"How did you know?" Diovan asked. His eyes searched the cave. It was messier than last week. How was that even possible?
"I've seen it happen before. You act irritable and sleepy for one week because of the lust, then you change and behave like the Dragon Mother just blessed you right after the mating is done. You also slept for one whole day. Dragons always sleep a lot right after the mating, if they can." Cyrion missed, and the rock hit his head. He hissed a curse.
"The day has passed?" Diovan's eyes widened.
"It's night."
Night. Which meant he needed to pay a visit to Aryana soon. No sunlight seeped into the cave, so Cyrion was right. Diovan looked forward to their first meeting as official mates. He imagined her welcoming arms and smiling face. His imagination did go a little bit overboard, with Aryana begging to suck his cock. She would be awed by the size and beauty of it, then muse about how she should erect a temple in its name, before doing wondrous things that would make him feel like the happiest person on earth.
A man could dream.
"You're not going to leave us, are you?" Leon asked, peeking out from the cover of yet another book. Didn't these dragons have better things to do besides moping about in this dark cave? Terrorize villagers and the like?
Diovan poured some ale for himself and took a swig. "No, of course not."
"You're not going to settle with your mate?" Cyrion asked, this time juggling not one, but three rocks against the wall.
"I'm not sure if she's the type to settle." Aryana wouldn't want to leave her sister and tribe, but Diovan didn't want to join them and become a manservant. He wasn't even sure if Enid would let him become a male-in-waiting. She would die off in the next couple hundred years or so—witches as attuned to magic as them as them lived longer because of its influence, much to Diovan's dismay. Aryana, with her dragon wife abilities, would live much longer. He'd convince Aryana to join him after Enid's passing.
He had it all planned out, because he was so smart.
"We're losing you already," Cyrion said. "You're taking small sips of your alcohol like some sort of wuss. Oh goddess, this is a nightmare."
Diovan rolled his eyes, set his jug down in the mess, and took off his shirt, readying himself to shift.
"You're leaving us rogues," Leon said. "I mean, for good, and not just for your daily romps with women. You're absolutely lying when you say you're not."
"Don't have your balls so uptight, dragonling. I'm not. But I might show my face around less. My mate and I have this arrangement going on. It's very secret. Very exciting." He patted Leon on the shoulder. Then he called to his wings and transformed into a dragon. He jumped off the edge of the cave and flew into the night sky, eager to visit his mate.
Diovan didn't bother putting his clothes back on. The extra strap and buckles he needed to fasten to his bodice were annoying to wear, and how else was Aryana supposed to worship his little dragon if she couldn't see it? She was properly acquainted with his bare body anyway, and nobody else was going to see him. She might even like the surprising sight—no, she would like the sight of him appearing nude. There was no way she wouldn't. She might be embarrassed by it, but it was quite unlikely. Aryana wasn't the kind to be embarrassed.
He slung his rucksack over his shoulder. It hadn't rained today, and the ground was less muddy than usual, which was nice because it meant he didn't have to feel the disgusting squelch of grime beneath his feet as much. He already knew the quietest and most inconspicuous route to her tent, having traveled there in secret multiple times. With agile swiftness, he maneuvered his way over the semi-wet ground and through the bushes. Water witches on guard didn't catch a single glimpse of him. Like a leopard, he sneaked past the witches and entered his mate's tent.
"Missed me?" he asked, running a hand through his disheveled blond hair, and readying his smoldering, melt-her-panties grin.
His mouth parted. "Enid?" His first thought wasn't his obvious nudity, which he honestly didn't care much about, but Aryana's absence. "Where is your sister?"
Enid wore a look of puzzlement. Or horror. He couldn't decide which.
Enid pulled her face together. "Facing punishment," Enid said. "She's learning her lesson. She shouldn't have mated with you."
He strolled over to a crate and sat on it. He crossed his legs. "Is that so?" His eyes were likely flickering to slits. Rage bubbled in him, which he couldn't control.
"When we're rid of you, she'll be back to normal."
