Chapter 4

Golden Eyes in the Dark

The fire hit the ceiling first.

Golden flames exploded upward across the throne room like a living storm, swallowing shadows and sending waves of unbearable heat crashing through the hall.

Someone screamed.

Another servant dropped to the floor.

The guards backed away immediately.

Fast.

Too fast.

Like they had seen this happen before.

Evelynn stumbled backward as heat slammed into her face hard enough to dry the air in her lungs. The braziers lining the hall burst one after another, dragonfire spiraling wildly across the black stone ceiling.

The Dragon King didn’t move.

That was the worst part.

He simply stood there at the top of the throne steps, staring directly at her.

At the necklace.

At her throat.

His pupils had narrowed into burning golden slits.

And the look in his eyes—

God.

It didn’t look human anymore.

The servant near the door shouted in panic.

“Your Majesty—!”

“OUT.”

Kael’s voice cracked through the hall like thunder.

Everyone moved instantly.

Guards practically tripped over themselves trying to escape. One servant nearly fell while dragging another toward the doors.

Nobody hesitated.

Nobody argued.

Within seconds, the enormous throne room emptied.

Except for Evelynn.

And him.

The doors slammed shut behind the fleeing servants.

Silence.

Or at least as close to silence as possible with dragonfire roaring around the room.

Evelynn’s pulse hammered painfully against her ribs.

She forced herself to breathe.

Think.

The king still hadn’t moved.

But the air around him looked distorted now, almost blurred from the heat pouring off his body. Black scales continued spreading slowly along his neck beneath his skin.

Not armor.

Not clothing.

Real scales.

A terrible realization crawled down Evelynn’s spine.

The stories were true.

All of them.

Kael took one step forward.

The floor beneath his boots cracked instantly from heat.

Evelynn instinctively stepped back.

Bad idea.

His eyes snapped sharply toward the movement.

Predator.

That was what she saw now.

Not a king.

Not a man.

A predator trying very hard not to lose control.

Unfortunately for both of them, he seemed to be failing.

His voice came low and rough.

“Where did you get that necklace?”

Evelynn’s fingers instinctively closed around the silver pendant beneath her coat.

“My mother.”

The flames surged violently.

Kael’s jaw tightened.

“Liar.”

“I’m not lying.”

Another step.

Closer now.

Too close.

Evelynn forced herself to stay still even as every instinct screamed at her to run.

“You wear her crest.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Kael’s breathing had become uneven.

Like he was trying to suppress something painful.

Or violent.

The dragonfire climbing the pillars suddenly burst sideways.

A nearby curtain ignited instantly.

Evelynn flinched.

Kael noticed.

For one brief second, something flickered across his expression.

Regret?

No.

Worse.

Hunger.

The realization made her stomach twist.

His gaze lingered on her throat again.

On her pulse.

On the warmth beneath her skin.

Evelynn swallowed carefully.

Big mistake.

Kael’s pupils narrowed sharply.

Then suddenly—

he was in front of her.

Fast enough she didn’t even see him move.

One second he stood near the throne.

The next his hand slammed against the wall beside her head hard enough to crack stone.

Heat surrounded her instantly.

Gods.

He was enormous up close.

Taller than any human man she’d ever seen. Broad shoulders. Dark clothes smelling faintly of smoke and winter air.

And those eyes.

Those horrible golden eyes.

Evelynn pressed herself against the wall automatically.

Kael leaned closer slightly.

Not touching.

But close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his skin.

“You should be dead already,” he said quietly.

Evelynn’s fear finally snapped into anger.

“Lovely welcome.”

His gaze sharpened.

“You are not afraid enough.”

“Oh, trust me,” she muttered, “I’m getting there.”

Something strange happened then.

A brief pause.

And for the first time—

the corner of his mouth moved slightly.

Almost a smile.

Almost.

Then his expression darkened again immediately.

“What are you?”

Evelynn blinked. “Human. Unfortunately.”

Kael stared at her for several long seconds.

Like he was trying to look beneath her skin.

The pressure in the room kept rising.

Dragonfire crawled along the walls behind him.

Unstable.

Dangerous.

Evelynn realized suddenly—

he wasn’t fully controlling it anymore.

That frightened her more than anything else.

Kael’s voice dropped lower.

“That necklace belonged to someone who died centuries ago.”

Evelynn frowned. “That’s impossible.”

His eyes flashed.

“So is this.”

And suddenly his hand closed around her throat.

Hard.

Evelynn gasped sharply as he slammed her back against the stone wall.

Pain exploded across her neck.

The world tilted.

Her boots barely touched the floor now.

Kael held her there effortlessly.

The dragonfire throughout the hall erupted violently in response to his rage.

Golden flames roared across the ceiling.

Evelynn clawed at his wrist instinctively, struggling for breath.

His skin was burning hot.

Not metaphorically.

Actually hot.

Like grabbing heated metal.

Kael stared at her with something terrifying in his eyes now.

Not hatred.

Confusion.

Rage.

Desperation.

All twisted together.

“Who sent you?” he demanded.

Evelynn tried to answer but couldn’t breathe.

His grip tightened.

Pain shot through her throat.

Her vision blurred.

Oh God.

He really was going to kill her.

The Dragon King’s expression suddenly changed.

Not softer.

Worse.

Panicked.

Like he was losing a fight inside his own head.

The scales along his throat spread higher.

Black.

Sharp.

Inhuman.

His pupils narrowed further as dragonfire burst wildly around them.

And then—

his gaze dropped again.

To the silver necklace pressed between them.

Everything stopped.

Kael froze completely.

His grip loosened slightly.

The fire in the throne room flickered violently.

Evelynn sucked in a desperate breath.

Kael stared at the necklace like it had become something impossible.

Then slowly—

pain crossed his face.

Real pain.

Deep enough to hollow him out from the inside.

“No…” he whispered.

The word sounded broken.

Evelynn blinked in shock.

What the hell was happening?

Kael suddenly released her completely and stumbled backward.

The flames throughout the hall exploded again.

This time uncontrolled.

A nearby pillar cracked apart from heat.

Kael grabbed the side of his head violently like he was trying to stop something tearing through him.

“Leave,” he growled.

Evelynn coughed hard, struggling to breathe again.

“What—”

“LEAVE!”

The roar shook the throne room.

Dragonfire burst across the floor between them.

Evelynn staggered backward immediately.

For the first time since entering the palace—

the Dragon King looked afraid.

Not of her.

Of himself.

Kael turned away sharply, breathing heavily.

The black scales continued spreading beneath his skin.

His hands had partially shifted now—

clawed.

Inhuman.

The throne room temperature kept rising.

Too hot.

Far too hot.

Evelynn realized suddenly:

If she stayed much longer, the entire room might burn.

Including him.

A loud pounding suddenly came from outside the doors.

“Your Majesty!”

Kael didn’t answer.

He stood motionless in front of the throne, shoulders tense, dragonfire curling violently around him like living creatures.

Evelynn backed slowly toward the exit.

Kael never looked at her again.

But just before she reached the doors—

his voice came quietly from the darkness.

Hoarse.

Dangerously soft.

“Take that necklace off.”

Evelynn touched the silver pendant instinctively.

“No.”

The silence behind her turned deadly.

For one horrible second, she thought he might attack again.

Instead, Kael laughed once.

A cold, exhausted sound.

“Then we’re both doomed.”