Chapter 66

VALKYRIE

I’m climbing the stairs, my steps shaky. My heart is heavy with Irene and Michael. I’m the reason Cian is gone, and I’m the reason I lost my babies.

I sink to the floor, tears streaming down my face. Calandra is behind me, her hand tracing comforting circles on my back. But I don’t want comfort. I want solitude.

“You need to rest,” Calandra murmurs. I shake my head, pushing her hand away.

“Just leave me alone,” I manage to say, my voice weak as I force myself to stand.

“But Valkyrie,” Calandra starts, her voice filled with worry. I know everyone is hurting. Damian is struggling too.

“I’m telling you to leave me alone,” I snap. Calandra flinches, stepping back. She nods, staying where she is. I continue my climb, deciding to go to Dimitri’s chambers.

I need to be somewhere he’s been. To feel close to him. On my way, I stop by the room I was in before. I gather my things, but then I see a piece of cloth.

Curious, I unfold it. “This,” I say, holding it up. I remember seeing this jewel in Devika’s hands. Why is it here?

I stare at it, puzzled. It’s softly glowing. With a sigh, I wrap the cloth around it and continue to Dimitri’s room.

I sit on the bed, watching the snow fall outside. The weather is getting worse, the temperature dropping. I close my eyes, my hands instinctively moving to my belly.

Tears slip down my cheeks as I think about the babies I’ve lost. It’s my fault, all my fault.

The sound of the chamber doors opening makes me look up. Damian walks in, a wry smile on his face.

“Want something to eat?” Damian asks, coming closer. I shake my head, my gaze returning to the window. “Valkyrie,” he whispers.

His hand is warm on mine, but I pull away. I don’t want to be comforted.

“Any news,” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

“No,” Damian replies. “I’m still waiting for Leo or anyone to get back to me.”

I nod, silently returning my gaze to the window. I can feel Damian watching me.

“Valkyrie, I’m worried about you,” Damian says softly. “Please, get some rest.”

“I’m fine!” I snap. “Just give me some space.”

Damian nods, standing up. He leaves something on the bed as I continue to stare outside.

Once the chamber doors close, I look down at the bed. Damian left some grapes on a small wooden plate. I smile. He remembered I like grapes. I pick one up, popping it into my mouth.

The sweetness brings fresh tears to my eyes as I think about the two little lives I’ll never get to know.

A day passes with no news of Dimitri or anyone else. Damian grows more restless as time goes on. Finally, I sigh, standing at the balcony entrance. The entire mountain is covered in white.

“Valkyrie?” Calandra whispers from behind me. I don’t respond. “I brought you some warm tea. It might help.”

I glance over my shoulder, thanking her. Calandra doesn’t say anything else, just leaves.

I turn back inside, picking up the cup and bringing it to my lips. The warm, herbal scent soothes me. Deciding to distract myself, I leave the chambers for a walk.

There are parts of the palace I’ve never seen. I’ve never been curious enough to explore beyond the essential areas Dimitri and the others mentioned.

I find myself outside Dimitri’s office. I open the door and peek inside. It feels like Dimitri. It smells like Dimitri. I smile weakly, closing the door behind me.

Dimitri will be heartbroken when he finds out I lost his heirs. I swallow hard, forcing myself to breathe, to calm down. My hands are shaking as I hold the cup of tea.

I wander around, looking at the shelves. They’re filled with books, rows and rows of them. This is where Dimitri spends most of his time.

I glance at the books, stopping when I see one that stands out. A book with a red cover and a golden emblem is nestled among the others.

Curious, I pull it out. What is this?

I sigh, sitting down and opening it. My eyes widen at what’s inside.

“This is Dimitri’s letter,” I whisper, awestruck. I scan the pages, reading about a secret door hidden within the palace walls. I don’t know why, but I feel compelled to explore.

Wanting to know more, I read each page until I find a map showing where the door is. I sniffle, standing up with the book in hand, and follow the path.

I’m tired as I walk down the corridor. I never realized how huge this place is. I follow the path in the book, taking several turns.

Suddenly, I look up. A massive door with a strange lock stands before me.

