The Last Dragon King (Kings of Avalier #1)(44)

When I made it to the training field, Regina was barking orders at a few men who stood before her.

Walking up to her, I waved giddily. “Hey, we got the training—”

“You’re late, and you’re moons behind this new rookie squadron,” she barked at me. “Take your sword and pick a partner. You’ll need three practices a day to get in fighting shape. Weak soldiers get killed, and I won’t have that on my watch.”

I gulped. All pretenses of this being a morning bonding with my new squadron were dashed. She wasn’t kidding about not showing me any special treatment.

“Yes, Commander.” I hefted my sword and stood next to some scrawny guy who looked lost.

“Up,” Regina cried, and held her sword before her, straight up to the sky. “Cross right,” she barked, and brought it down and to the right. The other men did as she did, so I quickly got into line and mimicked the motions.

“Cross left.” She brought the sword to the left.

“And down.” She slashed the sword down.

Then we did that five thousand more times. Maybe not that many, but it felt like it. My arms felt like the bones had melted and all that was left was skin and blood. As Regina called an end to practice, they quivered as I tried to hold the sword up.

“Get some food,” Regina called out to the group, but then tipped her head to me, indicating I stay behind.

I walked over to her side and she looked from me to Cal. “Come back after lunch and work with Cal. You’ll need to catch up.”

Cal had been assisting Regina for the entire class and had now apparently been made my tutor. He gave me a smile, and again I was struck by how handsome he was. Maybe not marrying the king, being independent with my own job and salary, was going to be the biggest blessing of all.

Maybe if I told myself that enough times I might even believe it was true.





FOURTEEN





Three Weeks Later.





I’d heard that Hades was a horrible fate for any soul, full of constant torment and pain in the afterlife. Well, I’d gotten a taste of it over the past three weeks under Regina and Cal’s constant “care.” It was like they were trying to bring me to the brink of death each and every day, and only when I was ready to meet the Maker did they allow me to go home and rest. My leather hunting suit no longer fit. I’d bulked up in every area due to the constant hefting of heavy weapons and eating of rich foods. The palace seamstress was going to take it out for me and add a side panel today.

Despite the constant practices, bruises, and even stitches, I’d never been stronger, faster, or more lethal. I’d learned to wield a sword in combat and spit fire on my enemy. I even learned that I had self-healing powers. A wound that would have taken me weeks to heal before was now gone within a day.

I had three practices a day, one with Regina and my pup squadron, one with Cal, and the other with the king himself. The king and my practices were secret, where he taught me to use my dragon magic.

Joslyn and the king were officially engaged to be married in a week’s time. Sometimes she came to the practices, which was a little awkward. I’d gotten a front seat as I watched her fall in love with the king, but it was clear he did not share her affections. He was respectful to her, cared for her needs, but he did not hold her hand, didn’t kiss her, and she’d confided in me that she feared it was going to be a marriage of convenience.

I had also grown close to her, considered her one of my good friends. She was kind, strong, and thoughtful, and we spent nearly every evening taking a walk around the gardens and talking about our day. It was good to have someone else who knew about your situation, and both Joslyn’s and my situations were unique. She was going to be the future queen of Embergate, and she’d been let in on the secret that I was the Lost Royal. The king killer. All those titles I shunned. I’d rather be known as a good hunter or even a pup in the Royal Guard.

I stood in the training field waiting on the king as I bit into an apple. Joslyn was sunning on a nearby rock with her dark hair splayed out behind her.

“Your mom and sister are coming for the Fall Moon Festival, right?” Joslyn asked.

I nodded, unable to keep the grin off my face. I hadn’t seen them since I came here nearly a moon ago, but I’d sent home a letter with a royal courier telling them of my new job, and my mother seemed happy with my new position in the Royal Guard. “Drae said that she and my sister could stay in the palace.”

The king and I were on a first-name basis, and I hated to admit it but I considered him one of my closest friends. We saw each other every day for practice, and he was so patient in teaching me new things and so easy to talk to. Ever since I joined the Royal Guard and took that pledge before everyone, it was like he fully trusted me. Gone was the stuffy king with an unreadable gaze. Now, he was just… Drae.

“What a nice king he is to have done that.” Drae’s voice came from behind me and Joslyn burst into laughter as I rolled my eyes.

“He’s okay at times,” I admitted, causing him to lightly shove me in the shoulder.

“Hello, Drae,” Joslyn said awkwardly, sitting up and waving too eagerly at him.

“How are you today?” he asked her kindly.

She gave him a small smile. “Good. I got a new dress made.” She spread her hands over the bright yellow silk and looked up at him expectantly.