Read Online The Dragon Knight's Curse (The Dragon Knight Series Book 2) by D.C. Clemens - Free Book Online

himself someday, as he knew someone with the ability to solve the mystery it held. As per his request, I threw the letter in a fireplace after I finished eating.
    I next made my way up to the throne hall. This open-aired room had forty foot high marble pillars of glorious white supporting the squat domed roof. Enclosing the elongated space from three sides was a flight of steps one had to climb for ten feet to reach. My mother loved this high, airy room. It would have been her favorite if she didn’t have to meet with a tireless flow of dignitaries every morning. Before I reached her at the other end, Elisa and I curtsied to the nobles waiting to be met with the queen, slowing my progress.
    Standing alongside her, wearing an increasingly common expression of seriousness, was my eldest sister. I did not blame Beatrice for the change in her conduct the last couple of years. I would be much the same if I was next in line to become a ruler of a kingdom. Everyone expected her to continue the peaceful legacy our family have worked tirelessly to maintain. Everything would be scrutinized, from her choice of dress to the men she could make king someday. I knew of a close friendship that had recently become strained due to her turning down his requests for a more intimate relationship. She was already comparing young men to the standards of an old king.
    I saw the weight bearing down on her every day, but she had all the support in the world, so I did not so much worry about her mental state as much as pity it. I strove to give Beatrice a flash of levity by telling Elisa to run as fast as possible to our eldest sister and hug her. With all her gusto in tow, Elisa did as I bid, almost making a giggling Beatrice tumble over when she embraced her legs. My older sibling, however, presented a playful scowl to me, knowing I had been the one to let the girl off her leash.
    I waited a moment for Leandra to finish speaking with a man I recognized to be a financial advisor. When he left, I asked, “Can we still afford this place?”
    “As long as I refrain from anymore major renovations for another decade or so. What is it you need?”
    “There’s a change of plans in my day. I’ve been given a top secret project that might require research outside the castle.”
    She frowned. “Are you sure this isn’t merely an excuse to meet with Gerard? And what about the training session with your father? He so enjoys those, and he leaves for Brey Stor tomorrow.”
    “Gerard and I already have non-secret plans to meet later, and Dad leaves in two days.”
    “What? Gods, what day is it? Is it not Lindus? I swore your father told me he was leaving on… Oh! That wicked man! Never mind. Very well, go play whatever game you have planned.”
    “I swear it’s not a game, Mother. I’m not even taking Elisa with me. Her orders are to keep Beatrice’s spirits up for me.”
    “My spirits are fine,” said Beatrice, picking up her smallest sister from the floor she had been sitting on.
    My mother shooed me away when she noticed an impatient noblewoman creeping closer to us.
    As we walked back downstairs, Bell asked, “So what game are we playing this time?”
    “Ugh, you too? I’m being serious. Remember Mercer? He needs our help.”
    The first collection of books that came to mind was, of course, the two palace libraries. One collection mostly consisted of more modern works, but I still rummaged through it just in case. As expected, the well-ordered room allowed me to quickly determine that my goal did not lie there.
    The second library contained a somewhat smaller horde of rarer scrolls and bindings. The head librarian, the middle-aged son of the former literature coordinator, was permanently ensconced within this circular chamber. Beatrice and I used to believe Hubert’s antipathy to the outside world came from his secret vampire nature, so we often involved him in our scarier games without his knowledge. There was no reason not to trust him with