“Is this it?” I ask, looking up. The place feels oddly familiar. But why? I frown, feeling a headache coming on. Am I pushing myself too hard?

I sigh, turning to leave, but I stop. I stare at the door. Something is nagging at me.

“It should open somehow, right?” I whisper, my eyes drawn to the center. “I must be imagining things, but I feel like I know how to open this door.”

I reach out, touching the latch in the middle.

I grasp it, moving it to the side. It creaks, and I gasp. Then, I start moving the latch around until the doors make a puffing sound.

Distracted, I drop the book. I use both hands to push the doors open. They creak loudly. I flinch, my body throbbing with pain.

I need to rest. I’m panting, looking around. The huge dome room is dimly lit by torches.

“Hello?” My voice bounces off the walls, filling the empty room. I step inside, scanning the area. It’s filled with chests and treasures, scattered haphazardly. I can’t help but smile as I wander deeper into the room, stopping at a small staircase.

“What’s that?” I murmur, spotting something large and dark in the center of the room. I descend the stairs, picking up a torch as I go. The light dances off my fiery red hair.

“An egg?” I whisper, taken aback. Could it be a dragon egg?

I reach out, drawn to it. My hand warms as I touch the rough surface. “Incredible,” I breathe, circling the egg. It’s twice my size.

“Could it be alive?” It seems impossible, but...

Curiosity gets the better of me, and I try to climb onto a large stone to get a better look. But the egg is too big. I reach for a statue to steady myself, but a sharp edge cuts my hand. “Ouch!” I pull my hand back, blood dripping onto the egg. I try to stop the bleeding, but something catches my eye. Was that movement?

I decide to leave, carefully stepping down from the stone. As I reach the stairs, I hear a noise. I whip my head around, but there’s nothing there. Did I imagine it?

“I need to get out of here,” I say, not looking back. I close the door behind me, leaving the massive doors unlocked.

***

“Are you feeling better?” Calandra asks the next day. I nod, lying through my teeth. I’m not okay. My heart and mind are in turmoil.

“How’s Michael?” I ask, sitting up in bed.

“He’s with Irene. Cian’s dragon heart was removed,” Calandra explains. I nod, looking out the window.

“Where’s Damian?” I ask, not turning to look at her.

“He’s in the throne room,” Calandra sighs. “He hasn’t left.”

“Any news from Dimitri?” I ask. Calandra is silent. I frown, glancing at her. She’s looking down. “Dimitri, Calandra,” I snap.

“We haven’t heard anything. Leo hasn’t updated us,” Calandra says. I grab a fur coat and stand. “You should rest, Valkyrie.”

“No, I need to go,” I insist. I can’t let Damian shoulder everything. Dimitri may not have officially made me queen, but I have every right to the title.

I leave Calandra in the room and head down the hallway. As I approach the stairs, I notice a shadow in the distance. I brush a stray hair from my face. What is that? Am I hallucinating?

I pinch the bridge of my nose, sighing. I should have listened to Calandra. But I’m worried about everyone, especially Dimitri.

I shake off the strange feeling and continue on my way. I can’t shake the feeling that something is following me.

I hurry to the throne room. The guards greet me and open the doors. The council members are seated, their eyes immediately turning to me.

“Queen?” one of them greets me.

“Elders,” I respond, bowing. Damian is seated in his chair. “Is something wrong?” I ask, approaching him.

“Why are you here?” Damian asks, concern etched on his face.

“I have a duty to fulfill,” I say with a smile. Damian looks surprised.

“What do you mean?” Damian finally asks. I smile at him, then turn to face the room. All eyes are on me, waiting for my next words.

“As you all know, we are at war with King Gabriel. Our king, my king, is out there fighting. We need to do our part and support him,” I declare.

“It’s our responsibility. No,” I correct myself, smiling. “It’s my responsibility as your queen to lead you to where your king is.

“King Dimitri is waiting for us, and if any of you refuse to follow me, I will make you.”

The room is silent, everyone staring at me in shock as I ascend the stairs. I turn to face them.

“You will follow me, your queen, and if anyone opposes me, I will kill you with my own hands. Is that clear?” I say, my voice firm. Damian looks at me, shocked.

