Marina took naughty pleasure in roaming the halls at night when sleep proved elusive. It was amazing what she learned. Straight-laced by tradition by day, the Dragon Courts were downright seedy when the sun went down. One moonless night she’d been drawn to the end of a corridor by the sound of someone moaning. Moaning in what she’d thought was pain. A quick glance into a lowly lit room showed otherwise. Her face had flamed, and she’d silently left. The impression of writhing limbs remained tattooed on her retinas.
“I don’t see where jealousy comes into it,” she continued. “Katya lusted after Koen and look at her now.”
It was hard not to be smug.
Marina let her gaze drift over to the disgraced Ja House. She might have felt guilty if the bitch hadn’t hired droves of assassins to kill her. Then again if it weren’t for Katya she wouldn’t have Boy.
The woman still breathed for that reason alone.
Stiffening at her harsh thoughts, Marina tore her gaze away from her former rival.
The savagery of her thoughts unnerved her.
How bloodthirsty she would be after a year of living in such a cutthroat environment?
A shiver went down her spine. What kind of woman would she become if after a few weeks she already thought the best way to rid herself of an enemy was to kill them?
Marina peered into her wine goblet, troubled. How far am I willing to go to win?
“I was not speaking of the First Chosen,” Daniil repeated, sensing her mind was elsewhere and watching her carefully.
Shaking herself, she gazed at him questioningly. “Then who?”
“I spoke of their Sires.”
She snorted into her goblet, much to the disgust of the hook-nosed Lord trying to elbow his way into their circle.
“How kind of you to grace us with your presence, Lord Tyr.” Daniil’s drawl of acknowledgement to the Dragon Lord was nothing more than a disinterested courtesy. “Lady Galina performed well during the first quest.”
“Of course.” His eyes gleamed. “She is of House Tyr.”
Not really wanting to be around this male – whose gaze made her feel dirty – Marina glanced around for an escape. It came in the form of her Sire. In Dragon form he growled at something hidden behind his restless wing.
Cocking her head, she started over to him, but forgot Daniil had hold of one of her hands.
“Oh, no,” he hissed in her ear. “If I have to deal with him, so do you.”
“You’re the politician,” she whispered. “Since I intend on being crowded Queen of the Ice Realm I think we should begin the role of eccentric monarch and long-suffering advisor. Guess which one you are.”
Satisfied she'd shocked him, Marina sashayed through the crowded room. No one but Boy had known definitely of her intent to become the Wyvrae Queen not the Queen of the fire breathers.
Truthfully, she hadn’t known herself until just before the first quest.
Anastasia may be a bitch, but after research Marina knew the woman ruled her queendom fairly. There was the troublesome influence her brother wielded, but Marina figured with support from her neighbouring sovereign the woman would, well, man up, and set her brother into his place. And Daniil was in love with her. A marriage between her chief advisor and Anastasia would be brilliant. If he was ready to stop being Koen’s Second, which she wasn’t convinced of.
Maybe she and the icy blonde could even make friends.
The closer to the Dragon Council she came, Marina realised something odd was going on.
The councilmen were almost cringing.
Council Mon Isaak, the Dragon who lead the eminent Council, appeared frightened of what roamed in their midst.
Mikhail looked as if someone sat on his tail his expression was so curdled.
A shrill, brisk voice berated him.
Her heart stopped.
“Mikhail?” Marina pushed at his foreleg, trying to look around his bulk. “Who is that?” she asked excitedly, because though she asked, she already knew.
“And another thing,” Cathryn yelled, poking Mikhail’s side. “If you ever think about plucking me off the ground with that slimy tail of yours and taking to the sky ... don't.”
“Cat?” Marina felt a grin stretch across her face.
Cathryn spun around and squealed. “Rina!”
CHAPTER FIVE
Both women flung themselves at each other. They crashed somewhere in the middle, arms and legs tangled until they went down.
Giggling, they clung, and petted each other, chattering in an interminable rush to fill the other in what had happened since their separation. Their surroundings faded into a blur of scandalized whispers and curious mutterings.
