The Serpent's Chains

Chapter 25: Time for a Replacement

Cole

The king's sunken eyes trained on me as I filled him in on what happened with Sabine. For someone bonded to a dragon, he was young. Somehow, age still seemed to be winning an unseen battle with him.

"This slave girl of yours, why would she be attacked, twice?" He set his elbow on the throne arm and rested his wrinkled cheek on his palm.

"I don't believe she was the target."

Beside me, Wyatt tensed. I slid my eyes toward him. He kept his head bowed but his mouth twitched.

"She's my personal attendant and I think it is more likely that she was targeted as a way to get to me," I elaborated.

"Then you think it is Stivalia?" King Talis held a hand out to me. He blinked several times, his eyelids remaining closed for too long.

"Yes. They were Stivalian mages and their ringleader was someone high-ranked. A noble."

My father sighed heavily and nodded. His eyes flashed suddenly and he rose from his throne, all traces of fatigue gone.

Of course, it was the pitiful old man act.

I bit the inside of my cheek. Why did I let myself fall for that? I sought out Amonette. She slumbered across the throne room, snoring softly. Or she pretended to. My momentary lapse was her doing. Just a moment with my guard down and she wormed her way in for my father.

"This is why we should be more proactive in our efforts against Stivalia," my father insisted. He swiped his arm through the air. "They are targeting you, heir to the throne. That is dangerous since you've yet to continue the bloodline yourself!"

I rubbed my temple. How did he get from a war on Stivalia back to the conversation about me finding a wife? He transitioned from talking of death and war to marriage and life too easily.

"It's under control, father." I ground my teeth together. "I've already sent warnings to King Verill. His response will determine how I proceed."

"Very well." The king flicked his wrist toward the throne room door.

The moment the heavy doors closed behind us, Wyatt grabbed my arm.

"You lied to him."

I arched an eyebrow. "Did I?"

"By omission, yes." He nodded, his shoulder-length hair brushing his face. I rarely saw Wyatt out of his armor. He had some leave from the battlefields and had easily settled into casual dress.

I glanced at the nearby guards and started walking. Wyatt kept pace with me.

"More than that, you promised me you'd free her." He lowered his voice.

"Would that I could." I kept my words short and curt.

"What aren't you telling me?" Wyatt stopped in the middle of the courtyard between the throne room and my wing. He crossed his arms and glared at me from under wispy bangs.

"I'm not keeping her out of choice. This has gone far beyond that."

"Then why?" His scrutinizing gaze was all it took.

"When I faced off with the woman who took Sabine, she almost had me. It was raw power I've never come up against before and if Talon weren't there to back me up, she would have overpowered me."

"That means she is a high-ranking member of the Stivalian court. And you did have a dragon, so you were fine."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not looking for validation, here, Wyatt. And I think she was higher than Stivalian court. I think she was Stivalian royalty."