by Eric Vall
The Demi-Human sat up, rubbed his wrists, and slid over to step off the bed.
“Careful,” Ravi squeaked as she took a step behind me. “You were just a crazy maniac a few minutes ago. Your body is probably still weak.”
The jaguar ignored her as he slid to his knees next to the bed. Then he took Alyona’s hand, and I watched as a single tear rolled down his face.
“Please, milady,” he begged. “Please, forgive me. I was not in control of my body. It was like some demon lived in me and made me his puppet. He knew who you were, and he wanted you dead.”
“Who wanted her dead?” I demanded. I was still pissed about the damage to my fiancée, but this news made my blood boil.
“The demon,” the Demi-Human answered me, but he didn’t take his eyes off Alyona. “I don’t know if he had a name, all I felt was his hatred, his anger, and his desire for death and bloodshed. It was awful.”
“Okay, okay, all is forgiven,” Alyona reassured him. “Please, just get back on the bed and rest.”
“He kept saying, ‘Kill the Maiden,’” the jaguar wailed as tears continued to stream down his face. “I didn’t want to. I would never hurt a single creature! Especially not you!”
Alyona pulled her hand from his as I stepped forward and lifted the Demi-Human to his feet. Then I hauled him back to the bed and felt his body shaking with emotion.
Holy shit, he was terrified. So, I had to turn my anger from the jaguar to the demon that had taken over his body.
“Lay down,” I ordered. “I will have more questions for you after you get some sleep. If you were really possessed, your body needs the rest.”
“I swear to you.” The jaguar slowly crossed his freshly healed arm over his chest. “I would never try to hurt the Divine Maiden. I would give my own life before I would take hers.”
“I appreciate your kind words,” Alyona replied with a soft smile. “We will find out who is behind this attack and make sure they are the ones held responsible. Rest easy, jaguar.”
The Demi-Human laid back against the pillow with a sigh and was fast asleep in seconds.
“Evan, I think we can let the staff back in now,” Alyona advised. “They can care for the patients from here. You need to get some rest as well.”
It was like her words released the dam, and my body felt the toll of using all my healing power on the jaguars. So, I nodded and followed her out of the infirmary, with Ravi close behind.
“I’ll go find Galena,” Ravi volunteered, and she hurried down the hallway ahead of us.
I leaned against Alyona as she walked me toward the bedroom halls.
“Shit, I need to go talk to Jai first,” I said as I stopped in my tracks. “Where is he?”
“I’m sure he’s near the great hall,” Alyona sighed. “Can’t you talk to him in the morning? You need your sleep, my lord.”
“No, we have to make sure no one else goes to that water right now,” I pressed. “Come on, it won’t take long.”
I took the princess’ hand and pulled her back toward the great hall. She was right, Jai was sitting in a high-backed chair near the window with his head in his hands, and the light jungle breeze blew through the tufts of hair around his ears.
“Lord Jai?” Alyona nearly whispered as she knocked on the door frame.
“Jai, I don’t have the time or energy for manners,” I said loudly as I breezed past her into the room and plopped down in the chair across from him. “We have some shit to discuss.”
Jai looked up, and his face was red, and his eyes were shiny.
“Jai, what’s the deal?” I asked as I became more concerned.
“I’ve let my people down,” he muttered. “Four dead, and we still don’t know what’s wrong with that fucking water!”
A furious growl echoed from his chest, and he slammed his fist down on the table
“Four dead?” I questioned with a furrowed brow. “You mean the Demi-Humans in the infirmary?”
“Yes,” Jai confirmed as he dropped his head into his hands again. “I allowed them to go on a hunt near the river. They probably drank from the water while out there. It’s all my fault. I should have made sure we had the problem fixed first.”
“I already healed those men,” I blurted out. “I mean, me, my Sword, and Ravi had to heal the last one after I almost killed him, but they’re all good now.”
Jai looked up at me again with complete shock on his face. “Truly? They are healed? They looked on the verge of death just thirty minutes ago.”
