“Prepare for next week. I expect to return quickly, but I do not want any issues. Is that understood?”

Both men nodded and bowed their heads low before sliding backward, keeping their faces from looking up.

“Now go.”

Each turned, eyes still aimed at their feet, and scurried out of the room, ignoring the gaze they felt from both dragons.

Stioks turned his gaze toward his new dragon. Taerar was only a few months old, yet he was growing quickly.

You should have let me eat one of them. I am hungry.

“You are always hungry but fear not. You can go and find yourself some food in a few minutes. I must ensure you both understand what will happen next week.”

Rising from his throne, Stioks moved to where Taerar and Juthom lay on the stone floor of the throne room next to each other.

He couldn’t help but smile as he saw how quickly his dragon was putting on size. Even Juthom was surprised at how fast it was happening. Compared to the massive black dragon, Taerar was tiny, barely anything to be concerned with, but if his growth continued at the pace so far, it would only be a few years before his dragon would be worthy of carrying him. For now, he was too precious and had to be protected.

I don’t want to go on this trip. It is too far, and I don’t like flying for no reason.

A thrum came from Juthom, who knew what was about to take place.

Stioks moved until he was next to Taerar and leaned over, rubbing the brown dragon's scales and listening to it trill for a moment.

Then it squealed as Stioks poured magic into his touch, and a hissing sound came from where he had placed his hand.

“Taerar, never forget that you and I are bound, and you must obey me. If you do not, you will die to those who hate us. A dragon rider has sworn to wipe out the life you enjoy, and the small amount of pain you experienced once again is only a taste of what the two of them can do.”

Pointing his hand at Juthom, Stioks never took his eyes off his dragon, which had taken a step back, lowering its head.

“Look at your sire and see what they did to him in a sneak attack. Those scales that have never formed back correctly testify to their devious side. That is why you must get stronger. You need to trust me, or you will never become the king you are meant to be.”

The small brown dragon’s head turned and gazed once more at the area Stioks had pointed out countless times. Taerar’s mind struggled to believe such a cruel person could be out there, trying to end his life and others. Yet the proof of the damage his sire had suffered stood as a testament to that fact. Dragon Rider Kaen and his terrible dragon Pammon wanted him and everyone else in this kingdom dead.

I will grow strong. I will not whine again.

Smiling, Stioks ignored the sound his skin made as it cracked and blood seeped from the wounds on his face. He stepped forward and held out his hand, waiting for Taerar to approach and lower his snout toward him.

“Good, I never want to hurt you, but I need you to understand pain. One day, we will save the land of those two and the others who follow them. Then you can rest every night without fear.”

Trills came from Taerar as Stiok’s scratched the scales along his snout.

The cold wind had lost its touch, and Stioks smiled as he glanced backward, seeing Taerar tearing into a pair of cows and devouring them.

One day, that lie may be your undoing. If he finds out–

Who is going to tell him? You and I both know you won’t and unless we decide to have ale and bread while lounging together with that bastard and his dragon, I do not expect Taerar ever to learn the truth until it doesn’t matter.

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Juthom said nothing, flying higher into the night sky as they left his child below.

Are you sure this plan of yours is the right path? It may be too soon. There is still a lot of time to keep him hidden.

Anger flared within Stioks at the questioning of his plan, and he fought not to unleash it upon Juthom. Lately, the dragon had been testing him more. Since the day he bound with Taerar, it had been as if something was different, and it bothered him.

Those elves must be punished; I can no longer allow it to go unanswered. Grakgor Stormfist has told me how badly his orcs and goblins have suffered. He wants to blame me, yet it is still his undoing. I told him to wait, and I needed to cause a distraction to help remove the suffering his kind is under. A time is coming when I will need him and his troops again. That means I cannot wait any longer.

Juthom snorted, keeping his head down as he did. Only once had he accidentally done it and gotten something on Stioks, and it had almost brought a divide between them that would have ended in at least one of them dying.

You know I am bound to you and will not go against you. My only concern is that when the time comes, we are genuinely prepared for the fight that is going to take place.

The wind swept the rare sound of laughter that came from Stioks. His face bled as the wind swept those drops behind him.

Those two have no idea how much stronger we are now. When that next time comes, I plan on ending them both once and for good.

Looking at the cup in his hand, Kaen couldn’t remember having crushed it.

“It’s ok, it’s not your–”

“It is!” exclaimed Kaen, cutting off Ava, who was trying to console him. He stood up and wheeled around, seeing her lean back at his sudden movement.

“Those people died because of me. They died because of my decisions! My inability to act and belief that perhaps we could live in peace!”

Tossing the broken cup across their room, he ignored the sound it made as the metal bounced off the stone walls and fell to the floor.

“How many have died because I believed Stioks felt he was beaten?”

Frowning, Ava shook her head at his question. “Thousands have died from the orc invasions these last three years, and you want to blame the man who gave us time these last three years to hold them off?!” Her voice got louder as she moved to stand in his face. “You have been working night and day for the last three years, fighting a battle that we wondered if it would ever stop! It has… for the first time in years, we have gone a month without a battle at those walls, and now we had one small moment of rest, yet you cannot help but still blame yourself!”

Kaen opened his mouth, preparing to reply, when Ava shook her head and held her hand up.

“You will wait till I am done.” Her voice was deep, and Kaen could see the fire in her eyes. He loved that passion about her but knew the following words she would speak would not be easy to hear.

“Aldric, Hess, and Herb all agreed with your decision three years ago. For once, we were able to focus on living. The people of Ebonmount could live without fear of a dragon swooping down in the middle of the night and burning them alive.

“Yes, that was short-lived, as the orcs came months later, but even then, as the days and weeks passed and Stioks never came to help the horde that rushed against our defenses, people saw hope- a chance to win and live again.

“Even with our food problems, King Bosgreth is assisting us by teaching us how to grow food inside the cave with light orbs. Our people will eat while the orcs and goblins have to risk eating their own dead near the walls. Over fifty thousand of their kind have died by our hands or by starvation.”

Ava poked her finger against his chest, ignoring that he didn’t move as she pressed against him. “You, Pammon, and his two companions drove back the horde. Every mile cost them countless more lives. The forests and fields are littered with their corpses. They are now pushed back to the caves, and everyone expects you to do what you must. Even if more must die, everyone who has signed up for this next task believes their life is worth the cost. So do not dishonor those who have already died and those who still might.”

Closing his eyes, Kaen slowly bobbed his head and took a deep breath, feeling her finger pressed against him. As he let it out and opened his eyelids, Ave stood there, her anger gone and smiling gently.

Glancing down, he saw her other hand gently rubbing the bump of her belly.

“I’m sorry, my love, I was just –”

“Being an eggling. I know. Hess and Sulenda both warned me you had moments like this.”

Laughing, he reached out and put his hand on top of hers.

“Hopefully, our child will not grow up too much like me.”

She rolled her eyes as she let his hand be under hers and grinned as he gently rubbed his thumb on her belly.

“Now, go outside and deal with your dragon. He is in a fit, and I cannot handle listening to both of you constantly complain to me.”

Snorting, Kaen leaned over and kissed her on the head before turning toward the exit.

A cough came after a few steps, and he glanced back, looking to see what was wrong.

“You’re forgetting something,” she said as she pointed at the cup he had destroyed.

“Forgive me, my love,” he replied, holding back the grin he almost let slip. Then he darted over, picking up the scrap of metal.

After he was gone, Ava rubbed her belly with both hands and sighed.

“Calm down, little one, you are kicking way too much.”