With a snarl, Cole stepped toward the Lord. He was about to rush up the steps of the dais, but the dragon behind the throne had slid its head in front of the Lord while Cole destroyed its friend.
Its face was only inches away from Cole’s. Its hot breath blew Cole’s hair back from his face when it bared its lethal, six-inch-long teeth at him.
Then he felt the hot breaths of the others and realized they’d all enclosed on him. He didn’t turn to look at the monsters, but if the hate in the eyes of the one guarding the Lord was any indication, they were all pretty pissed.
None of them were as irate as him.
“Uh-ah.” The Lord wagged his index finger at Cole like he was some kind of recalcitrant toddler throwing a tantrum.
It only enraged him more. His shoulders heaved, his muscles swelled, and his fangs filled his mouth as his breath came in ragged exhalations. His claws bit into his palms until his blood spilled free; it mixed with his father’s and the dragon’s while he glowered at the monster before him.
He might be able to kill this one too, but the others would be on him before he reached the Lord. A big part of him didn’t give a fuck if he died trying to slaughter this prick. The other part told him he had to live to fight another day.
If he died here and the Lord survived, Lexi would be vulnerable. And he could not leave her unprotected in a world where this monster ruled.
If he could get to this monster and kill him, he would do it because it would keep her safer. However, he had no shot of succeeding. He’d managed to kill one dragon; he would not be able to battle his way through them all.
“Such a pity,” the Lord said as his gaze fell on the slaughtered dragon. “She was one of my favorites.” Then his attention returned to Cole, and a sly smile curved his mouth. “But very impressive. I don’t think anyone has ever singlehandedly killed a dragon before.”
Cole didn’t speak as blood dripped off him to splatter on the ground.
“I should kill you for doing that to one of my babies. Her friends certainly want you dead, but you are of far more use to me alive.”
The Lord stopped and stared expectantly at him, but Cole still didn’t speak. If this lunatic gave the command to kill him, he planned to take out a few more of these monsters before he went.
“I bet you’re thinking I’ve made a big enemy out of you and the dark fae,” the Lord said.
Silence.
“Normally, I would say you’re right, but you’re wrong here. Your father’s arrogance got him killed, as did his lies. He never planned to hand his sons over to me, but you’ll have no qualms about doing so. You will not become my enemy, Cole, and do you know why?”
Cole kept his mouth shut as he eyed the dragons slithering around him. They were eager for his blood, but they didn’t strike.
“Because if you become my enemy, countless dark fae will die. Do you understand me?”
He still didn’t speak.
“Do not eat him, my friends,” the Lord said and rubbed the back of the one protecting his throne. “If he decides not to play nice, you can have him, but that’s not going to happen because he’s going to be one of our best friends.”
Cole’s jaw clenched as images of tearing this bastard’s head off and dancing around it filled his mind.
“Now,” the Lord said as he steepled his hands before his face, “you’re going to go back to the Gloaming, and as the eldest prince, you’re going to take control of the dark fae. I know you’re only a half-breed and you will have to endure the trials, but you will rule them.
“If you survive the trials, some will fight your rise to the throne, but that’s not my problem. You will get the dark fae to fall in line, or I’ll destroy the Gloaming. You will be my greatest ally, or I will label the dark fae as traitors and hunt them across the realms. Do you understand me?”
Cole scowled at him. Before this was over, he would make sure this thing was nothing more than pieces of meat strewn across the ground for his dragons. And then, he would slaughter all the dragons.
The Lord’s eyes flicked past him, and a second later, a rush of hot air billowed against Cole’s nape as a dragon exhaled behind him.
“Do you understand me?” the Lord repeated.
Cole didn’t bother to look at the dragon, who was so close its nose brushed his skin, as he replied through gritted teeth, “Yes.”
“Good, because it is time that all the leaders of the realms learn I am not fucking around, and they are all replaceable. They will do as I say. You will do as I say, or I’ll kill them all.”
He was crazier than Cole realized, and as the hot breath of the dragon continued to warm his neck, a chill ran through him.
“You just killed the king of the dark fae,” Cole snarled. “The fae will not be excited to obey you.”
“And I have crowned you the new king, and you should have no problem with making them fall in line.”
There would be a huge problem. The dark fae had admired his father and followed him because he was powerful, fair, and quick to eradicate his enemies. They wouldn’t have such faith in Cole, and they were going to be pissed the Lord had destroyed their king.
But even with all their powers, and even if they got help from the other immortals, they couldn’t defeat the dragons. And there would be some who were glad Tove was dead; they would come for him and Brokk and try to destroy them.
The Lord had no idea the unrest he’d unleashed on the Gloaming by killing its king. If Cole couldn’t keep the realm together, it would crumble into civil war, just like Dragonia once did.
“Do you understand?” the Lord demanded.
Cole started to tell him where he could shove his declarations, but when an image of Lexi entered his mind, he bit back the words. He had to return to make sure she was safe, and he had to let the other coalition members know what happened here. He couldn’t do those things if he were dead.
“Yes,” Cole growled.
The Lord grinned at him. “Good boy. Now, run along.”
He waved his fingers at Cole as he shooed him away like an errant puppy. When Cole got the chance, he’d tear those fingers off and shove them up the Lord’s ass.
Cole turned to look at the puddle of his father’s blood again. It had mixed with the blood of the dragon, but it was still there beneath the dragon’s head. Sorrow swelled to repress his rage, and then it burned hotly through him again.
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s cleaned up,” the Lord said. “Now, do as you were commanded and leave my hall, or I’ll let my dragon eat one of your arms. I’m sure you couldn’t survive the trials without it.”
Though Cole only knew a little of what the trials entailed, it would be impossible to survive without it.
He bent and lifted the dragon’s head from the ground. “I’m taking this with me.”
“And if I say no?”
“You can say whatever you want, but if you want the dark fae to fall in line, then I’m taking the fucking head.”
Cole didn’t look back at him as he turned away. It took more willpower than he’d known he possessed to leave his father’s remains. He wanted to gather what remained of the man he’d loved so much, but he had nothing to carry the blood in. However, not having a body to entomb beside his mother and brothers weighed heavily on his heart.
He met the eyes of the dragon behind him over the top of the thick scales lining its snout. Hatred glistened in those yellow eyes, but it was nothing compared to what Cole felt for these beasts.
“Let him pass,” the Lord commanded, and after a few seconds, the dragon reluctantly slithered away.