Chapter 29 Flying Together
Elara's POV
"Actually, let's fly somewhere else," I said quickly, my voice shaking. "Maybe toward the eastern mountains?"
Anything to get away from that clearing. Away from Sir Marcus and his soldiers.
"Are you sure?" Drakon's dragon voice rumbled beneath me. "I thought you were enjoying this view."
"I just want to see more of the kingdom." I forced cheerfulness into my tone. "Show me your favorite places."
Drakon banked left, his massive wings catching the wind. We soared higher into the sky.
My heart raced. I'd just seen proof that Sir Marcus was bringing an entire army into Drakenmoor. Not just a few assassins. A real invasion force.
And I couldn't tell Drakon. Not without Sir Marcus knowing. Not without Lily paying the price.
"Look down there," Drakon said, diving slightly. "That's the village where I grew up. Before I became king."
I looked. Tiny houses dotted the landscape below. Smoke curled from chimneys. People moved through streets like ants.
"It's beautiful," I whispered.
"My mother used to take me flying when I was young," Drakon continued. His voice was softer now, sadder. "Before she was killed in the war. She'd tell me stories about true mates. About how rare and precious they were."
Guilt stabbed through me. "Drakon"
"She said if I ever found my true mate, I should never let her go. No matter what." He glided smoothly through the air. "I didn't understand then. But now I do. Now that I've found you."
Tears burned my eyes. "I'm not worth holding onto."
"Yes, you are." Drakon flew higher, above the clouds. Everything turned white and gold around us. "You're worth everything."
The beauty of the moment made everything worse. This should have been perfect,vflying with my true mate, surrounded by sunrise and clouds. Instead, it was torture.
Because I was lying to him. Because I was going to betray him. Because this magical bond between us was going to shatter and possibly kill us both.
"Can we land soon?" I asked. "I need to talk to you about something important."
"Of course." Drakon angled downward. "There's a clearing near the castle. Very private. We can talk there."
He descended through the clouds. The castle came into view again.
And so did something else.
More movement in the forest. Different section this time, closer to the castle walls.
I squinted. Was that more soldiers?
Drakon must have felt my tension because he asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just a little dizzy from the height."
Another lie to add to the pile.
We landed in a meadow filled with wildflowers. Drakon transformed back to human form and helped me down.
"Better?" he asked, concern in his golden eyes.
"Yes." I took a deep breath. "Drakon, I need to tell you something. Something important about my past."
This was it. I was going to confess everything. Sir Marcus and his threats, the spying, the lies about who I was. All of it.
Even if it meant Lily suffered. Even if it meant the mating bond shattered. I couldn't do this anymore.
"I'm listening," Drakon said gently, taking my hands.
"When I first came here, I wasn't, I mean, the reason I..." The words stuck in my throat. "My life before this was very different. And there are things about why I'm here that you need to know."
Drakon's expression grew serious. "Go on."
"I'm not who you think I am. Not really. My past is"
A shout interrupted me.
"Your Majesty!" A guard ran across the meadow toward us. "You're needed at the castle immediately! It's urgent!"
"Can it wait?" Drakon asked, not taking his eyes off me. "We're having an important conversation."
"No, Your Majesty. It's about the attack last night. The prisoners. One of them is talking."
Drakon's whole body tensed. "Which prisoner?"
"The one who tried to grab the queen. We've been questioning him all morning. He finally broke. He's confessing everything."
My stomach dropped. If the assassin was talking, what was he saying? Did he know about me? About Sir Marcus's plans?
"I'll be right there," Drakon said. Then he turned back to me. "Hold that thought. Whatever you were going to tell me, we'll finish this conversation. I promise."
"Drakon, wait"
But he was already walking away quickly with the guard.
I stood alone in the meadow, my confession unfinished.
Maybe that was a sign. Maybe I shouldn't tell him. Maybe I should find another way.
I walked slowly back to the castle. My mind spun with possibilities.
Sir Marcus had at least forty soldiers now, maybe more. They were hiding in the forests around Drakenmoor. Planning something big.
I had less than two weeks before the mating bond would sense my lies and shatter.
And now an assassin was confessing. What if he named me as part of the plot?
I needed to find out what he was saying.
I hurried through the castle halls toward the dungeon. Guards blocked the entrance.
"No one is allowed down there right now," one said. "King's orders."
"I'm the queen," I said, hating how easily the lie came now. "Let me through."
They hesitated but stepped aside.
I descended the stone steps into darkness. Torches flickered on the walls. Voices echoed from below.
"Someone inside the castle hired me," a rough voice said. A prisoner's voice. "Someone close to the king. They paid me gold to kill the girl."
"Who?" Drakon's voice demanded. "Give me a name!"
"I never saw their face. They wore a hood. But I heard their voice. A man's voice. Smooth and cold."
Sir Marcus. They were describing Sir Marcus.
"What else did they tell you?" Thorne's voice joined in. "What was their plan?"
"Kill the queen. Make it look like an accident. That would distract everyone while..."
The prisoner stopped talking. I heard shuffling, like someone was whispering to him.
Then his voice came again, louder: "While they prepared for something bigger. An invasion. Soldiers are already inside Drakenmoor's borders. Hiding. Waiting for the signal."
My blood turned to ice. The assassin knew about the soldiers. He was telling them everything.
"How many soldiers?" Drakon asked.
"I don't know exactly. Maybe fifty. Maybe more. They're bringing them in slowly. A few at a time. Someone on the inside is helping them get past the borders without being detected."
"Who on the inside?" Thorne pressed.
"I told you, I don't know! But whoever it is, they have access to everything. Guard schedules. Defense positions. They're feeding information to the enemy."
They were talking about me. They didn't know it yet, but they were describing what Sir Marcus was forcing me to do.
I needed to leave. Now. Before they came upstairs and saw me listening.
I turned to climb back up the stairs.
And walked straight into someone.
Faye stood there, her face pale in the torchlight.
"You heard," she whispered. "You heard what he said about someone on the inside."
"Faye, I..."
"It's you, isn't it?" Her voice broke. "You're the one helping them. That's the big secret you're hiding."
"Please don't"
"How could you?" Tears streamed down her face. "How could you betray Drakon? Betray all of us?"
"It's not what you think! They have my sister! They're threatening me"
Footsteps echoed on the stairs below. Drakon and Thorne were coming up.
Faye grabbed my arm. "Run. Now. Before they see you here. I'll give you a few minutes head start. But after that, I'm telling them everything."
"Faye, please"
"Run!" she hissed.
I ran.