Ezaara: Riders of Fire, Book One - A Dragons' Realm novel by Eileen Mueller

Author:Eileen Mueller [Mueller, Eileen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Phantom Feather Press
Published: 2018-10-17T16:00:00+00:00

Betrayal

Ezaara gasped. What about them mind-melding? What about their feelings for one another? “So, it all meant nothing to you?” Ezaara reached out to mind-meld with Roberto, but she came up against a wall of granite. She tried again. And again.

And again.

Nothing. Not a sniff of Roberto’s thoughts. He’d blocked her out. Withdrawn.

Tonio’s eyes were sharp, tone cutting. “Did you administer the poison? Or did your accomplice, Ezaara?”

“Ezaara!” Roberto snorted. “Hardly. That silly fool had no idea I’d poisoned the weapon. You heard her, she didn’t even know what the blades were for.”

Ezaara’s stomach jolted, her breath knocked from her. She’d been a fool, all right. He’d deceived her and gained her trust—and she’d believed he loved her.

“When did you poison the blade?” Tonio asked.

“Yesterday, during the after-race celebrations.”

The race had only been yesterday. A lifetime ago, when the world had been full of possibility. And love.

“Where did you source the poison?” Tonio asked. “If dragon’s bane only grows in Lush Valley, did Ezaara give it to you?”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s common in many places, including Naobia. Any proper healer would know that.”

Master Bruno yelled, “I’ll not have you speak about my wife like that!”

Roberto laughed, a hard, arrogant bark that made Ezaara’s skin break out in cold prickles.

How could she have believed him? Their love had felt so real. So beautiful. Just what she’d dreamed of. His icy arrogance fit him like a natural skin. This was reality. The man she loved was a traitor, a liar, plotting against her queen.

Lars sighed. “Roberto.” His voice was tender, as if he was speaking to a son, but grim lines furrowed his brow. “You saw the damage your father did. You vowed never to be like him. Your talents are valued here. Why would you do this?”

What had Roberto’s father done?

Roberto stared at Lars, eyes cold, refusing to speak.

Lars tried again. “And your relationship with the Queen’s Rider?”

Roberto’s upper lip curled. “Relationship? What relationship?” He regarded her the way a buyer at a market would gaze upon rotten fish entrails.

Her cheeks burned with shame. She met his eyes. There was nothing warm there now. “Roberto, this can’t be true. Tell me it isn’t. Please.” It was a desperate plea sent into a cold hard void.

“She’s not the real Queen’s Rider, is she?” Tonio’s words struck Ezaara like a whip. “You only pretended to test her.”

“Yes, I am,” Ezaara cried.

Zaarusha roared.

“She is the Queen’s Rider,” Roberto said. “Their bond is strong. But banish me, and you won’t have anyone to test your imprinting bonds again.”

“Or feed that information to Zens,” Tonio snapped.

Lars looked sick, his face tinged gray, sweat on his forehead. “Master of Mental Faculties and Imprinting, Roberto, son of Amato, is now stripped of his title and is no longer a part of this council,” he announced. “He’ll be banished to the Wastelands within the hour. Take him to the dungeons. His sister may farewell him before he goes. Ezaara, our Honored Queen’s Rider, has been cleared of all charges.

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