Wolf Princess Sold to the Dragon King

Blinding white light washed over Diplomat Row. Not a single warrior flinched. They stood calm in the blaze like it was sunshine, while hundreds of Dark Fae shrieked and disintegrated into floating ash.

The light cut off.

The silence that followed was so complete it felt like the universe itself had hit mute.

”How interesting,” Guinevere said, staring at her hands.

Maddox looked down at her. ”Nope. We’re done. No more interesting shit tonight.”

A single soldier near the orgy tent tested the waters. ”Take the gold. Take the g—” He stopped, glanced around, and smoothly transitioned into a fake coughing fit.

Marek and Eron’s voices rang out together like they’d practiced it. ”Your Majesty, the girl.”

”Drakencrest, my daughter—” Renwick started.

”I need to speak to my granddaughter,” Lord Solandris finished at the same time.

Twice the old man had dropped ’granddaughter’ in public, and this time people heard it. A kicked-beehive buzz broke out, the unmistakable sound of a blindsided audience.

”GRANDDAUGHTER?”

”She looks like a Solandris. White hair.”

”Lord Solandris is just old. His hair used to be black.”

Maddox moved towards Jaxon’s portal.

”Two things,” he called over his shoulder. ”Lunaris, you’re in my Keep unannounced in the middle of a war summit. Solandris, ’granddaughter’ is a hell of a headline to break tonight after staying buried all week. I want answers to both tomorrow.”

Guinevere was silent against his chest. No words were needed. He understood.

THOOM.

Less than one step away from Jaxon’s portal, dark magic exploded sending everyone flying.

Maddox spun mid-air with Guinevere locked against him, turning his own body into the thing that met the dirt so she wouldn’t have to, and she came down on top of him with her hands braced flat on his chest. The two of them had run a version of this exact maneuver the night before.

”Twice in two nights you’ve put me on the ground with you on top,” he commented lightly. ”Noted.”

Her face flushed red immediately. Maddox grinned, entirely too pleased. ”And now she blushes too.”

The moment was short lived. Before she could respond, a voice hit Diplomat Row.

”VESSEL, VESSEL. COME OUT, COME OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE.”

Maddox’s blood turned to ice. He flipped Guinevere beneath him to shield her as the realization hit: the Eclipse King was no longer in the sky, and the dark magic that had detonated belonged to him.

He lifted his head, scanning for the bastard, and raised his palm. Dark Fae absorbed flame. He knew that. But instinct overrode everything and gold exploded forward.

The Eclipse King began to laugh, absorbing it.

Guinevere’s arm shot out from under Maddox at that instant. White light burst from her hand, fusing with his gold.

”THE VESSEL—”

The words dissolved into a chorus of agonized shrieks as the king fell to his knees.

”Don’t stop, Maddox,” Guinevere coached from under him, voice completely serious.

It was cute. Adorable. Like a tiny, very serious kitten giving battlefield commands while being held.

Landon’s boots slammed into the ground as white light blasted from his hands.

Thick black smoke immediately poured off the Eclipse King. For one brief moment, it looked like he was burning alive under their combined power.

Then Guinevere’s white light cut off and her hand fell limp.

The Eclipse King’s screams stopped cold. He released a dark, rattling laugh and stood tall, arms spread, as if the gold and white power still hammering into him was barely noticeable.

”Thank you for the demonstration. She tastes like starlight.” He scanned, meeting Maddox’s eyes. ”I will keep coming back, Drakencrest. Give her to me now, and prevent a genocide of two species.”

Mid-sentence, a white portal tore open behind the Eclipse King. Maddox and Landon blasted him through it in unison. The portal slammed shut with a loud crack.

Landon bent over, hands on his knees, breathing hard.

Silence.

Then one drunk gambler started clapping. ”Beautiful shot, boys! That’s how you return a package!”

The whole row exploded into applause and cheers like they’d just watched the greatest show of their lives.

The Luminari warriors glanced at one another. One shrugged and mouthed, ’dragons.’

Maddox’s gaze dropped to Guinevere under him. He had been bracing his weight above her and he hadn’t realized she was silently convulsing until now.

”Fuck.”

He was on his knees in a flash, gathering her in his arms while his dragon whimpered in his chest.

She’s dying.

Her heart stuttered.

”No. No, no, baby.” He wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. ”Stay with me. I’ll get you a healer.”

Thirty feet away, Renwick Lunaris pushed himself up, scanning for his daughter. The moment he spotted her, all color drained from his face. The Wolf King crossed the ruined row at full Alpha speed, stopping in front of Landon.

”My daughter needs your light.” His jaw worked once. ”Please.”

Landon rose, still breathing hard. ”Where is she?”

He was already moving towards her before he finished the question, dropping next to her.

”Shit.” He met Maddox’s gold eyes. ”Her heart will stop inside a minute. Give her to me, Drakencrest.”

Maddox pulled her tighter to his chest before his brain could vote. Something older than instinct spoke up underneath it, quiet and certain, and told him he could trust this man. He’d hear that voice again someday and understand it. Tonight he only obeyed it.

The Dragon King lowered his wife to the ground, not letting her head touch the dirt.

Landon pressed both palms flat to her sternum. Light poured out of him, pushing into her, chasing the thing that was killing her.

For one heartbeat, Maddox thought it was working.

Then it began to fail. It sputtered and thinned into almost nothing.

”I’m sorry.” Landon’s head dropped, the words aimed down at the woman under his hands.

”What?” Maddox demanded. ”Finish that sentence, Solveil.”

”Let me save her, Drakencrest.”

The King of light pressed his forehead to Guinevere’s.

Maddox’s dragon rumbled deep in his chest, loud enough for the entire Diplomat Row to hear.

Landon ignored it. White light detonated from his body, brighter than the blast that had turned a fae army to ash. Maddox squinted against the glare. It felt like staring straight into the sun.

The spasms stopped as her eyes fluttered closed. Her heartbeat steadied next, syncing with the King of Light’s pulse.

Maddox could hear it over the ringing in his own ears. He and his dragon didn’t give a damn. She was alive. That was all that mattered.

Blood trickled from his nose and dripped from his jaw. He didn’t notice, his gaze staying locked on her face.

Unbeknownst to Maddox, hidden because it was on Landon’s side of her, a brilliant white mark flashed across her neck, weaving between the gold and silver to complete a perfect, glowing trinity.