He blinked, his arms resting on his knees as he balanced himself on the soles of his feet. His eyes were thoughtful. “A little girl did give me a name a decade ago,” he recalled quietly, a fond smile on his lips as he remembered it then nodded satisfied. “You can call me by that, you can call me Showl.”
A prick of recognition took Ange and she wondered why the name sounded familiar.
She realized he was staring at her expectantly, she lowered her gaze. “I…” she was suddenly pouring out all her hurt and sorrow and she didn’t know why she was confiding, admitting to him her past. “I don’t have a name either. I didn’t have one till…” she thought of Daren with a mixture of anger and loss, “someone…gave me a name…a long time ago,” she sighed, lapsing into silence.
After a while of just staring at the ground by her feet she looked back at Showl, his gaze was filled with understanding.
She smiled grimly. “You can call me by that name I suppose, it’s too late to change it now, I’ve grown attached,” she joked darkly. “Even if he gave it to me,” she snarled with hate.
Showl stared, obviously confused by the anger in her voice.
She sighed again not wishing to share more. “You can call me Ange.”
“Ange?” he echoed perplexed.
She smiled finding how he pronounced it humorous. “It’s short for Angeline,” she informed.
He blinked surprised then smiled kindly. “That’s a good name. Is it after the dragon, Angeline? The daughter of Harfang?”
She nodded, slightly surprised he had heard the story. “But I’ve never heard of Harfang,” she admitted curiously.
He smiled and turned to his pot. “Why don’t you take off your armor shirt while I tell you, so I can tend to your wounds?” he suggested serenely.
She blinked shocked for a moment as she looked down at her left arm, she had nearly forgotten she had been injured as she gazed at the blood caked wound, angry red burn marks seared across her skin and they were suddenly very painful and she realized it would scar badly.
“That is your worst wound,” Showl commented softly as he looked away and back to the bandages. “But your entire stomach is bruised as well as your wrist and by the look of your other hand you didn’t use any disinfectant, did you?” he asked.
Ange blinked and looked at her right wrist, it looked the same, purpled in a wide ring. Then she turned to her left hand and noticed that the wound had a greenish and yellow crust at the edges when she had slapped Showl’s armored hand away. She suddenly regretted the action more.
Sighing with defeat she grasped the edge of her black leather shirt and yanked it up. She hissed in pain as she peeled the sleeve tenderly from her wounded arm, it burned painfully and she snarled as it began to bleed again as the skin was yanked from the dry crusted blood. She was amazed by how much matted blood had accumulated.
“Harfang was first and last of the first generation of Draconis Rexes and Regina, he was the Rex of Ice…”
“Wait, what the heck is a Draconis Rex?” Ange interrupted confused.
He chuckled as he picked up a flat square stone plate and started placing bandages.
“Full of curiosity,” he noted with a pleased chuckle. “Draconis Rex literally means Dragon King and Regina means Queen. They were the most powerful among the dragon race and there were ten in total,” he replied as he pulled more bandages and laid them out. “Now as I was saying, Harfang was the Rex of Ice and he had two daughters, the eldest being Nyctea and the youngest was Angeline.”
Ange nodded even though he wasn’t looking at her. She found herself fascinated by the information and how Showl spoke of it like he had actually been there to witness it. It took her mind off the pain that throbbed her left arm and the embarrassment of sitting there with her spaghetti strap shirt that was practically see-through.
Showl stood up and turned to her with the bandages in one hand and a bowl in the other that had dry herbs. He sat down less than a foot away and placed the bandages gently on the floor and the herbs to his side.
“Let’s see that arm of yours,” he instructed as he looked up at her, he froze, his eyes growing wide as he stared in disbelief and horror.
Ange blinked confused, surprise that the man who always seemed to be calm and collect was actually displaying actual emotional shock.
“What is it?” Ange pressed concerned. Was her wound that bad? She followed his gaze and paused, her hand flew up to cover the tattoo on her chest. Her face flushed with angry warmth as she realized what he was staring at.
