My eyes flicked to Enzo who smirked at the information while I held in a groan. Three weeks was going to be too long to be in such close proximity to him. I had gotten up to speed at Shadow Veil within one year. Maybe I could shorten our stay in Drakken by working my ass off once more.
“When does training start?” I yawned again as I finished the question, silently cursing the time change. “Also, did we go backward or forward with a day?”
“Uh, you went forward.” She didn’t seem certain of her answer, but I couldn’t tell why.
My mouth opened to question her, but a booming voice called out her name before I could.
“JayLeigh, my favorite niece. Back so soon, and with not one, but two guests.” His voice lowered, giving way to his disapproval in Enzo’s presence.
“Your highness.” JayLeigh bowed. “This is Raegan and Enzo. I believe you’ll be interested to meet both of them.”
His fingers stroked his square jaw. “Indeed. If he made it through the portal, then you chose well, as usual.”
Deep jade eyes focused in on me, a shade or two darker than mine. “Raegan, I’d like to speak with you before you settle in for the evening and then tomorrow, while JayLeigh starts your training, I will meet with your friend.”
My eyes were so tired, I couldn’t even see straight, and his frame began to blur at the edges, but I was curious if this guy would know anything about who might have played a part in my dragon DNA, so I nodded. “Sure, as long as you feed me before I pass out.”
JayLeigh winced, and I didn’t understand what I had said wrong.
“I will bring her food, King Marek.”
Oh, shit. I wasn’t used to a hierarchy. I probably wasn’t supposed to demand things from the king, but what did they expect? I didn’t know anything about Drakken or even dragons. It wasn’t my fault.
“That’s alright, JayLeigh. I anticipated the need for sustenance, so I had food brought to my chambers. JayLeigh, if you’ll take Enzo and show him where the eatery is, then their rooms, I would appreciate it.” Marek kept his head high, peering down at her much shorter frame compared to his six-and-a-half-foot height.
Enzo’s hand grasped my elbow. “Are you sure splitting up so soon is a good idea?”
I grunted. “If they want us dead, it will happen. No amount of sticking together is going to prevent that.”
He seemed to consider that and nodded. “At least, let me know you’re back before you go to sleep?”
“Yeah, sure.” I waved him off and took a step toward Marek. “I’ll follow you.”
Once we were out of earshot from JayLeigh and Enzo, Marek began asking me questions. “What do you think of Drakken so far?”
“It’s interesting, to say the least. The sky and big-ass dragons roaming around will take some getting used to if I’m here long enough to do so.”
He raised a brow. “Eager to leave already?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “This place is messing with my head. JayLeigh mentioned something about my dragon, but I probably won’t retain much of anything until I get food and rest.”
“Well, then I’ll keep things short,” he said as we appeared at a side entrance of the headquarters. “This is my personal entrance. I will assign you a code that you may use for emergencies only during your stay in Drakken, along with one that will allow you to use the elevator to directly enter my quarters. I want you to feel comfortable here, so you can focus on JayLeigh’s teachings. If anything doesn’t agree with you, come straight to me.”
His voice was deep and soothing, making me really wish he’d stop talking, because I was close to falling asleep while walking if that was even possible. He also reminded me of Headmaster Stone with his insistence I come to him if there were any issues. Thinking of the headmaster made me remember my promise to Jules.
“Will I be able to use the email system JayLeigh mentioned to reach out to my aunt when I get back to my room?”
He shook his head. “The only communications system to reach Earth is in my residence. I’d offer to let you use it now, but it takes a while to connect. You should probably rest first while I take care of it and come see me before you meet JayLeigh after you wake.”
I nodded, hoping Jules wouldn’t be too pissed I didn’t do it first thing like I’d promised. I hadn’t known I’d be so exhausted from the travel, and there was no way I was going to last much longer without getting sleep. I only planned on chatting with Marek long enough to eat, and then I’d promptly find my bed.
Soon after we entered the headquarters, we arrived at an elevator that was made with etched glass walls and chrome trim. I followed him inside and observed as he pressed some numbers on a keypad before placing his hand on the screen. It beeped twice and then the doors slid silently closed.
“I’d hold on if I were you,” he warned, but my reflexes were too slow.
The elevator shot up like a rocket, and my knees buckled, landing me on the ground with a hard thud.
“Shit, that hurt,” I grumbled.
“Sorry, I should have said something sooner. Hopefully lunch will make up for it.” He reached a hand out to me that I gladly took.
By the time I was on my feet, the doors to the elevator were already open and I was cursing the fact that even though this contraption had walls around it, it was no less dangerous than I considered the platforms at Shadow Veil.
We arrived inside his quarters, and the living area we entered was enclosed by floor-to-ceiling windows that reminded me of Enzo’s dorm. My feet moved toward the walls to see out and really take in the land of Drakken, but then the smells of food hit my nose and I halted mid-stride. “What is that?” Drool was threatening to drip out of my mouth.
“That would be lunch. Come sit. We can talk while you eat, and then I will show you around my quarters before taking you back to yours.”
