by G. Bailey
“Just be different than he was, that’s all any of us want. Tatarina is very much like her departed husband, and no one wants her on the throne. Make good choices,” he says, and pats my shoulder before walking to the door.
“Where is Bee?” I ask, making him pause and look back. “In the kitchen, which is at the back of the hut through that curtain. I found her a bunch of human chocolate and sweets, and she has ignored us since. Now, I better go find my mate,” he grins, one much like his son’s, before walking out. I walk to the right, peeking through the open curtain and seeing Korbin fast asleep on his side. One leg sticks out of the blanket, and his light snores fill the room.
“Let’s check on Bee before we wake him. He looks comfy,” I whisper to Elias who peers over my head at Korbin.
“Sure,” Elias replies, and I step back, walking across the little living room in the hut. There are sofas in here, a fireplace, and brightly coloured, worn rugs on the floor. There is a makeshift wall at the back of the hut, made out of a purple, nearly see through fabric. I move it aside and walk in, laughing at the sight that greets me. Bee is on a table, lying in a glass bowl full of bubbly water, sunbathing from the beam of light coming in from the window. There are dozens of wrappers from sweets and chocolate all around the bowl, and Bee is currently trying to eat a chocolate bar that is bigger than her head, as it melts in the water.
“Bee?” I ask, hearing Elias chuckle behind me. Bee drops the bar into the water, flashing me a chocolate-covered grin.
“You back,” she says, and I sigh.
“I missed you too, Bee. I need to train on how to use light tomorrow. You can rest, or do whatever it is you are doing now, but tomorrow, things have to change. I need to be able to use the light to survive now,” I say, and she yawns, looking unimpressed.
“Good,” she says, pushing her green hair out of her face and picking up her chocolate bar, clearly done with our conversation.
“Are you sure you are ready to use light magic?” Elias asks as we walk out of the small kitchen.
“No, but then again, I don’t think I have a choice. This is who I am meant to be, and Dragca needs magic once again.”
Chapter Thirteen
Isola
“Hey, sleepy head,” I call softly, stroking the side of Korbin’s face. His green eyes open slowly as he jolts up, relaxing back into the pillow when he sees it’s me. Korbin looks amazing, so much better than he was. The purple lines are gone, his skin has colour, and he looks, well, more alive.
“What is a sleepy head? It sounds kind of dirty,” Elias asks from where he is leaning against the wall.
“It’s an expression. It just means you have sleepy, cute, messy hair. Don’t worry, you look cuter in the morning. I think Korbin has the sexy look instead,” I wink at him, and he growls.
“I’m not cute. I’d rather be sexy. Sexy tops cute,” Elias grumbles as Korbin and I laugh. Korbin sits himself up on the bed, only flinching in pain slightly before relaxing back against the wooden headboard. He coughs a few times, and I place my hand in his, trying not to show how worried I still am about him.
“I’m fine, honest. I just could do with a glass of water,” he says, and I go to get up, but he holds my hand tightly. “I can wait, though, I’d rather you stay with me.”
“I’ll get it, man,” Elias says in understanding before I can reply, walking out of the room.
“How did they heal you?” I ask, curious. Korbin pulls his shirt up, showing me the purple leaves stuck over the cut.
“There is a plant called Tunits, and their leaves absorb anything. They are rare in Dragca, and the leaves are expensive to buy. Of course, my parents sent for the leaves the moment the seers brought me here. Darth helped heal me with your blood until the leaves could be found,” Korbin explains.
“You know Darth is your grandfather?” I ask, and he chuckles.
“Yeah, I was shocked at first. The old dragon is good at keeping secrets, and I can’t scent him because . . .” he stops, pain flickering in his eyes at the mention of losing his dragon, and I squeeze his hand. “Anyway, my mum slapped the silly out of him when he first walked in here.”
“Your mum is erm . . . scary,” I say, and he laughs loudly, holding his stomach as laughing must hurt him.
“You braved my parents to come and see me? I’m impressed you made it in here,” Korbin comments.