“Yes, sir,” Alyona confirmed. “They are all resting now, and Ravi went to find Galena to keep an eye on their recovery. They will likely need sleep for a few days if it’s anything like the sickness we saw in Hatra.”
“By the gods, I can’t believe it!” Jai exclaimed as his eyes went wide. “I was sure they were all dead. But why did you use all your energy on that? For us?”
“Easy,” I said with a shrug. “You are my people now.”
“You mean that, Lord Evan?” Jai smiled wide, his yellow eyes cleared, and his round ears stood up.
“I do,” I answered easily. “You all know that I was sent here by King Rodion, but I could have said no and stayed in Hatra. I wanted to see this great country of Rahma. I wanted to meet the people, restore the faith in the glorious sun King Rodion, and eventually rule these lands myself. So, yes, you are my people, in the same way the citizens of Hatra became my people the moment I decided that I would be their guardian. I was born a healer, it is in my dragon blood. Now, I am a guardian of Tikal as well.”
“We are blessed by the gods to have a dragon guardian, Lord Evan,” Jai declared as he inclined his head to me. “I know we have not acted in a way to deserve such protection and good fortune, but those days are gone. We are making changes to become a city worth protecting.”
“I will guard this city as I have guarded my own,” I promised. “Now, we have to make sure that no one else goes near the river until we can cure it.”
“I’ll tell the guards to keep everyone out of the jungle,” Jai agreed. “I will set up extra guards at the regular jungle paths as well.”
“Good.” I nodded. “In the morning, Alyona and I will go down to the water and figure out what the hell’s going on with it. Those jaguars were not just reacting to non-magical polluted water. They smelled like miasma, and they were losing their minds. There was some extra shit happening, especially with the last jaguar we healed. And I need to know what we can do to stop it.”
“I’ll go with you,” Jai offered. “While we may not have the separated factions anymore, I still need to show my people that I am working toward results in solving this problem.”
“I agree,” I said. “We will leave right after breakfast.”
Jai nodded and stood from his chair. Then he put his arm out to me, and I grasped his forearm.
“We will resolve this, Jai,” I assured him. “Our people will learn that we can survive anything, I promise.”
The House leader crossed his arm across his chest, took a deep bow, and nearly danced out of the room.
“That’s a big promise,” Alyona murmured.
“And I intend to make sure it’s kept,” I answered as I pulled my future bride into my lap and pressed my lips against her hair. “These people have needed someone to come in and be a leader, strong and confident and fair. I can do that. I just want what’s best for everyone, and to be fair, I’m kind of a badass.”
“Oh, I forgot,” Alyona giggled. “Badass is the most important quality of a future king.”
“See, I knew you’d realize I’m right,” I teased.
“Come on.” Alyona stood up and pulled at my arm. “We need rest, especially now that you have a promise to keep first thing in the morning.”
“Fine, fine,” I sighed as I stood up. Then I slid my fingers between hers and walked out of the great hall toward the bedrooms. “Let’s go get some sleep.”
“One day, we will look back at this time of rebuildi
ng, and it will be amazing how much of a transformation the world will have seen,” Alyona whispered. “Rahma will be reunited under the ruling family, the Breach will be sealed, and everyone will be happy and healthy again.”
“That day will come, princess,” I promised. “It seems the odds are stacked against us at the moment, but with you by my side, we will make Rahma the best it has ever been.”
We reached my bedroom, and she pushed open the door. Then I zombie-walked to the bed and kicked off my boots before collapsing, and Alyona laid down beside me and curled up into my side.
I soon dreamt of the glorious days ahead for Rahma.
Chapter 6
The sun streamed in through the bedroom window and illuminated Alyona’s beautiful features. Her milky white skin shimmered in the weak sunlight, and her raven eyelashes kissed her rosy cheeks as gently as a butterfly’s wings. My fiancée’s face was practically poreless, like she was made of the finest porcelain in Inati, but despite her fair and fragile looks, I knew my future wife was as tough as steel. That was one of the many things I loved about her.