Talons grew from his fingertips. He gripped the wood of the crate. "I'm not sure about that." His dragon pulsed in his mind, urging him to find their mate, but he calmed himself. Enid wouldn't hurt Aryana, since they were sisters. Enid was fierce, but she had compassion. At least, Diovan hoped as much. He knew that sentimentality of hers wouldn't extend to him, however. If he didn't react well, he was about to be skewered by icicles.
He willed his wings to stay dormant, even though they threatened to explode from his back.
"Sorry to bother you, then," he said, standing up. "I'll get rid of myself. Let's never see each other again."
Enid folded her arms. "Good."
"Good."
He strode to the exit, still baring his bum, making haste to escape. His ploy didn't work, quite understandably, but it was worth a shot. He heard spells being chanted from behind him. At once, he unleashed his dragon, letting his bones morph and grow.
Enid and her guards took up battle positions. They weaved souls in their hands. Other water witches were alerted to the commotion, and many joined Enid.
They tossed magic at him as he shifted. His half-dragon, half-human body slid across the encampment, leveling tents as he went. He almost squished a few water witches. Reeling, he got up in dragon form and tried to steady himself from the grogginess.
Enid and her peers ran up to him, eyes lit with the rush of battle, and hands wielding power.
He took a swipe at one of the members of Enid's guard. The witch avoided his advance, ducking down. He tried to attack once more, but within the confined space of the jungle, he wasn't in his element, and the witches had the upper hand. Blasts of cold hit him from all sides. The ice held him in place, twisting around him like chains.
He thrashed to escape, but the witches kept piling on the frost, hurting his hide.
Before long, Enid had him trapped and captured.
Chapter 11
This is quite the predicament," Diovan said, fidgeting with the ropes around his hands, which were tied behind his back. He had called to his dragon multiple times, but it wouldn't come. A faint glow hovered over his body. A spell to suppress his powers, perhaps? "Why don't you let me go and we can have a proper talk about our predicament like intelligent beings? Dragon to human?"
He was tied to a tree, with mere ropes, far away from the encampment. He had been forced and strapped into a sitting position. He mused that he had pants on. If he were human, the position would have made his back sore and his neck ache. He didn't think the day when he was held hostage by a mere tree would come. The thought was laughable.
Enid sat in front of him, folding her legs. Her male-in-waiting—Diovan heard her call him Qovan—fetched her a drink. Diovan wondered if the man ever wanted to punch his wife for treating him like a dog. He'd heard of stories where wives murdered their husbands, so he wouldn't be surprised if the tables turned in a reversed setting.
"Men like you are beneath talking to," Enid said. She sipped her drink.
He snorted. "Now, that's unfair. We've barely gotten to know each other. We should, you know? You're my sister-in-law, technically."
She stood up, tossed the drink at his face, and slapped him. Slapped him. As if tying him to a tree wasn't bad enough. Luckily, it was just water.
"You did not just do that," he growled. "I'll wring your neck if you dare try it again, woman. Sister-in-law or not, I won't—"
She laid another hand on his face. "Try it."
He roared, attempting to breathe fire. None came.
"That's it. Now you've done it. Just you wait." He narrowed his eyes.
She punched him in the gut. She stumbled back while wincing, then shook her fist. He smirked. One of the perks of being a dragon was having washboard abs… except for those two men back in his cave. Diovan still couldn't fathom how they'd managed to get so fat with their fast metabolism.
Before he could mock her failed attempt at punching him, Enid snarled and stung his side with an ice blast. He sucked in a sharp breath of pain.
"Not so big and bad without your flames, dragon." She chuckled. The laugh almost sounded like she was enjoying tormenting him. Oh bollocks, who was he kidding—she probably was. "This is why I hate men like you. You value your worth in bullying women. Your arrogance disgusts me. That's why you can't have power. It's because men like you have power that the world burns and wars."
Enid sounded insane. He flashed an incredulous look at Qovan, who did nothing but shrug. Weak-minded, Diovan thought.