“Actually, it was just your mum I had to brave. Your dad seemed to be okay with me,” I tell him, shrugging, and he laughs, even though it seems to hurt him a little.
“They will love you, just like I do. It will just take time. Especially if you ever answer that question I asked you before Eli came in,” he says with a nervous grin on his lips. There are a million reasons why I should say no. Responsibility of the throne. The timing. The fact I haven’t spoken to Elias or Dagan about all this. Yet, there is one reason I know all that stuff doesn’t matter. I want Korbin as my mate. I nearly watched him die, and I know my life would be empty without him.
“You know my answer, it was always yes,” I whisper timidly, and he grins, tugging me down with his one hand, so he can kiss me. I break away just as Elias comes into the room, but I can’t look away from Korbin and the massive smile on his face. I lean forward and kiss Kor again, grazing my lips against his, and he laughs, gently holding me back.
“I love you, too,” he says with a chuckle. “But remember I’m not well enough to really show you how much.”
“Don’t stop on my account,” Elias says playfully, coming over and handing Korbin the drink. Korbin drinks most of it before handing it to me, and I hop off the bed, so I can reach the dresser to put the glass of water on top.
“Isola just agreed to mate with me,” Kor suddenly blurts out, and I turn, giving him a wide-eyed look that suggests he stop talking, but he doesn’t seem to get it. He shrugs his shoulders and explains. “Almost dying made me realise I love her more than anything, and I don’t want to wait years to make a decision when I know what I want. We could be killed any day, and Isola is it for me. Thank god, she said yes.”
“What? Don’t you think that is something we all should discuss?” Elias exclaims, and I turn in time to see him run his hands through his hair.
“I’m not taking her from you. I would never stop her from also mating with you or Dagan. I just need Isola to know how I feel about her. I know how serious mating is, and we have made our choice. I want you to accept it. It was you that suggested the idea of sharing and all of us being together in the first place,” Kor says. When was this conversation?
“But being mated . . . that’s something else. I never thought that far ahead,” Elias mutters, flashing me a guilty look when he finally looks my way and likely sees all my emotions on my face. He . . . he doesn’t want me?
“Are you saying you never see yourself mating to me?” I ask quietly, and Elias shakes his head, walking over to me and trying to reach for my hands, but I jerk back away from him.
“It’s not that, it’s just mating is forever. It’s a blessing and a big step. We are young and–” I cut him off as I don’t want to hear it. He was just telling me how much he loved me, and we were having sex, but now he isn’t sure? He certainly wasn’t unsure when he was inside of me. Why are men such assholes sometimes?
“You know what, Eli? Just get out, or I’m going to leave,” I shout, my words coming out a growl as my dragon’s anger fills me, making everything seem doubly as painful. I step back, hearing a cracking noise, and I look down to see the floor around me is frozen, the ice spreading towards Eli and Kor’s bed.
“Isola . . .” Eli starts, but I can’t look up at him as I try to stop the ice. It doesn’t work, instead the room starts snowing. As snow falls on my cheeks, I look up to see Eli just standing there, looking bewildered as snow covers him.
“Leave, just please leave. You’re right, I didn’t think any of this through. Me, you, Kor, and Dagan. How can we possibly all get blessed and be mated when it’s clear you
never even thought about being that serious with me?” I ask, my heart pounding in my ears in fear of anything Elias might say.
“Isola, it’s not that I don’t love you–” he starts to say, and I shake my head, the snow falling inside the room increasing.
“You just don’t want to mate with me, I get it. Now get out,” I say quietly.
“Isola–”
“Just get out!” I shout, covering my face with my hands, and my voice trailing off into a whisper. “Please go. I can’t deal with this right now.”
“Leave, Elias. Don’t make me try and get off this bed to kick you out. You’ve said enough for today, don’t you think?” Kor says firmly as I stare at the wall and try not to cry. I hear Elias walk out of the room and the sound of the door slamming only moments later.
“Come here, doll,” Korbin gently coaxes, and I run over, burying my head into his neck as he drapes an arm around my waist.