Rolling his eyes, Mikhail used his body to conceal them from prying eyes.
“Michael dumped me,” Cathryn said, blushing furiously.
“Bastard. I’m in love with Koen Raad, Dragon King of this dimension.”
“So glad to hear you didn’t fall to your death chasing an imaginary creature.” Cathryn’s voice was dry, but her eyes amused. She jerked her head towards Mikhail. “That black Dragon who brought me here is an asshole. Super hot but an asshole.”
“Gross. Mikhail is my biological father. I’m a High Princess.”
“No sodding way. A Princess? Do you actually rule, you know, peoples?”
“It's an honorary title. I’m currently in this ancient competition called Aver to win a crown and then I’ll be Queen. Then I’ll rule ‘peoples’ as you so eloquently put it.” Marina grinned. “I mean to be a good Queen.”
Before Marina knew it, she babbled about what happened with Koen and the other First Chosen, Daniil's harsh but invaluable training, and Nikolai’s mischievous exploits.
She was so caught up in retelling her story she missed the moment her friend’s face creased in confusion, worry, and then downright anger.
“That all sounds ... not good.” Cathryn pulled away from the hug. “You have to prove yourself? You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”
“I have to.” Marina sat up too. She was staggered by the vehemence in the usually serene woman. “Koen is meant to be Emperor but he can’t until his Empress claims him. That’s me.”
“I want you to listen very carefully. People are trying to kill you. This is not funny.” Cathryn gripped her shoulder. “Thank goodness Mikhail ordered me found and brought over. Somebody needs to talk sense into you before you get dead.”
“You think none of us tried?” Daniil’s dry inquiry didn’t charm the woman in the slightest.
Cathryn eyed him up and down. Scowled. “Are you he?” she demanded accusingly. “Are you the Dragon King?”
Daniil graced her with a sexy smirk. “If you want me to be. Introductions, Marina?”
“Daniil, this is Cathryn James. Cat this is Dragon Lord Daniil of House Kol, a Wyvrae from the Ice Realm.”
Used to dealing with aggressive men, Cathryn stood, straightened her spine and thrust out her hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
Taken aback by her assertiveness then attracted to it, Daniil clasped it. “The same for me is true. It is a pleasure.”
Mikhail made a low grumbling noise.
The younger Dragon Lord blinked. His eyes rolled upward. Whatever he saw made him drop her hand.
Daniil smoothly took a measured step away from the blonde beauty. He wasn’t afraid of the Council Mon, but he wasn’t going to aggravate him either.
He gave Cathryn a wry smile. “I think you will find it most welcoming here, Lady Cathryn.”
“I’m not a lady,” she said flatly.
Marina hooked an arm around hers. “Of course you are. You’re going to be a Raad like me.”
Mikhail puffed hot air over them. “So quick to dismiss your House.”
Marina ignored him. “Or you can be a Zar. Whichever you prefer. Both would sound good, and are Imperial Houses. Rank is a big deal over here, and you can’t rise higher than a royal family.” Marina lowered her voice. “It’s not al
l sunshine and roses, but you get used to the death threats.”
Appalled, Cathryn rubber her forehead. “You really think you’re going to win this tournament and get the guy, don’t you?”
Marina seemed genuinely put out. “Hey. I've trained my ass off for this.”
Cathryn noticed the evil stares and hostility directed at Marina’s back. The hatred was palpable. There was a great deal of respect and admiration too, but those people were not the ones her friend was at risk from.
The rules were different in this land, and Cathryn resolved to learn them to protect herself and her impulsive friend.
Marina had suffered the months prior to disappearing. The loss of her mother had broken her emotionally, and recovering from her extensive injuries of the accident left her physically drained.
It was no wonder Cathryn had feared Marina close to a full psychotic episode when she returned to their cabin babbling about dragons.
