“The dragon is injured,” he grunted, rising to his feet. Daya snapped to attention when he moved a step toward her. Up close, his height was the stuff of dreams. “While you do whatever it is you have to do, I’ll tend to her wounds. Pretend I’m not even here.” He smiled.
“Don’t you think the best time to look for the diamond is while the dragon is down for the count?”
“You could look for centuries and never find it. Better to ask and receive.”
“Like that thing will tell you,” Daya scoffed.
He shrugged. “I want to at least give her the opportunity. With that arrow wound, she can’t do any harm. The dragon eaters enchant the huntsmen’s weapons. It’s like poison, only…worse. If she doesn’t get treatment, she’ll die, and Feis has enough dragon trophies. I didn’t sign up to give her more.”
He brushed past and headed for the door. Daya pivoted to keep him in front. She waved the knife threateningly, but he didn’t even flinch. Shit. “Just hang on a second. You say you signed up to steal the diamond, but here you are, playing dragon vet. I don’t trust you. I want to see what’s in the bag.”
With a sigh, Arken opened it so she could see the gauze, salves and murky-looking tinctures inside. “Satisfied?” he asked.
She nodded, more confused than ever. Maybe the guy was from a much nicer realm than hers. She didn’t know a person on Earth who would nurse a fire-breathing monster back to health. All the better to eat them. She lifted her hands in surrender and shrugged.
“Okay, dude. You want to be Dr. Doolittle, be my guest,” she said. “Long as you know, if I find the jewel first, I’m not telling you. I’m not giving you a chance to profit from my hard work. Finders, keepers. I’m out of here.”
“That’s fair,” he said, again catching her off guard with a step closer. “I’ve been here a while, so let me give you some survival tips. You won’t find the diamond, but you’re in luck because you’re safe here. From everything. In that form, the dragon can’t reach these chambers. She’s too large.
“There’s also an enchantment on the place. Somehow, it’s always the right temperature. Food and drink are replenished in the dining hall whenever you need it. Even, the water for your bath runs to your fancy. The bed adjusts to your whims. Your dreams deliver such realistic escapes that you wonder if you ever sleep. You’ll never clean, never toil. Your candles will never run out, and your blade will never dull.”
“What is this place? Heaven?” She laughed.
“It would seem that way, right?” He smiled sardonically. “Most hells do. That’s the only way they get you to stay an eternity. With suffering so exquisite that you don’t realize you’re lying in your own grave, being eaten alive by self-doubt and loneliness, until there’s nothing left. You simply let it happen. And, anything different is welcome, no matter what it plans to take from you.”
“You sound like you’ve been here longer than a while.” Her shrewd mind tried to assess what that meant for her. Did he already have the diamond?
He reached out and cupped her face. “That’s not the point. The point is…You’ll look up one day and realize a hundred years have passed, and you’ve had nearly everything you wanted at your fingertips the whole time.”
“What’s so bad about that?” she whispered, shivering at his spellbinding narrative.
“The part where I said ‘nearly.’”
She stared after him as he walked out the door. “Is that what happened to you?” she asked, but he didn’t answer.
Neigen had been pleasant company for Daya on the hike through the dark forest to King’s Isle Keep. However, the closer they had gotten to their destination, the quieter he had become. Daya had started to feel like she was on a funeral march, which was probably more accurate than either of them cared to admit.
When they had reached the keep, she’d entered through a tunnel at the foot of the mountain. Surprisingly, there had been an elevator. She’d convinced herself things might be easier than expected. However, once within the labyrinthine halls, she had realized how daunting finding the Heart of the Dragon would actually be.
The place was mammoth and breathtaking. The Temple of Fire paled in comparison. In her illustrious life of crime, she had been in mega-mansions smaller than this.
The place had striking walls of white stone striated with crimson. The floors were like mirrors. The architecture was otherworldly, evoking hints of fantasy movies Daya had watched back home. The furniture was like something from a fairytale. Ancient wood pieces, hand-carved by the finest artisans. She might have gotten caught up in exploring all day, but she had a job to do.
