a weak woman! She could never be a leader! She died the pathetic death she deserved–”

“You know nothing about being a leader,” Alezya snarled.

“You’re the worst of them all. You rule through tyranny and ignorance.

…For so long, I thought that was your right.

That it was the only way, the one all clans had to be.

But in the past few weeks, all I’ve seen is how wrong I was, and how inadequate, awful, and despicable you are. ”

Her father’s hand twitched at the side, his lips curled, but Alezya didn’t leave him time to shout again.

“There’s a man out there who is as strong as a dragon, and he fights on the frontlines of a war he didn’t start,” she said, her voice choking with emotion.

“That’s the same man who can kill another man with his bare hands, and grows scales instead of bleeding.

Do you know what that man did, when he first found me, Father?

He protected me. He didn’t know my name, nor why I’d been cast out and nearly killed, and he didn’t care.

He gave me medicine, food, clothes, and he asked for nothing in return.

He slept on the floor for days so I could have his bed.

His dragon killed men who insulted me. He killed a man who touched me.

And never, once, did he expect a single damn thing from me.

He never yelled at me, hit me, forced himself on me.

And right now, he is down there, fighting in front of hundreds of men who respect him.

For me. For a woman who launched a war he doesn’t understand, just because he believes in me.

While you’re up here, hiding with your so-called warriors, still barking and shouting at a woman who is smarter than you.

Because you think leadership is power, and power is violence.

Because that’s your only way to stay relevant.

Silencing everyone who shows you you’re wrong, who can call you out on your weakness.

You couldn’t take my mother being a better leader than you.

You couldn’t take her family calling you out on your crime, so you murdered an entire clan out of sheer, stupid, vain pride.

You are so scared to die in a war you started that you’re hiding up here while our people die.

You’re no leader. You’re not even a man. You’re just worthless.”

The silence that followed was deafening, every word slowly sinking in. Then, gradually, his face turned so red it looked like it might explode.

“I AM A CLAN CHIEF!” he roared, his face contorted with pure rage. “I DECIDE WHO LIVES AND DIES! I AM THE MOST RESPECTED LEADER IN ALL–”

“You’re going to die,” Alezya cut him off with an eerie calm.

“You’re going to die, and I’m going to tell them all what a coward you are, Father.

I’ll let them know that Darak of the Deklaan Clan was a coward who hid in the mountains during the war.

How you cowered behind your men, too afraid to even set foot on the battlefield with your own clan.

I’ll let them know how you murdered my mother and her entire clan.

I’ll tell them the Lumiata was murdered by a coward! ”

“SHUT UP!” he barked. “If anyone will die, it’s you and the bastard you whored yourself to!”

Just then, Niiru let out an angry growl and suddenly turned around.

Two of her father’s men had tried to creep up on her from behind, and she realized that’s where they had gone. Somehow, they had found a way to go around and corner her into the end of the tunnel.

Her father stood at the entrance, suddenly far too confident, while two of his men and their weapons were blocking any chance of escape.

While Niiru kept growling at them, Alezya turned her eyes back to her father; an insufferable smug expression now gradually replaced his previous glower.

“Clan chiefs make strategic decisions, Daughter,” he sneered, “and out of compassion and mercy, I am willing to make a deal with you.”

“...A deal?” Alezya repeated, doubtful.

“I will let you live,” he stated with an arrogant tone. “I am willing to offer you mercy and let you and your bastard live. You go out there with us and tell the Dragon Clan the war is over. Tell their dragon to go away. We could put an end to this war, Alezya.”

Alezya was utterly confused. His offer didn’t make sense at all. He had provoked this war, not her. She’d offered peace with the Dragon Clan to the other clans before.

“...You want me to ask the Dragon Clan to back down?”

“You understand those tyrants,” he nodded. “You are essential to negotiations, are you not? If you die unfortunately here, this war will end with many of our people dead, all because of you.”

“I didn’t start this.”

“Oh, but you did,” he hissed. “You brought the damn Dragon Clan all the way here, to our mountains. You’re the one who started this war, Alezya, not me.”

“I offered peace,” she retorted. “You lied to the other clans that they had a chance to win a war against the Dragon Clan!

“They have a dragon,” he snarled. “That’s the only reason those barbarians could win.

