by Lola Gabriel
“You wouldn’t dare,” he panted.
“Oh, I would. You just be thankful for Lucia. Even though you killed her, she still has a bigger heart than you’ll ever have. You owe her your life. Which I’m sure she’ll have, once we’re king and queen.” Dropping Carlyle, his father fell into the dirt. Sebastian turned and grabbed Lucia’s hand, ready to get the hell out of there and be with his love.
As they began to walk, Carlyle shouted after them, “W-wait! I’ll make you a deal!” They continued to walk, not glancing in his direction, either. “I can make Lucia a dragon. You can both truly be together forever!”
Sebastian froze and glared back at his father. “There’s no such thing as turning a human into a shifter.”
“But there is. I learned it from torturing one of the first witches I ever captured. I had to learn it, and I had to keep it a secret.” He spoke fast and with the tone of a rambling madman.
“Why a secret?”
“Because! Because then everyone would know, and everyone would want to turn their human soulmates into dragons. I am the King. I need to keep track of the all the dragon shifters I rule over. Imagine the chaos if all dragons had the power to turn mortals into shifters!” Carlyle was panting again, spit dribbling from his mouth. He tried to even his breath, scrambling to his feet. “But I know how. It’s a ritual, and a simple one at that. In exchange for you both kneeling in front of the Crown and swearing your power and alliance to it, I’ll perform the ritual. You’ll have eternity to be with the only woman to ever give you peace, as well as purpose.”
Sebastian’s mind couldn’t process everything happening. He wanted to be angry that Carlyle hadn’t made it public knowledge when he had learned of it instead of causing people centuries of heartache. However, the idea of forever with Lucia… Sebastian looked over to his love and took in the beauty of not just her physical form, but her essence. The way she looked him in the eye, he knew that despite all his best judgment as well as his morals, the prospect of an eternity with her was too sweet to pass up.
Epilogue
Two Months Later
Lucia stared at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a full-length white gown made of the finest silk. A golden crown of ivy was place on her head. Her skin was freshly cleaned, no makeup, no perfumes, only Lucia. Taking in slow deep breaths, she turned to look at Sebastian standing by the door. He, too, was adorned in white, only it was a simple tunic and pants.
“Are you ready?” he asked her with a tone that said, If you don’t want this, say something now.
“Ready.” Lucia nodded and placed her hand in his.
Sebastian leaned over and pressed a tender kiss to her lips, and she joyfully returned it. Moving down the long and narrow hallway, she felt eerily calm. It was nothing new as of late. Ever since her great epiphany, Lucia had been at peace with everything. Being with Sebastian and knowing they were going to be together forever, she was certain everything was going to be all right. Even in times where there was stress and obstacles, as long as she had Sebastian, she would be content. Right then, Lucia was only shocked that it remained, knowing what a big step she was about to take.
It was not a long walk to the lake, and Lucia found herself enjoying the light breeze and the sight of the starry sky. When they reached the sand, the sight of Carlyle and all of Sebastian’s siblings standing around a firepit with a stake in the middle and torches placed strategically about for lighting, Lucia held her breath.
All right, that’s a little terrifying.
Approaching the pit, Sebastian and his sister, Eden, helped her up to the stake. As Eden tied her hands, Sebastian stood in front of Lucia and looked deeply into her eyes. “If I notice anything starting to go bad, I’ll save you. I promise. If anything is too much…”
“I’ll give a holler,” she weakly joked. She assumed that if the ritual didn’t work, then they would be able to tell right away. Sebastian gave her one final kiss before stepping out of the pit with Eden.
Carlyle glanced at his son. “So tomorrow night, you are both going to kneel before the Crown?”
“Yes, depending on how Lucia is feeling,” Sebastian replied with some bite. Carlyle had been insistent on reminding them of the deal, wanting it done immediately, but Sebastian wouldn’t until he held up his end of the bargain. “Get on with it.”
Carlyle began the ritual, talking in a dead, ancient language. It went on for quite some time before finally, with little warning, buckets of warm blood were tossed at Lucia. She coached herself to keep her mouth closed, not wanting any to get in her mouth, all the while trying not to think of what warm dragon’s blood meant.
The chanting continued, and all of them joined in as time went by. Black powder was launched her way in massive handfuls and did not stop until her body, drenched sticky with blood, was then covered in a fine dusting. There was more chanting, and Lucia stared at Sebastian, who was staring right back. They had gone over every part of the ritual in grand detail numerous times. That way, they knew exactly what everything did and what to expect.
Their voices grew louder and louder in a crescendo as they neared the end of the spell. The whole process was quick, and even quicker than Lucia anticipated. Before she knew it, Sebastian was stepping forward. While he wasn’t allowed to say anything but the lines of the ritual, he was sending out waves of love and affection. Lucia mouthed the words, I love you, too. There was a flash of silver as Sebastian cut himself across the wrist and then pressed it to her lips. She was forced to drink his blood. It tasted of iron and sulfur, and it took all of Lucia not to throw up. Sebastian then stepped back behind the line of rocks which framed the pit.