Daya had been searching for hours before she ran into Arken. She had listened to the storm pick up beyond the parapets, hiding when she heard the dragon re-enter the keep. When she’d finally gotten up the nerve to follow the sound, she had found the hall of treasures. The diamond had to be there somewhere. The only problem was the big red beast using half the gold as a mattress.
Now, she was stuck in the chamber. She paced the room Arken had just vacated, wondering how much of what he said was true. It all sounded unbelievable, especially about the dragon being harmless. Everything she knew about injured animals said stay the entire frig away.
Still, Daya was exhausted and hungry after the hike to the keep and the frantic search for the diamond. She hadn’t planned on staying the night. In fact, Neigen had loaned her camping materials to stay in the woods. But, with the storm raging outdoors, one of the comfy Fire Realm magic sleep beds would have to do. Darn.
Not this one. It was too close to the beast for comfort.
She opened the door a crack and peered out. Arken was on his knees, tending to the patient. She had half expected to find him picking through the treasure to get the jump on her. But, no. He had gotten the sconces to work. She shoved the fire stick/flashlight Neigen had given her back into her waistband.
“He’s perfect,” she muttered disparagingly.
A look of concentration tightened his handsome face, and it made her knees weaken and lower belly clench. Great, she thought. The guy she would vote Most Likely to Get Her Killed by Finding the Diamond First—because he was just so capable—was giving her hot flashes. He brushed hair out of his eyes and continued pressing gauze to the bleeding scales like he didn’t notice her.
Meanwhile, the creature was motionless. That was promising. Daya told herself she’d search the hall first thing in the morning, dragon or no dragon. For now, she needed sleep. She eased one shoulder out the room, then a leg. She sidled along the wall and tried to quietly creep past. When she reached the arch that led from the hall, she cast a triumphant glance over her shoulder
And, the good dragon doctor was staring right at her. “The third room down the hall on the left is the best one. It has amazing views of the ocean. You can have it.” His voice echoed in the cavernous hall. All melodic and amazing.
“Don’t do me any favors,” Daya snipped, walking away faster.
“Are you into books? You should also check out the library. It’s something truly special, and you might find information about what you’re looking for.”
She turned from her escape route and pinned him with a look. “What about you, Arken? Where will you spend your hundred years here? Asking, so we can steer clear of each other.”
“Let’s just say I’m sure you’ll discover this place isn’t as big as you’d like it to be.” He smiled.
The dragon stirred, emitting a pained groan that reminded her of a cross between a whale and an elephant. Daya nearly jumped a foot into the air. Arken laughed, although he tried not to do it. He was perfect like that. Growling, Daya marched from the hall.
She would show him. She would take the best room with the view, thanks much. She would eat the yummy self-replenishing food in the magic dining hall and sleep in the bed that catered to her whims. She would take advantage of the tub that delivered spa baths. In fact, she would enjoy every second of her temporary stay here, and it cert
ainly wouldn’t take a hundred years. She would also avoid him like the plague.
Then, he could laugh when she found the Heart of the Dragon and left his ass there.
Daya tried all the above over the next few days, while Arken worked to keep the dragon alive. She couldn’t avoid him. He took the room across from hers, which turned out to be the master.
She’d bump into him in the dining hall or find him in the library just when she wanted to curl up with the heavy tome of dragon history that had captivated her attention. He’d do something stupid-nice like show her the music room where a hidden (magic?) sound system played haunting songs.
At night, she would dream of him. Incidentally, he was right about the dreams, too. They were vivid enough to leave her sheets saturated and her body on fire. There was no escaping the chemistry, and it clouded her senses, making it impossible to find the Heart of the Dragon.
On her fifth night there, she was ready to give up entirely. There had to be another way of getting back to her realm, Feis be damned. She stood on the balcony outside her enchanted bedroom and stared at the stars. She missed home.