There was no argument from me. I beat him to the already-set table I had somehow missed while entranced by the windows and took a seat. A plate was waiting in front of me, so I served myself, hoping there was no royal protocol I was supposed to abide by, and then dug in.
There were meats I didn’t really want to know the source of, but they looked like beef and that was all that mattered to my brain at the moment. Those went on my plate first, followed by the fluffiest mashed potatoes I’d ever seen, soft breads, and some canary-yellow fruit that had the texture of melons, but much smaller and with no rind.
Marek leaned back, seeming to enjoy watching me fill my plate, and then even let out a laugh as a moan slipped out when I first tasted the potatoes. I had a serious appreciation for delicious food and didn’t often hide the pleasure it brought me. I probably needed to work on that.
“So, you don’t seem to hold back much, do you?” he asked.
Shaking my head, I wiped my mouth with a cloth napkin. “Not usually.”
“And I assume you prefer others to be just as candid?”
“It typically makes things easier when I don’t have to listen to people beating around the bush,” I answered.
“Very well. Would you like to know what I have to say?”
With my fork already full of sliced meat, I nodded my head and took in the food.
“I’m your father.”
With steak lodged in my throat, I choked and sputtered, not sure I’d heard his words right in my deliriously tired state.
“Crazy dragon king, come again?” I finally managed to spit out when my mouth was mostly clear of food.
“You are my daughter. My only child, to be more precise.”
The walls began to close in around me as air no longer moved through my body. I tried to breathe and avoid passing out, but as my vision narrowed, my only hope was that I didn’t land face-first in my lunch.
Chapter 9
Marek moved from his seat faster than I could blink, catching me before I fell out of the chair. His fingers snapped in front of my face, bringing my focus back from the encroaching darkness.
&nb
sp; “Raegan?” His brow creased. “Are you okay?”
My body swayed, but my vision began to come back, and I’d somehow avoided passing out after his bombshell statement.
“You’re my…” I couldn’t even finish the sentence.
“Yes, I was the last one with Malina before you were created. I had no idea what she was doing, or I would have stopped her. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you exist, but what she was trying to accomplish, there was nothing maternal about it.”
Holy shit, I thought I’d be spending the entire time I was in Drakken trying to figure out whose DNA ran through me, but it just landed on my lap within the first hour. It’s not like it really mattered. He wasn’t my actual father, more like a sperm donor, but to know I didn’t come strictly from evil did make me feel a little better about my history and what it might mean for my future.
“Do you know what she wants? I’ve yet to figure that out besides her wanting to be free of her cage at Shadow Veil. I don’t understand why she needs me if she’s already so powerful.” I had little desire to stay on the whole “father” topic now that I had the information, but I was more than happy to learn about Malina. Anything that might help us find and defeat her was worth discussing.
He took his seat again before speaking, and I appreciated the breathing room. “I can’t be certain of her plans after spending the last two decades locked away, but before she hit rock bottom, she always talked a lot about trying to revive Elora. I used to think it was endearing and almost told her of Drakken, but something always held me back, even when I thought I loved her. When I caught her with one of my scales and some of my human hair, I knew she was just using me.”
His face frowned as the memories seemed to resurface for him. The lines around his emerald eyes made me wonder just how old he was, because he didn’t look over forty, but I knew that wasn’t the case. He’d been around for centuries, at least. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the time to ask as he ran his hands through dark, earthy-colored hair.
He had loved her, and she had broken his heart. It was no wonder he had fled Earth and never come back. If I had been able to run from Enzo and never see his face again after his betrayal, I might have done that as well. He was lucky I cared too much about Jules and Gemma to do so.
“What did you do?” I asked, trying to fill in what happened before he left for Drakken.
“I threatened to end her life if she ever used any part of me for her spells. I thought I had taken anything of mine she had, but here you are, proving I had missed something, or my discovery was simply too late. I only knew you existed when you showed up at Shadow Veil and the gargoyles alerted me to your existence.
“At the time, I didn’t realize you had anything to do with Malina or even myself, but as more oddities kept happening, I began to put the pieces together. I trusted the council to be able to keep her locked away, but that didn’t work out so well.”
I shook my head. “No, it didn’t, but back up a minute. Explain the gargoyles. My best friend Gemma told me stories, but you seem to know a whole lot more about them.”
He took a small bite of food before answering, so I took it as a sign to resume eating my deliciousness as well, this time without as much enthusiasm.
“The gargoyles aren’t the easiest thing to explain. They’ve been around since before my existence, so even I don’t truly understand what they’re capable of, but their allegiance moved to the dragons as the elves became greedy. When I decided to cut off contact with the other supernaturals, they became my eyes and ears. Like when you arrived, I knew immediately. As well as when Malina got out.”
My memories ventured back to the day she broke free and all that had transpired. “Why was she afraid of the gargoyles?”
“Because she knows where their alliance is. She knew I would know she was free and that you existed, meaning I would come for her.”
“Well, why haven’t you come for her? Why send JayLeigh to follow me instead of coming yourself as previously promised?” Maybe Marek wasn’t as badass of a Doyen as I thought, which was more than disappointing.