Showl didn’t even blink, his hand rose up to her hand as his fingers gently wrapped around hers. She felt a strange shudder at the contact as he pulled her hand away without effort.
“This mark…” he whispered with a mixture of relief, understanding, defeat, and fear.
Ange blinked and then excitement boiled up. “Do you know what it is? This tattoo? If you do, please tell me,” she begged and surprised that she did. But she wanted to know what the mark meant, why it had branded her and made her life so difficult since childhood and now the opportunity had presented itself. She wasn’t about to let it slip away.
Showl blink, his eyes traveling up to her face as if he was carefully looking at her for the first time. “Tattoo?” he echoed. “This is no tattoo, it’s a birthmark.”
Ange’s mouth opened in a gasp of disbelief. “A…A birthmark? How is that even possible? This…this mark is too sophisticated to be natural, and blue to boot?” she replied with a touch of sarcasm.
Showl let her hand go and looked down at her with an ancient sadness his eyes. “You don’t know…of course you don’t know. How could you when the time of the dragons is long past even in the memory of your race?” he whispered to himself, shaking his head. “All this time…I could have protected you…provided,” he looked away with shame and anger.
“What are you muttering about?” she hissed utterly lost.
He sighed, his eyes fiery as he looked back. “That is the mark of a Dragonbound,” he informed with weight in his voice.
Ange blinked, she frowned and wondered if he had gone mad. She didn’t have the slightest idea what he was talking about. “Dragonbound?” she echoed.
He nodded. “Let me explain since you seem not to understand in the slightest,” he joked though anger was in his eyes and the intensity of his gaze frightened Ange. “Over thousands of years ago, the dragons were the dominate race in the land, they were rational and intelligent beings but had no emotions, only a set course in life. Humans were much less widespread and they feared the dragons for the dragons were very territorial and would often destroy cities that were laid within their territories without permission. Back then magic was an abundant art, practiced by the dragons and humans though the dragons had been masters of the art for centuries and often indulged themselves in teaching the lesser races at times when they had no other activity to fill their lives…About three thousand years ago, a young wizard approached the Draconis Concilium, which is the ten Draconis Rexes and Regina, and made a motion.”
Ange blinked wondering where the tale was heading but had a feeling it was no myth. Showl’s eyes gained a thoughtful cast as he continued.
“A motion that would forever change the dragon race. He asked that the entire dragon race bind itself to the human race to assure the continued existence of their races. By that time, many of the lesser dragons were being slaughtered for their land and their bodies if not for glory. The Dragon Council had been alarmed by the increased rate in which their brethren were being killed and escalating violence between their two races, so they resolved to agree to the wizards proposal but decided that the Dragon Council would not be included in their race as a whole, for they believed that they should not bind their souls with that of humans which could have unforeseen disasters and as a safety measure for their race.”
Showl grew quiet as he sat still for a moment as if recalling, then his fingers snapped the edge of his armor chest plate and pulle
d it off and laid it gently on the floor beside him. Ange fidgeted worriedly as the wound began to burn again and wondered why Showl had removed his armor, leaving him only in his long sleeve white shirt that had brown strings at the neck opening.
“So what happened next?” Ange pressed.
Showl smiled at her enthusiasm. “At the great Palace of the Dragons, the ritual was set up, the dragons provided the power as the wizard provided the words and construct of the magical bind that would soon bind their races together…But the ritual did not go as planned, the wizard had tricked the Draconis Concilium and underneath his clothes, he had written an additional part of the spell in magical ink. As he completed the ritual, he threw himself in the magical brew of energy that had been set up by the dragons. His clothes burned away and his flesh burned into the magic, releasing the seals from his body. The Dragon Council watched in disbelief at the man’s trickery and sacrifice, it had been too late to pull him out the moment the spell had started, the damage had been done. The pool of energy had been filled with human blood. Quickly the effects of the great spell made itself apparent in the dragon race and not just in the lesser dragons, but in the Draconis Concilium itself. The dragons for the first time in their existence felt emotion, the Draconis Rexes and Regina were furious and set out to study to find a way to undo the curse that had been inflicted upon them.”
