Chapter Twelve

I had intended to burn the bodies. I wanted to hide all evidence of Water Magic. But when I dispersed the magic, I realized that I could draw every drop out of the ground, clothes, and hair so that no evidence of Water Magic remained, only that of my fury and strength. Aras was right. It wasn't enough for my enemies to know they had lost. They had to fear me too.

So, I drove my mate home, with both of us up on the driver's seat. The driver—an unknown Raltven—had probably been hired to play his part. He wouldn't be able to enjoy his profits now. I don't know if it was Aras or me who killed him. I found his body near the carriage. Thank the Goddess, the horses were trained to be around Dragons—a training that goes beyond those of war horses—so they hadn't run off at the sound of carnage. They had trotted a few feet down the road, but then stopped and waited. Good beasts. I would retire them from carriage service and elevate them to my riding stock.

Back to the dead Raltven. I didn't feel as much animosity toward him or his family, so I had wrapped up his body—the only corpse in one piece—and took it with me. I'd have it delivered to a Raltven neighborhood for claiming with an explanation of his death. The man had participated in a potential regicide, so I didn't regret his death, but his family deserved closure.

Wide eyes watched us roll up to the castle gate. And yes, my castle had a wall around it even though it stood in the center of the walled city of Renris. After all, the city was open to the sea and walls could be breached. Having more than one defense was always wise. Especially if your own dread was against you.

“Your Majesty!” the Horns soldier at the gate rushed over to me along with the other three on duty. “Why are you driving your carriage? Has something happened?”

“Yes,” I said calmly. “I've been betrayed by my knights.”

The soldiers, all of other races, gasped and gaped at me. I knew this was unheard of in other kingdoms. My dread was special in their dishonor and traitorous tendencies. But I didn't care that word would spread of their shame. Let all of Serai know that the Kingdom of Gavemor was ruled by a badass motherfucker who killed everyone who came against him, even the Dragons of his own dread. I stood alone, but . . . Wait. I looked at my mate. No, I didn't stand alone. That would take some getting used to.

“Horns!” another of the gate guards shouted suddenly. “To the King! Now!”

“ We will not betray you, Your Majesty,” yet another man said as he slammed his fist to his chest. “We are your men. Our allegiance is to you alone.”

I blinked, a strange feeling coming over me. First Aras, and now these men. I had always thought that I was without support here in Renris, that it all could crumble at any moment. But there had been loyal people serving me all along—soldiers who would guard me even against Dragons.

“Your loyalty is even more precious to me in light of this betrayal, soldier,” I said. “It's not merely proof of your honor, but also your bravery. I will not forget it.”

“King Lyrandir!” All of them shouted in unison and bowed.

“Summon the castle guard to the courtyard and then wait here for me. I need to clear the castle of Dragons.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

I drove the carriage up to the front steps just as the main doors were thrown open and the rest of my King's Guard came running out. How interesting. It was almost as if they'd been waiting in the entry hall together. Whatever for?

“How convenient,” I drawled as I grinned at Aras. “Now, we don't have to go looking for them.”

Aras chuckled and jumped off the seat. “You'd better give them some bags. They'll need them to collect the body parts.”

I laughed at that, making my knights gape.

“Sire, what's happened? Where are Sir Alfain and Sir Risar?” Sir Ves stepped out of the group to ask.

“Oh, here and there,” I said, making Aras burst into delighted guffaws.

Sir Ves glared at him.

“Do not look at him like that, Ves,” I snarled. “In fact, do not look at him at all!”

Ves blinked. “Your Majesty, I meant no disrespect.”

“Oh, I think you did,” I said as I leaned closer. “I think all of you mean to disrespect me and those who matter to me in whatever little ways you can. Veiled scorn. Disdain. Disapproval. I should never have endured it. I'm your King! And I'm fucking done with playing nice. I'm done with wondering which of you will betray me and when. I should never have gone with tradition and chosen knights to guard me. I have no idea why I did. Perhaps because all the men I could trust were needed to govern my enclaves.”

“Sire, what has happened? Why are you so angry?”

“Why am I angry?” I lifted my brows. Then I shouted, “Why am I angry?!”

My knights drew back even as the Castle Guard gathered behind me in the courtyard and smacked their gauntleted fists on their chests in support. It made a thunderous sound that brought a grim smile to my face.

“Alfain and Risar are dead. I have also stripped them of their rank for betraying the crown.”

The knights gasped and stared at each other in shock. So maybe they hadn't been involved. But that didn't mean I could trust them.

“You are all dismissed from my service,” I went on. “Collect your things and leave my castle and my city at once. I should leave the bodies of the traitors to rot or have you bury them in unmarked graves, but I won't do that to their families. So you may take the bodies home with you. You can find them about sixty yards down the Grensar Woods road. I suggest you take several burlap sacks with you.”

“Burlap sacks?” Sir Ves whispered.

“To put all the pieces in,” Aras said gaily. “There was a fuck-ton more than your two friends lying in wait for us tonight. And King Lyrandir slaughtered every last one of them. Had to be forty men at least. All trained Dragons. I've never seen anything so fucking marvelous as the King executing that army of traitors.”

The knights looked as if they might faint while the men and women of the Castle Guard murmured in awe. Stories would be formed tonight, and they'd spread across the city by morning.

“Have fun, boys,” Aras went on. “And do hurry. The King is in a foul mood. He may start that whole slicing and dicing thing again if you don't get out of his castle fast enough.”

The knights looked at each other.

“Did you not hear him?” I snarled. “Run, you fools! Run!”

The knights spun about and ran into the castle as my mate laughed gleefully.