Page 19 of In the Embrace of Dragons

“That’s good.” I don’t flinch as Vizarios advances another step, so we’re mere inches apart. “Then you’ll have no qualms with doing it again.”

Another hiss, and the king appears ready to tear something to shreds.

“I willnotbe doing it again,” he snaps, now fully in my face, though he’s a good foot shorter than I am.

“Why?” I don’t think he’ll lash out at me, but I am pushing him to his limit. “If you enjoyed it so much.”

If looks could kill, I wouldn’t just be dead. I would be murdered by a thousand sword points, my neck slashed open. Vizarios’s throat rumbles with a threatening growl, but I don’t move to defend myself.

Then, all at once, the king backs away from me, his shoulders sagging, until he’s up against the side of the tub. He grips it harshly and turns his head away.

“Why are you doing this, Rag? Why are you...” He trails off, unable to even finish a sentence because he’s starting to crack.

I sigh, realizing that I’ve been too callous. Vizarios may put up a strong wall, but behind it, I know he’s vulnerable. He has always had so much emotion stored up inside him, to his benefit and detriment.

“I want you to behappy,” I say. His eyes dart up to mine. “If you want her, then you should have her. You should live that life. Have dragonlings with her, and raise them together, and?—”

“Shut up!” Vizarios slams a fist into the side of the tub.His gaze is pleading when he turns it on me. “Don’t say that. Don’t youeversuggest that...”

“What?” Now I’m the one advancing on him, making him lean back. “You don’t want me to suggest that you live your life? Why is that so wrong, Your Majesty?”

“Don’t call me that!” He’s panting, all his muscles coiled tight. “You know why.”

I pause where I am and let out a sigh that could sweep the whole world.

“You need to let go,” I say in my gentlest voice.

Vizarios scowls. “No.”

I don’t know why he has to be so stubborn, but I suppose he wouldn’t be who he is if he weren’t. He wouldn’t be the dragon who means so much to me.

I shake my head, realizing that this has gone much too far as I’ve chased after an inch he’ll never give.

“Then be miserable.” Even I don’t expect the bite in my tone. “It will never be like it was, not ever again, so instead you are choosing a life of pain and heartache when you could have one full of happiness instead.”

Vizarios stares at me, his expression hurt. “That’s not true, Rag?—”

I don’t listen to the rest. I turn around and leave the bathing room, slamming the door shut behind me.

VIZARIOS

I slide down the side of the tub to the floor, shivering. I don’t know if it’s because of the cold water evaporating off my scales, or something deeper and meaner than that, but my arms won’t stop shaking.

Ragnakor’s face was as hard as stone and impossible toread. He’s closed himself off from me intentionally, trying to convince me I’d be better off if I just went down the road laid out in front of me.

But I will never accept it. I am not that sort of dragon. I will fight for what I want most until I have nothing left with which to fight.

Eventually, when I’m almost dry, I grab a towel and run it over my body, hoping to stop my trembling and clear the cobwebs out of my head. Fucking my new queen rattled my brains, that’s all. I would be thinking much more clearly if I hadn’t just been inside her, watching as her head fell back and her tits rose into the air, that magnificently soft cunt welcoming me and pulsing around me?—

No. Just because she made a sweet hole for my cock doesn’t mean anything. I have no connection with her whatsoever.

I walk out of the bathing room, flinging my towel away as I rifle through my clothes. I ought to dress up for the wardens, many of whom came a long way for this. We will be officially presented as the king and queen of the dragons, and I need to show strength and power. There was never any question that I would take over after my mother passed away, but this is the first major event of my reign, and I will make sure that the wardens see a united front.

Right. King and queen. We must be on the same page to keep the peace in the kingdom.

I lean out my door, looking for one of the servants. He arrives only a moment later with a pot of hot tea, which isn’t exactly what I wanted, but it’s not unwelcome, either. He deposits it on the table before I send him away again to fetch Queen Nissia.

I won’t give in to Ragnakor. I won’t give up on what I want most in this forsaken world. But I will do what needs to be done in order to rule.