Showl leaned on his armor gazing at the designs as he looked up to Ange to assure himself she was not lost so far.
“So the dragons thought it was a curse to have emotions? Was that the only thing the spell did?” Ange asked confused.
Showl frowned. “It was not the only effect of the spell. You see, when the spell was finished, the dragons felt a horrible ripping within themselves as half of their souls were lost as well as control over the majority of their magic, and the emotions they felt were only ghosts of real emotions. Though, at the spot of their birth a weapon and key forged itself from their magic and natural element and incased itself within the element it was born from which they felt compelled to protect and look after. They also gained a new magic, a new body, the power to take on a human shape and that body had a strange mark on its chest, a mark similar to the symbols of the dragons’ elemental allegiance. They also gained passions that sowed fear among their race, such as hate and greed. They felt they were worse off than before the spell had altered them and with half their souls missing, they felt worse than dead. Some dragons even killed themselves from the misery it left them in. But it was only after a few decades did the true intent and power of the spell show itself. Across the land, humans were born with marks on their chests. Dozens of dragons felt an uncontrollable pull toward cities and human villages. When they listened to the pull, they found the other half of their soul, they found their Soulbounds,” he smiled at the last word with fondness.
“Soulbounds?” Ange echoed, she had never heard of such a term not even in the myths that Daren had read for her about dragons.
Showl nodded. “A Soulbound is what a dragon calls a human with their mark on their chest. Just like you.”
Ange blinked feeling an ominous feeling sink into her gut. “I thought you said I was a Dragonbound…” she muttered feeling apprehensive.
He nodded. “That’s what you are, your technical term. What the humans called themselves and what other dragons called the humans with marks,” he cleared his throat. “As I was saying, the dragons came to find the other half of their souls and with it they gained control over their magic again but what shocked them was that their magical powers were amplified, stronger then they originally had been. Their emotions became whole and genuine. Slowly the Draconis Rexes and Regina found their Soulbounds and one unexpected thing occurred, something they did not anticipate. Not just were the human Soulbounds the other halves of their souls, they were often also their perfect soul mates. What the dragons didn’t expect was to feel the most powerful of emotions, love, and it altered them even further than the original spell had intended. For a time, most of the Draconis Council was in a state of bliss and their civilization flourished as well as a new order. But a few of the Rexes and Regina were not so happy with the arrangement and believed the humans were an infection, a parasite that needed removing or the dragon race would lose itself to the chaos the humans inflicted upon themselves…”
“Wait,” Ange interrupted, a question was nagging at her. “Didn’t the humans get anything out of this?” she asked a little exasperated by the idea that they didn’t.
Showl chuckled. “Of course they did, the Dragonbounds were more intelligent than the average human, they had a natural gift with magic, their bodies became more durable, stronger, faster, healthier, and they lived as long as their dragon did and in a state of youth if they desired it too,” his face darkened as did his tone. “That was one consequence the dragons and the wizard did not foresee. Their lives being joined. If one died the other died instantly with the other.”
Ange shuddered thinking of the possibilities, if the myths had been true that is.
Pain razed through her left arm and she flinched under its influence.
“Let me look at that,” Showl advised gently as he picked up her arm and touched the wound.
“What about the bandages?” she protested.
“We don’t need them anymore,” he replied.
Ange was about to ask why when she froze as he picked up her arm to his face. He gave her a sly wary smile. “Don’t be afraid,” he encouraged.
She didn’t even have time to open her mouth when his eyes focused on her injury again, they seemed agonized. His eyes glowed as his lips parted and soft waves of icy mist flowed gently and frosted over the wound, she froze in disbelief as a chill ran up her arm and spine.
Magic.
