Eona: The Last Dragoneye

“Take Ryko’s will, or Yuso will break his shoulder.”

With a deft twist of his sword, Yuso lowered the blade and shifted his grip, changing the heavy hilt into a bludgeon. Ryko stiffened.

“Yuso, no!” I said.

“I serve His Majesty,” Yuso warned.

He walked toward us. Ryko’s eyes fixed on Yuso, but there was no plea in them. Just a hard, endless stare.

I spun around to Kygo. “He is your man. He is loyal to you.”

Kygo shook his head. “He is your man, Eona. Take his will.”

“Why?”

He looked across at Yuso. “Do it,” he ordered.

The captain pulled back the hilt, lining up the blow. Beside me, Ryko braced, his breathing quick and hard through clenched teeth.

“Stop!” I pushed in between them.

The islander stumbled backward. “My lady, please. No.”

“I’m sorry, Ryko.” I reached out with my energy, seeking the pathways of his life force. “Forgive me.”

Beneath the pounding of my heartbeat, I found the frantic rhythm of his fear and fury, and pulled it into my Hua. The sudden brutal link flared through his eyes. He gasped as his will melded to mine, the merciless connection driving him to his knees. I felt the rush of his energy building within me. All of his massive strength was at my command.

A brutal grip on my arm wrenched me around.

Kygo.

I staggered, still caught in the torrent of power. The emperor hauled me upright again and grabbed my jaw, holding me still.

“Did you heal me?” he demanded. He was so close, I could barely focus. “Did you heal me?”

The dark fear in his eyes penetrated the rush of power.

“No!” My connection with Ryko snapped. The brutal release dropped the islander to the floor as I sagged, suddenly drained of energy. “No. I didn’t heal you. I didn’t!”

Kygo caught me and pulled me against his chest. I felt his heart pounding beneath my cheek, the glow of the Imperial Pearl only a finger’s length away from my eyes. I stared at its pale beauty, the shock of the broken link too strong for the small stirring of desire to touch it.

Kygo stroked the nape of my neck. “It’s all right,” he murmured against my hair. He looked around at Yuso. “See, she had no hold on me. And I did not feel her control of Ryko,” he said. “Are you satisfied?”

Yuso sheathed his sword. “As much as I can be, given our lack of knowledge about her power.”

“Then get out,” Kygo said. “Take Ryko with you. Have the physician attend him.”

I lifted my head, the sense of Kygo’s words finally penetrating my daze.

“You did that to see if I healed you?” Another kind of energy burned through me — rage. And it was all my own. I slammed my fist against his chest. “Let me go!”

He tightened his hold, stopping my escape. “I had to be certain.”

“You could have asked me!” I punched him again, wanting to hurt him in some way. As he had hurt me. He caught my wrist. This time his touch held no tenderness.

“Yuso,” he said through his teeth. “Get out. Now!”

The captain hauled Ryko up onto his feet and steered him out of the cavern. Kygo forced my hand down.

“Do not hit me again,” he warned. “I am your emperor.”

“I am your Naiso,” I said. “Or does that mean nothing?”

“I had to prove that you did not heal me.”

“How could I have healed you?” I demanded. “I would have destroyed the whole crater, like the fisher village.”

“I did not witness that, Eona. And all who did are your people,” he said. “I had to prove that my will is still my own.”

“Why didn’t you just trust me? I would have told you the truth.”

“It would not have been enough,” he said flatly. “I had to prove it to Yuso.”

“Why? What is so important about Yuso?”

“It is his duty to protect me. To protect the throne. He had to make sure I was not compromised.” The somber appeal in his eyes held me still. “This was not just between you and me, Eona. Everything I do has an effect on the empire. It has been so all my life. And now everything you do affects it, too.” He hesitated, then cupped my cheek, the full tenderness of his mouth so near my own. “I know you are new to your power and rank, but you must understand that the empire is more important than a man and a woman. Whatever we may feel or wish.”

I pulled my face away, gathering my resentment before me like a shield. “That does not excuse cruelty and dishonor,” I said.

He flinched, and something savage within me rejoiced.

“You think that was cruel?” He released my wrist and stepped back. “This war with my uncle has just begun, Eona. What I just did was honorable compared to what is coming.”

“Is that the moral gauge you are going to use for all your actions?” I asked. “It will no doubt bend to your every purpose as easily as green bamboo.”

He gave a bitter laugh. “Is that my Naiso speaking? Or is it just a woman’s pique sharpening your tongue?”

“It is obvious that you do not trust me. Perhaps I should not be your Naiso.” My voice cracked. We both knew I was not only speaking of that exalted position.

“Perhaps you are right,” he said.

It was my turn to flinch. He walked slowly back to the desk. I watched the unyielding line of his shoulders and back. I had been a fool to let myself believe he valued me.

“On your honor, promise that you will never heal me,” he finally said.

“I will do better than my honor, since you hold it in so little regard,” I answered, unable to keep back the acid of my hurt. “I swear it on my life.”

His hand found the Imperial Pearl at his throat.

“Eona, I have been trained from birth not to truly trust anyone.” The words were so soft they were barely audible across the distance between us. Perhaps they held the note of apology, but I was not willing to hear it.

“I do not trust easily, either,” I said. “Especially when I am betrayed.”

I saw the word bite deep. For a long moment, he did not move.

“It is a good thing, then, that obedience does not require trust,” he finally said. He leaned over the map, his clenched fist pressed against the parchment. “Tell Viktor and his men to return.”

I bowed and backed away, holding tight to my anger to stop the tears that stung my eyes.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

I STOOD FOR a few moments just inside the entrance of the cave, the soft sleeve of my dress pressed against my wet face, and listened for any sign of pursuit. There was none, of course — an emperor would never follow anyone, let alone a woman. All I could hear was the conversation of the men outside, waiting to be summoned again. I did not want to step out among them, but there was no choice. I straightened my tunic, wiped the blur from my eyes with my forefinger, then strode out into the new daylight.

“His Majesty commands your return,” I said, moving swiftly past their bowing forms. There was nowhere for me to go, but I did not pause, taking the steps with the pretense of purpose.

“My lady, please wait.”

I glanced back. Vida stood on the top step.

“What is it?” I continued walking.