Cole

What use was a slave if she didn't obey my orders? She'd warned me of her history of disobedience. I thought it would take more than a few days for her to grow so defiant.

I stalked through the palace corridor, my bootheels clicking on the marble floor. No one in the palace disobeyed me. Her refusal to answer was a challenge I couldn't ignore.

Talon, where are you?

In the gardens by the fish pond.

I changed direction and went out to the gardens. The large, red-scaled beast lounged on the sunny rocks around the fish pond. His body curled around the curve of the water, one hand hanging lazily into the glassy surface.

Colorful fish with scales of blue, green, red, and orange nibbled at Talon's black claws. Their bodies swayed and curled elegantly as their translucent, feathery fins disrupted the pond's surface.

He looked so relaxed. Given that we just burned the wheat fields of a neighboring territory, leaving thousands to starve if they didn't enter a trade agreement with Telasia, he had an uncanny way of letting it all go.

I headed to a nearby shed and grabbed a bucket, scrub brush, and bottle of sweet oils.

Talon lazily raised one eyelid, his slitted pupil following me. He huffed a curling tendril of smoke when he saw the grooming supplies.

I poured the oil into the bucket and dipped the brush in. Talon had some loose scales on his haunches. I started there, scrubbing the oil into his hide, knocking loose the old scales, and nourishing the leathery skin beneath so new ones would grow.

Talon grumbled and rolled his leg away.

Not so hard. You'll scrub my skin right off.

Sorry.

The great dragon huffed again. He craned his long neck around until his head was right in front of me. He rested his head on a rock blinking large, reptilian eyes in my direction.

You're annoyed.

I scoffed. You noticed, did you?

I don't understand. Sabine survived, didn't she? Why are you so upset?

I paused, the brush coming to a standstill on Talon's side. Narrowing my eyes, I studied the dragon's face closely. It was hard to determine a dragon's thoughts or emotions through tone and expression. I could feel a lot of what Talon felt but sometimes it was hard to know if those were his feelings or mine reflected back at me through him.

Sabine, is it?

She has a nice name.

I rolled my eyes and got back to scrubbing. Since when did Talon use anyone's name, other than mine and other dragons?

She wouldn't answer my question. I gave her an order and she refused. What good is a slave that refuses to do what their master asks?

You said you didn't want a slave. Talon rumbled. The ground trembled beneath my feet and the water in the fish pond vibrated. The fish panicked, swishing back and forth before finally submerging deeper.

Whether I want her or not, she is still my slave and should act like one! I tossed the brush in the bucket. Huffing, I sat on a rock and leaned my back against Talon's side. His warmth enveloped me and the steady rise and fall of his great breaths helped me relax.

You're angry about what was done to her. Talon pointed out. Is that because you care for her?

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What? No! She has her uses, and she's here by your request, remember?

I could not forget that. Sabine is a light in the dark.

I rolled my eyes again. Whatever that was supposed to mean. Whoever attacked her was really attacking me. I tipped my head back against Talon's body and closed my eyes. Who in the palace is bold enough to go after the War Dragon's personal property?

Bold? They attacked a slave girl, someone who couldn't fight back or speak out against anyone of higher rank. They purposefully attacked the one person who was helpless, defenseless, and alone with no personal ties to anyone.

Scoffing, I opened my eyes and watched fluffy white clouds roll by. If that was the case, who in the palace wanted to attack me but was too weak and cowardly that they had to go after someone as vulnerable as Sabine?

She's stronger than you think.

Yes, she survived longer than I'd expected without food and water. She even survived severe burns from her collar in her weakened state.

Mages built the slave collars and put all the spells and tricks into them that made them work. I asked the palace mages why her collar burned her when she was attempting to get food. They told me the collars weren't mind readers. Her intention was to "get out" of where she was and when she tried to climb out a window, it registered as her trying to escape.

I shook my head. The device meant to keep her from running almost cost Sabine her life. Slaves never had a chance.

Why wouldn't she tell me? She knows who I am and that I would not let this insult against me go unpunished.

Talon chortled and more smoke rose from his nostrils.

You and I both know that a slave who points a finger at someone higher ranking than them is just as likely to be punished while the offender goes free.

I snorted and shook my head. That's not how I do things. Especially, since the target of this attack was me.

Sabine doesn't know that.

I couldn't get used to hearing her name in Talon's voice. Dragons rarely used such formalities with anyone outside their own species or their bonded human. Talon's fondness for this girl went far beyond just finding her interesting.

Jealousy curled in my stomach. What was it about some slave that had my dragon so curious and adoring of her?

She should! She should know that I wouldn't punish her.

Talon lifted his head to the sky and bugled, a sound akin to laughter. Have you done anything to make her think that?

I chewed the inside of my lip. It had been so long since I had a slave under my care, that I could hardly remember how a lifetime of mistreatment made them. She was just as suspicious and cautious of me as anyone else.

Considering who her last master was, I couldn't blame her for that. She'd been broken when she was just a child.

She's not broken, Talon interjected fiercely.

If you say so. Half the time, she just stares into space. It's like there's no one inside at all.

Abruptly, Talon stood up and I fell backward. I caught myself before tumbling off the rocks into the fish pond.

"Hey!" I blurted out aloud.

The great dragon swished his tail and walked deeper into the gardens. Everything around the palace, and many of the buildings, had been tailored and constructed to accommodate the dragons and their size. Only a few wings in the inner palace, like our family wings, were too small for dragons.

I watched Talon disappear into the greenery, his scales glinting with sunlight as he sauntered off.

"Well, I guess that concludes that conversation..." I stood up and dusted myself off.

You'll see, Cole. Sabine is more than you could ever imagine.

I shook my head and wondered if the girl's love potion had worked after all, on my dragon of all things.

Footsteps down the garden path caught my attention. I turned as a servant strode toward me holding a silver tray. He stopped in front of me and bowed, holding the tray up.

There was an envelope, sealed with wax, on the center of the tray. I recognized Wyatt's seal and I snatched the letter.

"Your Majesty." The servant bowed again.

I dismissed him with the flick of my writs and opened the envelope. I'd left Wyatt on the frontlines to handle the trade agreement. He was better at negotiating and I was better at threatening.

{Your Highness,

Negotiations have concluded. The good people of Carsa are happy to enter into a trade agreement with Telasia in exchange for protection from mages. The people have expressed growing concern with the unusual uptick in mage activity throughout their countryside. They believe the mages have a sinister purpose.

I have not told them the mages are likely there in response to our presence as they seem far too eager to sign their liberties away to a treaty with us. Should they learn the truth, they might become uncooperative.

In light of their observations, I've sent several scouts into Carsa territory and have noticed the increased mage activity as well. They all bear the symbol of Stivalia. It is clear that King Verill is getting bolder. Two mages were captured as they attempted to storm the negotiation summit. I have the situation under control but I fear it will only escalate.

Please await further updates,

General Wyatt.}

I scrunched up the letter in my fist. Damn Stivalia! If they knew what was good for them, they'd back off. What was their sudden obsession with meddling in our affairs? It would only end in their demise.