The pain quickly subsided and a cool sensation crawled across her skin, she watched in amazement as the burn marks slowly returned to her normal skin color and the thin slashed sealed without even a scar. In a matter of seconds under a thin sheet of ice the wounds vanished without a trace as the ice melted away.
Ange stared in disbelief as he let her arm go and he gave her a sheepish smile. Ange could only keep looking at her arm in disbelief.
“Shall I heal your hand and wrist now?” he proposed.
“Wait…how? What are you? How did you do that?!” she nearly shouted scooting an inch back.
He smiled, one of his eyebrows quirking. “Haven’t you figured it out yet?” he asked in a joking tone.
Ange’s lips twisted into a grimace. “Myths are myths. Are you trying to tell me you’re an incubus or something?” she accused.
A surprised expression took his face as he covered his mouth from laughing though he still chortled through the covering. “Incubus? No, nothing of the sort. But your close, don’t you know what the true form of an incubus is?”
She glared confused, trying to figure out his words.
He tilted his head with a fond smile before he deliberately yanked his white shirt off. “Were you not paying attention to the history lesson I just gave you?” he asked amused as he pointed to the center of his chest right beneath his collarbone.
Ange gasped, her face reddening as she gazed at his handsome muscular torso and heat flared through her face as her heart started to hammer in her chest. Awe filled her mind as she noticed the mark on his chest. A snowflake that looked exactly like hers except a little differently, the edges appeared sharp and thorny but the inner design was the same as her own and in the same color…
She blinked unable to processes the information and started to wonder what kind of a dream she had fallen into.
“You’re…you’re a dragon,” she whispered shocked.
He nodded. “There you go, little thief, I was starting to think your brain might have gotten a bit frostbitten before I got there,” he teased.
Ange’s face puffed up with a bought of air as she glared at him annoyed. He smiled exuberantly at her reaction. She let out the air with a sigh.
“So…were you the one that made that huge dome out in the snow? You were the shadow I saw that night?” she asked realizing she hadn’t been hallucinating.
His face became serious. “Yes, that was me,” he confirmed
Ange frowned thoughtfully, a shiver running through her as she remembered the shadow. “Then you were very…big,” she commented.
Showl smiled pleased. “Thank you.”
Ange frowned deeper. “That wasn’t a compliment.”
His smiled widened. “It’s fun riling you up,” he admitted.
She closed her eyes halfway in annoyance, surprised she was having such an intriguing conversation with a dragon who was no doubt attractive but she was starting to doubt his intelligence.
He coughed slightly, his face regaining composure though his expression became mild. “Forgive me, these emotions are quite new to me and I admit, I like how they feel. I’ve been waiting for you for quite a long time to make me feel…whole.”
She blinked then smiled devilishly. “Does that mean you’re going to tell me how old you are? And are you going to leave me hear shivering while I wait for you to heal me?” she jested.
He smiled pleased, happy by her response as he shrugged his face then becoming dark and pained. “I do apologize, here give me your hands,” he offered his hand openly.
She frowned wondering what she said wrong as she gave him her infected left hand first. “What’s wrong? Why the sudden gloominess?” she promoted.
His frowned deepened as he inspected the infected cut. “I hate to see you in pain, injured when I could have prevented it,” he admitted.
Ange frowned. “Why would you be sad over that? You hardly know me.”
He frowned grew as he slightly smiled though it seemed forced. “You’ll understand once we’ve bonded…” His face became worried. “Unless you don’t want to…” he trailed off anxiously.
Ange’s eyes widened her hand closing in his. “I don’t…I don’t know what you mean.”
“Angeline,” Showl’s said her voice with seriousness, “you are my Soulbound. I can feel it, the draw that pulls me towards you. You’re the reason that I can feel emotions almost fully. I don’t know if you can feel a draw towards me but…there has never been a Dragonbound in history that has refused their dragon.”
Sky Warriors: Poleuthan's Thief (Sky Warriors Saga Book 1) Page 8