The Warrior King (Inferno Rising #3) - Abigail Owen Page 0,99

first before he dropped heavily into the seat beside her. His legs were obviously still not entirely stable, but she refrained from commenting.

“Did you know the ancient Vritranvhis have a story of how the world ends?” Gorgon paused and ran a hand over his face, which had gone pale, obviously feeling the effects of being up and about.

“Should you lie down?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I am sick to death of that bed.” He dropped his hand. “Though perhaps that is an ill choice of phrases.”

“Mmm…” Meira patted his hand. “We were immune to human diseases, but Skylar broke her leg once and had to stay in bed for a month. She was a terror to be around the entire time.”

“I can imagine.”

Meira relaxed, the butter-soft leather making no noise at her movement. “So…how does the world end?” Her curiosity had got the better of her. “In fire?”

He shook his head. “In ice and water.”

What dragons feared most.

“Before our kind knew of the Americas, it was said that beyond the great waters were untamed lands. From these lands a terrible war would arise, setting a blaze even we could not calm, scorching all the earth. Every tree, every creature, gone. Leaving nothing in its wake except ash and dragons who are immune to fire. The heat caused by this fire would melt massive sheets of ice at the ends of the world, flooding everything with freezing water and consuming the last of us in the end.”

“Sounds like most end-of-the-world stories from culture to culture,” Meira murmured. “I wonder that they were wise enough to guess at more land, or even the polar caps, at a time when they couldn’t have known.”

Gorgon considered that but shook his head. “I think maybe they did know.”

She tipped her head in question.

“Humans aren’t the only breed with a few adventurous spirits. Even if that wasn’t the case, I think your ancestors might have helped?”

“Mine?” Meira raised her eyebrows.

“According to my father’s father, who I knew as a boy, a phoenix has ruled beside a dragon since the beginning. If you can walk through mirrors, and Kasia can have visions, I imagine those phoenixes must’ve seen something.”

“Something terrifying.” Meira grimaced. “Do you believe in the legend?”

“I believe that the legend is a warning. Your sister has changed a few of the outcomes she’s seen, simply by seeing them and telling others. What if one of your early ancestors did the same? Told others to keep it from happening.”

“Wouldn’t that have been passed down through my kind?” Meira asked. “My mother told us many stories that a phoenix only passes on to her child.” Or children, but Serefina Amon had been the first to have more than one.

“I don’t know. But I have found, the longer I live, the more wisdom is to be gleaned from ancient beliefs and words. At the very least, they should not be dismissed out of hand.”

Meira let her gaze wander away, not really seeing. Had one of the women in her line left a hidden message in an old prophecy? A message meant for her? Or was it simply a story, reflecting the fear of people facing mortality, no matter how long their lives?

That same elusive surge of emotions from the king eddied and then disappeared.

“I never wanted to be king,” Gorgon said, his voice lighter suddenly. “In fact, I was never meant to be king.”

She turned her head to find him watching her. “But you rule so well.”

He huffed a small laugh. “After this many years, I’ve learned my way around the throne. However, I was a third son, with two brothers ahead of me, never meant to rule. I preferred to operate behind the scenes, as an adviser to my father, particularly in matters of politics, though never officially. My gift is reading people, knowing what they want or need, sometimes before they know themselves.”

“A handy talent.”

Could he see what she wanted now? Because it no longer included Gorgon. Not as her mate, at least. Only, he didn’t know about Sam, and the guilt was pressing on her like stones piling upon her chest poised to crush her.

“My father and I spent many late nights talking,” Gorgon said. “Some of my fondest memories. I loved him and miss him to this day.” He searched her gaze. “You know the kind of missing I speak of. Your mother—”

“Yes.” Pain hurried her to cut him off, and they sat in silence for a long beat. She got the impression