Silas contacted Dimitri as he drew near to Draven Castle. We’re returning. Is it safe for Gwennore?
Yes. The king rescinded the warrant for her arrest. We’ll meet you in Karlan’s office.
Did you hear that? Silas asked Gwen, who was cradled in his forelegs.
“Yes.”
Silas could hear her thoughts, so he knew she was relieved, but still worried about the crowd who had demanded her death. Everything will be fine. We’ll announce our betrothal—
“I think we should wait till after the queen’s funeral.”
All right. He swooped down to the grassy clearing by the cabin. You should close off your mind now.
After they landed, he dressed in the cabin while she erected her mental shield. Then they walked toward the castle, hand in hand.
In the hallway outside Karlan’s office, Margosha, Annika, and Olenka were waiting with the dog Brody. He gave a yelp as he trotted toward them.
“Gwen!” Annika ran toward her, followed by the other ladies. “Thank the Light! We were so worried about you.”
“I’m fine.” Gwen smiled as she encompassed in a group hug. When Brody barked, she gave him a hug, too.
Silas cleared this throat. “I’m feeling fine, too, in case anyone is wondering.”
Annika laughed. “That’s good. Thank you for rescuing Gwen.”
Margosha patted Gwen’s shoulder. “There’s no need for you to fret. The king has changed his mind—”
“You mean we changed it for him,” Olenka boasted. “I told His Majesty that my dear friend would never harm anyone.”
Gwen’s eyes widened. “You stood up for me?”
“We all did,” Karlan said from the open doorway of his office.
Dimitri stepped into the hallway. “I wasn’t going to let my cousin be falsely arrested.”
Gwen’s eyes glimmered with tears as she looked over her friends. “Thank you.”
Silas took her hand. “Soon everyone in the country will love you.” He leaned close. “But you’re mine first.”
She beamed at him. “I’ve always wished for a place where I could be loved for who I am.”
Dimitri cleared his throat. “We need to talk. Now.”
When Brody trotted into the office, Dimitri glanced inside. “Shit. Don’t come in now. He’s shifting.”
“I have a spare uniform I can give him,” Karlan muttered as he went inside.
“Is something wrong?” Silas asked.
“Yes.” Dimitri glanced inside once more. “We can go in now.”
After Silas and Gwen went inside, the other ladies tried to follow them.
Dimitri lifted a hand to stop them. “Official business.”
“But I’m on your side,” Olenka protested.
“Lady Olenka,” Silas said. “Gwen and I haven’t eaten since yesterday. Would you mind bringing us some food?”
“We would be delighted.” Margosha dragged Olenka off.
Annika stayed put, glaring at Dimitri.
He stared back.
She stepped close, lifting her chin. “Are you letting me in?”
Dimitri frowned at her. “I assume you’re referring to the office.”
She huffed. “What if I mean you?”
He clenched his fists. “We’ll discuss that later.”
“Why?” She scowled at him. “Haven’t I waited long enough?”
Silas cleared his throat. “We’re not announcing it publicly till after Her Majesty’s funeral, but Gwen and I are getting married.”
Annika squealed and dashed into the office to give Gwen a hug. “That’s wonderful! I’m so happy for you.”
Gwen laughed. “After I’m married, you’ll be my cousin. And Sorcha will be a real sister.”
Silas gave Dimitri a smirk.
He tugged at his collar, then followed them inside and closed the door.
Gwen and Annika sat in the chairs in front of Karlan’s desk, while Silas leaned over, propping his elbows on the back of Gwen’s chair. Brody was behind the desk, now wearing breeches and buttoning a shirt.
“My thanks to everyone for convincing the king to rescind his order,” Silas began. “How is His Majesty?”
With a sigh, Karlan sat behind his desk. “He’s distraught. Not eating. Not sleeping. Not leaving the queen’s side.”
“The queen’s body is in her bedchamber,” Dimitri added as he leaned against a wall. “The priest wants to move her to the chapel so her body can lie in state before the funeral, but the king doesn’t seem to even hear him.”
Annika nodded. “It’s very sad. When we went there to defend Gwennore, he broke into tears and said there had been enough death.” She gave Gwen a worried look. “That’s when he withdrew the order. He seems very confused right now, so I can’t tell if he’s entirely convinced of your innocence. He did believe that the tea we made was helping.”
“I see,” Gwen said.
“That was last night.” Dimitri frowned. “This morning, when I checked on him, he was babbling nonsense.”
Silas straightened. “What was he saying?”
“He kept repeating the story about how Fafnir had saved the lives of our ancestors by giving them a piece of his dragon heart. Now the king thinks Fafnir should be able to do the same for his late wife.”
