To Love a Prince (Knights of Valor Book 1)(83)

Eli swore as he swung down from his horse. “Fredrick’s a snake. We need to find Auburn before he does.”

The captain nodded.

Silencing the fear, Eli forced his mind to focus. “You’ve been looking for her, but perhaps in the wrong places. She learned to hide among servants.”

Surprise widened the captain’s eyes, but he said nothing.

“She’ll be heading towards a gold dragon, like that on the altar at the Dragon Church.”

“Gold dragon, Your Highness?” the captain said. “Why?”

Eli arched a brow.

“Palace is full of gold dragons, Your Highness. I will send men to check them all.”

The captain raced back into the palace, the stones crunching under his boots.

Eli’s heart pounded, and he sucked in a breath, refusing to allow fear to consume him. Auburn would get to the gold dragon.

He just had to find her before Fredrick did.

Pushing the fear aside, Eli focused on all the places she could have gone. All the places he’d taken her that day. The image of the gold dragons on the doors to the king’s office played through his mind.

Eli sprinted back into the palace.



Little mouse, little mouse,” Fredrick called. “Come out, come out, wherever you are.”

Another pew crashed.

Auburn glanced at the tall windows, but she could see no way out. Fredrick had to know she was hiding behind the altar, but he didn’t come and try to kill her.

Fear salted her tongue as she considered what he was planning.

“I wonder how you snared Prince Eli,” Fredrick said as he sauntered down the aisle. “How you lured him when no other could, especially when marrying you costs him so much.”

Auburn clutched the hilt of the dagger and tried to ignore his words, words he wanted to hurt her.

“Not the usual beauty, dowry, or connections. A witch, maybe, ensorcelling Eli.”

The temperature in the temple dropped until her breath puffed around her, and Auburn shivered as she huddled closer to the warmth of the altar.

“There’s a prophecy, you know, that Duke Calloway’s daughter would be queen.” Fredrick chuckled. “But you ruined Eli’s marriage to Daniella, didn’t you?”

She wanted to peek around the massive stone altar, but her stomach twisted, and she stayed hunkered.

Fredrick stalked around the perimeter of the apse. “Maybe you trapped Eli instead. Rumors are circulating that he’s being forced to marry you because of the Rule of Succession.”

Swallowing hard, Auburn forced her breathing to steady and touched her hand to the dragon necklace. Eli loved her no matter what the gossips said. No matter what Fredrick said.

“Only a handful of times has the Rule of Succession ever been invoked. But I believe you could’ve used it to force Eli to marry you.”

He stopped at the edge of the apse, and she touched the gold dragon on the altar. Warmth flowed into her, chasing away the cold, the curtain of half-lies, and the seed of doubt.

“I thought the Dracasan family would die out. I’ve had no children despite my best efforts.” Fredrick smirked. “I blackmailed Eli’s mistresses, but it seemed he was just as unable to reproduce as I was. Until you.”

Auburn remembered Leopold’s words again. Either the Knight had never shared them with Fredrick, or Fredrick hadn’t listened.

“I wonder if I could get the old Eli back by killing you. Worked once before, but Eli’s older now. More cynical. You wouldn’t like the way Eli was before Qumaref, but he was useful.”

Her fists balled at the threat, but she kept her temper and focused on escaping.



Two large guards dressed in the midnight blue and gold royal livery were still stationed outside his father’s door.

The guards nodded to the prince. “The king is in the throne room.”

“Anyone else go in?”

The guards shook their heads.

“A servant, perhaps, to tidy up after he left?”

The guards frowned at each other.

“I’m looking for Princess Auburn. She’s in trouble.”

They opened the doors for Eli, but only silence greeted him.

The room appeared exactly like it had earlier that day, or as it had months ago when King Garrett had sent his son to Qumaref.

Fear clawed at Eli.

Where else could she have gone? There weren’t that many places to hide when the captain and all the guards were searching for her.

As he turned to leave the office, a twinkle of gold caught his attention. The altar to Dracor. His father prayed to the Dragon God often for wisdom or guidance, particularly on difficult matters.

Eli hadn’t prayed in years.

The Dragon God hadn’t answered his prayers on that sunlit day so many years ago, and Eli had never bothered again. Never acknowledged the god again. Never saw the point.

Dracor hadn’t been there for him the one time Eli had needed Him.

If the prince admitted the truth, it was why he’d never asked for Dracor’s blessing.

The prince stared at the altar.

Dracor hadn’t listened then, but perhaps He would now. Swallowing back his pride, Eli bowed before the altar then dropped to his knees.





Chapter 50





A commotion outside the dragon doors disturbed Eli’s prayer.