My morning wood strained against my trousers as I reached over and ran my fingers along her collarbone, and Alyona’s delicate skin dimpled with goosebumps along the trail I left behind.
The princess’s brow furrowed slightly as she began to stir, and a soft sigh escaped from her plush pink lips when I leaned down to lick the divot between her clavicle. She tasted of lavender and something sweeter, and I sucked softly on her skin as she came fully awake.
Finally, Alyona fluttered open her violet eyes and smiled. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” I muttered as I dragged my tongue lower between the swell of her full breasts.
“Are you ready to go check out the river?” my lover sighed and carded her fingers through my hair, but I felt her arch up slightly as she enjoyed my lips and attention.
“Oh, yeah,” I grumbled as I pulled back and frowned. “I guess we have to do that.”
“Don’t worry, my love,” Alyona giggled and pecked my cheek. “We will have plenty of time for ourselves once the Houses are in order.”
I rolled over with a dramatic huff and flopped my legs over the side of the bed so I could put my boots back on. I would much rather be taking things off, but my bride-to-be was right. We had a ton to do in Tikal before we could focus on ourselves. As I stretched my arms over my head and popped my back, I realized I could really use a shower, probably a cold one at this rate, but I didn’t have much trust in the water here right now.
Alyona slid off the bed beside me, and then she grabbed a clean outfit from the dresser. Her ensemble was a lavender robe-dress combo with a white belt, and ivory flowers decorated the collar, cuffs, and hemlines. The princess slipped into the robe and some matching slippers, and once she was fully dressed, she braided her hair away from her face. With deft and practiced movements, she twisted her raven forelocks into the stark white hairs behind them, and I was mesmerized for a moment. I wanted to grab that long black-and-white braid and pull her right back onto the bed …
I shook my head and grumbled again. My responsible future wife wouldn’t let me get distracted, even though I really wanted to be distracted by her right now.
“Ready?” I asked as I held my elbow out to her.
“Let’s get this show on the road!” Alyona laughed and took my arm.
“Picking up some of my phrases, are you?” I chuckled with a raised eyebrow.
“You have such interesting turns of phrase, dear.” The princess blushed and ducked her head. “I hope you don’t mind if I adopt some of the more fascinating ones.”
“I don’t mind at all.” I grinned before I pressed a kiss to her brow. “In fact, I love it, dearrrr.”
I dragged the endearment out as I imitated Alyona’s voice, and she giggled and nudged me with her shoulder.
“I don’t sound like that,” she protested with a pout.
“Of course not, dear,” I snickered. “You sound much more lovely.”
Alyona smiled at the compliment, and the morning sunlight caught her purple eyes and made them sparkle like the most beautiful amethysts I’d ever seen.
Man, was I one lucky fucking dragon.
Now that we were dressed and presentable, we walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs to the dining room, and I could tell the palace was coming to life around us. Servants hurried through the halls, and each jaguar either bowed or curtsied to Alyona and me as they passed. The princess greeted everyone with a kind word or a smile, but I just nodded in response. I was still waking up a little, so I took advantage of our leisurely stroll and silently studied House Onca’s palace.
The air was perpetually humid since the building lacked windows and was open to the jungle elements, but I had to admit, it made for beautiful scenery. Vines of all sizes twined through the open windows, and ivy crawled up the walls in an emerald green blanket. Bright flowers of every color dotted the greenery here and there, and I smiled as Alyona stroked the petals of a massive purple lily that rested on a nearby windowsill.
As we continued toward the dining hall, the songs of birds and chirping insects created a soothing melody that made me hum in contentment, and the cool morning breeze that wafted through the halls was also a welcome relief. Alyona’s robe fluttered around her legs, and my hair tickled the back of my neck as I took a deep, bracing breath. Suddenly, I could smell some kind of roasted meat with a hint of honey, a blend of fruits, and some fresh bread. The scent emanated from the room ahead of us at the end of the hall, and I couldn’t help but grin.
“This should be one hell of a breakfast,” I told Alyona as we drew closer to the open doors.
“It does smell delicious,” she agreed, and she actually picked up the pace a little and pulled me along after her.
