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Chapter 45: Interrogation! Shocking Everyone!
The gaze no longer held its earlier ferocity. Instead, it carried a hint of scrutiny. Hot breath blasted from the dragon's nostrils, whipping Hugh Hammer's hair in every direction.
Hugh Hammer's eyes widened in disbelief at first. Then he swallowed hard as pure ecstasy spread across his face. "Could it be… Did I actually tame Bronze Fury Vermithor?"
Vermithor slowly lowered its massive body until its head was nearly touching the ground.
Trembling, Hugh reached out and cautiously stroked the dragon's scales. They felt hard and cool beneath his fingers.
The great beast didn't resist. It only gave its head a slight, almost gentle shake.
He didn't hesitate any longer. Using both hands and feet, he scrambled up onto the dragon's broad back. The rough scales dug into his palms, but he barely noticed the pain.
The entire moment felt like a dream. Only when he was firmly seated did he throw his head back and let out a wild shout, tears streaming down his face.
"Yes! Hell yes! Hahaha! Everyone look! Bronze Fury Vermithor is mine now!"
The surviving bastards still huddled in the dragon pit stared up at him with a mixture of envy and fear.
On the high platform overlooking the pit, Queen Rhaenyra saw what had happened and let out a long breath of relief.
"Wonderful," she murmured. "So many died, but summoning the bastards has finally produced results. Our chances against the Greens have just improved."
Prince Jacaerys stood beside her, watching Hugh Hammer shout and celebrate on the dragon's back like some lowborn who had just won a fortune. Displeasure was clear on the prince's face.
"What a shame," he said quietly. "Vermithor is second only to Vhagar in size—the second-largest living dragon in the world—and it ended up with a nobody like him."
In his heart, he believed Vermithor should have belonged to Logar, the Sea Burner.
Logar was the same age as him, had already won astonishing victories, and had always shown him proper respect. He was truly worthy of such a legendary beast.
It was too bad Logar had turned down the invitation to try claiming a dragon. Jacaerys couldn't help but sigh.
The queen, however, didn't care whether Hugh Hammer was worthy of Vermithor or not. After watching a little longer, word soon reached her that Silverwing had also been claimed.
The man who had tamed Silverwing was Hugh Hammer's companion, Ulf the White.
Rhaenyra was overjoyed. She immediately ordered a feast prepared to celebrate the two new dragonriders and publicly announced at the banquet that she was knighting both men.
During the feast, Hugh Hammer and Ulf the White looked at the normally distant queen and prince, who were now warmly congratulating them and raising their cups. A deep sense of satisfaction filled their chests.
The two men exchanged a glance, both seeing the smug triumph in the other's eyes.
At the same time, they secretly sneered at the royals' sudden friendliness. When we have dragons you act close to us. When we didn't, what the hell were we to you?
Feeling bolder now, they ate and drank without restraint. Their crude table manners made Prince Jacaerys frown again and again.
Still, the pair were newly minted dragonriders—vital weapons for the Blacks against the Greens. No matter how much their vulgar behavior annoyed him, Jacaerys had no choice but to swallow his displeasure.
The queen was in high spirits, as though retaking King's Landing and reclaiming the Iron Throne were only days away.
After offering Hugh and Ulf a few words of encouragement, she left the hosting duties to her son Jacaerys and withdrew to the council chamber.
She had barely sat down when Ser Alfred Broome entered with a grave expression. "Your Grace, terrible news!"
"What is it?" Rhaenyra frowned. Had the Greens launched an attack?
"Early this morning, witnesses saw the wild dragon Grey Ghost hunted and killed on the island. The culprit is most likely the man you recently ennobled—Earl of the Stepstones, the Sea Burner Logar!"
"Why would he hunt Grey Ghost?" Rhaenyra's good mood vanished in an instant.
Grey Ghost was a wild dragon, yes, but it was still a Targaryen asset. For a bastard to dare kill one without permission—what was he thinking?
"And there's more, Your Grace," Ser Alfred continued. "Reports also say Logar was seen riding Moondancer with Princess Baela to Dragonmont. Their behavior was… very intimate."
Rhaenyra's face changed dramatically. She slammed her hand down on the table and roared, "Bring that girl Baela to me at once!"
"ROAR—!!"
Just as Queen Rhaenyra angrily struck the table, preparing to question her daughter, a thunderous dragon roar erupted above Dragonstone.
The sound was ancient and primal, carrying terrifying power that shook the soul.
Every building on the island vibrated. Everyone heard the mighty cry and rushed outside, craning their necks toward the sky.
Even Rhaenyra and her councilors sensed something was wrong and stepped out of the keep to see what was happening.
"It's the Cannibal!"
Someone quickly spotted the massive black shape emerging from the peak of Dragonmont. It was the Cannibal—black as midnight ink!
Its enormous wings spread wide enough to blot out the sun. Obsidian scales covered its body all the way down to its spike-like tail. The triangular wings sliced through the air with a rumbling screech.
Many who saw the king of the wild dragons felt a surge of terror. This beast was far more vicious than Grey Ghost and had caused far greater harm.
"Why is the Cannibal out here?" Rhaenyra's brows knitted tightly.
The savage wild dragon had killed countless people. She had never found a way to deal with it. Normally it stayed deep inside Dragonmont and rarely emerged. Why was it behaving so strangely today?
"Your Grace, the Cannibal is flying this way! We must take cover!"
Ser Lorent Marbrand, commander of the Queensguard, paled as he saw the oppressive black dragon heading straight for the keep. He grabbed the queen's arm to pull her back.
The others who had followed her outside were equally alarmed. If the Cannibal unleashed its fire in a rage, they would all be roasted alive.
At that moment, Princess Rhaena's sharp eyes spotted something. She pointed at the dragon's back and cried out, "Gods! Look—there's someone riding the Cannibal!"
"Impossible," Prince Jacaerys shook his head at once. But as the Cannibal dove lower and the figure on its back became clear, his mouth dropped open in shock.
"Who…? Who is riding the Cannibal?"
Even the battle-seasoned Queen Rhaenyra couldn't stop her eyes from widening in disbelief.
When she finally made out the rider, her expression shifted dramatically.
"It's the Sea Burner! It's Logar!"
In an instant, everyone who clearly saw the knightly figure seated on the Cannibal's back erupted in uproar. Shock rippled through the entire crowd.
By the gods—wild dragons were notoriously difficult to tame, far harder than those that already had riders.
And this was the Cannibal, the king of Dragonstone's wild dragons. A disaster of a beast that no one had ever dared approach. How could it possibly have been claimed?
"Good lad," Corlys Velaryon muttered in the crowd, swallowing hard. "I never imagined he would tame the Cannibal. Looks like in the future, this is one man I absolutely cannot afford to offend."
He felt extremely wise for having befriended Logar so early.