Claiming the Dragon King

by Amelia Hutchins

  “You’re not leaving us, minx. We have one sister and one sister alone, and we’re not losing you so stop it.” Ristan’s tone rose as he stared at her.

  “I’ll give him peace but only under a few conditions,” Ryder announced as he squeezed her hand as he stared down at it. “He has to be man enough to enter this castle and ask for it. He will have to ensure you’re safe with him, that no harm will come to you. You are to return here every few weeks with him at your side to visit us. If he agrees to those terms, I will allow this. We will fix his castle and remove the weapons. Once we are sure the Mages are gone from it, I will make it known that it is his kingdom, blessed by the Horde and the new Goddess of Faery, my wife.”

  “I missed the wedding,” she said sadly as she rested her head against his arm. “I should have come home sooner.”

  “You didn’t miss much,” Ristan snorted. “They were in a hurry to be done with it and away for a few days of disturbed fairy fucking.”

  She laughed as she gazed at Synthia. “I’m sorry your mother is gone.”

  “She isn’t gone, not really. She’s in all of us and everything she created. She is Faery, and as long as we fight to keep it alive, she will live on through it.”

  “Blane is part demi-God,” Ciara confessed. “His mother was born of the Goddess Mórrígan, Goddess of war. She was created from her rib, and blessed by the other Gods. That tomb you love so much, the first creatures Danu created, they were dragons or such, and Mórrígan’s daughter was one of them.”

  “Gods,” he growled as he stood and began to pace. “Ciara, those were evil creatures. Bilé and Danu created them together. I’ve studied the history of them in extent. As far as I know, there was no other Goddess in creating this world before us, or after.”

  “Our history is unknown,” Ciara said. “Danu wasn’t very forthcoming with it either, and I don’t think Bilé would tell us the truth.”

  Power radiated in the room, and everyone froze except for Synthia, who lifted a delicate brow and crossed her arms, staring at thin air. “I’m guessing Ciara’s little situation has your name written all over it, Destiny.”

  “You’d be correct,” she laughed airily as she formed into a beautiful blonde who looked as if she could be Synthia’s twin. “You’re history isn’t full, Ryder. But then it couldn’t be, because we erased it from this world.”

  “So Danu and Bilé didn’t create them?” he asked carefully.

  “Danu, Bilé, and Mórrígan created them. Mórrígan created Blane’s mother, Adele, from her rib in her own image. The woman Synthia saw floating at the bottom of the pool was she, given peace after Blane resurrected her to kill your father. When the three created that race, it was a beautiful race, but it was beautifully flawed and treacherous, much as their creators. Once the Gods were made aware of their existence, they were given a choice: kill them, or they would. Danu whispered to them, creating a need to war with each other. It ended badly, but one lived. Adele. She was hidden from the other two, placed among creatures much like she was. The dragons.

  “And no, Ryder, Danu didn’t give you the dragons with your brands, Mórrígan did. She wanted to preserve the one remaining child she had. She wanted to create a love in you for the dragons, which is why you followed the stray fairy to the ruins that first time as a child. She remained there long after Danu and Bilé and abandoned it. Mórrígan hadn’t just created Adele though; she’d given birth to her. She and Merlin hid their child from those who would harm her, and Danu gave her the perfect place to do it when she created the first race. Adele was a piece of her like you were to your mother, Synthia. Danu was jealous of the child produced by ordinary means, and grew jealous that Mórrígan kept one of the creatures. She spoke of it to Bilé, and soon after, he whispered in Alazander’s ear, creating discord. He told him that Blane was of the God’s blood, and how the dragons would rise against him to rule Faery. He sent you to destroy them, even though you wanted nothing to do with it.

  “Had you not been the only one who could kill your father, she’d have killed you that day. When Blane escaped, she knew a sliver of hope remained and backed off, but she’s still here. She still watches him and protects him. She is the death wish, altering the odds to the favor of the dragons, which she now considers her race. After all, it is her grandson who has taken their throne.”

  “And me, why did you save me?” Ciara demanded.

  “You were destined to die by your father’s hands. I ensured it wouldn’t happen. When the ancient dragon that lives inside the dragon king called for me, I listened to him and saw reason. He wanted you; he knew your pain, your future, and what you would endure and knew the child he would soon inhabit would be just as broken as you were bound to be. You were and are the only one who can heal him as he has begun to heal you, Ciara. And before you ask, Synthia, because I know you are going to, no. I couldn’t tell you because you would have prevented it from happening and I pushed very hard to get Ciara into that room at the same time Blane would be there. She now carries a powerful child, one your mother and Mórrígan both worked very hard to create. Her child is of the Gods, the Fae, and the dragons. He is the child of three worlds, born to save one with your own children. The children this generation is creating will be the ones who fix this realm. Your only part in this is to birth them and defeat the Mages so that they can do their part next. Ciara is right, though, Blane has to heal before he can forgive or forget. She will mend his soul as he is mending hers and no one else can prevent this war except her. Trust her, she is ready to fly. I gave her wings; she only had to learn to use them. I must go, but I, with the help of Mórrígan, have already fixed the palace of the dragons, and rid you of the Mages who used it. They’re…running about now,” she said as her eyes flashed with humor.

