Page 47 of Dragon Revealed (Dragon Kings 1)
Jeyra blinked, surprise etched across her face. “I could’ve been killed.”
“But you weren’t,” Sateen said. “Your need for justice made you the perfect candidate. I knew if we could have a Dragon King, there might be a way out of this mess.”
Varek found himself looking into Jeyra’s amber eyes. There was no anger there, only love. She might not have said the words yet, but they were there in her touch and her kisses. He couldn’t wait until they were alone once more so he could tell her how he felt. But that would have to wait.
“Now is our chance to live without lies,” Sateen continued. “I’ve suspected Arn for some time. I was the one who ordered the chains taken off Varek’s wrists to prove that there was more at work to preventing magic in our city than some chains. Arn did have magic. He’d found a way to make sure that no one else in the city could practice magic by trapping dragons and using their magic against them. I don’t know the specifics, and it no longer matters. He wanted power over everyone and everything. That part of us needs to die.” She looked directly at Bayard. “And so do the thugs who think the only answer is to kill dragons.”
Varek looked over the faces in the crowd and saw the first signs that this might actually work. “It’s no’ going to be easy. Harm has been done on both sides.”
“Take the dragons back with you when you go to your world,” Bayard stated angrily.
Varek shook his head. “That isna possible. On our world, it was initially just dragons. Then humans showed up. We helped them, sheltered them. Taught them. Deceivers like you and Arn wanted something else and caused friction between our species. There was a great war, with many lives lost. We sent the dragons here.”
“So you’re to blame!” Bayard bellowed and took a step toward him.
Varek opened his mouth to answer, but Erith beat him to it. “There were no mortals on this realm when the dragons came,” she said.
The warrior’s gaze cut to her. “And how would you know?”
“She’s a goddess,” Cael answered.
Sateen used that moment of shocked silence to say, “The Dragon Kings aren’t just powerful. They also have powerful friends. We should heed that.”
“You mean live in fear,” someone said.
Jeyra walked to stand beside Varek. “None of you get it, do you? The dragons could wipe us out without hesitation. They didn’t do it on their world. They’ve not done it here. But if things don’t change, what option do we leave them? Stop thinking about just yourselves. Think about the dragons and how they’ve suffered.”
“There will be no more hunting of dragons. Ever,” Sateen stated loudly. “All warriors and guards will stand down and allow Varek and his friends to leave peacefully. If anyone dares to ignore my order, you’ll be struck down instantly.”
In response, the Red growled as it looked directly at Bayard.
“Easy,” Varek told the dragon.
“Return to your homes,” Sateen commanded her people.
One by one, they obeyed. Varek and the others remained as they were until only Sateen was left. She walked slowly to the Pink and lifted her hand to touch the dragon but hesitated.
“It’s all right,” Varek told her.
Sateen lightly rested her hand on the Pink as she shook her head. “I’m sorry I didn’t do anything sooner to free them.”
“They’re free now,” he told her.
Sateen lowered her arm and caught Jeyra’s gaze. “I used you, but only because I knew you would give me the results needed to liberate our city.”
“Do you think we’ve accomplished that?” his mate asked.
The councilwoman shrugged. “I think it’s a start, but we’ve got a long way to go. We could use someone like you on the council.”
“I have an allergy to anything political.” Jeyra looked at Varek. “Besides, there’s somewhere else I need to be.”
Sateen smiled. “Of course.” Then she looked at the red dragon. “I would like to apologize to him, as well.”
Varek asked the Red, and the dragon gave a nod. “He willna hurt you.”
Varek, Jeyra, Cael, and Erith watched the elderly woman make her way to the dragon. Once there, she put her hand on the Red’s leg and leaned her head against the scales. She spoke softly, but Varek heard her sorrowful words.
Sateen then turned and faced them, both hands on her cane. “What now?”
“Rankin and the warriors pursuing us need to be brought in,” Jeyra said.
The councilwoman sighed loudly. “I think it’s time some warriors retire.”
“What about the rest of the council?” Varek asked. “How will they handle it.”
“It would help if they heard from all of you.”
Erith stepped forward then. “If that’s going to happen, it needs to be now.”
Sateen shouted an order. Two guards at the doors of the arena gave a wave and then rushed off. Varek glanced at the Red and Pink. Both were exhausted and in need of care. Thankfully, the rest of the council was brought in quickly. They were shocked at the sight of the dragons, but they listened to the recounting. Varek knew there was hope for the mortals in this city because the council realized how precarious their position was.
He didn’t want to use fear, but maybe that’s what should’ve been done initially to remind the humans on Earth that they hadn’t been the first ones on the planet. Their way hadn’t worked. Perhaps a new approach would. Maybe eons of thinking over every action, decision, and repercussion that took place between the dragons and mortals on Earth might benefit this realm. But only time would tell.
Once the council left, Erith said, “The Red is very weak. I’m not sure making him fly is the best course.”
“It isna,” Varek agreed.
“We can teleport everyone,” Cael offered.
The four of them walked to the Red, and in less than a heartbeat, they were miles away from the city in a valley between mountains that rose up around them. A tremor of relief went through the red dragon. The Pink had yet to lift its head from Jeyra’s shoulder.