If you tell them to stand the fuck down, they will submit to us.

The dragon listens to you, and so does their tyrant leader.

Whatever witchcraft you did to achieve that should serve us, the clans. We are your people.”

“Oh, no,” she scoffed. “Don’t you dare give me the family speech now, Father. I’m not that stupid. What do you want? What are you actually after? If the Dragon Clan stops fighting, they’ll all see you lied.”

“Of course not,” he retorted. “They will see I brought them the peace I promised. I’ll convince the Dragon Clan to never attack us again.

I will show them that we, the Deklaan Clan, are the ones who can achieve peace.

I’m even willing to start trading with the Dragon Clan.

I can unify all the clans as one and start a new era. We can–”

“There it is,” Alezya muttered. “Your grand scheme, as always. You want to use the Dragon Clan to threaten the other clans into submission.”

“It is my right as the war’s winner. I will achieve the peace I promised, and the clans will follow my lead.

You’ll get to live, and I’ll never touch you or your bastard again.

Think about it, Alezya. You get to remain the Dragon Clan’s whore.

You’ll see the war is over for yourself.

Isn’t this what you wanted? You and your bastard spawn will be safe with those savages.

I’ll decide whatever happens to the clans. ”

It hit Alezya hard to think that not so long ago, that was exactly what she would have wanted. Lumie’s safety and hers guaranteed.

Even if she doubted her father’s word, so long as he got her back to Kassein, chances were she’d be safe forever.

She could wash her hands of what happened up here and live the rest of her days with the most powerful clan of all.

Kassein didn’t have anything to win in this war; he and Kein would stand down if she asked.

It would be pretty much what she had always wanted.

Except that she would be signing over every other clan’s submission to her father.

The Deklaan Clan would emerge as the victor who got the Dragon Clan to stand down, her father claiming all the glory he’d gotten just from using her as a hostage.

He was undeniably good at twisting facts to serve his agenda.

The Dragon Clan would go back to being a threat only the Deklaan Clan could control, and all the clans would be forced to endure his tyranny.

The saddest part was, if it had been anyone but her father asking her to stop the war this way, it would have been good. But Darak wasn’t a good man, and Alezya knew it all too well. She knew exactly what she would be subjecting every clan to if he won this war.

She thought about Lumie, her precious baby girl, who was waiting for her at Kalat Unshreik .

Lumie, who’d been able to roam around for the first time, who had giggled so happily in Kassein’s arms. Lumie, who’d gotten her own dragon, and as much food as she wanted.

Clean clothes, a warm bed, and a nice room.

Tears sprang to her eyes. Sometimes, Alezya had wondered why her mom had left her. Even now, she wondered if her mom had been this torn between remaining subjected to her father and keeping Alezya, or going back to the safety of her clan.

This was a choice about the future. About the clans’ futures, and Lumie’s. The choice of being a mother, or a fighter.

Alezya knew her father’s plan wasn’t a deal, it was an ultimatum.

She knew exactly what would happen if she refused.

Either they would kill her here and let the war go on, or worse, they would use her as a hostage.

Her father had already clearly understood Kein wouldn’t risk harming her.

He would use her as leverage, forcing Kein to surrender, manipulating both Kassein and the dragon into submission, perhaps even convincing the entire Dragon Clan to bow.

It wasn’t a choice when she had to pick between submission, coercion, or death.

He was staring at her with his smug expression, so certain he had her cornered. And she was.

But right at this instant, Alezya’s mind was drifting between memories of Lumie and thoughts of her mother. And suddenly, she understood.

She finally knew why her mother had tried to go, leaving her behind.

Because against her father, fighting back was impossible.

Because he always found a way to twist the world to his advantage.

Because against him, there was no victory, only sacrifices.

Only the cold, familiar wind that seemed to be whispering her name like an old friend.

“...Do you think she would have won?” she suddenly asked, a single tear tracing its way down her cheek as she spoke, her voice ragged with sorrow and fury.

“What?”

“My mom.” Alezya’s breath hitched, broken with a raw edge. “If she had been given a chance to face you... do you think she would have won?”

Alezya lunged, seizing him with every ounce of strength she had left.

His startled gasp was lost in the wind as they tumbled together over the edge and into the abyss below.