The Dragon Kings' Forbidden Witch

”Then don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

The second voice was male. Cold. Bored.

Morgana froze.

She knew she shouldn’t stop. Knew she should keep walking, mind her own business, stay invisible.

But something in that voice made her pause.

It was familiar.

Not in the way Draeven’s voice had been....rough and burning.

This voice was smooth. Sharp. Like a blade wrapped in silk.

The door to the sitting room opened.

Morgana’s eyes widened, and she quickly pressed herself against the wall, hoping she wouldn’t be seen.

A woman stepped out into the corridor.

She was beautiful, dark hair tumbling over her shoulders, her gown of deep purple silk rumpled and hastily fastened. Her lips were swollen, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes were wet with unshed tears.

She looked... used.

Behind her, a man appeared in the doorway.

Morgana’s breath caught.

He was tall....nearly as tall as Draeven...but leaner, his frame elegant and predatory. His hair was pale, almost white-blonde, falling to his shoulders in a way that should have looked soft but instead looked dangerous. His eyes were pale too...icy blue, cold and sharp as winter frost.

And his face...

He was beautiful.

Devastatingly, cruelly beautiful.

But there was nothing warm in that beauty. Nothing kind.

He looked at the woman the way one might look at a discarded piece of clothing.

”You were adequate,” he said, his tone dismissive. ”But I’m finished now. You may go.”

The woman’s face crumpled. ”Your Majesty, please...”

”I said, go.”

His voice didn’t rise. Didn’t sharpen.

But the woman flinched as if he’d struck her.

She dropped into a shaky curtsy, tears spilling down her cheeks, and fled down the corridor.

Morgana watched her go, her stomach twisting.

Who was he?

She didn’t know. But the way he carried himself, the way the woman had called him Your Majesty...

Another king.

Her pulse spiked.

She needed to leave. Now.

She turned, moving as quietly as she could, praying he wouldn’t notice...

”You.”

Morgana froze.

No.

”I said, you.”

His voice was cold. Commanding.

Slowly, Morgana turned back.

He was watching her from the doorway, his pale eyes sharp and assessing. He tilted his head slightly, like a snake eyeing prey.

”Come here.”

It wasn’t a request.

Morgana’s throat went dry. She set down the bucket and moved toward him on trembling legs, stopping a few feet away.

She dropped into a curtsy. ”Your Majesty.”

”Stand.”

She obeyed.

He studied her for a long moment, his gaze sweeping over her face, her frame, lingering in a way that made her skin crawl.

Then his mouth curved into a slow, cold smile.

”You’re the new girl,” he said.

”Yes, Your Majesty.”

”The one my brother can’t stop staring at.”

Morgana’s blood turned to ice.

His brother.

So this was one of the other kings. The second? The third? She didn’t know.

”I don’t know what you mean, Your Majesty,” she said carefully.

His smile widened. ”Don’t you?”

He stepped closer, and Morgana fought the urge to step back.

”Draeven has been... distracted lately,” he continued, his tone almost amused. ”Distracted in a way I haven’t seen in decades. And at the banquet, I noticed he couldn’t take his eyes off a certain little servant girl.” His gaze locked onto hers. ”That was you, wasn’t it?”

”I... I was serving at the banquet, Your Majesty.”

”That’s not what I asked.”

Morgana swallowed. ”I don’t know why the king would...”

”Stop.” He held up a hand. ”Don’t insult me with lies. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

He circled her slowly, the way Draeven had, but where Draeven’s presence had been fire...hot and consuming, this man’s was ice.

Cold.

Calculating.

Dangerous.

”What’s your name?” he asked.

”Morgana, Your Majesty.”

”Morgana.” He stopped in front of her. ”Tell me, Morgana. What is it about you that has my brother so... captivated?”

”I don’t know, Your Majesty.”

”Is it your face?” He reached out, and Morgana’s breath hitched.

His fingers brushed her chin...cold, gentle...tilting her face up toward the light.

”You’re pretty enough, I suppose,” he mused. ”But not extraordinary. Not enough to justify the way he looked at you.”

Morgana said nothing.

”Is it your body?” His gaze dropped, raking over her in a way that made her want to disappear. ”Adequate. But again, nothing remarkable.”

Heat flooded her cheeks.....shame, anger, fear all twisted together.

”So what is it?” He leaned closer, his breath cold against her skin. ”What are you hiding?”

”Nothing, Your Majesty.”

”Another lie.” His smile turned sharp. ”You’re full of them, aren’t you?”

He released her chin and stepped back, his pale eyes gleaming with something dangerous.

”I think,” he said slowly, ”I need to find out for myself.”

Morgana’s stomach dropped. ”Your Majesty?”

”You’ll attend me tonight.”

”I...what?”

”You heard me.” He turned toward the sitting room, gesturing lazily over his shoulder. ”Report to my chambers at sundown. I’ll have use of you.”

Morgana’s pulse spiked. ”Your Majesty, I’m assigned to...”

”I don’t care what you’re assigned to.” He glanced back at her, his expression cold. ”I’m giving you a direct order. Or would you prefer I have you dismissed?”

Her throat closed.

She couldn’t refuse. She couldn’t.

”No, Your Majesty,” she whispered.

”Good.” He smiled...a cruel, beautiful thing. ”And Morgana?”

”Yes, Your Majesty?”

”Wear something clean. I have standards.”

Then he turned and disappeared into the sitting room, closing the door behind him.

Morgana stood frozen in the corridor, her entire body shaking.

Attend him tonight.

I’ll have use of you.

She knew what that meant.

She’d seen the woman leaving his chambers....rumpled, tear-stained, used.

No.

But what choice did she have?

If she refused, he’d have her dismissed. Or worse.

And if she went...

She pressed a hand to her mouth, fighting the urge to be sick.

What am I going to do?

She stumbled through the rest of the day in a daze.

Her hands moved mechanically...scrubbing, sweeping, carrying, but her mind was somewhere else entirely.

Attend him tonight.

She couldn’t tell Rowan. Couldn’t tell anyone.

What would she even say?

One of the kings has summoned me to his chambers and I think he’s going to...