Dragon Master (Dragon Collector Book 2)

by Simon Archer

  “Watching her fall like that.” Em shook her head a little. “I knew what the corruption could do, but watching it was a whole different experience.”

  “It’s not pleasant,” I agreed.

  “I just wish it hadn’t been her,” Em said, a little wistfully.

  “I don’t wish the corruption on anyone,” I answered honestly.

  “You don’t mean that,” Em challenged.

  “Sure I do,” I replied, shocked at her response. “It’s awful. I’ve literally seen what it does to someone’s body from the inside out.”

  “But you’re going to stand there and tell me that there isn’t a single person you would wish ill,” Em said as she finally turned to look at me, though her gaze wasn’t direct. It was an unsettling version of the side-eye.

  I paused, unsure what Em was asking of me. I waited for her to elaborate, and the longer I stayed silent, the more I knew she would fill the void. Em more than willingly obliged.

  “There has to be someone who really deserves it,” Em said with a little crinkle in her nose, like she smelled something foul. “Who deserves to know that kind of pain and torture? Hasn’t anyone wronged you enough to warrant that?”

  “I’m not sure,” I replied, hesitance smothered all over my words. “Why? Is there someone that has wronged you that way?”

  If I had blinked at the wrong moment, I surely would have missed Em’s sideways glances in Maria’s direction. The blonde bobbed along to the music with a sway to her hips and a tap to her foot. Em’s gaze immediately snapped back to me.

  I opened my mouth to say something, to comment on Em’s continuous resentment for Maria, but Madame Lilysmyth’s voice burst through. It overwhelmed everything and drowned out any thoughts I might have had previously. That woman knew how to demand attention.

  “As you all know, we only have two days until the Ball,” Madame Lilysmyth reminded us. “While most of you have been doing rather well partnering with each other,” the instructor shot a not-so-hidden glance at Eamon, “I believe it is time to get some different partners in here to see how well you really have learned these various dances.”

  Madame Lilysmyth clapped her hands as she was prone to do, and the door on either side of the grand staircase opened up. On the other side were members of our friends and family. Maria immediately ran up to Bailey-Sue and gave her a squeal as a greeting. Travis crossed to Razia and kissed her hand delicately. The guard did give me a courteous nod on his way over, which I returned.

  Much to everyone’s surprise, King Atlus stepped out of the doorway as well. When he approached Em, his presence made much more sense. Numerous nobles went to bow at Atlus’s entrance, but he quickly waved them off.

  “Please, there is no need,” the king said gently. “I am here as Em’s cousin, not as the king of Insomier. I beg of you to treat me as such.”

  “We will do our best, sire,” Madame Lilysmyth said with a small bob of her head.

  King Atlus nodded back at her before reaching out to Em and wrapping his arms around her. He picked her up and twirled her around once. Em begged to be released through a fitful of laughter. I watched their shared happiness, enjoying the moment of peace when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

  I whirled around and came face to face with Alona. We stood close enough to kiss, and as I felt the warmth of her body rush over mine, I had to fight the urge to do so.

  Aside from the dragons, Alona was the other person I avoided all week. We hadn’t talked about our underwater kiss… okay, kisses… okay, more than just kisses... and what that meant.

  Alona pushed her wire-rimmed glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Hello.”

  “Hello,” I replied.

  “Madame Lilysmyth invited me to dance practice as your partner,” Alona explained, her words rushed. “She said she knew we were, uh, friends and that it was difficult to find someone taller than you.”

  “There are a surprising number of short women in this kingdom,” I commented offhandedly. I was savoring her warm breath so close to my face, and her scent of must, hay, and sandalwood rolling off her in waves. My eyes half-closed, intending to inhale more of her, but Madame Lilysmyth’s voice, notorious for its volume and inopportune timing, stole my chance to do so.

  “We are going to start with a waltz and then move to a basse,” she commanded. “Take your positions on the floor.”