But as usual, Marina had fallen onto her feet. She was – dare Cathryn think it – thriving. There was colour in her cheeks, a bounce to her step, and a sweet kind of peace infusing her very presence. She was happy. Cathryn hadn’t seen the Marina this excited since Almeria died.
It had originally been her plan to drag Marina home. Seeing her so cheerful threw Cathryn into doubt. If this is where Marina wanted to be then she would stay to help as best she could for as long as possible.
Ignoring the presence of the black Dragon that peered down at her with eyes so much like her friend’s, Cathryn scanned the crowd.
Marina tugged on her arm, pointing and explaining, laughing and joking.
Now to meet this Koen Raad, and work out why Marina felt the need to risk life and limb to earn the right to marry him.
Drifting towards the feast, Marina was snagged by her Sire’s left arm while Cathryn dangled happily from his right.
Her friend’s harsh glares to the nobles and gentry softened as the older Dragon Lord softly murmured apologies for his earlier behaviour and pointed out stone artwork and colourful scrollwork she might be interested in.
Too apprehensive to notice Mikhail strutted proudly showing them off, Marina worked out the best way to introduce Cathryn to Koen Raad. She was going to interrogate him then take his head off when he gave an unsatisfactory answer. The dilemma was Koen’s fuse was shorter than even Cathryn’s. While the woman would try to verbally grill him, he literally could roast her, and would if she irritated him enough.
Marina took a moment to imagine a crispy, bald Cathryn after a smug Koen finished burning her hair and eyebrows off.
Shredding her lip under her teeth, Marina passed a series of strikingly carved stone pillars that bracketed the corridor.
Tasselled banners draped from bronze rods depicting House Raad, the ruling Imperial House.
Daniil slinked from behind the thick covering. Eyes flitting around to check they were alone, he grabbed her free arm to yank her back.
Mikhail jerked, alert, ready to battle, but seeing who held her, he returned his attention to his chattering companion.
Narrowing her eyes, Marina resisted Daniil’s urging to follow.
Mikhail’s gaze on Cathryn was far too lusty.
Alright, Marina admitted gave him a hard time about other stuff, but she wasn’t imagining the fire in his eyes as they swept down to rest on her friend’s ass.
And stayed there.
Cathryn didn’t seem to notice his developing infatuation. She fired a dozen questions a minute at him, blue eyes shrewdly taking in the highborn individuals surrounding her.
Marina wasn’t sure what her friend was cooking up, but whatever it was it was likely unpleasant. Marina could hardly wait for Cathryn to hit her main stride. The Houses wouldn’t know what hit them when she started her machinations.
Daniil squeezed her arm. “We have a problem.”
“When don’t we?”
The tip of her tongue bitten between her teeth, she boosted onto her toes and peered past the grand doors leading to the feasting.
At the angle she stood Koen was visible.
She smiled seeing the empty seat next to him. Her seat. She loved being close to him. His heat, his scent, his sheer presence affected her in way no male ever had or would.
“May we deal with this later?” she asked.
“No.” Keeping his hold firm, Daniil drew her to the side and slightly behind the pillar. The banner kept them concealed and dampened their hushed voices. “This cannot wait.”
“There’s always a problem that seems urgent....” She trailed off at the anxiety pinching his features.
As she stared her mind floundered.
Daniil was beautiful for a male. His appearance didn’t appeal to her as Koen’s ruggedness did, but had she met Daniil first she knew her heart might have been lost to him instead of the Dragon King, because despite his considerable physical attributes, he was as kind as he was attractive.
Square jawed with a proud uplift to his nose, warrior braids that gleamed dully in the torchlight framed Daniil’s handsome face. His glacial blue eyes made her wonder if the ice plains were similar in colour.
Giving him the entirety of her attention, she patted his hand on her arm. “Alright, I’m listening.”
“I received word from Yaakov, the Regent’s aide. Tomorrow morning Myron and his personal physician will be verifying the Chosen as pure.”
She puzzled out why that was a bad thing. “You’re not talking pure of heart, are you?”
“I mean untouched.”