Normally, he'd chide her with a joke, but his patience had been tested far beyond that. He still worried for Aryana. He knew Enid loved her sister, so Aryana's accommodations ought to be better, but he hated the thought of her being punished or contained. His dragon instincts prompted him to protect his mate.
He head-butted Enid, who had gotten a fraction of an inch too close.
The water witch stumbled backward. She let out a groan and placed a hand over her forehead. He had some bite left in him, even without his powers. The witch pressed her hands over her head and seethed.
She glared at him. "You prove my point—you relish violence."
He snorted. "You're the one who slapped me. I retaliated."
Enid spat at his feet.
"You haven't mentioned where Aryana is."
"Safe. Confined, but safe. She doesn't concern you."
"Of course she does. She's my mate." Knowing Aryana was well lightened his mood.
"She is not your mate. She is nothing to you. You treat her like a plaything. You walk into her tent naked and expecting her to serve you."
So, it did bother Enid. "That's pushing it. I was simply looking for some fun."
"I don't need to hear your justifications or arguments."
He pursed his lips. "If you're going to strap me up to a tree for no good reason, I do think you should." He wiggled against the ropes, trying to get into a better position. No luck—they had fastened him down tight.
Enid strode away with her entourage of witches.
"So you're just going to leave me here? What if I need to relieve myself?" They had put pants on him, but then he'd soak himself when high tide came.
Enid didn't turn back around. "Always so barbaric in your tongue, dragon. I think urination will be the least of your worries. I'm still considering whether to kill you or not."
"I'm barbaric, eh? I'm not the one living in primitive tents." Granted, he did live in a cave, which many would argue was far more primitive, but Enid didn't have to know that. "And why don't you kill me? You obviously see me as a nuisance."
This time, she did turn around, to flash him a beady glance. She placed her hands on her hips. "Frankly, it's because my sister likes you. I'm trying to convince her otherwise, and after I do, I'll be more inclined to rid of you. The dragon bond might be influencing both of your actions. We will concoct a spell to reverse the bond. That might help."
"The marking is a merely a manifestation of what our souls want. Your sister loves me, Enid. Stop living in your delusional world."
"Goodbye, dragon. I hope you enjoy your stay."
"Well, thank you. That's really kind of you to wish."
Enid left behind a water witch to guard him. After mere moments of being left alone with the possibly mute witch—she didn't respond to any of his prompting—he was bored out of his mind. Soon, his attention turned to escape. The ropes secured his chest, waist, and arms against the tree. He grasped around for a sharp object to cut the ropes, but Enid was smart enough to clear the area around him.
"Dragon shit," he said.
He tried everything to call to his dragon side. Even the growth of a tiny fang would help. Fucking witches and their spells, he thought, when nothing remotely bestial came to him.
He planned for hours over what to do. No particular course of action stood out to him. His best bet was to get the water witch guard to do something, but she wouldn't entertain any of his comments. He even went as far as calling her thick in the waist, although she really wasn't, and every man knew calling a woman fat was practically a death sentence.
He felt crippled without his dragon side. He didn't realize how much he'd relied upon it until he lost it.
"Ah, fuck the Dragon Mother." All he wanted to do was see Aryana, his mate. Why did Enid have to be so loose in the head?
The water witch moved toward him, surprising him.
"Finally unable to resist my charms?" he asked. "I knew you'd come to. I'm afraid I'm not available."
The witch pulled magic from her beads and muttered something. The magic joined the faint aura that surrounded him—the aura that was used to keep his dragon side subdued.
So that's it. The spell on him wasn't permanent. It'd require immense amounts of power to truly remove a dragon's powers for an infinite timespan. The spell likely only lasted for a few hours of a time. Then, as it waned, the witch had to recast it to keep him in check. The witch guard wasn't a precaution. She was a necessity.
He grinned.
"What are you grinning about?" the witch asked. It was the first thing she had said that night.
"Oh, nothing. Just thinking about world peace and all that. You know, womanly things."