  The other pairs maneuvered their way to the center of the dance floor, but Alona and I stayed put, finding it rather difficult to move away from one another. Alona reached out and held her hand palm up, inviting me to take it.

  “Shall we?” she asked me. I didn’t know what was so sexy about that question, but the way Alona asked it sent shivers down to my groin, causing my dress pants to tighten more than they already were.

  “We shall,” I replied, taking her hand, laying it on my arm as I led the way.

  We walked side by side, our arms slightly elevated as I guided her to our spots. The rest of the group circled up and then pressed themselves into their partners. I swiveled so I could properly face Alona and placed her hand on my shoulder. She replied by putting her other hand on my hip. My hands found a place, one hand on her shoulder, opposite of my shoulder that her hand was on, and my other hand cradled the small of her back gently.

  “And begin!” Madame Lilysmyth cued the music.

  A pianist started with a soft melody that, thanks to the incredible acoustics in the room, still rang out throughout every corner of the room. A couple of bars into the tune, the strings entered, and the whole piece elevated.

  Alona stood straight and graceful with her curved frame. I led her around the room, and I managed to keep time. Alona only had a couple of stumbles, but I covered them up with grace so that no one noticed. But otherwise, she slid along the floor, following my lead with a beauty that I did not expect from the caretaker.

  “Where did you learn to dance?” I asked her.

  Quickly, we’d learned that talking during dances was allowed, encouraged even. It showed the skill of a dancer if they could still keep time and stay elegant while also holding a conversation with their partner. Alona seemed to be adept at both.

  “Maria, actually,” Alona said with a nod in our friend’s direction.

  Maria had taken the lead out of the pairing, being slightly taller than Bailey-Sue. Their conversation was silent but still intense as the two friends focused on their feet and the steps.

  “I see,” I said, startled by the weird tone to my voice. I couldn’t quite place it, but Alona’s next statement called me out right away.

  “Are you jealous of Maria?” Alona wondered.

  “No,” I said, surprisingly sure of my own answer. “I was originally, when I found out you, Diana, and she were all friends as children. But now, now I see you are all gorgeous women, alongside Rebekah, and I find myself thinking sometimes...”

  “We were friends,” Alona said cautiously when she realized I had trailed off and wasn’t finishing my thought aloud, “but that was a while ago. She was kind to us when we first came to court. Over time, we went in separate directions.”

  “I know how that goes,” I said, recalling all the people I pushed away when my parents died. And only slightly disappointed that Alona hadn’t pushed at my almost accidental admission of how I wished all the girls to be together with me, their beauty and individuality calling towards me like the light did to the corruption, “Life happens.”

  “It does, doesn’t it?” Alona said with a smile. She leaned a little closer and whispered in my ear. “You have nothing to worry about at the Ball. You are going to dazzle them all.”

  “Thank you,” I replied, my voice a tad too loud even to my own ears.

  “I mean it, Martin,” Alona continued to whisper despite my previous outburst, the vibration of her voice tickling my skin. “You have grown so much, and I cannot wait for all of them to see you and eat their words.”

  I couldn’t help myself. I threw back my head and laughed.
I was still laughing through the turn I led Alona into. She collided a little too hard into my chest on her return to frame, but I held firm. I pressed lightly on her back and scooped her up, right back into the flow of the dance. I kept my smile as I saw the light pink dusting Alona’s cheeks, the desire swimming in her eyes amplified by her glasses.

  I wanted to kiss her desperately, especially as I felt her breasts pressed up against my own chest, creating a fierce friction as we moved together. I had to restrain myself, though, as there were other people around, and the dance hadn’t finished yet.

  We waltzed, and as we did, the rest of the beautiful room melted away. I focused on Alona and her alone. Her high forehead and sharp cheekbones. Her pointed nose, that was just a little crooked, like she’d broken it at an early age. The way her glasses refused to stay on. Her wavy brown hair that looked so sexy long. I wanted to take it out of its loose ponytail and see how it felt when I ran it through my fingers.