“That’s complicated and something we don’t really have time for. I simply wanted to be open that my blood runs through your veins and you’re welcome here in Drakken whenever you want, for as long as you want. I’d love if you’d stay here, but I know you have people back on Earth who you care about as well.”
Another yawn slipped from my mouth. “You’re right. I do have a family. One who needs protecting from Malina. She threatened to come back for me, and we don’t have any way to stop her without you. We need your help.”
His fingers tapped on the tabletop as his eyes glazed over. Clearly, his thoughts had taken his full attention. I finished the last of my lunch as I waited for him to respond to my statement, afraid his previous love for her was going to make the situation much more complicated than it needed to be.
He seemed to be interested in being a part of my life, but what life would I have if I was forced to hide away on Drakken, leaving Jules, Gemma, and the others to fend for themselves? He needed to figure out if running from the past was more important than protecting the future.
“Did you hear me?” I snapped, anger rising within me as I realized the very real possibility of him not assisting us. “We need you to stop Malina.”
“Raegan, you have to understand, the people here need me. I can’t leave them.”
“So, you’ll just leave your only heir to fend for herself against the most powerful sorceress on Earth?”
“That’s not fair.”
He was right, I wasn’t being fair, but there was nothing fair about war, and Malina was promising a supernatural war if I didn’t give in to her demands. She wanted her own world to run, and nothing was going to stop her from getting her way.
“Well, it’s how I feel and if we don’t get your assistance, then it could be Drakken she comes for next. Just remember that.”
“It’s certainly something to consider,” he murmured.
Pushing my plate away, I stood up from the table, trying to remain civil. “Thank you for the lunch. Since I can’t reach out to my aunt, I’d like to head to my room if you don’t mind.”
“Of course not. Let me show you the way.”
Following him back toward the elevator, we didn’t say another word to each other until we reached my room. While we walked, I enjoyed the smell of cut wood throughout the halls. I was pretty sure the entire house was made from the redwood-looking trees I had seen outside, and it was stunning, a complete contrast from the stone walls at Shadow Veil.
“Here you are. Enzo’s room is one more door down, and there’s a call button within your room if you need anything. We have several staff working at all times of the day, so even if it’s dark out, don’t hesitate to ask for assistance.”
“Thank you.” Opening the door, I stepped inside before half-closing it. “I guess I’ll see you around.”
“I’ll check on you tomorrow or the day after. You’re in good hands with JayLeigh,” he said.
Smiling politely, I nodded and murmured goodnight before closing the door on him. If he wanted to be a pain in my ass about not helping, there was no way I was going to make getting to know me easy on him.
The only downside to closing the door on Marek was that the room was completely unfamiliar to me. Once the door was closed, I could barely see anything. There were blackout curtains on the windows, which I would have really appreciated if I was already in bed.
I had no idea where anything was, and as I felt around the walls for a light switch, my hip slammed into a desk.
“Damn it,” I cursed.
Screw it. I was exhausted and could see the shape of the bed. I’d find my things and figure everything else out when I wasn’t sleep-deprived. Taking my bra off and stripping down to my shirt and underwear, I pulled the silky sheets back and sunk into the plush bed.
A sigh escaped my lips as tension rolled out of me and I closed my eyes. The bed was heave
nly, and JayLeigh was going to have a hell of a time getting me out of it the following day.
I reached for the other pillow I hoped to tuck between my legs for extra comfort, and a scream ripped from my throat when I came into contact with a very naked and muscular chest instead of a pillow. I fell out of bed, and then proceeded to trip over my boots, landing hard on the ground with legs tangled and a heel stabbing me in the ass.
“Lights on,” Enzo’s groggy voice sounded from the bed and, slowly, everything lit up around me. “Are you okay?” he asked, seeming to enjoy my current state of disarray once he could see me.
Scrambling to my feet, I stood before answering him. “Of course I’m not okay. I’m exhausted and overwhelmed and just want to sleep, but instead I find a mostly naked man in bed who doesn’t belong there. To top it off, I now probably have a decent-sized bruise on my ass.”
“Want me to check it for you?” Enzo winked while tossing a sexy grin my way.
He was standing on the opposite side of the bed, not at all deterred by my unhappiness. In my attempt to stop being distracted by his smile, I made the mistake of diverting my gaze toward his chest, which led my eyes further south to his boxer briefs that happened to be the only thing he was wearing.
“Take your time answering. I know it’s been a while, and I don’t want to rush your appreciation of my body. I’m fully okay with being your eye candy.” I could hear the laugh in his voice, which drew my attention back to his face.
Still unused to seeing his short hair, I shook my head and turned away from him. It wasn’t fair that his body was such a distraction. It seemed like the more I fought my feelings for him, the more they increased.
Stupid traitorous heart.
“Why are you in my room? No, better question, why are you in my bed with no clothes on?” I demanded as I grabbed my pants to get dressed again. The only thing I couldn’t find was my bra, which wouldn’t have been a problem if my boobs weren’t showcasing my feelings as well.
Deadly Declaration (Shadow Veil Academy Book 2) Page 8