  “You think he can be fixed?” Ciara asked.

  “I think if you love him enough, he will love you and it will mend what is missing in his soul. You’re off to a good start already, carrying something he will love. He’s lost a lot, more than any of you have. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it, and you will need to bring him to your side to win the fight against the Mages.”

  She vanished, and Ciara placed her face in her hands.

  “Get Eliran in here, have him check Ciara out. Synthia, we need to talk,” Ryder growled as he pulled her out of the room with him.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Ciara watched the skies from her balcony, missing Blane more and more as time went by. She’d started to doubt he was coming for her, or that he even cared. Gods had been wrong before. Synthia, Olivia, and Darynda were present most days, along with the other handmaidens. She could no longer train; her belly had swelled far enough that she could hardly see her feet past it. The babe was active, preparing for war in her stomach daily.

  Olivia had a small bump, but Ristan was convinced she was moving at angel pace, which she guessed was similar to mortals. He had bounced from foot to foot as he told her of Olivia’s cravings for blood, proof that she was carrying his child. How Olivia threw up over the tiniest shit, like when he brought hearts home for her to eat. He pined for a daughter, one as sweet as Kahleena, but Olivia was confident it was a boy and that she carried an angel inside her womb. Unfortunately, the babe refused to cooperate and prove one of them wrong.

  It was cute how they argued over the sex of the child, but it only made her miss Blane more, which just pissed her off since he had lied and betrayed her. She’d left to warn her family, expecting him to follow. She’d managed to secure peace and yet where was he?

  It had been weeks, and any day now, she’d be delivering their child into this world alone. She walked the gardens like a ghost, moving through the emotions as she slowly slipped back into her old self. What if he didn’t come? She’d have to feed soon, very soon to keep their child healthy. She’d been feeding off emotions, but even that wasn’t soothing the ach
e in her belly. She’d craved fruit and meat, which everyone assumed was from the dragon part, but who knew?

  Dragon lore in Faery was limited, very limited. Ristan and Dristan spent countless hours searching the library, but it was fruitless. No one knew about the dragons because when Gods meddled, they did it very well.

  Every day she woke up stretching out for Blane, reaching for him, and every day, he wasn’t there. The entire world had seemingly gone crazy, and she feared their people had been attacked. Demons were slowly trickling into their realm, let loose from Hell by Lucifer and what had occurred with Lucian and Lena, and it hurt her heart to know Lena was gone from this life. She’d wanted to pay her respect to Lucian, but in her condition, she didn’t dare try to manage it.

  A noise sounded from the hallway outside her room, and she paused, tilting her head to listen. Ristan entered without knocking and stopped when he stood inches from her.

  “Tell me he’s kind to you, minx,” he demanded.

  “Why?”

  “Answer me, Ciara,” he growled.

  “He’s kind to me.”

  “Tell me you’ll be safe because if you think for one moment you won’t be, I will hide you from everyone and everything.”

  “Ristan?”

  “He’s here, with a fucking army at the gate,” he said roughly as he pushed his fingers through his long, thick black hair.

  “Blane brought an army to the gate? Now?” she whimpered in shock as her heart began to beat quickly.

  “One who is prepared to die today, Ciara,” he replied as he grabbed her, sifting them into the war room.

  Ciara looked around the room, taking in the angry faces. Well shit, so much for this being an easy thing.

  “Your husband is camped outside our gates,” Ryder said softly. “Our army is surrounding him as we speak. This plan of yours is foolish, but I do trust you to do this, Ciara. But I swear to the Gods if he harms you, I will rip him from limb to limb and paint my fucking walls with his blood. Do you understand me?”

  “I do, and that won’t happen. I’m Horde too, and I had good teachers. You raised me well, all of you. I can do this, I need to do this.”

  “I’ve sent out my notice to hear him in the great hall, and he’s agreed to but only if he sees you first. Zahruk, Sinjinn, and Ristan will go out with you, as well as Synthia, in case anything goes wrong so that we can get you away quickly if it does. If I go, it may be what they want and are hoping for, so I’ll await you in the great hall when you return.”

  “Okay.” She exhaled as she glamoured on a regal dress and swept her hair into an updo fit for a queen. She glamoured a crown of diamonds and amber and turned to look at Synthia and frowned. “I am the size of a house!”

  “You’re beautiful,” she laughed musically. “Come, my dragon queen; let’s go formally meet your king in actual clothes.”

  “You saw him naked?” Ryder growled, but she waved her hand dismissively.

  “Later, Fairy, right now we have real issues. And he wasn’t you,” she said with a sly look that seemed to appease him for the moment. Ciara doubted it was the end of that discussion though, knowing her brother as she did.

  Outside was chaos, with enough tension it made her stagger. Synthia held her arm, holding her up as they stared at the rows of guards who stood against the dragons. Blane hadn’t lied; he had thousands of warriors war-ready.

