Trusting the Dragon Prince

by Rinelle Grey

  Rylee shook her head immediately. “I’m tired of playing it safe,” she said firmly. “I want to do this.”

  For a moment, she thought he might change his mind and refuse to take him with her. But after a brief pause, Calrian nodded his head. “Let’s go then.”

  Rylee picked up his clothes, figuring he was going to want them later, then climbed onto his back and almost held her breath as he launched them into the air. For a second, she was distracted by the view as they circled around the mountain, rising higher and higher. It was only when she saw a cave opening behind a ledge up above that she remembered what they were here for—they were going to confront an enemy dragon clan.

  Strangely though, as they landed on the ledge, there was no one, dragon or human, around. In fact, Calrian had time to shift back into his human form and even dress.

  Only then did a young woman appear out of the shadows, as though she’d been waiting for the right moment. “Prince Calrian,” she said, inclining her head slightly. “Ultrima is waiting for you.”

  Calrian’s eyes widened slightly at that, but he just nodded back. “Thank you.”

  Rylee had no idea what was going on. Calrian had been asleep for hundreds of years, hadn’t he? How was his enemy still alive? She wanted to ask him, and wished she could speak to him in his head the way he could into hers, but that was impossible. Instead she had to settle for glancing over at him and raising an eyebrow.

  “I have no idea,” Calrian said privately. “I had not expected him to still be around. The fact he is does not bode well for our mission. If Ultrima is still in charge, then it is unlikely the Trima clan will look kindly on anything I say.”

  Despite the dire nature of his words, Calrian’s tone was even. Rylee couldn’t tell if he was still feeling confident, or if he was just hiding it well. Just in case, she slid her hand into his and gave it a squeeze.

  Calrian squeezed back, and Rylee thought his step lightened a little, though it was hard to be sure.

  They followed the young woman down a twisting tunnel until it opened out into a larger room filled with people. They sat on stone benches near the walls and stood in small groups. Almost all of them had silver hair.

  And all of them were staring at Rylee and Calrian.

  For a moment, Rylee felt like hiding behind Calrian. She hated being the centre of attention, even when the attention wasn’t coming from a whole heap of people who were probably dragons in human form. But she was here to support Calrian, and hiding behind him would not be supportive.

  So she lifted her chin and tried to ignore all the stares as the woman led them to the centre of the room. “Please wait here.” Then she disappeared down another tunnel.

  Calrian nodded and stopped walking, and Rylee stopped next to him. Luckily, before she had a chance to let the nerves overcome her, another dragon appeared from the tunnel where the woman had disappeared.

  His hair was also silver, pulled into a short ponytail behind his head. His expression, as he stared at Calrian, seemed friendly enough, but for some reason, it sent a shiver down Rylee’s spine.

  “Well, well. This is a pleasant surprise,” Ultrima said in a drawl. “I have to say, Calrian, you were the last person I expected to see.”

  “The feeling is mutual,” Calrian said guardedly. “I didn’t expect to find you alive after all this time.”

  Ultrima waved a hand airily. “You didn’t expect me to just give up and die, did you? No, I’m still waiting for my princess.” His eyes narrowed. “And I’m hoping you are my key to reuniting with her.”

  Rylee hid a frown. When Calrian had told her the story of what had happened between Ultrima and Sarian, she’d felt a little sorry for his sister, who had chosen to mate for the good of the clan over love. But Ultrima’s actions had killed any such similar feeling she might have had towards him. Surely he must realise Calrian would not be sympathetic to his cause?

  But to her surprise, Calrian was evasive. “I’m afraid I can’t speak for my sister, and I actually didn’t come here to discuss that.”

  Ultrima raised an eyebrow. “You disappoint me. What did you come for then?”

  This was the moment. Rylee glanced over at Calrian and squeezed his hand again for support. To her surprise, Ultrima’s keen eyes were suddenly on her and their clasped hands. He smiled, though the expression did not make Rylee feel at all comforted.