Losing colour her eyes rounded. She nodded slowly in comprehension then shook her head more forcefully in outright refusal.
Tapping his fist against his thigh, Daniil nodded stiffly. “You see the problem?”
What an inane question. He must have been worried to ask a rhetoric that would be considered sarcastic if she hadn’t known it wasn’t his style.
“They can’t expect to find anything,” she said tightly. “A physical barrier of innocence with the life a Chosen leads?” Marina placed a hand low on her stomach. “We’re all so active. Running, and jumping, and riding ... straddling Dragons.”
Happy with her shoddily conceived lie, she shook off the momentary panic.
A teeny bit of deception never hurt anybody.
Peeking past the silky banner, she sidled from behind the pillar. “All sorted?”
“The physicians touch is not physical. The exam is mystical.”
Material whooshing behind her, Marina swerved back around. The dangly ornament had Pasha speared into her hair slapped across her face with a crystalline tinkle. “Come again?”
“He will lay his hands on your back and will be able to tell if a male has ever marked you with his essence.”
Marina flushed. “Well that seems invasive. I’m not sure I like the idea of a stranger touching me that way.”
“So your objections are in no way influenced by Koen having already plundered your virgin cave?”
She stared aghast at his crass remark. “You are such a guy. Can you hear yourself right now?” She smacked his chest with the back of her hand. Scoffed when he merely cracked a shit-eating grin. “How am I getting around this? What does it mean if I am declared–”
“Well-broken in?”
She gaped at him. Then she stamped on his toes. Nearly broke her damn ankle doing it too since the stacked heel skidded on the uneven ground. “Will the humiliation end?”
Lifting his leg to rub his trampled foot, Daniil couldn’t keep the smirk from his face, even with the threat of another stomp. “We must speak to Mikhail.”
“We are not talking to him about this.” Marina’s rigid forefinger jabbed damningly at the floor since there was no one else in the hallway to tag as an offender. Except herself, that is, and she wasn’t into self-flagellation when it could be avoided by blaming everyone and everything else. “Not only is it embarrassing as hell it’s just weird.”
“The Dragon Council must be aware of your predicamen
t.” This was said absently, Daniil’s expression thoughtful. “I wonder why a representative was not dispatched to warn us.” His tone turned musing. “Or perhaps they never foresaw this complication.”
Her fingers curled under into fists that clenched even tighter. “No one thought to tell me there’d be a test? I could have foreseen this problem myself.”
“With everything else it slipped my mind.”
“The last time we grazed this particular topic Mikhail challenged Koen.”
“As was his right.”
Marina scowled. “Well. I’ll have to come clean and tell the Regent Koen and I were intimate before I entered Aver.”
Daniil made a strangled noise. His head swung side-to-side making his warrior braids fly. “Marina, Chosen must be pure.”
“Are you telling me First Chosen ascend their thrones intact? Virgin Queens?”
“Most definitely.”
“Most definitely,” she parroted sarcastically. Her lips twisted in a snarl. “I can’t believe this crucial piece of information escaped everyone’s attention. New rule. Tell Marina everything and let her decide what’s relevant, worth remembering, brooding, or panicking over.” She darted a covert look around the banner realising people must wonder where they were. “I am in no way pure. Koen dealt with that problem. Twice.” She inhaled then exhaled, using her hands to expel negative chi through her torso. “What will happen?”
“Myron is a stickler for tradition, however, I doubt he will disqualify you for slaking Koen’s ... lusts. If we spin it to seem as if he, ah, planned a seduction when you were vulnerable....”
“Won’t Koen be in trouble?”
“Nikolai has deflowered more virgin Chosen than there are drops of water in rain. He is still alive. What do you think will happen to Koen?” Daniil shrugged it off. “The Dragon King is too powerful to challenge.”
“There are a few Dragon Lords who could hurt him in a fair challenge. Mikhail is a Phoenix.”
“So is your mate.”
Marina pressed the heel of both palms to her forehead.
She was uncomfortable with casting a sinister light on a defining moment in her life – very uncomfortable.
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