“Elias is scared, you know that, right? He’s scared of losing you, and I bet he thinks mating with you will kill him more if he lost you. I know he loves you, and whatever is stopping him from mating with you, it is in his head. It’s fear, not lack of love,” he tells me soothingly, but nothing seems to help with how my heart feels like it is shattering.
“I get being scared, I’m scared every day, but I don’t get not wanting or planning a future with the people I love,” I whisper, my words not making much sense as I wipe my tears on Kor’s shirt.
“I know, doll. Give Elias time to calm down. His shock over you agreeing to mate with me, everything that is going on, and losing his dragon is messing with his head. Give him time,” he says.
“He shouldn’t have to think whether he wants me or not. I never had to think like that about any of you. I just knew, deep down inside, I knew,” I reply.
“Me, too, doll,” Korbin says, kissing the top of my head. “Stay with me for a while? I could do with holding you close.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I mumble, wiping the tears off my face and relaxing in Korbin’s arms. If Elias doesn’t want me, fine, but I’m not going to allow it to destroy me and distract me from the trials. I can’t, because if I’m destroyed, what becomes of Dragca?
Chapter Fourteen
Isola
“These are the huts they have given us to live in while we are here. I think someone should stay on guard, and no one should be alone anyway. I don’t trust Essna. There is something else going on here,” Melody says, waving a hand at the two huts in front of us, but keeping her serious eyes on me until I sharply nod. I don’t trust Essna either. I look back at the huts, seeing that one is massive and looks like it could fit dozens of people inside. The one next to it is rather small. Bee flies off my shoulder, flying into the hut through a gap in the fabric before I can stop her. She wasn’t pleased that we had to leave Kor at his parents’ and with Darth until he is better. I can’t say I’m happy about it, but I know he isn’t well enough to be moved yet, and his parents will care for him. I also know I need to start training as soon as possible with Bee, and I’m going to be distracted until the trials.
“I will check it is safe first,” Dagan says, walking past me and through the fabric door. I roll my eyes over his black trousers and shirt, and the two swords on his hips attached to his belt in holders. He also has a new dark-blue cloak which he holds rather than wears. It isn’t cold, and I might take my cloak off soon as it feels like the middle of summer here. I aimlessly look around the trees surrounding the huts, noticing that they have put us far away from anyone else. I don’t know if that’s to protect us or them. More likely them.
“Where is Thorne?” I ask, remembering that he was supposed to be with Melody for protection.
“With Elias getting food for us all. We bumped into him on the way back here,” she explains.
“That’s good,” I say tightly, even hearing his name makes my dragon growl, and my heart pound in my chest.
“What’s up? You’ve looked like someone killed your puppy since you left Korbin’s,” Melody says, nudging me with her shoulder.
“I don’t have a puppy,” I reply dryly, really not wanting to talk about anything.
“It’s a metaphor, now come on, out with it,” she demands, and I’m thankful for the distraction when Dagan comes out of the hut.
“It’s clear, come on in. It’s actually pretty nice,” he calls to us, holding the fabric door open. I quickly walk in, happy to get away from Melody and her questioning gaze. The hut is nice, with three red sofas and a matching red and yellow woven rug in the middle of them. There is a fireplace, which is already lit and makes the room really warm. I see five doors, and I’m guessing they lead to the bedrooms, bathroom, and kitchen areas.
“I’m taking the hut next door. It’s made for one, anyway, and I want to watch my orb for a while,” she says, placing her hand on my arm for a second.
“You could stay here,” I say.
“No, it’s yours, and there are some things a sister never wants to hear through these thin straw walls,” Melody pulls a disgusted face and walks back out of the door as I smile. She has a point, or at least I hope she does. I walk into the room, sitting on the couch and laying my head back, staring at the ceiling.
“What happened? Did Kor upset you? His parents say something?” Dagan asks, moving to the back of the sofa and looking down at me, rolling that lip ring around. I stare up at him, noticing how long his hair has gotten in the last couple of weeks. Dagan usually keeps it short, and it needs a cut, but the dark-brown, wavy hair makes him look dangerously sexy.
