“I’m made of fire. Dragon form or human form; it’s the same.”
“So, the cold doesn’t bother you and fire doesn’t burn you? Do you feel anything?” I ask, halfway joking, but Dederic doesn’t smile.
“I feel everything,” he says and wraps his large, calloused hand around my wrist. He pulls my hand to his chest and rests my palm flat in the center. “I felt your magic the first time you touched me. I didn’t know what it was at first, but I felt you.”
My breath is coming in shallow pants at the feel of his skin and the intensity in his voice.
“Now, try it again,” he murmurs.
His hand holds mine firmly in place, my fingers splayed over the bone and muscle. I suck in a shaky breath at the feel of him; too close.
This touch is too personal.
I close my eyes and focus on the heat coursing through my blood and the way Dederic’s own fire calls to mine and animates it. My magic twists and wraps around the red and black fire in his blood, greeting it like an old friend.
“You should know how to use the tools at your disposal,” he says quietly, and I open my eyes to meet his green ones, watching me intently.
“Let me help you.”
I consider his offer, drawn in by the lure of what is possible. I want to test my magic and learn to master it. Use it. A Dragon with no fear of fire or risk of injury might be my best bet for doing just that.
I look down at where we are connected and slowly move my hand away. My fire is wrapped around his, and I pull it gently, carefully, from his chest. I cup my hand around the ball of thrashing red flame and watch in amazement at the way threads of white heat push and pull at the direction of the fire.
“Okay,” I finally murmur, transfixed on my own magic manifesting outside of my body.
The way it plays off him.
“I’ll train with you.”
We both watch the flickering red tendril curling around my hand. The sun is sinking below the horizon and darkness is beginning to settle on the water and sand and cliff behind us. I glance up at Dederic’s face, masculine and strong in the small glow cast by my magic. His green eyes flick up to mine, and my heart stammers at the dark intensity in his gaze. I exhale slowly and the little flame dims and goes out completely, leaving us standing in darkness.
“I’ll take you back. We’ll begin tomorrow,” he says.
I wait patiently as he moves away to shift into the great black Dragon again. He flies us back up to the castle, although there is much less to see in the dark, and the temperature has dropped a bit. We land and he releases me carefully. The hall is glowing and full of people talking and eating dinner now. I pause for a moment, but Dederic doesn’t shift back. I whisper a quick goodbye and retreat swiftly to my room.
Training
After my late night on the beach with Dederic, I hole up in my room during dinner and fall into a deep, dreamless sleep until morning. The sun is just lightening the world and I rise and peer out the window at clear skies and calm waters. I bathe and dress unhurriedly, selecting a simple dress for what I have planned for the day.
Once I’m dressed and have my hair braided over my shoulder, I open the door and am caught off guard by the sight of an empty hallway. My brow furrows in confusion, and I peer left to right and listen for the footsteps of my ever-present body guard, but Odin is not here.
I walk cautiously through the castle, but upon entering the great hall, I find a normal scene of tables full of men and piled high with food. Cecily is seated at one of the tables and she catches my eye and waves me over with a warm, motherly smile.
“Good morning, Seda. How did you sleep?” she asks as I take a seat.
“Wonderful, thank you,” I say.
She smiles and introduces me to a few of the other people sitting near us, including her own mate, Hector. I fill my plate and listen quietly at their relaxed conversations this morning.
“Do any of the other courts have information on who the stray might be?” a man to my right asks Hector.
“So far neither Crispin nor Ephram has reported any males as missing or in crisis, so there’s not much to go on at this point.”
“The poor thing,” Cecily murmurs, and I cock my head in confusion.
“What is it?” I ask.
“A male has been circling the territory for the last two weeks or so. Thus far he’s avoided anyone being able to get close enough to contact him, but we’ve seen him flying nearby almost every night,” Hector says.
I sit up a little straighter, glancing around the table but no one appears overly concerned – only Cecily seems troubled.
“It’s sad,” she tells me quietly. “To imagine someone all alone – no pride or family. No home.”
“That’s because your heart is entirely too soft,” Hector says gently and wraps an arm around her shoulder. He kisses her temple, and she nudges him gently with her elbow.
“Is he dangerous?” I ask, and Hector shrugs.
“We don’t really know, but he hasn’t done anything aggressive up to this point. It’s uncomfortable, though, that he is coming so far onto our territory without contacting us. It makes me think he either has no ties to a pride, or that he’s been in Dragon form for so long that he’s gone feral.”
“You think that’s possible?” another man asks, and Hector nods.
“It could be.” He glances at me and explains, “If we stay in Dragon form for too long, it can cause issues with the connection to our human consciousness. We’re talking about going years and years without shifting… It’s almost unheard of, but it’s happened.”
“That is sad,” I say and wonder what would cause someone to do that to themselves. The men discuss the stray Dragon for a few moments more then move onto other topics.
“What is your plan for the day?” Cecily asks, and I smile hopefully.
“Honestly, I was hoping that you might let me take you up on your offer of helping you in the gardens while I’m here,” I tell her, and she claps her hands and positively beams at me.