The scrying tool Feis had given her suddenly burned against her thigh, where she had it tucked in the waistband of her pants. Daya yanked it out, and the high priestesses face filled the mirror. “Oh, come on. This is too Walt Disney villain, even for you,” she muttered.
“Have you found it yet?”
“I’d be back by now, if I had,” she sighed.
“What about the dragon?” Feis asked.
“What about—?” Daya almost asked about Arken, but she stopped herself. It might be in her best interest if the high priestess didn’t know she had already run into her competition. “The dragon was already injured when I got here. Half-dead, really. It’s no longer a threat.”
Feis gasped, and a giddy smile spread across her horrid face. “Find it while you can,” she ordered.
“Look, I’m doing my best, but I’m starting to think this might be a hundred-year job,” Daya snapped. She softened her tone, remembering Neigen was still in the temple to take the lashing the dragon eater couldn’t give her for her insouciance. “Just give me another month, and I’ll see what I can do.”
She blew out a breath as the mirror went dark. The longer she was there, the more time passed in her own world. She wondered if she was asking for more time to actually find the diamond…or to spend more days with him.
4
Arken paused in the shadows of the jasmine scented bedroom, wondering if he should return to the great hall. Against a backdrop of stars, Daya’s milky skin reflected the full moon. Waves of dark brown hair, freed from the perpetual ponytail, fell over her shoulders. She was striking. She also seemed lonely, and frightened. He cleared his throat to announce his presence.
Daya started and glared at him. “What are you doing in my room?” she asked.
“My apologies,” he murmured, crossing to her. He placed his hands on the parapet and leaned out, studying the distant beach. The ocean was black tonight.
“You don’t seem very apologetic, considering you’re still here, and you haven’t answered my question.”
“I came to see you.” He finally met her gaze. “How are you holding up?”
Daya leaned against the stone beside him. “Let’s see. I’m in a bizarre ‘realm’ that isn’t my own. I’m the prisoner of a psycho high priestess. I can’t go home until I find what she wants. And, I’m stuck here with you, the reptilian veterinarian.” A saccharine smile tugged the corners of her lips. Gods, she was beautiful.
He hesitantly laid a hand atop hers, and she didn’t pull away. She simply stared at where their skin touched. Hers was soft as silk. Arken brushed aside the hunger that tightened in his loins. “I’ve been thinking,” he replied. “What if we joined forces and looked for the stone together?”
In fact, he had been thinking, and he had come to the conclusion that if he didn’t find a way to get her out of his keep, they would be stuck together for an eternity. Arken wondered if a cleverly disguised decoy, a large red gem of lesser value and power, would rid him of his unwanted guest.
She slipped her fingers from beneath his and surprised him by smoothing a hand over his shirt. “What’s in it for you?” she asked coyly.
Arken emitted a dry laugh when he realized she would try seduction as her weapon. “We’re both trapped together until one of us finds the stone. I can help you. I know this place inside out. You’ll have to trust me.”
He gently removed her hand, but she replaced it with the other. This time, caressing dizzying circles. Her touch wreaked havoc with his senses. His nostrils inhaled the powdery floral notes of her skin, and the warmth of her palm burned through his clothes. He watched her mouth, longing for a taste.
There was no hiding his desire, and she saw it and didn’t hesitate to use it against him. He heard the quiet whisper of a blade sliding from a scabbard and held still as she eased it to his throat.
“Daya,” he murmured in warning.
“What’s in it for you?” she whispered.
“I didn’t get the same bounty she promised you,” he ground out as he clutched both her hands. Applying a little pressure to her wrist, she dropped the knife with a yelp. “I’m not in competition with you, Daya. There’s no need to fight me because there is no freedom for me after this. So, you see, I have nothing to lose and everything to gain by double-crossing Feis.”