“Nothing happened,” I mutter, standing up and walking to the fireplace, looking at the little wooden dragon statue in the middle of the mantle. I pick it up, smoothing my hands over the wood and thinking of the detail that must have gone into making it.
“What the hell happened, kitty cat? Talk to me,” Dagan asks, and the fabric door opens, with Elias and Thorne walking in as I stiffen up. My eyes immediately lock with Elias, seeing the guilt and maybe even fear in his eyes as he stops and stares at me. I don’t seem to be able to focus on anyone else, or anything going on in the room other than Elias.
“Leave me alone with Isola. I’m the one that pissed her off because I’m an idiot, and we need to talk,” Elias says, looking awkward as I glare at him.
“Sure,” Thorne agrees, putting the bags on the floor next to the ones Elias put down. “But if you hurt her, you’re dead,” Thorne says calmly, but with just enough protective tones that it sends shivers through me. Elias doesn’t look his way, keeping his eyes on me the whole time.
“Fix whatever stupid shit you said. We need to be united at the moment, not apart,” Dagan whispers adamantly to Elias as he passes him, but Elias still keeps his eyes locked on mine. In the corner of my eye, I see Dagan pat Thorne’s shoulder, before practically pushing him out of the door.
“You don’t need to apologise. I’ve had time to think about it. If you think I’m not worth mating with, if you don’t want me for more than just fun, then I will break the dragon guards’ curse, and you can leave,” I say as I turn away, annoyed when my voice catches when I try so hard to be emotionless. Elias walks over, taking my face into his hands and holding on tightly. He forces me to look into his eyes that show his every emotion, and all I can see is fear. He is scared.
“I love you. I fucking love you, and everything I said about mating, it had nothing to do with how I feel about you,” he growls.
“Then I don’t get it, am I not enough? Do you never want to mate with anyone?” I ask, and his thumb wipes a tear away that falls down my right cheek.
“I am scared, not of mating and you, but of being a disappointment to you. Mating with you would make me a king, would make me a leader, and I’m definitely not that. I can’t be what you need, and I don’t want you to mate with me, then regret it down the line,” he admits, his voice quiet like he doesn’t want to tell me this.
“I would never regret that. I would never regret
you,” I breathe out.
“Yes, you would. People will never accept that you have more than one mate, let alone all of them being dragon guards, Isola. Mating with you, it could ruin everything, and I don’t want to risk that. We can be together as much as we want, without me being a king,” he says gently, almost like he’s trying to soothe me, but I don’t agree with a single word he says.
“The people need a queen who isn’t cruel, isn’t dead inside, and isn’t lost. If I don’t have all of you as my mates, if I have to give you up for the throne, I might as well leave Tatarina on it. They would not have a better leader if I were destroyed. Dragca is changing, and it will change with me. I want you as my mate, and I don’t care what anyone else, other than you, thinks. If you care about the opinions of strangers more than me, then there is nothing worth fighting for between us,” I pull away from him, walking over to one of the doors as he lets me go.
“Make your choice. I won’t make anyone love me, mate with me, or be with me if they are scared of what that means. You have always known who I am and the price that comes with being with me. If we have no future, please tell me now and don’t break my heart any more than you already have,” I watch as he tensely watches me speak, never moving, and I know I have to get away from him before he sees me break down. I turn and open the nearest door, which leads to a small bedroom. Quickly closing the door behind me, I slide down the door, finally letting the tears fall.
Chapter Fifteen
Isola
“Isola? Elias?” I hear shouted, making me sit up from where I’ve been slumped on the floor in the tiny bedroom for god knows how long. My dragon whines as I stand up, stretching my arms and wiping my dry lips. It’s funny how time seems to stop when your heart is breaking. I feel like I’ve already lost Eli in a way, and what’s worse, I’m more broken than when I lost Jace. How could I love Eli more than Jace, when I knew Jace nearly my entire life? The only conclusion I come to is that I’m a crappy person, and Eli is likely better off without me. Then in the next thought, I’m furious at Eli and think I need to woman up. Or princess up? I actually have no clue.