Chapter 15 - A Crown Made of Lies
Rowan stepped in front of Mara.
“You will not touch her.”
Isolde sighed.
“My son. Still pretending love is stronger than history.”
“History is dead people making excuses.”
For the first time, Isolde looked angry.
She raised one hand.
The priests attacked.
Steel rang in the chamber.
Rowan fought two men at once.
Selene pulled Mara behind a pillar.
“Get Elara to the lower stairs!”
“Where do they lead?”
“To Varrik.”
“That is exactly where I don’t want to take her.”
“It’s also the only place Isolde won’t expect you to go willingly.”
A priest lunged.
Mara slammed a torch into his face and ran.
Elara cried against her chest.
The black fire behind them rose higher.
Isolde shouted, “Stop her!”
Mara reached the lower door.
Locked.
Then someone struck the priest behind her.
Soren.
He caught the man before he fell and took the key.
“Still choosing humans?” he asked.
“I’m choosing my daughter.”
“Good answer.”
He opened the door.
Mara hesitated. “Why help me?”
“Because Isolde promised Varrik freedom, then planned to bind him again.”
“And you care about him.”
Soren looked away.
“He cared about me when nobody else did.”
Mara softened despite herself.
“That doesn’t make him good.”
“No.”
Soren’s eyes met hers.
“It makes things complicated.”
Behind them, Rowan cried out.
Mara turned.
He had fallen to one knee.
Blood ran from his shoulder.
Isolde stood over him with a sword.
“You were always too much like your mother,” she said.
Rowan looked up. “You are my mother.”
Isolde smiled faintly.
“No.”
The chamber went silent.
Even Rowan forgot the sword at his throat.
Isolde leaned close.
“I raised you. That is not the same thing.”
Mara stared.
Rowan whispered, “What?”
Isolde’s smile widened.
“Your real mother was Drakeborn.”
Soren went still beside Mara.
Isolde looked at Elara.
“That is why the child is so strong.”
Rowan’s face drained of color.
Mara understood the horror.
Elara had dragon blood from both parents.
Not half.
Not a trace.
Enough to become something no prophecy had ever described.
Then Elara opened her eyes.
May you like
They were no longer gold.
They were burning white.
