“Come on, I’m serious,” Anders stated emphatically.
Thomas nodded and the teasing disappeared from his voice, “Okay, I promise, I won’t tell.”
“You know the story Theodor told us about my mom running off with a wealthy so-and-so when she was a young girl?”
Thomas nodded.
“Well, it turns out that that guy was a prince. The prince of Southland actually. His name was Prince William.”
“Shut up,” Thomas said, eyes growing wide.
“My father was the sole heir to the throne and ruler of all three human nations,” Anders said. “When he died a few days ago, that title passed on to me.”
Anders stared at Thomas through the setting sunlight. Thomas’ jaw hung slack in shock.
“I’m the true King,” Anders finished.
“Why didn’t you proclaim yourself to all of those people down there?” Thomas asked. “You should be calling all the shots and, you have a dragon. You must be the first ruler to have a dragon since the kings ruled in Highborn Bay.”
“It’s not that simple. They probably wouldn’t even believe me,” Anders said.
“Wait a second. Your father was killed in a storm, a shipwreck years ago? Why did you say he was killed a few days ago?” Thomas asked.
“Because my father wasn’t killed in a freak storm near Grandwood. I killed him myself.”
“What!? How?”
“You remember Ivan?”
Thomas nodded, “The guy who you were with in Eastland, who took you to train with the elves?”
“He was my father.”
“I thought you said your father’s name was William?”
“It was; he changed it after Merglan attacked Kingston and killed his father, my grandfather.”
“Why did you kill him?”
Tears welled in Anders’ eyes, “When I faced Merglan in Southland, Ivan was taken prisoner. I escaped, but Ivan didn’t. Merglan somehow stole his mind, his soul, from him and turned Ivan’s body into some kind of thoughtless monster set on killing you and Kirsten.”
Thomas gasped.
“He fatally wounded Maija and was about to kill me when I turned his own blade against him.”
“You saved us,” Thomas said. “You saved all of us.”
“Raffa helped me heal Maija before it was too late and that’s when they bonded. And that’s also when Tarron showed up.”
“Who?”
Hello, Tarron said into Thomas’ mind.
“What? Who said that?” Thomas asked, spinning around in search of someone else.
“It’s kind of hard to explain. He’s a soul who exists in the sapphire on my sword,” Anders said.
I was once a dragonrider like Anders. It’s terribly nice to meet you, Thomas.
Thomas jumped back slightly in shock, not knowing what to say or who to respond to.
“He takes a little getting used to, but he’s a great asset,” Anders said.
Thomas’ face wrinkled in confusion, then Anders saw his eyes widen and his jaw slacken in the same way it had a moment ago when he told his cousin he was the true king. Thomas gasped, pointing a finger at Anders and stammering.
Anders straightened and said, “I didn’t know he was that terrifying?”
Thomas shook his head, “Not that. Look!”
Anders turned around and saw what Thomas was pointing at. A lone dragon flew in the distance through the darkening sky. He focused and Anders could make out the outline of someone sitting on its back. “Merglan,” he said under his breath.
Chapter 79
A First Strike
Speeding through the darkened sky, Anders searched for the dragonrider he’d seen flying on the horizon. Where did he go? he asked Zahara.
I never did sense him or Killdoor, she answered.
