He had hoped to make the dragon smile at the memory of another small boy who had learned the magic by the side of the river. Draconas shook his head.

“You will have to teach your son yourself, Marcus. My days as a walker are nearly at an end. I came to tell you goodbye. My people are at war and my place is with them. I am working to bring about peace, but I am not hopeful.”

“We may soon be at war ourselves,” said Marcus. “When Anna and I are married, our first task will be to try to enter Dragonkeep to open negotiations. But I am not hopeful, either. They have been taught to hate us.”

“They aren’t the only ones who have been taught hate,” Draconas remarked.

“True,” said Marcus, thinking of Ven. “The blame lies with us, as well.”

Draconas held out his hand. “Farewell, Your Highness. A last word of advice—stay out of that little room. You’re needed in this world. You should not be trespassing in ours.”

“Yet, I would like to go there sometimes,” said Marcus quietly. “To dream the dreams of dragons.”

And perhaps, he thought as he watched Draconas walk away, his boots dust-covered and worn down at the heels, that was all it had been.

A dream of dragons.

He watched Draconas until the dragon was lost to sight, walking down the road, and the gates of the palace had shut upon him.

EPILOGUE

A FORTNIGHT AFTER THE ASSAULT ON IDYLSWYLDE, WHEN LIFE IN the city had almost returned to normal, a secret trial was held inside the castle of the king.

Long after darkness had fallen, the prisoner was removed from her room, where she’d been held under strict guard, and taken to King Edward’s private study. Four guards escorted the prisoner, and her hands were bound, for she was being tried on the charge of murder.

Evelina came before the king with her head held high, her jaw firm, though her dreams hung about her in shreds and tatters. She had awakened one morning a week ago to find her mattress soaked in blood—proof that she was not pregnant. She had tried to hide the evidence from Axe-Face, who had returned, much to Evelina’s ire. That, however, had been impossible.

After that, everything had gone wrong. Evelina had planned to retrieve the goblet that she had given to Lady Izabelle and rinse it out before anyone had a chance to examine it. The startling and unexpected turn of events of that day had so rattled her that she forgot about the goblet until it was too late. When she went to find it, the goblet was gone.