Winter's Dragons. Melting Ice: A Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance (Soulmates of Seasons Book 1)

by Eva Brandt

  It was my turn to be shocked at their easy acceptance. I’d expected some resistance, especially since Kerryn had always had such trouble finding a female in Terra Dracones and firedrakes like Emmerich were known for their volatile tempers and occasional lack of foresight.

  Clearly, I had underestimated them both. We were on the same page here. The priority was our prospective female. Perfect.

  “All right then. Now, if we’re agreed, there’s only one question left. How do we make her go for that?”

  * * *

  Cheimon

  When I’d woken up this morning, dinner with three dragons had not been something I’d had on my agenda. However, at the time, I hadn’t even known they were on my territory. Considering the way the rest of my day had gone, the change in plans was certainly warranted.

  Our earlier exchange had not really addressed all the questions I had regarding their presence and I still had to figure out a more permanent solution to their situation. I’d deemed them my guests for now, and they seemed well-intentioned, but if I was going to have beings of such power here, I had to investigate their natures a little further.

  As a rule, I didn’t feel all that inclined toward having dinner with anyone except my sisters. The last time I’d eaten a meal in company had probably been... Gods, I couldn’t remember. It must’ve been a few years back, when Eranthe had dropped by for a visit. The evening I would share with my three unexpected dragon guests would undoubtedly be very different. Even so, I didn’t let that hinder me in any way. I might not socialize on a regular basis, but I did understand the necessity.

  The nisse didn’t question me when I ordered them to prepare the grand dining hall. They were as efficient as always, and by the time evening had rolled in, they had prepared a pleasant, discreet, but formal arrangement.

  It was as I examined the state of the dining hall that doubt began to settle in. I smoothed my dress, wondering if I’d really made the best choice for evening wear after all. I hadn’t used this particular gown in years, since one of my more reckless visits to Pandora’s realm. Its cut emphasized both my figure and my cleavage, and since it had been a gift from Tarasia, it also exposed far more skin than what I usually tended to wear. I had no idea what had determined me to pick it for today’s occasion.

  All right, that was a huge lie. I knew exactly why I’d pulled this dress out of the wardrobe, and I was reminded of my reasoning not long after, when the dragons walked into the dining hall. Dressed in larger versions of the uniforms the barbegazi wore, but with the natural additional of fur-lined boots, they were the perfect image of masculine allure, strength and virility.

  They were so very different from one another, and yet, I couldn’t have said whom I deemed more attractive. What I did know was that, the moment I’d first gotten a good look at their naked bodies, during our earlier conversation, I’d been very tempted to do something even less queenly than sitting on a ryū’s tail. I had managed to suppress my impulses, since I’d had other priorities at the time, but being in their presence now made it more difficult to cling to my resolve.

  I wasn’t alone in this predicament, since as soon as the dragons saw me, they went very still and their breaths caught. Their pupils dilated and their nostrils flared. I could’ve sworn I caught sight of a burst of fire erupting from Emmerich’s fingertips before it quickly faded away. I hoped that was a positive response.

  Gods, what was I thinking? This was a dinner meant to find out information about my new guests, not to seduce them. I was merely... making sure they did not pose a threat to my realm. That was all.

  I really should have worn a different dress.

  Trying not to feel self-conscious, I took refuge in the same formalities I usually didn’t like. “Gentlemen. Welcome. I hope you didn’t find the quarters prepared for you too... stark.”

  My greeting triggered a deluge of responses from the somewhat overwhelmed dragons.

  “Not at all, Your Majesty. We are most comfortable.”

  “Please do not trouble yourself on our account.”

  “You humble us through your kindness.”

  The jumble of voices made it almost impossible for me to distinguish who was saying what. For a few seconds, I expected my guests to start a second battle, this time in my dining hall, instead of the foyer.

