The Last Dragon King (Kings of Avalier #1)(17)

“My father,” I croaked. “Barely a quarter I’m afraid.” I wanted to throw him off my trail, get him more interested in Kendal or this powerful girl from Grim Hollow. I knew he could smell a lie, but to be honest I still hadn’t fully processed what my mother had told me, and my father was still my father. So it didn’t feel like a lie. The longer I was away from my mother, the less scary her story felt, but I still wanted to have my guard up.

I wished I could see the king’s face. Was he scowling at me right now? Or merely observing me quizzically?

“The sniffer said she had more power than Kendal,” Regina offered slyly, cutting right through my plan of staying under the radar. “She must not know her complete family history.”

I glanced at her with annoyance, but she was looking at the king.

Kendal shifted uncomfortably beside me. “I’ve never been to Jade City. Is it true there is a college there with a focus in clothes-making?”

Saved by Kendal. I owed her one for that.

“There is,” the king said coolly, and I felt like he was still watching me. It was starting to annoy me that I couldn’t see his face.

“Aren’t you warm with that hood up? Surely you can take it down for dinner?” Kendal said.

Kendal might be simple, but she wasn’t stupid. The hood all through dinner was weird and she was starting to direct all of her questions at him, like she knew he was a man of importance.

The men at the table quieted and cast wary glances from her to their king.

“Kendal, he has a horrible facial disfigurement,” I said suddenly, and a few men at the table snickered.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Kendal said, ever the proper lady.

The eyes that I had suspected were glaring at me the entire dinner suddenly turned yellow, and black smoke began to leak from the mouth of the hood.

I froze.

Regina stood so fast her chair skidded backwards. “Alright. Dinner was great. I’m going to get these ladies to bed. Long day of travel in the morning.”

Kendal stood as well, alarm registering on her face, and she curtsied to the men. “Thank you for dinner.”

I got up last, glaring at the two yellow eyes inside of the hood, which stared right back at me. “Goodnight,” I managed to say, and then turned to follow Regina and Kendal out of the dining hall.

I didn’t know if I was trying to make the king hate me so that he wouldn’t pick me as a wife, or if I truly disliked him. Maybe a little of both.





SIX





After settling into our joined room, I cleaned up in the washroom, pleased to find it had hot running water like Naomie’s bathhouse, and then went right off to sleep. I’d been sleeping on hard dirt or in caves the past week. This was my first real time in a soft bed, so when my head hit the pillow I was out.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t stop dreaming about the two yellow eyes glaring at me from within the hood.

Somewhere in the middle of the night, there was a loud banging at the door. My eyelids flew open as my heart hammered against the wall of my chest.

“Regina!” a deep male voice barked.

My vision was blurry with sleep, and with only the moonlight to light up the room, I could barely see as Regina bolted across the space and tore open the door.

“What is it?” Regina sounded as dazed as I felt.

“Get to the stables.” It was Nox. He peered into the room as I scrambled to sit up. “Nightfall’s army was spotted crossing the Great River. The king awaits your command.” The guard spoke quickly but confidently, and it was like frigid snow had been poured in my veins.

The Nightfall army crossed into Embergate?

That was… that was an act of war.

I stood, fully alert as all vestiges of sleep left me, and ran over to Kendal, who was still fast asleep. “Kendal, wake up.” I shook her and she moaned, peering up at me with bleary eyes.

“What’s going on?” Kendal’s sleepy voice pierced the room.

“The Nightfall queen’s army is… attacking?” I wasn’t actually sure, but why else would they breach our lands? “We need to leave with the king, now.”

“The king?” she shrieked.

Oh, right, she didn’t know. Oops.

“Get dressed. Now,” Regina ordered.

I slipped into my leather hunting suit and Kendal put on one of her casual day dresses. Within two minutes, we were downstairs and crossing the street, headed for the stables.

The king was there, hood pulled back, pacing the large open barn. When we reached him, Kendal fell into a deep curtsy. “Your Highness.”

He nodded at her and gave me a pinched expression before turning to Regina. “Advise me,” he commanded her.

Whoa, so Regina really was in charge of his army? That was so incredibly badass, and yet I had no time to dwell on it because my heart was ratcheting up higher each moment.

Regina nodded. “I suspect the Nightfall queen has heard of your search for a new wife. She knows you don’t have an heir. She will try to take you out.”

Assassination attempt?

Kendal swayed on her feet as if she were about to faint. I positioned myself closer to her just in case.

“I should breathe fire on all of them and burn them to a crisp,” he growled.

I smelled smoke. It was probably leaking from his mouth and nose but it was too dark to see.