A bright orange light came from Sebastian’s hand. It wasn’t instant, but the fire quickly spread from Lucia’s feet up to her calves, ready to devour her entire body. Her breathing was quick and panicked, but she knew it was because of the sight of it. Closing her eyes tightly, she focused on her breathing. The fire was hot, but not enough to burn her flesh. The fire continued to rage, and Lucia kept her eyes closed the entire time. At a certain point, she felt like she was hallucinating, knowing there was no logical way that she was feeling what she was.
Yeah, you’re the reincarnated soulmate of a dragon, but this is illogical. It was as though her body was breaking down and reassembling in addition to creating parts. The pain was excruciating.
The moment her body was whole once again, the pain completely evaporated. Lucia’s eyes were wide, and her breathing was so shallow and quick, she was hyperventilating without realizing it. Everyone rushed to her aid, but Sebastian barked at them to step back. Alone, he moved forward and unfastened the ropes that bound her. As if they were magnetic, Lucia’s arms were around Sebastian’s neck and holding tightly to him. She was trembling and crying like never before.
He lowered them to the ground and wrapped himself around her entirely. Holding her against his chest, he kissed the top of her head and whispered to her. Lucia stayed right there until her breathing began to slow. Sebastian just held her and spoke to her calmly, the hum in his chest lulling her as well.
“We have such a life ahead of us, Lu. We’re going to start that foundation for access to education and help so many kids with disabilities and disadvantages get the tools they need to lead a good life. All because you, who has lived through so much more than anyone I can think of, still wants to give back more than anything. Okay, I’ll drop it just in case long-term things are going to freak you out right now… Depending on how this goes, we’re going house hunting this weekend, remember? Isn’t Corey coming with us?”
She supposed those were rhetorical questions and he was going to continue; however, she was finally starting to feel normal, since the shock was wearing off.
“He is, and he thinks we’re nuts,” Lucia finally replied, a weak smile finally stretching across her face.
“Well, considering we have been apart for fifteen hundred years…” Sebastian said, as though Corey made a good point. He chuckled
slightly and began unfurling her from his hold, but he still kept her close. “How are you feeling?” he asked more seriously, running a hand through her curls.
Lucia only nuzzled his neck at first, letting out a sigh. She didn’t want to think about how she was feeling for a minute and instead focused on what Sebastian had been saying. He was right—they did have so much to look forward to. They had stayed up so many late nights, talking about the lives they wanted for themselves. If she was going to be part of his life and have access to that kind of money, she wasn’t going to be able to fill her day with lying around a nice house, doing nothing. She wanted to help children and adults learn, but in a way that helped as many as possible.
After a while, Lucia was relaxed and actually felt back to her usual self. She also felt stronger, and perhaps leaner. Eventually, she stood up and answered his question. “I want to know what flying is like.”
Sebastian stood with a grin. He instructed her the best way he knew how when it came to shifting.
“It’s like extreme stretching,” he said, trying to put it the best way possible. After a while, he stood back and watched. Lucia felt oddly embarrassed with him watching but managed to try anyway.
Although it took a couple of tries, she finally got it. Her secondary skeleton slid out and into place, her scales emerged, and her horns sprouted on the top of her head. Once she was completely shifted, Lucia spun around in a circle to see herself. Her scales were cream-colored with only the slightest hint of yellow. Glancing to Sebastian, she could see the love and excitement in his eyes.
Without needing a signal or a word, Lucia and Sebastian ran down the beach together before leaping into the sky. Lucia’s wings opened for the first time, her eyes closing in bliss of the wind. There were fifteen hundred years behind her, but she knew that this was the moment when her life really began.
Mate’s Witch
Royal Dragon Curse
Mate’s Witch
Text Copyright © 2018 by Lola Gabriel
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.
First printing, 2018
Publisher
Secret Woods Books
[email protected]
www.SecretWoodsBooks.com
1
It was a relatively cold day, the clouds rolling in, threatening rain, but Theo relished the feel of the coolness on his skin, regardless. He was strange that way, a dragon who preferred the chill to that of the blazing sun.
Then again, I have always been the black sheep, Theo mused, sitting by the water’s edge on the pier. Even if the others don’t realize it.
The sound of wings overhead made his head turn and a stray strand of dark hair fall over one amber-colored eye as he stared up into the grey skies above. He noted with some relief that it was only his sister. Eden landed gracefully at his side with a pulsating thud, which reverberated the dock almost dangerously.
Theo wasn’t sure he had the disposition to deal with anyone else that afternoon. He most certainly was not in the mood to deal with any other member of the family, even though it was likely inevitable. He had spent the better part of the day training, and he was looking forward to some peace and quiet, if only for a few minutes.
It was the day before the Festival, after all. Everyone would be coming out of the woodwork to see if he “needed help.” Theo knew it was more of a sadistic pleasure for them, watching him trying to wrangle the stress of the weekend.
Perhaps not Eden. She wasn’t like the others.
“Good morning,” Theo said. “I did not expect to see you here.”