  Fortunately, my fears proved to be for naught. The dragons stopped speaking, stared at one another, and then looked back at me. I wasn’t sure what to say, so I remained silent. They looked at each other again, nodded and finally knelt in front of me, in perfect sync.

  “You have our apologies for our outburst, Your Majesty,” Emmerich said, his voice fierce and steady. If he had indeed lost control of his magic earlier, he had managed to rein it in once again.

  Kerryn shot me a small, sheepish smile. “We’re still adjusting to our current environment.”

  “It will not happen again,” Raijin promised.

  I wasn’t sure I believed that, but I could hardly expect them to magically get along within two hours of their arrival, when they so obviously hadn’t liked one another until now.

  “No apologies are necessary. I understand your situation perfectly. And I told you before. It is not necessary for you to kneel in front of me.

  “Now come. This evening has already started out in an eventful manner. Perhaps a good meal will help us all.”

  Distantly, I thought that I was beginning to sound like my mother, but I’d found that some things were universal and everyone was happier with their bellies full and nice drinks in their hands. My tables weren’t quite as rich as my sisters’, but our trading agreements covered everything I needed to receive my guests in a more than appropriate manner.

  “I didn’t want to make any assumptions about your diet, so I had the nisse prepare a variety of dishes,” I said, gesturing toward the waiting table. “Please, serve yourselves.”

  They complied, for the most part going for the meat dishes, much like I had expected. Raijin seemed more inclined to pick fish rather than venison, which made sense, considering the fact that he was a water-oriented dragon.

  I filled my own plate and sat down, all the while contemplating how to approach the matter at hand. Learning more about their general likes and dislikes did appeal to me, but I hadn’t actually invited them for dinner because of that. How was I supposed to find out what I actually needed to know?

  A voice that sounded a lot like Eranthe offered a solution. Maybe you should just ask?

  It was worth a shot.

  “Tell me about yourselves,” I said, temporarily abandoning my food in favor of focusing on my guests. “What exactly do you do when you’re not hibernating in icy rivers?”

  The three dragons tensed upon being addressed. Had I said something wrong? Should I have phrased the inquiry in a less direct manner? Or had they simply been less honest with me than I’d originally thought?

  “We were born and raised to defend our land, lairs and mates,” Emmerich replied, rescuing me from having to figure out an appropriate follow up to my original question.

  So, they were in the military then—or at least Terra Dracones’ equivalent of it. I supposed it suited them. They did have a bit of a military-like bearing. Had they tensed because the information I was asking for skirted on confidential territory? I’d have to be careful in my following questions.

  “Do you have attacks often? I wasn’t aware there was a war going on in that part of the world.”

  “Well, there’s not a war per se,” Kerryn answered. “There hasn’t been one in generations. But sometimes, squads from Ton Daímon pop up to hunt us down, and we do have the occasional troublemaking elf visiting us to cause mischief. Beyond that, there are the standard skirmishes between clans, although that has been rare too, as of late.”

  Standard skirmishes. The phrasing struck me as amusing for some reason, but I didn’t say it.

  “In some parts of Terra Dracones, we also have humans,” Raijin added. “We have to keep an
eye on them as well, to make sure they don’t die out.”

  “Humans?” I repeated. “How interesting. I’ve never seen a human before, although I’ve heard stories. Is it true they have no magic or other analogous abilities?”

  “Humans are complicated,” Kerryn answered. “If I had to use one word to describe them it would be... potential.”

  Raijin nodded, swirling his wine in his glass with a thoughtful expression. “They aren’t born with magic, but a lot of them can learn it if they try. Of course, they’ll never reach the proficiency of a born magic user, but they can still become very powerful.”

  “They are very adaptable,” Emmerich finished. “It’s part of the reason why our leaders decided to receive them on Terra Dracones, even if they are so frail.”

  Intriguing. I’d had no idea Terra Dracones had dynamics that included the human species in such a way. “Is it ever troublesome? To perform such a task? Doesn’t it bother you to protect someone who is not a dragon?”

