Knight of Fire by S.J. Frost

Author:S.J. Frost [Frost, S.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: gay romance
Publisher: MLR Press LLC
Published: 2014-04-09T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Torran fought to keep his breathing calm, despite how his heart galloped. He waited outside the king’s private solar, Karrick beside him, Bryson and Garrett on his other side. Zain, Lark, and Aleric had opted to stay back in their chambers, partly because they weren’t invited, but more to be with the dragons and animal companions.

Rose didn’t want to leave little Onyx, as Karrick had named the sick hatchling. With a smudge wand of sage, a fan of hawk feathers, and a prayer spell to the Mother Goddess, Bryson felt he’d removed much of the illness in Onyx, but the hatchling was still malnourished and weak. Since baby dragons ate meat from the moment they hatched, Rose was roasting strips of mutton with her fire —how all mother dragons fed their young —and working to coax some of the meat into him. They explained to Onyx they were friends and he seemed to understand, but the young dragon didn’t have the strength to communicate.

The more Torran thought about what’d happened to Onyx and all the dragons they’d freed, the angrier he became. It didn’t help that since walking onto the palace grounds, all he saw was excess, when he knew people who went hungry in Forest’s End. If the crown had so much wealth, instead of hoarding it, why didn’t they use more to help the people?

As Zain said, it was the ruler’s way, doing the least amount of good for the many while doing the most amount of good for themselves. It was something he knew well himself from seeing the nobles in Forest’s End. He never could stomach that spoiled lot. But here in Dragon’s Landing, it was on a much grander scale.

Garrett whispered, “How long are we going to have to wait out here in the hallway?”

His voice equally low, Karrick said, “Until His Majesty is ready to see us.”

Torran snorted. “Bloody rude, if you ask me.”

“That’s life in the capital.”

“That’s nobles.”

Karrick looked away from Torran, staring at the white wood and gilded doors. “Do you remember what I said about my father? How he never helped with my life because my mother was a peasant and it wasn’t fitting to his position to have an illegitimate, common-born son?”

Torran nodded once. “Aye.”

“I hope your feelings toward me won’t change after you meet the king.”

Torran opened his mouth to reply, but held his words as one of the double doors opened.

A pretty young male page stepped out and inclined a short bow toward them. “His Majesty will see you now.”

Karrick walked forward.

Torran stayed in place for a few heartbeats, gazing at Karrick’s back, then followed.

Arched windows lined the back wall of the solar, allowing sunlight and warmth to spill into the room. Beyond the windows, Dragon’s Landing spread out to meet the shores of a large lake and river, the thick forest stretching beyond the far bank. Heavy tapestries hung on the walls, most depicting scenes of battles, but one caught Torran’s attention.

The tapestry featured a great dragon, his scales deep green, standing on a cliff overlooking the city.

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