by Eva Brandt
Thankfully, the inhabitants of my realm had more sense than those who lived in other parts of Chronikos and all I had to do was lift my hand to stop their cheering. “Go now. May the serenity of the gods lighten your steps.”
I waited until they all went through with the dull process of offering odes to my greatness. Finally, I dismissed everyone except my dragons, Lerna and Jack. Ded Moroz shot his son a long look, but said nothing as he reluctantly followed the rest of the people out of the throne room.
When the grand doors closed behind his father, Jack’s shoulders slumped in visible relief. “I’m so glad that’s over,” he said, shivering. “I can’t say I want to repeat the experience anytime soon.”
The shiver might have been a little theatrical, but the sentiment behind the words was true. “We’re not done yet,” I reminded him. “You know that.”
“Yes, yes, Cassia. Go on. Let’s get this over with so Lerna and I can take our leave already.”
One of Lerna’s heads hissed at him. “Don’t think you will get away with this one so easily, Jack. Her Majesty might have agreed to grant you this boon, but that doesn’t change the fact that your actions were incredibly stupid.”
“Honestly, I’m tempted to say that you should’ve been left to rot in a dungeon. I can’t even begin to process what you were thinking,” another head said.
I cleared my throat, intervening in the conversation. If I let them start a fight here, I wouldn’t get anything else done today, and my far too gossipy nisse would figure out the truth behind my little trick. “Perhaps you can deal with this little domestic spat later, yes?”
“Of course, Your Majesty,” Lerna replied, instantly just as polite as before. “Forgive me for losing my temper. Foolish males have a way of doing that to me.”
In a way, I could understand that, since I’d been dealing with foolish minions for the better part of my life and I was just as exasperated with Jack as she was. At the same time, though, I had been lucky enough to be gifted with soulmates who were not foolish, so I didn’t insult Lerna by saying that I fully empathized with her plight.
I was not required to say anything else anyway. Lerna was already prepared to do her part. Her eight-headed form melted into that of a beautiful and very single-headed, naked woman.
The way Jack stared at her was more than worth the tediousness of this farce of a trial. Judging by the small smirks on my dragons’ faces, they felt the same.
It was so funny it almost tested my resolve to hasten things along. Almost, but not quite.
Amusement was all well and good, but some things were more important than others. I’d have plenty of time to revel in Jack’s misfortune when he was no longer my problem.
“Please, take hands now,” I told him and Lerna.
The duo complied, with Lerna squeezing Jack’s hand a little more tightly than he did hers. Ignoring his wince, I let my palm hover their entwined fingers, closed my eyes and once again summoned my magic to my aid.
As a rule, everything in The Realm of Eternal Ice obeyed my command. There were a few exceptions, but Jack’s abilities were not included in that category. Therefore, it was easy to find the threads of his magical core and bind them to Lerna’s, even if her own skills had nothing to do with my affinity. The hydra’s core adapted to the enchantment almost immediately, as did Jack’s. Then again, I’d already suspected this would happen, and not because I was all that talented in this field. They were soulmates, and that meant more than love and companionship.
The whole thing took a minute, if that. Simple and smooth, just the way I liked it, and a nice, refreshing change after all the chaos that Jack had caused lately.
“Well, that was unexpectedly simple,” he commented. “I sort of thought it would hurt more.”
“Just so you know,” Emmerich drawled from behind me, “you’re being an idiot again. How could you not have realized that your natural bond with Lerna would neutralize the discomfort that should have appeared?”
Jack fell silent once again, which was just as well, since he’d yet to learn to keep his mouth shut when he didn’t have anything intelligent to say. A part of me still felt sad at it, since in my heart, I’d enjoyed his mischievous nature. I hoped that one day, we’d be able to regain the friendship we’d once had, but I was realistic enough to realize that it was unlikely.
But one couldn’t have everything in life, and I could do no more for my friend, or for any of us for that matter. “You can go ahead and shift back, Lerna,” I said. “I’ve already arranged for an escort for you and Jack. It would be best for you to depart soon, before people get a chance to look into the matter too closely.”
She didn’t need to be told twice. Instead of providing a vocal reply, she released her hold on Jack’s hand, took a deep breath and allowed her change to flow over her.
I didn’t know this for certain, as Kerryn himself had only ever learned bits and pieces about how it worked, but I suspected a hydra’s shape-shifting method was somewhat more uncomfortable and complicated than that of a regular dragon. I could not fathom how the hydra split her brain in eight pieces within the expanse of a few seconds, but it stood to reason that it would be a bit of a challenge, for anyone. No matter what I might have told Jack, I had a feeling that this had heavily influenced Lerna’s decision to not change forms for him before.