“Of course! Oh, that makes me so happy! And I can always use another set of eyes on the boys; they’re such hard workers but they tend to get distracted.”
“Oh. Well, whatever you need… I don’t have much experience, but I’m a fast learner,” I tell her.
“You’ll get the hang of it in no time. Do you want to walk down with me? The shed is on the south end of the castle; you can meet the boys and see the equipment before we walk each of the sections.”
“That sounds great.” A genuine smile lights my face at the prospect of working outside and growing something with my own hands. I rise to follow Cecily away from the table, and she comes around and links her arm in mine. As we make our way across the hall, my eyes snag on a familiar head of black hair and thick-soled boots.
“You know what? I’ll be right behind you,” I tell her and slow to a stop.
“Of course. Just head straight across the courtyard and look for the building with the black slate roof,” she tells me. “I’ll see you soon.”
I wind through a few other tables until I reach my target. I plant both hands on my hips and clear my throat until Odin glances over his shoulder and meets my eyes.
“Nice to see you in one piece,” I drawl. “I thought perhaps I had finally bored you to death. After a week of you trailing behind me like a shadow - gossiping incessantly like an old woman - I open my door this morning and you are nowhere to be found.”
Odin turns in his chair and faces me fully. His yellow eyes flicker with amusement and the barest hint of a smile ghosts around his mouth.
So sorry to disappoint you, his face says as he arches a brow.
“Have you abandoned me for good? Is there a new prisoner somewhere here with more interesting habits than me?” I tease, and he shakes his head.
His call. Odin jerks a thumb across the table, and I follow the motion to see Dederic leaning back in his chair, watching us. I didn’t recognize him immediately with his
thick hair left unbound.
“I’ll volunteer for that spot on rotation,” A blond man next to Dederic murmurs and shoots me a flirtatious smile. I start to smile back until Dederic leans forward and rests his elbows on the table, blocking my view.
“How are you feeling?” he asks. The low pitch of his voice sends little shivers straight down my spine.
“Fine,” I say and hold up both palms, wiggling my fingers to show that I’m unscathed. “Still in one piece.”
“Good,” he says and picks up a steaming mug of what smells like coffee. “No change of heart this morning?”
“No. I’ll be ready again tonight.” I notice the way the others are listening with thinly veiled curiosity and begin to worry that more is being read into this conversation than actually exists. I can feel pink spreading across my cheeks and tilt my face down while I think of a polite way to excuse myself.
“Where were you off to just now?” Dederic asks, and I glance up and see the wicked amusement glittering in his eyes.
“Just to the shed. I asked Cecily if I could help in the gardens while I’m here.” His eyes rove over my braided hair and my simple gray dress, and I suddenly feel self-conscious. I run a hand over my hair and pull a few pieces behind my ear, trying to settle my thoughts.
You’re not trying to impress anyone here.
“I’ll walk with you,” he says and tilts his mug back to swallow the hot drink in one gulp.
Before I can protest, he’s up and moving around the table to place a hand on the small of my back and steering me out the door.
Dederic looks relaxed and fresh, the soft morning light glowing on his tan skin and picking up golden highlights in his hair. He’s wearing heavy boots and worn-looking pants that hug the muscles in his legs as well as a long-sleeved white shirt. I can see faint outlines of the marking on his chest and arms through the thin material, and I wonder again what kind of story they tell of this man’s life.
“What’s on your agenda for the day?” I ask him, and he glances over at me as we walk through the courtyard.
“I work with the men most of the morning; fighting, training, conditioning. I have meetings with Sarvos and the council in the afternoons. Then I check in with other staff, help resolve any issues with scheduling or other conflicts. I’ll work with you this evening. And then I usually fly patrol or check in with Moris who runs that division and make sure there is nothing that requires my attention on that front.”
“That’s an extremely full day. I’m going to start feeling horribly guilty for being another burden weighing you down,” I murmur, but he makes a face and shakes his head.
“You’re not a burden,” he says, but I snort derisively.
“I suppose I’m only a temporary burden at worst. Have there been any sightings of humans nearby? Or parties that appear to be searching for Eira and I?”
Dederic flexes his jaw and shakes his head.
Thank the Mother, I think and sigh in relief. Perhaps they believe us dead at this point, and that’s good enough.
“Does that mean I’ll be free to leave soon?” I ask as we stop in front of the shed where I can hear Cecily moving around inside.
“I don’t know yet. We’re monitoring the situation,” he says, and I search his eyes for anything he may not be telling me, but there is only honest concern there.
I nod.
“Thank you for walking with me. I won’t keep you,” I say and move to go inside.
“I’ll see you this evening.” He opens the door wide for me, calls a quick greeting to Cecily, and then takes his leave. His warm windswept smell lingers in the air for just a moment, and I inhale it greedily before getting down to work.
The day whizzes by in a blur of green leaves and wet soil. Cecily introduces me to “the boys” ̶ who are not boys at all – but rather the young men who are assigned to work in the gardens during this rotation. Apparently, the young soldiers who reside in the barracks, alternate between military training some days, and a rotation of duties like laundry, kitchen work, cleaning, tending to the animals, or gardens. Older men, like Ademar, are consulted on large issues affecting the entire pride, but otherwise keep a permanent position in whichever area of work they choose.
