Dragon Days MxM (Staten Krown)

3

"Did you enjoy your walk with the Empress Dowager?" Maxim asks me, "I assumed you would like her. She can be rather interesting."

He's making emperor small talk. Maxim hits me with his dazzling smile hidden underneath his bristles. I'd notice by now that that innocence in his eyes is only seen when he talks to me. When he is addressing Pike or the others he's confident, strong and almost intimidating. But when he talks to me that wall seems to melt away and he almost seems vulnerable.

"It was fine."

They call it the Paramour Fortress. It's separate from the Emperor's grand palace south of here. This was a military facility.

The grounds were beautiful. They were extensive and like a maze. Now we are in one tower or another. The black halls seem to go on forever. The elaborate designs of the architecture seemed to have been designed by a million artists. I couldn't appreciate any of it. Not now. By the time I get to the door I'm staring at my hands.

"Everything OK?" he asks.

"I'm fine," I respond.

"Tomorrow the roundtable has asked to speak with you," he explains, "I believe they want to make you a squire and turn you into a proper dragon rider."

"I see..."

He nods. I can tell that he knows something off, but I don't think Maxim is the type to keep going on and seeming annoying. He's much too careful with me for that. Instead, he gives me a nod and a pat on the shoulder.

"My suite is right there...if you need me," he assures me, "Never too far away."

I nod and don't say goodbye before entering the suites they'd given me. They were grand suites. White linen with golden accents all over the room. When I walk in I think about being mesmerized for a minute as I'd never seen something so beautiful let alone resided in it. The Dragonov Empire clearly had money to waste.

But I'm not concerned about the delicacies of design. I'm concerned about the shadow in the corner.

"Deny it," I address the shadow.

Dread's soul comes out. He walks slowly, "Deny what?"

"Are you the Nightmare Dragon? Did you kill my family and burn the Glabber Wilds?"

There is silence and in that silence, I find my answer. I'm shocked by it. Dread never really showed any emotion. Not since the moment, I met him. No emotion except for anger really. This was different though. When I looked at him now I see some sort of angst. He seems anxious almost. The longer he stays silent the angrier I get.

"There's so much you don't understand," he explains.

"Murder is simple. Thousands of people died the day you attacked the Wilds. Yes or no?"

Silence.

I'm angry now, "YES OR NO!"

There was a pause.

"Yes."

He's not denying it. I feel weak. I sit on the bed feeling somewhat shattered that I had allowed myself to be intimate with the thing responsible for destroying my family and countless other families in the Wilds.

Men, women, and children had died that day. I was sure of it. I remembered the flames. I remember the screams. I remember the nightmare. And all along this was the dragon responsible for that.

"I love you," he states out of nowhere.

He says it as though it should make it feel better. He says it as though it means anything at all.