  Calrian took a deep breath, and then spoke. “I want to know if you can tell me where my clan is. They are not at our lair, and there is no sign of them ever having been there.”

  Ultrima considered his question for a few moments. “No, they aren’t.”

  A statement of fact that they both already knew. Why was Rylee not surprised Calrian’s greatest enemy wasn’t being at all forthcoming.

  “Do you know where they are?” Calrian persisted. “Are they… are they still alive?” His voice faltered mid-sentence, and Rylee winced. Showing weakness to the enemy was not going to help their cause.

  Ultrima’s eyes hardened. “And why do you think I’m going to answer that for you?”

  Rylee could see why the princess had refused to marry him, and she had no trouble at all imagining he had tried to force her hand when she’d refused him. She felt anger building up in her at the enemy dragon’s attitude towards Calrian and his clan.

  When Calrian spoke though, there was no sign of the anger he must also be feeling. “Because we were once brothers in Rian clan, and because no matter what else has happened, I’m sure you can imagine that not knowing is far worse than any answer can be.”

  Ultrima actually laughed. “Your family cast me out when all I wanted was to mate the dragon I loved. Why would I do anything at all to make your life easier? No, I have no interest in answering your question. Not unless you have something to offer in return.” His tone grew smarmy on the last sentence, and it didn’t take a genius to know what he meant.

  “Look, whatever has happened while I’ve been asleep, whether you’ve defeated my clan entirely or they’ve gone into hiding, it’s clear that you’ve won. Surely I deserve to know how you did so?”

  Calrian’s tone was even and polite, but Rylee could guess what the admission had cost him. She wished there was some other way, but she couldn’t see one.

  Ultrima though, didn’t seem to care. He laughed again. “If you’re admitting that I’ve won, then you must know that you can’t dictate the terms of your surrender to me. Why, if I wished, I could simply kill you where you stand. You tell me why I shouldn’t?”

  A chill ran up Rylee’s spine at his words. Yes, she’d known this was a possibility when she’d come, but hearing the words from his mouth was different. His tone of voice was far more threatening and real than she’d been prepared for.

  Calrian though, didn’t even blink. “Do you think we’re not prepared for that? If you kill me the world finds out about your existence. And while you might have been able to defeat my clan, do you think you can defeat the hundreds of thousands of humans that now inhabit this world?”

  For the first time, the dragon leader looked slightly impressed. “You are willing to reveal the existence of dragons to get what you want, and you’ve figured out a way to do it. Maybe you’re not as weak and blind as the rest of your clan. But it will still not be enough.” His eyes narrowed, and he regarded Calrian for a few moments before saying, “Wake your sister for me, and I will not only give you your answer, I will let you live.”

  “Not a chance,” Calrian said immediately. “Counter offer—remove your guard dragons on the Mesmer chambers, and I will wake all of my siblings. Then Sarian can tell you again that she has no wish to be with you while she’s surrounded by her angry brothers and sisters.”

  “Do you think that will matter?” Ultrima sneered. “You couldn’t defeat me last time. Do you really think anything is going to have changed while you slept for three hundred years?”

  This wasn’t going anywhere. Rylee suspected the enemy dragon was just toying with C
alrian before he killed both of them. He certainly had seemed more amused than bothered by their threat.

  Calrian’s desperation to know what had happened to his clan was blinding him to the enemy’s reaction. He opened his mouth to say something, but Rylee couldn’t help herself. She had to step in.

  “If you’re not going to help us, just say so, and we’ll leave.” Her knees were shaking the moment the words were out of her mouth, but at least it hadn’t affected her voice.

  Ultrima’s eyes focused on her. “What is this, Calrian? Brought a human here to plead for you? Or…” he looked from Rylee to Calrian, then back again, “are you wanting to be his mate? How ironic would that be?”

  For a moment, his attention made Rylee want to shrink back. How had she ever thought she could stand up to an angry dragon when it had taken her so long to stand up to Eric and her father?