  Raijin shook his head. “Never. Protecting someone is an honor, not a chore, and that remains valid even the people in question are humans and not dragons.”

  I couldn’t have said that better myself. I’d always believed in the value of protecting people, although I’d never been in the position to apply that motto to humans. The magic of Chronikos did not allow us to sustain a human population, and even if my sisters and I had tried to change that, I doubted such beings would’ve been able to live in my own realm.

  In any case, the humans weren’t really what I wanted to discuss, or what I found most interesting about the dragons’ revelations. The whole business with Terra Dracones being occasionally targeted by people from other territories provided me with a potential explanation to the dilemma of my guests’ arrival.

  “Do you think it is possible that someone from those groups you mentioned could have attacked you and caused you to show up here? The creatures from Ton Daímon perhaps?”

  The dragons didn’t even blink at the sudden change in topic. “I doubt it,” Kerryn said. “The tournament was held in the center of Terra Dracones, well away from the areas accessible to intruders. They’d have had to bypass countless garrisons, and if they had tried, we would’ve found out about it.”

  Emmerich agreed with his assessment. “Besides, attacking us there would’ve been suicide, even for a massive organized squad. We might have been taken out, but there were countless other dragons present, and they would’ve wiped out the culprit. Like we said earlier, we take the safety of our land, lairs and mates very seriously.”

  That made sense, but once again, it left me with no answers on what could’ve brought them here. I’d have to investigate it further, after I spoke to Jack and perhaps Ded Moroz.

  For the moment, I didn’t feel it was necessarily an emergency, and I was tentatively satisfied about the results of my inquiries. One thing still puzzled me, though.

  “Terra Dracones sounds like a wonderful place,” I said. “I want to reassure you that whenever you wish to return there, you are free to go. It will be a long journey, but I am confident I can provide you with supplies should you need them.”

  I didn’t want the three dragons to leave. In fact, I actually had to force myself to speak the words, since they felt so very wrong, to the point that my vocal cords seemed to protest saying them. Still, I felt it necessary to make the issue clear.

  My guests hadn’t mentioned families, but they clearly felt strongly about their realm, and about their duty to protect it. I had no desire to keep them from fulfilling that duty.

  My concerns turned out to be unnecessary, as the dragons promptly proceeded to put my mind at ease.

  “We do not wish to leave,” Kerryn answered. Was it my impression or was his voice shaking slightly? “As long as we can be of aid to you, we are more than happy to remain by your side.”

  “It’s true that we love our homeland,” Raijin admitted, “but some things are simply more important than others. If you would grant us the honor of your trust, we would happily protect Chronikos like we did Terra Dracones.”

  Emmerich echoed the sentiments of his companions. “We realize that it is perhaps presumptuous of us to ask, but allow us to stay.”

  My heart skipped a beat at their words. I didn’t know why, but I believed them. Their vow held a dose of honesty I hadn’t heard in a long time, a desire to help me as a person, not necessarily as a queen.

  It was so rare for me to get that feeling these days, when above all else, it was the crown that mattered, not the woman who wore it. It might have been reckless, but I couldn’t bring myself to refuse them.

  “Very well then,” I replied. “You are more than welcome here. I’m sure I can find posts for people with your skills. But perhaps figuring out all the details can wait, at least until tomorrow.

  “Right now, you are my guests. Let us enjoy this fine evening and this bounty.”

  The irony of me using Pandora’s approach to feasts didn’t escape my notice, but I paid it no heed. In the end, such details were unimportant. What mattered was the meaning behind the words and behind this celebration.

  Raijin was right. Some things were simply more important than others. I still did not fully understand everything the dragons made me feel, but I believed in their honesty, regardless.

  The rest, I could figure out in time.

  Four

  Jack Frost

  Cheimon

  The day after the arrival of the dragons, I woke up to a message from December. He had apparently looked into the issues I had been concerned about, and the results of his investigation were not promising.