The witch made a face, then returned to her post.
Now all Diovan had to do was wait. The next time she needed to cast the spell, he'd take his opportunity to escape.
Without her beads, Aryana wasn't much of a threat. Enid didn't have to do much to keep her inside. Sure, Aryana knew fighting arts and could kick ass if she needed to, but so did the other witches, and she'd be outnumbered if she tried anything.
She woke up with a bad headache, finding the tent Enid placed her in surrounded by water witches who'd keep her in check. She didn't resist them or fight to leave. She was kept in comfortable tent, after all, with stacks of scrolls and spell books to occupy her time.
She wasn't one for reading, however. She preferred a more hands-on approach, so she used her capture as an excuse to sleep the day away. Her sister would calm down eventually. Enid was bullheaded, so it took her a while to warm up to new concepts, like mating with a dragon. If Aryana was persistent enough, however, she knew her sister would cave eventually. Well, she hoped so.
Enid was always most resistant when it came to dragons. She had mentioned that the death of their parents was grotesque and unsuitable for Aryana's ears… but Aryana couldn't relate. To her, Enid had always been her caretaker. She had no recollection of their parents.
Aryana prayed she'd be released soon, because she really wanted to see Diovan again. It'd only been a day and she was missing him already. This dragon mate thing had started to become a pain. Strong feelings weren't easy to deal with. She found herself longing for the days when her biggest concern was organizing a hunt.
If the witches kept her here long enough, she might sneak out to meet that blond-headed, overconfident, lovable dragon. And blast him for being making her chest turn with all this doubt.
She fidgeted, not able to keep still. Hopefully, he had enough sense to be sneaky and avoid getting caught. Enid wouldn't hurt him if he was caught, would she? Aryana recalled the way her sister murdered that dragon Diovan had sent them. It sent a chill through Aryana.
"How are you?" Enid said, entering.
"Bored. How long are you going to keep me here?"
"Until you come to your senses."
"I am in my senses. You're the one acting out of hand. Blasting your own sister just because she's fallen in love?"
"It's no
t like you to choose such a man." Enid frowned.
"I don't think it's up to me to choose who I fall in love with."
A grimace appeared on Enid's face. She picked up a scroll, opened it, and rolled it back up without so much a glance. "I think he might have cast a spell on you. You've always been the perfect water witch. Some say you're the strongest amongst all of us. You don't let yourself get pushed around. I cannot stand to see my sister at the whims of this… this excuse of a man."
"Diovan isn't what you think he is. He's kind, and he doesn't force me. We're the ones who do the spell-casting and bending people to our will. Dragons are more straightforward."
Enid placed a hand on Aryana's forehead. "You have problems, Aryana. You might not know it yourself, but all of us looking from the outside can tell that you're not normal right now. We have Diovan captive. Just say the word, and he'll be gone."
Aryana brushed her sister's hand away. "What? No. I don't want him dead."
"Maybe then you'll recover."
Her sister was being so frustrating that Aryana wanted to tear her own hairs out of her skull. "I am not under a spell!"
Enid sighed. "Don't worry. We'll fix this."
Aryana wanted to beat up something because of the way Enid acted, but thrashing about rabidly wouldn't serve her point that she wasn't mad.
"Is there anything I can do to make your accommodations more to your liking?" Enid asked.
Aryana sank back, not knowing how to argue with a sister who only saw her as wrong. Maybe she'd have to sneak out after all. If her sister wouldn't see reason, and used Aryana's love for Diovan to steal her freedom, she had to do something about it. "What if Diovan agrees to be my male-in-waiting? I don't see why I have to be punished for mating with him. If he is my male-in-waiting, then there is no trouble with it, right? He can be incorporated into the tribe. It's been done before. Outsiders have been let in."
"No," Enid said. "I cannot trust having a dragon in my tribe. I told you, dragons are not worthy of trust. They are warmongering creatures."
Golden Embrace: A Stand-Alone Novella (Soul of a Dragon) Page 8