  But if she didn’t, then she could lose everything. All fear of what the dragon could do to her evaporated at the greater fear of losing Calrian.

  Rylee straightened her back and faced the dragon defiantly. “Yes, I am,” she said firmly. “And I support him fully. I’m the one who’s ensuring that if anything happens to him, the entire town will know where you are. The world might not notice a dragon’s disappearance, but if a human disappears there will be an investigation. Searches. There won’t be anywhere on this continent you can hide.”

  A little bold perhaps, but Rylee no longer cared. This dragon clearly didn’t. He was playing with them. And she was tired of it.

  “Clever,” Ultrima said, considering her.

  Calrian’s eyes were admiring, but his voice in her head was concerned. “Probably not a good idea to push him too far. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”

  Rylee wished she could answer him in kind, to tell him she didn’t care, and that she wouldn’t stand by and watch the other dragon treat him like that. But instead, she just stared defiantly back at Ultrima, waiting to see what he said next, getting ready to counter it.

  “You know, Rian clan has never been very accepting of humans. If the two of you mate, then they might even throw your dragon prince out, you never know.”

  “That is irrelevant,” Calrian said through gritted teeth. “You’re avoiding the question.”

  “Oh, but I think it’s very relevant,” Ultrima said. “Are you sure you want to find your clan if they aren’t going to let you mate the one you love? Now why does that dilemma seem familiar to me?” His voice and eyes grew hard. “Oh yes, because that’s why I left.”

  Chapter 45

  Calrian wouldn’t have thought his heart could beat any harder than it already was, but Ultrima’s words sent it hammering painfully.

  His clan had come to this continent to avoid humans. He knew that. But that knowledge was far in the past. They hadn’t had much contact with humans in his lifetime, so he hadn’t stopped to consider how they might view him mating with Rylee.

  To tell the truth, he’d stopped even thinking of her as a human a long time ago. She was just Rylee, a wonderful, determined, beautiful woman who he’d fallen in love with.

  The idea that his clan might not accept her seemed preposterous.

  But then again, his clan had never been too concerned with love. Look at how Sarian had chosen her mate, even though he was pretty sure she’d loved Ultrima.

  For a second, he felt a shred of sympathy for the lightning dragon. He would be angry too, if his clan refused his mating. He might even do something similar.

  But what he would never even consider doing was forcing Rylee into something she didn’t agree to wholeheartedly.

  His mind went around and around in circles, which was no doubt what Ultrima had intended. He pulled his thoughts back to the present and to the problem in front of him.

  “My love life is none of your business,” he said stiffly. “If you’re not going to answer my question, we’re leaving.”

  Hopefully the Trima dragon would let them leave. Hopefully Rylee’s threat would be enough. Because although Calrian would fight to the death for her, he knew he stood no chance of winning against an entire clan. He couldn’t even buy her time to escape because she couldn’t fly down from the mountain on her own. If she would even leave him.

  Ultrima was watching him through narrowed eyes, so he forced those thoughts away, and met the dragon’s gaze defiantly. “What’s it to be?”

  Ultrima stared at him for several long moments before saying in a drawl, “Well, luckily for you you’re never going to have to find out what your clan would say because they’re all dead. We slaughtered them years ago when they refused to let me wake my princess. And I’d do the same again.”

  He stared at both of them as he spoke, and Calrian could see the pure anger in his eyes.

  It should have made him afraid. It should have sent him straight into fight or flight mode.

  But instead, he spiralled down into grief.

  His whole clan was gone, wiped out by the Trima clan. Calrian felt himself sinking to his knees in the sand, and he wondered dully if he was going to pitch sideways. All he could think about was the fact that he’d never see any of them again. And now he was alone.

  Only he wasn’t alone. Rylee’s arms were around him, holding him close, stopping him from falling, and at the same time, she shouted at Ultrima. “Haven’t you done enough? How can you even try to pretend you loved someone if you hurt those she cared about? I bet if the princess was here, she’d never want anything to do with you ever again. And I wouldn’t blame her.”