“Then, tell me why you’ve been here far longer than me! What are you hiding?” she shouted, cradling her arm.
He wondered if he had pressed harder than intended. Her face was clouded by pain. Arken reached for her, and she darted away. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I hurt you. Please, let me help. Let me see your wrist.”
“I don’t know what to do,” her voice trembled. It tore at his heart, but she wouldn’t let him touch her. She fled into the room, and he followed. She slumped on her bed holding her injured wrist to her chest.
Daya dashed a tear. “Feis will want an update in a month. Even if I find the diamond and get home, I don’t know what comes next. Everything just builds and builds. What will happen to this world when she gets more power? I’ve seen what she does to people who can’t defend themselves. I don’t want to unleash that.” He gingerly sat beside her.
“Actions have consequences,” he said quietly. He knew better than most. When he had signed the treaty, he had only been thinking of protecting the stone. He hadn’t considered how confinement would affect the rest of the dragons.
“It’s like that sapphire,” she sniffed. “If I hadn’t stolen it, I wouldn’t be here. How does one get a reputation as the most notorious jewel thief in all the realm?” She giggled tearfully. He smiled and stroked her hair behind her ear.
Daya offered up her arm. His fingers plied the joint, and she let out a quiet whimper, but she didn’t pull away. Nothing was broken. “I’ll give you something for the pain,” he said.
Her blue eyes met his in a plaintive stare. “I’m scared,” she whispered. “I’ve been on my own for so many years. My, uh…” She wiped another tear. “My parents died in a plane crash. My father was a jewel appraiser on the way to get rubies when it went down. Without them, I did the best I could at life, but…I think I messed up everything. There’s no way I can fix this. Arken, if we don’t get the stone for Feis, then someone else will.”
He bit his bottom lip, wishing he could trust her. If only she really cared about the Fire Realm. She seemed so earnest. He clasped her chin and tilted her face ever so slightly. “What’s your world like?” he asked.
A look of confusion quirked her brows as she chuckled and pulled away. “Nothing like this one, that’s for sure. Probably nothing like yours, either. You’re too nice for it. In my world, greed, hatred and constant wars threaten to take down empires on a daily basis. It’s overcrowded and polluted. Then, there’s the weather.” She shrugged. “It’s not perfect, but it’s mine.”
He nodded sagely. He unde
rstood the sentiment, but he had his answer. Her world would be no safer for the dragons than this one. He licked his lips. “You could stay here,” he murmured. “In the keep. It’s safe.” What was he saying? Her face was inches from his. Her heat was degrees cooler, and it beckoned like the underside of a pillow. He cupped her face again.
“Is that what you’ve been doing here? You don’t care if you find the diamond or not. You’ve found a kind of paradise, and you’re staying.”
“No,” he sighed. Her words reminded him of his obligation. He was staying because he could never leave. Keeping her here, prisoner, would help neither of them. “Never mind, it was wishful thinking.”
“In a place like this, maybe wishes have more power than we know,” she said. Her lips parted, and she dragged his mouth to hers. Arken stiffened as her tongue flowed over his. She tasted exactly as he had imagined—sweet and promising.
He tore away. She was nothing like the coquettish women of his world, inhibited by conventions and propriety. She was bold and unconcerned with following the rules. She touched her lips and stared at his mouth as he slowly rose to his feet. Her look was dangerous. Her look said he could have her.
“I should go,” he mumbled. He hurried from the room. Being kind to her was one thing, but letting down his guard was altogether different. She was a thief after his Heart. He couldn’t trust her, and he most certainly couldn’t bed her. After all, there were obligations. The dragon, for one. Vyda was dying.
Arken fled to the hall of treasures where his intended thrashed in a fever-dream. He leapt away from her swishing tail before it could do him serious damage. When his feet touched the floor again, he raced to her giant head and laid a hand on her scales. She burned hotter than she should have. He clicked his tongue and went to the medicine bag as she repositioned in sleep.
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