Silas sighed. His brother was becoming more delusional.
“A dragon gave away a part of his heart?” Gwen asked.
“That was five hundred years ago, when the mine collapsed on the seven brothers,” Silas explained. “When the bodies were extracted from the mountain, King Magnus discovered the youngest five had survived. Barely. He begged the Ancient Ones to save his sons, but the dragons refused. Then one dragon, Fafnir, agreed. He gave the brothers his blood and a piece of his heart.”
Gwen twisted in her chair to look at him. “And that is how you became dragon shifters?”
Silas nodded. “It was a great shock to their bodies, and two of the brothers died. Only the youngest three survived, and they soon learned that they were dragon shifters. Their sons and grandsons were also born with the ability.”
“They didn’t see any point in remaining slaves to the Ancient Ones,” Dimitri continued the story. “So they rebelled.”
“That was the Great Dragon War,” Annika added. “When the Ancient Ones were dying off, they put a curse on the three clans.”
“But Fafnir is still alive?” Brody asked. “After five hundred years?”
Silas sighed. “I’m not convinced it is Fafnir. He’s living in secret at the Sacred Well and only appears to the king. At first, I was worried my brother was delusional, because I went to the Sacred Well and no one was there. But then I learned that it was Fafnir who gave my brother the poisoned rings for Queen Freya.”
Karlan frowned. “So Fafnir is real.”
Silas shrugged. “Any rogue dragon shifter could claim to be an Ancient One. Whoever this Fafnir is, he’s been trying to manipulate my brother into invading Woodwyn and declaring war on Eberon and Tourin.”
Karlan exchanged a look with Dimitri. “That sounds like what His Majesty was talking about this morning. He thinks Fafnir will revive his wife if he attacks Tourin and takes their queen.”
“Brigitta?” Brody looked alarmed. “Why her?”
“I heard something similar,” Silas admitted. “I thought it strange that a dragon would be interested in a human female. And that’s when it occurred to me that this dragon could actually be—”
“The Chameleon.” Brody’s eyes lit up. “When the bastard was in Tourin, he wanted Brigitta for himself.”
Gwen winced. “Holy goddesses, he still wants her.”
“What is this Sacred Well?” Brody asked Silas. “Did you notice anything odd when you went there?”
“It’s a cave with a boiling-hot spring. The stream that runs from the spring is hot enough to kill a human, but not a dragon. So it was the place where the Ancient Ones would gather. Other than the large cavern, there are a few tunnels and rooms. I found a pallet and some clothes.” Silas thought back. “A rat ran past me.”
Brody nodded. “That could have been him. If I go with you, I’ll be able to detect his scent.”
“All right,” Silas agreed. “It won’t take long for us to fly there.”
“What will you do if you find him?” Gwen asked.
Brody’s fists clenched. “He’s escaped me twice. I’m not letting him get away again.”
“I’ll roast him with dragon fire,” Silas said.
Dimitri shook his head. “If he’s a dragon, he’ll be impervious to fire.”
“But he might be the Chameleon,” Brody argued. “If he is, then he’s only taking on a dragon form. He won’t automatically have all the powers that come with it.”
“You don’t think he can breathe fire?” Silas asked.
Brody shrugged. “I doubt it. I know I wouldn’t be able to. Just because I can look and fly like an eagle, it doesn’t mean I can lay an egg. Does this Sacred Well have any weapons we can use?”
Silas shook his head. “No. It’s considered a holy place.”
“We should ride there,” Dimitri suggested as he pushed off from the wall. “Then we can bring weapons with us.”
“I’ll see to the horses.” Karlan dashed out the door.
Margosha and Olenka brought in trays of food.
Silas handed Gwen a loaf of bread, then took one for himself.
“I want to go, too,” Annika said.
“Go where?” Olenka asked as she filled cups with wine.
“You’re not going,” Dimitri muttered.
Annika turned to him. “I’m a soldier, too.”
“I’m not putting you at risk,” Dimitri growled.
“That should be my decision,” Annika insisted.
“Do you think I could live if anything happened to you?” Dimitri shouted. When Annika’s mouth fell open, he grabbed her arm and dragged her into the hallway.
A thud sounded against the wall.
Olenka slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from giggling.
Silas peered out the doorway and spotted his best friend and cousin locked in a passionate kiss. With a grin, he shut the door. “We’ll leave them alone for a moment.”
Gwen smiled as she buttered her bread.
“Are you going somewhere dangerous?” Margosha asked as she passed him a cup of wine.
“Maybe.” Silas downed the cup.