“You think you can just say that?” Dimitri’s grandfather stands. “Do you hear this, elders? A mere slave telling us what to do.”

“Slave?” I laugh. “According to your own laws and dragon history, I AM YOUR QUEEN!”

Dimitri’s grandfather growls.

“Whether you like it or not, I am your queen, and have been since the moment I became Dimitri’s mate,” I retort.

“She’s right,” Damian says, smirking. “You can’t oppose her, Grandfather.” He stands, joining me. “Valkyrie is our queen, whether you like it or not.”

Dimitri’s grandfather growls, anger flashing in his eyes. Just as he’s about to speak, a roar echoes through the castle.

The entire castle shakes, voices rising outside.

“What is that?” a councilman asks.

A shadow passes by one of the windows, followed by another roar.

“Are we under attack?” someone else asks. I scan the room. Something is flying outside, but what? Could it be a dragon under Gabriel’s control?

Suddenly, Damian starts shouting something, but his words are drowned out as the wall to our right explodes. I instinctively crouch down, shielding myself from the flying dust and debris.

“Valkyrie!” Damian’s voice echoes through the chaos. I cough, squinting through the dust. What’s that?

I stand up, covering my mouth and nose with my hand. There’s something in the throne room.

“VALKYRIE!” Damian’s voice is filled with panic. I move closer to see what’s happening. A dark figure looms over me. I let out a scream and stumble backward, landing hard on my ass.

Damian hears my cry and rushes up the stairs, but he freezes when he sees what’s in front of me. A red dragon, with one blue eye and one hazel eye, is staring down at me.

He’s massive. Bigger than anything I’ve ever seen.

I raise my hand to stop Damian from coming any closer. The dragon continues to stare at me. Then, he tilts his head, studying me. There’s something familiar about him.

I gasp, covering my mouth. The dragon has the same eye colors as me. As I reel from the shock, the dragon lowers his head, growling softly as he approaches me.

“Valkyrie!” Damian calls out.

“No, stay!” I command, keeping my gaze locked on the dragon. I slowly stand up, flinching as he takes a step closer. But my initial fear and shock are fading.

Instead, a strange sense of familiarity is washing over me. “You’re the egg,” I whisper in disbelief. The dragon growls in response, circling me.

“What’s going on?” one of the elders asks, their faces mirroring my shock. The dragon wraps his body around me protectively, huffing as he lays his head down.

“Valkyrie, are you okay?” Damian asks, finally reaching the top of the stairs.

“Yes,” I breathe out, a smile spreading across my face. I reach out to touch the dragon, but Damian calls out my name in warning. “It’s okay, Damian. This dragon… it’s the egg from the room.”

“Room?” Damian asks, his brow furrowing in confusion. “What room?”

“The room in the south of the palace,” I explain, my hand gently stroking the dragon’s red scales. They’re rough and cold under my touch.

“The vault,” Dimitri’s grandfather whispers. We all turn to look at him, waiting for him to continue. But instead, he drops to his knees and bows his head. I’m taken aback.

“Grandfather?” Damian asks, concern lacing his voice. He looks just as confused as the rest of us.

“That’s the treasure your father left behind,” Dimitri’s grandfather says, his head still bowed. “The last dragon egg, a gift from the final dragon queen.”

“Wasn’t that supposed to be Dimitri’s? Why is it with the queen?” an elder asks. All eyes turn to me.

“I might have been there?” I offer, swallowing nervously. The dragon growls loudly at the attention, causing everyone, including Damian, to drop to their knees.

“It seems the dragon egg has chosen its master,” Leo says, stepping into the room with a smile. I try to move, but the dragon’s tail blocks my path.

“Dimitri!” I cry out, worried.

“Relax, my queen,” Leo says, standing tall with a reassuring smile. “The king is fine, but he needs our help.”

I let out a sigh of relief, tears streaming down my face. I sway slightly, and the dragon nudges me with his snout. I smile down at him, then turn to Leo.

“I think it’s time to bring our king back,” I say, and everyone nods in agreement. “Damian has gathered everyone here. It’s time to kill that fucking king.” The dragon behind me roars in agreement.