After a quick trip to see Alina, and then the kitchens for some food to-go, I’m back in my room – dressed and ready for training with Dederic. A knock sounds at my door, and I spring to my feet to swing the door open wide.
He stands in the doorway dressed head to toe in black, his hair pulled back once again and knotted up high. A small smile that had dimpled his cheeks when I opened the door disappears as he scans my appearance and slides inside my room.
“Whose clothes are those?” he grumbles. I follow his gaze to the fitted black pants and the green shirt that pulls a bit too tight over my chest. I tug a bit on the hem, but that only leaves the gaping neckline to bare more of my ample cleavage.
“They’re Alina’s,” I tell him. “I didn’t know exactly what training with you would entail, but I figured this would be better than a dress.”
Dederic’s eyes are dark and glittering as he cocks his head sharply to the side in that way that makes my breath catch. It’s intense and focused and makes every inch of my skin prickle and stand at attention.
“I can change,” I offer, and he tears his eyes from me and clears his throat before motioning towards the door.
“It’s fine. Let’s go,” he says. I pull my cloak over my shoulders and follow him out into the hallway. As we walk, he nods and greets everyone we pass. Some of the men who appear to be on duty press a hand lightly to their chest in greeting and Dederic returns the gesture.
“Can I ask you something?” I murmur.
He glances at me and lifts a brow.
“When you shift… are you still you? Or is the Dragon an entirely separate entity?” I ask cautiously, not wanting to overstep or offend him. I don’t know etiquette when it comes to asking about these things. Dederic tilts his head back, quietly considering.
“We are one entity, but separate states of being,” he says.
We’ve arrived in the sprawling, open area of the courtyard now – the sky is blue and cloudless.
“The Dragon relies more on instinct – in that form, we’re concerned with things like threats to safety and getting baser needs, like hunger, met. But it’s still me. When I shift back to this form, I’m aware of things that happened and vice versa – although we don’t understand spoken language in Dragon form, we can still read actions and intent. His thoughts are mine and mine are his, just acted upon differently.”
I nod at this fascinating revelation and wonder what that would be like – to be able to give yourself over to your most primal feelings and desires. How liberating.
“Ready?” he asks and backs away from me before shifting.
The size and strength of him leaves me breathless, as usual.
“You’re very beautiful,” I whisper gently to the giant creature, secure in the knowledge that neither Dederic nor his Dragon can understand what I’m saying.
“Thank you for not dropping me. And for loaning me some of your magic to help me master my own.”
Those dark green eyes track me as I plant a hand on his enormous, armored chest. I let the magic whisper out of my fingers and stroke along the tendrils of smoke and flame inside of him. A deep, rumbling sound vibrates through the Dragon’s body and my own. I smile and move away to climb into his rough claw.
We sail smoothly away from the castle and sweep down low over the water and onto the beach. I get my legs solidly under me and toss my cloak off onto the sand. When I turn around, Dederic is back in human form.
“What’s first?” I ask and plant my hands on my hips. He stands a few feet away from me and mirrors my stance, a crooked smile softening the hard angles of his face.
“First we need something to work with.” He lifts his chin and nods towards my hands.
“Right. Okay.” I clear my throat and close my eyes
, focusing on the heavy current of magic in my blood. I think of fire and smoke and heat and visualize a ball of flame in my palms again. After a few heartbeats I open my eyes and find Dederic still patiently standing and watching. I sigh and try again.
And again.
And again.
“This isn’t working,” I snap in frustration. “That day in the training arena was the first time I’ve ever created fire on my own; usually it’s already there and just reacting to me.”
“Okay. We’ll work on that piece of it another day. You can borrow mine again for now,” he offers and reaches for my hand. I lurch forward eagerly, and he chuckles and slides my palm inside the collar of his shirt so that we’re skin to skin.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur and marvel at the way my magic reacts to his. “I’m just excited to try this again.”
“You don’t have to apologize for being eager to touch me. It’s understandable. I’m quite a catch,” he says, and I snort a laugh.
His smile is wide and relaxed, and I flex my fingers over his skin, enjoying the way his flesh heats mine and his fire wraps around my own.
“You’re decent,” I tease and pull my hand gently away from his body. A small ball of flame flickers in my palm.
“You have steep competition, though, seeing as there are 500 eligible bachelors in residence ̶ all of them extremely handsome.”
“Have you been cured of your aversion to fire-breathing lizards, then? That was fast.” His tone is light, but his eyes watch me curiously.
“Hmm, some of them, perhaps,” I tease and try and change the subject. “What should I do with it now that it’s stable in my hand?”
“Focus on its current and practice steering it where you want it to go,” he says firmly and walks around to my side. “Who has captured your attention at the castle? I’d like to know who I’m competing against.”
I laugh and roll my eyes, but he stays quiet; watching and waiting for my answer.
The smile and teasing drop from my voice and I meet his gaze.
“What?” My voice pitches up an octave.
“What?”
Song of Smoke: A Dragon Shifter Romance (The King's Series Book 1) Page 11