  “Sinjinn, go inside and tell Ryder to send builders to the dragons’ palace. They’ll need villages, a few of them, or at least supplies to begin building once we reach it. His men will need water and so will their horses.”

  “I’ll be right back,” Sinjinn growled as he vanished into thin air.

  Once they stood firmly on the field, she watched as the tallest of the warriors stepped closer to them. Her heart raced, thumping wildly against her chest as her lips firmly puckered into an angry frown. He’d betrayed her and then marched an army to her gates.

  “I’m here,” she said when he stood mere feet away from her with men at his back.

  “So you are; did you inform them that you were my wife?”

  “It was pertinent to gaining peace, so yes, I did.”

  He swallowed, removing his helm as he looked her over, his eyes pausing as he took in her swollen belly. Her hand lifted, resting against it as she glared at him.

  “I fancied calling in that wish, but you were the one thing preventing me from doing it.”

  “Had you called it in, I’d be the one you buried, Blane. I left you by myself without aid, and no one assisted or held me here against my will. I overheard your plans, twice. Once claiming what you would do when I was taken, and the other stating that I would still be your queen and bear your children no matter what occurred? I mean, what with the way you placed it in my Fae belly and how your people were tripping over their feet to please that…oh yeah, bitch. I told you, give up revenge, or you don’t get me. You chose revenge, so do not think I will stand beside you and let you have both.”

  “You carry my heir in your womb,” he growled.

  “I do believe I carry our child, one we created together. I’m not sure your lords will approve of a Fae sitting on your throne, not even if he is part dragon. I left because you lied to me; you sat in our bed and lied. I’m not that girl; you don’t get to walk over me and lie to my face. I’m a warrior, dragon. I’ve been through hell, and I’m still here. You are aware of what I endured and yet you planned to make me your plaything, didn’t you?”

  “This is not the time or place for this,” he snapped.

  “Ciara,” Ristan said, placing his hand on my shoulder.

  “Have you fed?” Blane asked as his eyes glared at Ristan’s hand on her shoulder, and she laughed.

  “Would you care?”

  “Take your hands off my wife,” Blane growled.

  “Blane, this is Ristan, my brother,” she said. “Anyhow.” She waved her hand and continued. “The King has invited you in to speak of peace, and should you accept, he will present to you his conditions for keeping our marriage and allowing you to leave with me. You are allowed to bring a handful of men inside if you accept. If not, you will be given an hour to remove your army from our gates or the Horde will be called to arms; they’re in the woods, the ones surrounding us now,” she said as her eyes slowly moved over the forest surrounding the clearing they stood in. “Choose, dragon.”

  “You secured peace?” he asked carefully.

  “I told you I would, and so I have; at least one of us knows how to keep their words. What’s it going to be, Blane?”

  “I’ll come, but I need time to let my commanders know the plan, and I demand a truce be honored.”

  “Fine, but if we see any men or groups heading into the woods, I will call the Horde to arms, and the entire Elite Guard is inside the courtyard, ready to go to war if you so choose to do it.”

  “You’ll wait with me,” he said.

  “No I won’t, because right now I’m not your wife, I’m Ciara, Princess of the Horde and I’m pissed off that you lied to me. I’m hurt that you lay with me while you lied in our bed. You want me, Blane, fucking prove it.”

  She spun on her heel, not waiting for the others or to see if they followed as she called for the gates to be opened, showing him she hadn’t lied about an entire army of Elite Guards armed to the teeth and ready to go to war. They’d been calling their forces together for weeks, something he either was oblivious to, or he’d had grown reckless.

  “You are impressive,” Synthia said as she slipped her arm through hers and helped her as she lost her bravado.

  “And exhausted,” she admitted.

  “You’re very pregnant; it is exhausting growing babies,” she laughed.

  “I need them to call a truce inside once Blane is in,” she replied as she ru
bbed her back and nodded to her brothers as they passed them.

  “Ryder has already agreed,” she responded as she slowed on the steps so Ciara could keep her slower pace.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Ciara stood beside Ryder’s throne as Blane was lead inside by the guards with Remy, Fyra, and a few others that she was familiar with. His eyes didn’t stray from hers, not even with Ryder in the same room. Her arm rested on the throne, and it took everything inside her to remain upright.

  “I welcome you, Dragon King,” Ryder called across the hall, his voice calm and even as his posture remained unthreatening.

  “I can’t say I’m happy to be here, Horde King,” he replied icily. “Considering this is where my sister and father were slaughtered by yours.”

  “I can understand that,” Ryder admitted. “My sister has mentioned you would like peace, and under the circumstances for which she was taken, I’d like to hear the request from you.”

  Synthia sat in her throne, regal and ethereal as she watched the men around Blane. Zahruk had led them into the room, his weapons standing out as a clear warning. Fyra sized him up and turned in his direction, finding him a threat as she guarded her king. Their eyes were locked in silent threat.