  The evening practice continued with the basse and then finally a carola, which was a chain dance where the ten of us danced together with Madame Lilysmyth clapping along by the musicians. It was an intimate group, but we cheered joyously and stomped in time with the music, enjoying every note and every move.

  Madame Lilysmyth stopped us after the last round of the carola and announced that we did not have practice the following day.

  “You all have earned it,” she said, beaming. “I look forward to seeing you the following evening for your introduction ball!”

  40

  It was the day of the final task where I would be officially introduced to the court. I stared down the finish line. It was within my grasp. All I had to do was show up in a pretty suit, dance a couple of dances, and then the court would accept me as one of their own. Oh, and I had to show off my gift.

  Luckily, I wasn’t terribly late to get ready. Mora was able to work some magic and get me looking presentable. Whether it was a natural gift or one given to her by her merkin, I didn’t know, but she sure had a knack for dressing me up.

  The chambermaid combed my hair back and added some gel to give it some substance. The suit had a dark purple vest, decorated with amethyst buttons, and a white dress shirt that hugged my muscles. The pants were starched and stiff, and a faded purple that looked white if looked at in a certain light, and paired well with the white dress shoes I had crammed my feet into. It was another masterpiece from Raiyna that had me feeling like I could take on the world.

  I stepped out of my room and made my way to the ballroom. When I got to the bottom of the stairs to cross the courtyard, however, I was met with a surprise. Alona stood at the bottom, dressed in a gorgeous dark violet gown that matched my suit. She was cleaning her glasses with the white accented sleeves when she looked up and saw me. The caretaker paused in mid-swipe of the lens and broke into a toothless grin.

  “Martin Anthony,” she said breathlessly. Rosiness rose to her cheeks the longer she stared up at me. “You are stunning.”

  I smirked down at the woman, subconsciously tightening my muscles to show off a bit, “Thank you, Alona. You look rather gorgeous yourself.”

  Her eyes flickered down in a fit of shyness for a moment, “Raiyna did not give me a choice,” Alona said, stretching out her arms and doing a quick twirl so she could be on full display. “She said she had just enough fabric to make me something. To compliment Martin, she said.”

  “She is rather insistent.” I smirked.

  And compliment me, Alona did. The dress was full and hugged her breasts beautifully. The deep violet nearly black around the bodice and full skirt, but her sleeves and some lace that fell around her waist was a creamy white that offset her tan skin. In all, she looked good enough to eat.

  “Indeed.” Alona returned her glasses to her face and pushed them up the bridge of her nose in a way that made me want to sweep her into my arms right then and there. “I thought you could escort me to the ball, my lord. If you would like to.”

  “Absolutely,” I agreed.

  I was happy to have someone with me to keep me steady, to help drag me in the direction of my fears and anxieties, so I didn’t have the chance to run. Of course, I would have to kick off these tight dress shoes before I did any running.

  Despite having spent the last several days in the ballroom, it was nothing compared to seeing it decorated and lit up for the evening of the dance. The dozens of candles glistened and glittered off the diamonds dangling from the chandelier. Side lanterns were hung, giving the room a feel of midday rather than the crisp twilight during which the ball was being held. The tile was recently polished, reflecting as well as a looking glass.

  Around the perimeter, there were tables with various drinks and small desserts. We were supposed to eat dinner before the event, but my stomach hadn’t allowed me to swallow even a sip of tea. My nerves held my appetite captive, and it was rather irritating.

  There was already a gathering of people. They sipped, laughed, chatted, ate, schmoozed, and greeted each other. The room filled with a chorus of voices, all out of tune and varied. It washed over me like a wave, the sheer number of people, and once more, the urge to bolt in the opposite direction overwhelmed me.

  I froze with Alona at the entrance. We were on the second level, and I was supposed to wait until the ceremony began. Each of the inductees was to be formally introduced by name, show off their gift at the top of the grand stair, and then descend to symbolically and literally join society. With everyone below us, my stage just feet away, Jin’s words came back to me in a rush.

