It was really the best Aidan could do at the moment.

But Aidan was no fool.

Meihui might have sent them off with a smile, but she’d also brushed her hand against Aidan’s when he was walking away and he took it as the warning it was meant to be.

Because on the surface this all might appear normal. A royal caravan.

But they were actually pampered prisoners and all of them knew it.

As they moved through the countryside, Aidan did marvel at the surrounding lands. The Southlands near Garbhán Isle had always been his favorite, but the Empress’s territory rivaled his home.

Behind them loomed snow-capped mountains. The home of many dragons that refused to spend much time among humans.

The road they took led them through thick, multicolored forests. Trees of red, gold, and vibrant green. Along the way, they went through smaller forests with vast plains mixed in. And those plains had grass so green they seemed to be painted.

By the next morning, they reached massive gold gates connected to massive gold walls that surrounded the Empress’s palace and lands. They waited while the gates were pulled open, allowing their entourage to pass through and into the Empress’s true domain.

The first thing that greeted them were flowers. Rows and rows of all kinds of beautiful flowers in a variety of stunning colors.

The road that passed by these flowers was wide enough for a small army to come through without going near the Empress’s garden, and Aidan wasn’t exactly surprised. The dragoness clearly loved her flowers.

As they approached, Aidan could see the palace he’d heard so much about over the years. It, too, was made completely of gold and he could see Eastland dragons circling the top tiers of the palace, as well as open terraces where a large number of Eastland dragons were sitting around, chatting, and enjoying the morning suns.

“Now what?” Uther muttered next to him.

“What are you talking about?”

“Now that we’re here . . . what are we going to do?”

“Oh.” Aidan shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well,” Uther said, throwing up his hands, “this is just great!”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The screaming filled the castle walls, but Vateria didn’t mind. She knew it was leading to better, more important things.

Besides, the sound reminded her of the old days when her father ruled the Quintilian Provinces. She missed those days, when she had slaves and the complete run of her father’s home. But those days were gone and she was here . . . doing needlepoint.

It still galled her this was her life now, but not for much longer.

Soon, she’d rule more than just what her father had had. She’d rule more than what anyone had.

But first, a few things needed to happen.