  The report I received from him was more headache inducing than dealing with a pack of angry yetis. It was made even worse when I confirmed the information on my own. Dear gods, why did things always have to snowball like this in my realm?

  And now, I was making horrible mental puns. I could already tell it was going to be an amazing day. Not.

  I’d thought that the pleasant dinner I’d had the evening before with the dragons boded well for the direction my life was headed in, but apparently, that had been a little too much to ask.

  “Go back to December and tell him I will look into it today,” I told Mariko, the Yuki-Onna who had brought me my lieutenant’s missive. “I will meet him at the bridge in two hours.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” Mariko murmured in response. Normally, I found her low voice calming, reminiscent of the sound of falling snow, but today, it annoyed me that she couldn’t just speak up for once.

  I skipped breakfast in favor of unearthing some old tomes that could perhaps help me find an answer to my frustrating predicament. It was probably for the best, since that way, I wouldn’t end up throwing icicles at any nisse because they were being their usual overeager selves. I liked to think I wouldn’t take out my anger on innocent bystanders, but when it came to the powers of the avatar of winter, it was better to be safe than sorry.

  I was busy going over a book that was probably older than me and my sisters combined, when a knock sounded at the door of my office. By now, my temper had only soured further due to my inability to find a solution to my problem, so my response to the interruption was not the friendliest. “What?”

  The door opened and Emmerich, Raijin and Kerryn slid inside the room, their postures so straight my own back hurt in sympathy. One by one, they bowed, somehow managing not to kneel, while still coming awfully close to it. Emmerich then proceeded to explain their presence. “Your Majesty, we apologize for disturbing you. We were merely wondering if you had established the location where we need to go to provide assistance.”

  Right. I hadn’t given them further instructions the night before, at dinner, mostly because I hadn’t thought about the whole thing in detail. I’d allowed myself to enjoy their presence as my guests and had set aside their offer to assist me.

  Perhaps the solution to my most recent problem had just landed in my lap.

  They had said th
at they were trained to protect their realm, and while I hadn’t asked them about the specifics of their skills, I was pretty sure their senses and magic were far stronger than those of any of my underlings. They had offered to help and atone for their mistake, even if I’d told them it wasn’t necessary. Above all else, their interest was in me and their loyalties would be in no way divided. Yes, this could work out nicely.

  I would still look into the matter myself, of course, but I couldn’t just leave Tou Cheimóna for however long it took to find a way out of this mess. I was a queen, and my people needed me here. The dragons did not have that problem, nor would they be bound to my realm like most of my minions.

  “Actually, there is something, a very important issue which you might be uniquely equipped to handle.”

  The three dragons perked up, and I suspected that if they had been amaroks, they would’ve been wagging their tails.

  “One of my subordinates, Jack Frost, is missing. He is the guardian of the bridge close to the spot where I found you. The bridge itself has not suffered too much damage, and neither has his home, but he is nowhere to be found.

  “I’m not worried about his life, not exactly. Jack is eccentric and often mischievous, but he is very powerful. That is part of the reason why I picked him to be the guardian of the bridge, since none of the somewhat unwise creatures that live in my sister’s dominion could overpower him. He certainly couldn’t have drowned in the flood. His magic would’ve protected him from the water.

  “On the other hand, the magical anomaly that kept you safe while you were hibernating in the Topaz was very hot, and dangerous to anyone nearby. My other subordinates knew to avoid it, but if Jack attempted to extinguish the fire before I did, he might’ve been injured.”

  By the time I finished my explanation, the three dragons had gone pasty white. Even so, when Kerryn replied, his voice was completely steady, and he showed no sign of the turmoil I could tell he was experiencing. “You have our deepest apologies for this incident, Your Majesty. I realize words do not mean much in such situations, but we are prepared to make up for our mistake in whatever way you deem suitable.”