“Hungry?” I laughed as I lengthened my stride to keep up.
“Famished,” she replied over her shoulder, and I watched as her pink tongue darted out to lick her full lips.
My cock throbbed at the sight, but I groaned and shoved the urge away.
Food first, and after that I’d figure out how to take care of Tikal today. Then, tonight, I’d hopefully find some time to be alone with my princess again, and she could put that lovely pink tongue of hers to good use.
As we stepped into the great hall, I took another big whiff of the tantalizing scent of food, and then I saw the long table was ladened with nearly a dozen platters. I eyed the piles of sliced, dark meat that dripped with what looked like nectar or honey, and there were plates of eggs cooked several different ways. I saw scrambled, poached, hard boiled, and over-easy, and the eggs sat beside a platter of small, roasted birds. They looked like miniature roast chickens or turkeys common at holiday parties back on Earth, but these tiny birds were apparently abundant, and their skin was a crispy golden color that made my mouth salivate. Beside the eggs and meats, there was an assortment of breads, fruits, and pastries. These dishes ranged from what looked like plain toast and cubed mangos, to intricate pastries stuffed with jam, and some orange and yellow fruits were sliced and stuck on long pieces of bamboo.
Overall, it looked like a breakfast fit for a king, and my stomach rumbled hungrily in anticipation.
“Oh my,” Alyona murmured beside me.
“After you, milady,” I intoned grandly as I gestured to the table.
Alyona giggled, and I rubbed my hands together as one of the servants pulled out chairs for us to sit on. I waited until my future bride was seated, and then I sat down at the head of the table and dug in. I dumped a copious amount of the honeyed meat, two of the tiny roasted birds, three different kinds of eggs, and a couple fruit skewers onto my plate. Then I grabbed a chunk of bread and slathered it with the fruity jam that was always on the table. I’d never asked what it was made of, but damn was it good.
Several minutes later, Jai strode into the room and sat down to my left. The jaguar Demi-Human wore his standard greenish-brown long kilt, and his mahogany skin
glistened with some kind of oil in the early morning light. He fiddled with the claw or tooth pendant that perpetually dangled around his neck, but he seemed to be in better spirits this morning as he gave me a quick smile and a nod. Then he started grabbing food by the handful, and he loaded up his plate until it was nearly overflowing.
We were apparently both ready to go see what the hell was going on at the river.
“Good morning, Lord Jai,” Alyona greeted him and shot me a stern look.
Oops. It was good manners to address the lord of the house, wasn’t it?
“Uh, yeah, good morning.” I tried not to choke on my food as I acknowledged the jaguar’s arrival. I had to get better at this diplomacy thing.
“Good morning,” Jai answered as he swallowed a huge bite of food. Then he dipped his head. “Princess and my lord. Apologies. I can be rather famished in the mornings, and I get a little tunnel visioned.”
“I know what you mean.” I smirked before I stuffed a whole tiny roasted bird into my mouth. The skin was crispy, salty, and honeyed, and the meat practically fell off the bone with barely any work from me. I stifled a groan of pleasure at the delicious flavor, and then I spat out the bird’s small bones before I reached for a second helping.
“I see you are enjoying the roasted akulina birds,” Jai chuckled as he also reached for the miniature roasted fowl.
“Yeah, these are fucking delicious,” I muttered around my mouthful, and I licked a drop of honey from my fingertip. “Are these found in the jungle?”
“Yes.” Jai nodded as he stripped the bird of its crispy skin with his, and then he dropped the roasted morsel into his mouth. “They are actually a rather annoying bird. They are fast and good at camouflage, so their population skyrockets since predators have a hard time catching them. Then, when their numbers are so great, they devour a lot of the fruit from the trees that we harvest from.”
“That does sound annoying,” I snorted and gestured to the heaping platters of the akulina birds. “But it doesn’t look like you and your people have a hard time catching them.”
“Very few species can hide from a jaguar, especially in our own jungle.” Jai flashed me a smile, and the sun glinted off his thick, long fangs.