A Queen of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales 4)

I’m pleased with that answer, my dragon said before slinking back down.

Oh sure, hang me out to dry.

Nyfain was right, though—this did require more thought.

I pushed away from him, freezing his arms with my will so he couldn’t grab me and haul me back. I walked into the open space where his proximity wouldn’t muddle my brain.

“Okay, here’s what we know.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “We are currently on our knees, yes, and we have a shocking lack of people in this once mighty kingdom. That said, Dolion just marched through with a full force of expendable soldiers, and we sent him sprinting away. So while we are financially vulnerable, we do have physical might. Most of the dragons will be staying. More dragons will undoubtedly come—Micah himself told me he’d be gathering them. If Weston can create a powerful wolf force, then that’s us stronger still. So our greatest issues are financial, and probably also how we are perceived in the political sphere.”

Nyfain looked at me for a very long moment, and he didn’t have to say what he was thinking.

I lifted my hands. “I know I am the biggest hindrance with the political piece. I know. But I will fix that, I promise. Arleth said she can teach me if I’m willing to learn, and Nyfain, I promise, I will do you proud. Some-fucking-how, I will act like I’m supposed to. I’ll be ready when it’s time. Push off the coronation if you have to, but when the time comes, I’ll be ready. I won’t even complain about it.” Under my breath, I added, “To you, at least.”

A grin worked at Weston’s lips.

“The financial piece is probably the biggest issue, and the Red Lupine Kingdom has its fair share of money,” Nyfain countered.

I put out my hand. “Well, we have that bit of gold…”

He sat forward before swinging his legs over the edge of the lounge chair and bracing his elbows on his knees.

“We have the armory,” he said. “Dolion wasn’t overly interested in it since he had the gold reserve, and when he tried to show an interest, I…made him think again. Dragons like shiny things, and those swords have gems and gold in plenty. We always wore them to formal events.”

“I never did understand a shifter wearing a weapon on two feet, no matter how pretty,” Weston said, re-crossing his ankle over his knee.

It occurred to me that we were discussing his future right in front of him. Also that I’d essentially called Nyfain down, and he’d returned fire. We felt so comfortable with him that we weren’t worried about our positions or saving face. That had to mean something.

“I think it makes a bigger statement if we don’t wear them,” I said. “Our dragons are our weapons, and they are a helluva lot more terrifying than a bunch of sparkling, pretty swords. Not having the option of the sword will make people think of the weapons we do have. And that’ll lead them to remembering there is a very unhinged dragon in the room.”

After a moment, Nyfain said, “Agreed. So we can melt the weapons in the armory, and we have the gold reserves. That’ll get us the interest of tradesmen, at the very least. My mother also mentioned your improvements on common medical remedies will increase our profits from them, possibly exponentially. If we can get enough merchants coming through, we can start commerce. The only problem is that the kingdom needs so much that the money coming into the coffers will go right back out again.”

“We’ve lived with very little for sixteen years,” I replied. “Very little.”

“My pack never had any riches,” Weston said. “Your kingdom isn’t as lacking as you imagine. Not to the people currently living in it.” He paused. “But I do have some remaining questions.”

“After all that?” Nyfain asked in faux anger before settling back and putting out his hand for me.

I took it and let him reel me back in.

“You were always going to say yes, weren’t you?” I whispered as I settled into his arms.

“You should probably teach her the art of bartering,” Weston said.

Nyfain chuckled, squeezing me close. “Weston hasn’t been patrolling so diligently, asking nothing in return, out of goodwill. He’s been taking measure, seeing if he could settle here. When he decided he could, he started gathering up reasons why we wouldn’t be able to let him go.”

“I’m not quite that ruthless,” Weston cut in. “I would’ve done those things out of goodwill. Finley did me a great service. Actually, she did all of us in that dungeon a great service. If you’ve heard the stories, you know what I mean.”

Nyfain tensed. “I haven’t heard the stories yet, no. On purpose. I will hear them when I have an outlet for my rage.”