I did not know what it would mean for them, but at this point, it wasn’t really any of my business. I waved my hand and the doors of the throne room opened once again.
Abby was already waiting outside, a contingent of yetis already gathered around him. He’d even brought his brother along. Apparently, their shared satisfaction over Jack’s misfortune and banishment had allowed them to make amends after their last fight.
“Abby, Terry, take our guest and her prisoner to The Bridge of Frosted Leaves. Wait until they cross it and then return and report to me.”
The whole group of yetis grunted to acknowledge my command. My migraine threatened to return just at the noise they were making.
Having the ability to understand yeti-speech wasn’t always a good thing. It would never stop being exhausting that they seemed to believe, “We will bathe in the blood of the great queen’s enemies,” was something I wanted to hear.
“Lerna,” I said, cutting them off before they could get any more graphic, “thank you for your service. Send my regards to my sister. Until we meet again, farewell and may the serenity of the gods lighten your steps.”
“Farewell, Your Majesty. It was my deepest honor to visit your beautiful realm and to be entrusted with such an important task.”
As my friend and his still angry soulmate departed, flanked by the group of yetis, I watched them go and let out a thoughtful sigh. I was still not completely sure I had done the right thing, but I couldn’t have acted in any other way, not when I was secretly happy that Jack had cast the spell. It was already hypocritical of me to embrace the advantages the situation had brought me while still exiling Jack, but I could never regret the fact that I’d met my dragons.
Well, there was no point in dwelling on it now. I shook my head, pushing back my morose thoughts and leaving no room for further doubt. It would have probably been a little tougher had Emmerich not chosen that exact moment to come up from behind me and wrap his arm around my waist.
“So… Now that we’re done with that little incident, I was thinking that Her Royal Majesty, Queen Cheimon, would want to celebrate? I won’t lie, that throne is looking awfully tempting right about now.”
I shot him a look of disbelief. “It’s a throne of ice, Emmerich. It’s anything but tempting. But sure, we can give it a shot, as long as you’re aware that you might get frostbite.”
“I think we’ll just have to take that chance,” Kerryn replied, “although at this point, I’m pretty sure we’re immune. You wouldn’t let anything happen to us. You love us too much.”
“I suppose I do,” I answered, this time completely serious.
I
had not intended it. I certainly hadn’t been prepared for it, and in some ways, I feared that I still wasn’t. But I couldn’t deny that I wanted it, more than I had ever wanted anything in my life.
My dragons opened their mouths to reply, but I stopped them before they could swamp me with effusive declarations of affection. “Come on then. Let’s see if we can melt that throne of mine.”
It was perhaps, suitable. After all, my dragons had melted the ice around my heart. Why not my throne, as well?
THE END
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Now available, free for download - the interlude/prequel to the Soulmates of Seasons series, Winter’s Dragons. Draconic Affairs.
Once upon a time, a firedrake, a ryu and a wyvern melted a snow queen’s heart and learned to love and be loved in the process. But before they were her soulmates, they were bitter rivals. What secrets does their past hold?
Index
Chronikos (The Land of Time)
Tou Cheimóna, The Realm of Eternal Ice
Ruler: Cheimon (Cassia), Lady of Winter.
Lieutenants:
First Lieutenant: December
Second Lieutenant: January
Third Lieutenant, Ambassador Winter-Spring: February
Other inhabitants:
Yeti – ape-like creature originating from the culture of Nepal
Ded Moroz - East Slavic figure very similar to Santa Claus. Literal translation of name is Grandfather Frost.
Nisse – in Scandinavian folklore, a type of friendly brownie that inhabits farmsteads
Barbegazi – a type of gnome heralding from French/Swiss mythology, resembling a small white-furred man with enormous feet
Yuki-Onna – a type of spirit from Japanese mythology that shows up during snow storms as an inhumanly beautiful woman and may prey on lost travelers
Amarok – in Inuit mythology, a gigantic wolf that stalks and devours anyone who hunts alone at night
Jack Frost – In several cultures, many of them Anglo-Saxon, the embodiment of winter, ice and snow
Wendigo – man-eating monster that originates from the consumption of human flesh during a harsh winter; originates from Algonquian folklore
Akhlut – a wolf-orca hybrid creature originating from Inuit mythology
Tis Ánoixis, The Realm of Eternal Youth
Ruler: Eiar (Eranthe), Lady of Spring
Inhabitants:
Nymph – in Greek mythology, minor nature deities associated with particular locations or geographical formations; can be of different types
Anthousai – a type of nymph identified with flowers
Tou Kalokairioú, The Realm of Eternal Sunlight
Ruler: Theros (Tarasia), Lady of Summer
Inhabitants:
Sphinx – a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a person. In Egyptian mythology, it was seen as a guardian against evil forces, whereas Greek lore depicted it mostly as a threatening being with the propensity to devour anyone who did not answer its riddles.