  Calrian wanted to tell her there was no point, that Ultrima would never understand, but he couldn’t make the words come out. He felt like he’d been frozen in time and that he’d never feel anything again.

  “How dare you speak to me of Sarian,” Ultrima thundered. “You have no idea what happened, and even if you did, you could never understand. You’re just a human.”

  “Do you think humans don’t feel love? Yes, we might not have this bond dragons are so proud of, but that means love is even more important to us. Humans choose for love, not obligation. And because of that we know love must be freely given. You can’t force someone to love you. And even if they refuse you, we don’t try to hurt those we care about. No, it’s dragons that don’t understand love, and you’re all the poorer for it.”

  Calrian wanted to cheer for her, and he would have if his heart hadn’t been breaking. He agreed wholeheartedly with everything she said, even though he knew it wouldn’t be enough to melt Ultrima’s icy heart.

  He agreed with it because he’d experienced it for himself. Everything Rylee spoke of described how he felt about her perfectly. And for a few moments, he dared hope that she might be speaking from experience too, that she might be describing the way she felt about him.

  That hope pushed aside his grief over the loss of his clan. It would return, he was sure of it, but he couldn’t deal with it now. First he needed to get them both out of here. Only then could he allow himself to mourn.

  He struggled to get to his feet, glad of Rylee’s help. Then he faced his enemy head on. “If you believe in love, if you care at all about Sarian, then you will let us go,” he said firmly. “Stop this madness. Let me wake my brothers and sisters, and let us all move past this.”

  He had little hope of his plea working, but he had to try.

  And for a few moments, Ultrima seemed to consider his offer. He looked at them both thoughtfully, then he threw back his head and laughed. The sound filled the whole room. The hint of madness it contained sent a shiver down Calrian’s spine.

  “You think I believe your family could ever move past this?” Ultrima demanded. “No, if I let you wake them, they will be bent on nothing but revenge. And I refuse to give up on my love. I will pursue her for the rest of my life if necessary. And I will not let you get in the way of that.”

  He glared at both of them, and Calrian had the feeling he was facing the end. He was ready for it and almost welcomed it because it
would make the pain of losing his clan go away.

  But the part of him connected to Rylee, the part of him feeling her body next to his, that part of him refused to give up. It was ready to fight.

  “Let Rylee go,” he said, almost as if his voice belonged to someone else. “She is not part of this.”

  Ultrima’s smile was wicked. “Now where would be the fun in that?”

  Helplessness welled up in Calrian. He couldn’t save her. There was no way. He should never have let her come.

  “It seems a bit mean to leave her miserable and alone for the rest of her life. I know how that feels, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone,” Ultrima continued.

  Calrian stared at him, confused. Was the Trima leader so mad he thought it would be kinder to kill someone than leave them heartbroken?

  “No, I think I’m going to let both of you go,” Ultrima said smoothly. “I’m a sucker for love, you see, and clearly you two love each other. So go, be happy, mate, and have many babies. And while you do so, remember you have condemned me to a life of loneliness.”

  And then, to Calrian’s surprise, he waved to everyone in the room before he turned and left.

  The others followed him out, leaving Rylee and Calrian alone in an empty room.

  Calrian wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or devastated. Or maybe a strange mix of both. Whatever he was feeling, it certainly wasn’t motivating. Calrian stared at the tunnel leading back out of the cave, not sure he could even be bothered walking through it.

  What was the point? He’d spent all this time searching for his clan, and it had all been pointless. They were gone.

  His heart ached as if there was a big hole in it. And there was. A hole where his clan had been. It didn’t even matter that Ultrima had confirmed that his brothers and sisters were still alive in their Mesmer chambers because he had no hope of ever getting close enough to them to see them.

  He wasn’t sure there was even much of his heart left to ache anymore. It had been his responsibility to keep his clan safe, and he’d failed. What was the point in leaving? Maybe it would be better if Ultrima had killed him too. Then this ache would go away.