“Where is this Sacred Well?” Brody asked. When Silas shot him an annoyed look, he shrugged. “You said it was a holy place. It’s not a secret, is it?”
“It can be dangerous,” Margosha said. “The dragons are protected from the hot spring with their scales, but a person would be burned to death.”
Silas nodded. “That’s why only Dimitri, Brody, and myself will go.”
Gwen gave him a worried look. “Be careful.”
Silas smiled at her. “Nothing will keep me from coming back to you.”
* * *
After seeing Silas off, Gwennore was too worried to follow his suggestion that she take a nap. Annika seemed just as worried, so Gwennore offered to keep her company in the workroom.
The group of women took the trays of food upstairs and sat around a worktable, eating and speculating on who the Chameleon could really be.
“Maybe he’s not even human!” Olenka announced.
Annika snorted. “What would he be then? A fish?”
Gwennore sipped some wine. “He seems to be fluent in several languages.”
Margosha nodded. “And if he’s masquerading as Fafnir, then he knows about our history and culture.”
The door opened and Aleksi sauntered inside. “Good afternoon.”
Gwennore smiled at him. “You’re back.”
He nodded. “Just now.” He wandered over to the table and helped himself to a hunk of cheese. “Your tonic has become very popular in Vorushka. Lots of people want to try it.”
“That’s good news.” Gwennore filled a wooden cup with wine and handed to Aleksi. “Did Karlan tell you what was happening?”
“Yes,” Aleksi grumbled. “I can’t believe they left without me.”
Annika snorted. “I feel the same way.”
Aleksi downed the cup of wine, then slammed it on the table. “I’m tempted to go there myself.”
“I’ll go with you,” Annika offered.
Suddenly the door burst open and King Petras stumbled into the room, his eyes wild and unfocused.
Everyone jumped to their feet so they could curtsy or bow. “Your Majesty,” they all murmured.
Petras looked around for a moment as if he wasn’t sure where he was, then his gaze fell on Gwennore. “You.”
She bowed her head. “Your Majesty, I am so terribly sorry for your loss—”
“Then do something!” He stalked toward her. “You’re a healer, aren’t you? You can bring her back!”
Gwennore swallowed hard. “Your Majesty, it grieves me to say this, but Her Majesty has—”
“She’s not dead!” Petras screamed. “She’s just sleeping.” He motioned toward the hearth. “You can cook up some sort of concoction. Hurry!”
“Your Majesty, there’s nothing—” Gwennore stopped when the king fell to his knees. Her heart ached at the raw despair on his face.
“I’ll give you anything,” Petras whispered. “You can marry my brother. You can be the next queen.”
Tears burned her eyes. “I’m so sorry, but there’s nothing I can do.”
He hefted himself to his feet. “Then I’ll have to do whatever Fafnir tells me to do. I’ll have to go to him.”
“Your Majesty.” Aleksi stepped toward him. “This isn’t a good time to go there.”
“Why not?” Petras looked around the room, his gaze growing more frantic. “Silas. Where is Silas?”
Gwennore winced.
“Where is he?” Petras shouted.
Olenka bowed her head. “He went to the Sacred Well, Your Majesty.”
“No!” Petras backed toward the door. “No, he’ll chase Fafnir away!” He ran outside.
Aleksi leaned into the hallway, then glanced back at them. “His Majesty is headed up the stairs. I’m going to follow him.”
“I’m going, too!” Annika dashed off with Aleksi.
Gwennore hesitated. Was Petras headed to the roof so he could shift and fly to the Sacred Well? If so, he might arrive before Silas, Dimitri, and Brody. She chased after Aleksi and Annika.
“Be careful!” Margosha called after her.
Gwennore darted up the stairs. When she reached the roof, she saw a dragon taking off. Petras.
“I’ll go after him.” Aleksi unfastened his sword belt and dropped it. As he unbuttoned his shirt, Annika turned her back to him and put on his belt.
“I’ll go with you,” she said. “And bring your weapon.”
“I need to go, too.” Gwennore picked up Aleksi’s discarded breeches. When she glanced up, a dragon was waiting impatiently beside them.
“Come on!” Annika climbed onto his shoulders and pulled Gwennore up in front of her. “Grab on to his neck.”
Gwennore held on tight as Aleksi ran down the rooftop, then launched. His wings beat the air, and they lifted higher and higher, headed north.
She lowered her mental shield. Thank you, Aleksi.
He made a huffing noise. Silas is going to be pissed.
Then why are you doing this? she asked him mentally.
I don’t like being left out. When we get there, take cover and stay safe, or the general will have my hide.
I understand. Gwennore put her shield back up, so Aleksi wouldn’t know how afraid she was that something terrible was about to happen.