Book 3: Dragonfire

Chapter 25 - Dragonglass

"Dragonglass?" The dragon queen's voice piqued. Her eyes flitted from Tyrion to Lyon, the ladder leaned against the wall, haphazardly twiddling with a slim dagger. 

Tyrion had done what Lyon could not, and that was speak to Jon without spilling the secret that could easily determine whether or not he bent the knee or not. Every instinct she had told her to tell Jon everything - told her to fall to her knees and surrender her story to one of the only living brothers she had left. She didn't do that. Now here was Tyrion, telling Daenerys that Jon needed something. That put them at a more even playing field now.

"Yes," Tyrion said. "Volcanic glass, obsidian. He says you have a tremendous amount of it here."

"Why are we talking about glass? We just lost two of our allies."

Lyon swallowed the lump in her throat. The dagger she had been twirling between deft fingertips suddenly froze, then began again.

"Jon could be our ally, if we play things just right. If we give him the dragonglass, he will be indebted to us. From what I've read of the wights, he will likely need it to deal with them. Few things can slay such beasts. We happen to be sitting on one of those things." There was an edge to Lyon's voice that even she didn't like. She didn't like the idea of manipulating Jon. Nor did she like the idea of Dany's disapproval. 

Daenerys turned her eyes on her half-sibling, weighing the odds behind a furrowed brow. "And what do you think of these wights? This Army of the Dead, White Walkers, and the Night King?" She let the question hang in the air for both parties. Lyon's answer was immediate.

"I believe him." They waited for her to elaborate, but Lyon just shrugged.

"Well," Tyrion began. "I'd very much like to believe that Jon Snow is wrong, but a wise man once said that you should never believe a thing simply because you want to believe it."

"Which wise man was this?" Dany asked.

"I don't remember."

Lyon snorted.

"Are you trying to present your own statements as ancient wisdom?" Dany asked.

"I would never do that...to you. The reason I believe Jon Snow is because he's here. All of his advisors would have told him not to come. I would have told him not to come, yet he's here anyway. You don't have to believe him. Let him mine the Dragonglass. If he's wrong it's worthless. You didn't even know it was here. It's nothing to you. Give him something by giving him nothing. Take a step toward a more productive relationship with a possible ally. Keep him occupied while we focus on the task at hand. Casterly Rock."

"What was that Ser Davos said about taking a knife in the heart for his people? Did you notice that?"

Lyon paused her blade fiddling, her brow furrowing suddenly. She had noticed that one slip up from Ser Davos, and from his expression afterward the man had definitely not meant to say what he did. Lyon would have to inquire further. She could hope Jon was honest with her and told her, or she could manipulate Davos into spilling all the information she wanted. She toyed with the two ideas, then decided on the former.

"You must allow them their flights of fancy. It's dreary in the north." Tyrion said.

Oh, how wrong you are, Lyon thought. With a flick of her wrist, her blade disappeared into a forearm bracer, hidden from view. She straightened her leathers and bowed to her queen. "If you'll excuse me, I must return to my flights of fancy. Being from the North and all." She didn't look at Tyrion as she said it but she could feel his gaze on her as she made a lousy bow, and left the room.  Each step brought her farther from the throne room, then finally to her own room. Lyon slid the door closed.