“I had a feeling you could use me today,” she replied, smiling. “What with it being the eve of the Festival and all.”
He wished she hadn’t reminded him. Not that he could easily forget what was coming.
“I’m taking a breath,” Theo said, flashing his only sister a smile. “It has been a harrowing week, to say the least.”
“Well, it’s almost over and done with,” Eden said. “I merely came to see if you need any help.”
Theo snorted and sat back on his elbows, pulling his knees up as Eden flopped unceremoniously at his side. Here it is—the first offer of “help.”
“I do like how you come on the final day to offer you assistance,” he teased. “Where have you been all week?”
“Avoiding the estate, of course,” she laughed. “Do I look like a fool to you? The entire manor is rife with testosterone. I know when to keep my distance.”
Theo could not argue with his sister’s assessment. For all her fire, Eden was still a healer at heart, and the amount of tension building around the grounds in anticipation of the annual Festival of the Immortal was beyond palpable.
It is smothering, even for me and all my testosterone, he thought wryly. For his part, Theo didn’t know why his father insisted on maintaining the archaic ritual. It was a pain for all involved, particularly him, who was responsible for training the warriors and therefore most of the staged duels for the entertainment of the masses.
The mortals didn’t realize that they were watching real fights between creatures they had only read about in books. To them, it was just another weekend of cosplay. They had no idea that they were experiencing the one day a year when the dragons showed themselves to the world without fear of consequence.
It was a way to improve morale, Carlyle insisted when Theo again posed his doubts about the event. Father and son had the same argument every year, and of course, Carlyle always had the final say in the matter, leaving Theo to contend with the obligation of making it happen.
This is just Father’s way of laughing at the mortals without them being aware. Does he never tire of the same silliness, year after year? Apparently, Carlyle did not.
“I won’t distract your moment of peace,” Eden told him, jumping to her feet with surprising agility. “I only came to check in.”
“Will you stay for dinner?” Theo asked, but his sister shook her head, cocking it to the side teasingly.
“As much as I’d love to entrench myself in a sea of tension,” she joked, “I have other matters to attend. Will I see you tomorrow then?”
“I hope so,” Theo groaned. “It will be good to see a smiling family member for once.”
“I can’t promise I’ll be smiling,” Eden demurred. “But I will be there.” Theo grinned at her, and with a bounding leap, his sister danced across the dock, morphing back into her massive form before disappearing into the cloudy sky, her scaled tail flicking.
A burst of wind sent a shiver through Theo, and with great reluctance, he rose to his feet. It was time to get back to work.
The arena was a madhouse of sweating flesh, all in various stages of training. As far as the eye could see, there were flashes of gnashing teeth and scaled tails, each one of the warriors practicing harder than the next.
At least the warriors are enjoying themselves, Theo thought with some amusement. He wondered if they found the festival as tedious as he did.
“There you are,” Carlyle grunted when he arrived. “Where did you go?”
“I took a break,” Theo answered shortly. “We’ve been at it all week.” If his father started in on him for taking a breather, so help him—
“Never mind that,” Carlyle said, gesturing for him to follow with a manicured hand. “I must have a word with you in private.”
Theo shrugged and moved after the ancient dragon, silently marveling at his father’s attractiveness despite the two millennia he’d been alive. They were ageless, yet they each tried to show their age in different ways. Even in the pale light
of the dismal afternoon, his salt-and-pepper hair shone proudly, the “salt” artificially enhanced to distract from his smooth face.
Sooner or later, I’m going to have to invest in some hair dye, too, Theo mused as they entered the estate, the only sound being their heels clicking against the tile leading into Carlyle’s study.
“What is it, Father?” Theo asked, trying to keep the impatience from his voice. “I still have much to do before the morrow.”
“This is about tomorrow,” his father sighed. “The scouts have been buzzing about something.” Theo grunted softly.
“You’re going to need to be more specific, Father. The scouts have a lot going on.” They need something better to do than wander the earth, looking for trouble, Theo added silently, but he was not about to get into the uselessness of the scouts at that time.
“Indeed,” Carlyle agreed. He paused, considering his next words carefully, and Theo waited with mild annoyance. Oh, how the dragon enjoyed drawing things out, if only for effect. To those who didn’t know him, Carlyle may have exuded power and righteousness, but Theo knew better, and his patience for his father’s theatrics wore thin. “There is word that the Festival is subject to sabotage.”
Theo stared at his father as the man moved to sit heavily behind his desk.
Nonsense, he thought dismissively. Who would dare?
“That would be a most unwise move for anyone to try,” he offered. “Where have you gleaned this knowledge?”
“I just told you,” Carlyle scoffed, his clay-colored eyes narrowing. “From the scouts.”
“Yes,” Theo said, stifling his annoyance. “But where did the scouts chance upon this information?”
“In the usual fashion, I presume,” Carlyle responded nonchalantly, and Theo raised his eyebrows suspiciously. He knew his father’s mannerisms well enough to know when Carlyle was being intentionally deceptive.