Cat Sìth – in Celtic mythology, a type of fairy that takes the form of a black cat with a white spot on its chest
Tou Fthinopórou, The Realm of Eternal Bounties
Ruler: Phthinoporon (Pandora), Lady of Autumn
Inhabitants
Gnome – small humanoid being said to live underground; a type of earth elemental
Hydra – multi-headed serpentine monster originating from Greek mythology
Nymph
Satyr – in Greek mythology, – in Greek mythology, a nature spirit depicted as either having horse-like tails and ears and an exaggerated erection or the lower half of a goat
Bigfoot – in North American tales, an ape-like creature that dwells in the wilderness
Terra Dracones (The Land of Dragons)
Provinces
Talamh Na Dragain
Inhabitants: Wyvern – type of dragon with two legs and a barbed tail
Land der Drachen
Inhabitants: Firedrake – a type of dragon originating mainly from Germanic mythology; depicted here as possessing four limbs and breathing fire
Ryū no Kuni
Inhabitants: Ryū – Japanese dragon; wingless, serpentine creatures with clawed feet, associated with bodies of water
Other: Hydra
Lóng – Chinese dragon; similar to the Japanese version, most commonly depicted with serpentine bodies and four legs
Other realms:
Ton Daímon (The Land of Demons)
The Immortuos Voievodat (The Voivodeship of the Undead)
About the Author
Eva Brandt is a romance aficionado who likes to spice up her stories with an extra bit of something special. Dragons? Perfect. Vampires? You got it. Any other type of mythological creature you might not have heard of? Absolutely. Sexy, snarky heroines and heroes with a penchant for falling head over heels in love with them? Yes and double yes.
She also believes in a very simple motto. Be passionate about passion. Embrace temptation. Life is too short to deny yourselves the most beautiful things about it.
When she’s not weaving her latest sexy tale, she enjoys relaxing in bed with a nice mug of tea and her ebook reader. Because nothing is better than writing a book, excepting reading one.
She always loves to hear from her readers, so don’t be shy and drop her a line. Visit Eva at on her website or Facebook page and sign up for her newsletter.
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Also by Eva Brandt
In this section, I will list only the coming soon books in my series. For more, please check out my website or follow me on Amazon.
Soulmates of Seasons 4. Spring’s Vampires. Blooms of Blood
A queen of life and death. Three vampires who defy time itself for her sake. One war who threatens to consume their incipient bond. In a world where love is a weakness and gods play games with the lives of mortals, who will come out the victor?
Eranthe returns, but now, she is more than the avatar of spring. Irrevocably changed, she risks becoming the harbinger of death for her homeland. A future of blood lies ahead. Only her vampires can save her from it.
Pre-order now from Amazon (expected release date 05/30/19).
The Accursed Saga 3. Captive Wildfire
Secrets are dangerous and, by their nature, want to be revealed. But what do you do when the most dangerous secret of all lies inside you, when you are a captive of your own mind and memories?
Lucienne’s battle continues, but this time, it is tougher than ever. Left with next to no support, surrounded by deceit, fighting against her own nature, she must find her way through a labyrinth of lies and confusion to find her answers—to find the truth behind the legend of the Accursed. Her journey might be the doom of everyone she loves.
Pre-order now on Amazon (expected release date 06/30/19)
Academy of The Devil 1. A Hellish Year One
Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. The Academy of the Devil is waiting, and there will be no mercy.
There is only one rule the students at The Academy of the Devil follow. The weak must be destroyed. It’s a rule the school princes—the cruel incubus, the ruthless hell-hound, and the envious cambion—follow to the letter. Now, one epileptic mortal girl will prove them wrong. Alyssa might not be ready for the students of The Academy of the Devil, but they’re not ready for her either.
Pre-order now from Amazon (expected release date 08/22/2019).
ading books on Archive.