  You nearly broke your bond to gather enough power to defeat Hennar.

  You were about to sacrifice those sacred promises in order to obliterate an enemy.

  Once broken like that, the temporary gain in power is strong but short-lived.

  It usually destroys the creature and the human involved.

  When I didn’t follow Alona but still had a hold of her arms, she jerked back a little.

  “Martin?” she asked with concerned eyes. “What is it?”

  I yanked on Alona and dragged the girl to the edge of the second level, towards the railing. This way, we didn’t stop the flow of casual traffic, and I could take a minute, or six, to breathe.

  I clutched my side and bent forward, letting go of Alona. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

  “Do what?” Alona lowered herself so she could look me in the eye. “The introduction?”

  “The display,” I admitted. “I can’t show off my gifts like I’m some kind of circus animal. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

  “Martin, that is the exact opposite of what your gift does,” Alona said with a sympathetic smile. “You cannot hurt anyone with what you do.”

  “Yes, apparently, I can,” I argued, even though Alona didn’t know the full scope of the problem. “Did you know that the bond between Merkins can be broken?”

  Alona looked as though I had just slapped her in the face. “That is a myth, Martin.”

  “Not according to Jin, it’s not.” I put a hand to my chest to slow my heart rate. “When I healed Diana, I strained my gift. I nearly broke my bonds with the clan and ruined everything. I don’t want to do that again.”

  “You are in control of your gift, Martin,” Alona said. She put a hand on mine that currently rested on my chest, giving it extra weight. “Give them a little bit of light. You do not need to heal anyone tonight. We just need an example, not a spectacle.”

  “I haven’t used it since,” I said, my voice so soft I wasn’t sure I spoke the words aloud.

  “Then it is about damn time, don’t you think?” Alona squeezed my hand and forced it back down at my side. “I have to go downstairs, but remember who is in control here.”

  My date left me with an encouraging kiss on my forehead. I watched her descend the staircase and meld into the crowd. After Alona and a couple of more nobles joined the larger group below, it was just the five inductees and a royal announcer on the second level.

&n
bsp; “Ladies and gentlemen of the court,” the announcer shouted. His bravado shook the room and immediately captured everyone’s attention. He projected without a microphone, and still, his range and clarity were impressive.

  The massive ballroom fell into a silence filled with crackling anticipation and expectation.

  “It is my honor to introduce to you this year’s group of inductees,” the announcer continued. “First, Eamon Alabasterous, son of Keely and Kelsey Alabasterous.”

  Eamon lumbered forward to the edge of the top stair. He had a brass goblet in his hand, displaying it on the flat of his palm like a magician about to perform a magic trick. Which, weirdly, was exactly what he was. Eamon held out the goblet with a straight arm and stared at it. His eyebrows rose, his eyes narrowed, and a vein popped in his forehead. There was an awkward moment of pause when the crowd waited with bated breath for something to happen. Then came a second of doubt… would anything actually happen?... before the goblet melted.

  The edges curled outward like a flower and tumbled down into Eamon’s hand. The moldable brass collapsed into an indistinguishable puddle. The nobleman wrapped both hands around it and sculpted the material into a perfect sphere. The brass hardened again, giving the new ball structure and substance.

  In time with the crowd’s pleased applause, Eamon held up the ball like a trophy and pranced down the staircase. The cheers continued until he reached the base of the stairs, met by a small group of congratulatory nobles.

  It was Razia’s turn next, and she readily stepped up to the plate. I observed her anxiously, eager and nervous to see what she was going to do. Suddenly, though, there was a pull at my sleeve, and I turned to see a white-faced Em.

  “Martin,” she said with a low, worried whisper, “I do not think I can do this.”

  “What?” I asked, completely baffled. “What do you mean?”

  “It is the stairs,” she admitted with a crumpled expression. “I have to descend that whole staircase, and I do not believe I am ready.”