A couple of hours later, I say goodbye to Emilia and head home to collect all my stuff and talk to my aunt and uncle.
“Lenin, again this is serious. Don’t do anything silly. I know my aunt and uncle haven’t been very supportive over the years, but I want to be out of there without any trouble,” I say, feeling a little nervous about facing people who never treated me like a family member.
“I behaved yesterday and didn’t even let out gas when your aunt insulted you,” Lenin says, rolling his eyes, and his sister agrees.
“I mean it, Lenin. Leave this to me. I don’t want any stress before the big day tomorrow. I know they think I’m an embarrassment to them, but no one in town knows I live there. It’s better if it stays that way. This competition is fierce and the press will be looking over my background,” I say when I sneak into the large, posh neighbourhood where I’ve been living since I was ten.
“All right, fine. I’ll behave, but I had beans for dinner and I can feel I’ll have gas later on,” he says and then giggles to himself. I sigh, standing in front of the back entrance, contemplating what to do. The cook and the maids have already left. I’m glad we’ll have this conversation without any witnesses.
The truth is, apart from my aunt and uncle, I have no one. My other family from my father’s side have never contacted me and I don’t know where they live. Emilia is my employer, but I’ve never made any friends in town. School was difficult; everyone kept away from me because I looked different. Most of the children were scared of me. I always felt lonely, until I found Lenin and Jetli—they became my true friends.
I put what I can inside my black bag, and after twenty-one years, it’s surprising I really don’t have much to call my own. My Pixies seem a little on edge, and I tell them to hide in my pocket. I don’t want to take any chances before I show up at the castle.
“You just have to get on with it, Astri. Richard must realise you won’t be living with them forever,” I say to myself, and then knock on his office door.
“Come in,” his voice barks and I swallow hard, resigning myself to his bad mood. It doesn’t matter.
My uncle sits at his desk, writing something. He automatically frowns when he sees me.
“I’m very busy, girl,” he growls.
“I’m leaving, Uncle. I came back today to pick up my stuff. Last night was the final instalment of the loan. I won’t be paying you anymore. It’s been eleven years and I’ve decided it’s time to move out.”
There I said it and now I just have to wait for him to digest it. It’s been a long time coming, and it’s time to change my life for the better.
Chapter 8
The warning.
My uncle stares at me and a trickle of fear moves through my veins. His eyes scan my face and then stop on the scar. When he twists his lips with disgust I already know this whole conversation might not end well. In that moment, I wish I knew what was going through his mind.
A ball of unease starts forming in my stomach. I have to be firm and stick to my original plan.
Richard is human. He has no magic in him and he doesn’t even know what I’m capable of. I’m an adult now and he has no power over me anymore.
“Don’t be absurd, Astri. You have nowhere else to go,” he says, tensing his shoulders. He doesn’t realise I’m not joking.
“She’s taking part in the contest in that mage castle with a man who calls himself the duke. She’s going through to the next round,” the voice behind me says and I turn around, abruptly facing my aunt.
I didn’t even hear her on the stairs. She must have watched the news; she couldn’t have found out from anyone else.
“Yes, the duke’s looking to hire an assistant. I’m a good hunter, and it’s an opportunity to change my life,” I say, staring at her with no intention of backing away. They’ve never been supportive of anything I’ve ever done. Why would I expect them to understand now?
“You? The duke’s assistant? Don’t make me laugh, Astri.” My uncle chuckles and I clench my fists and start counting, trying to distract myself from their mocking tone. “You ungrateful, spoiled little wench. When that doctor called us, we should’ve let you die, but instead we took you in. Your debt is never going to be settled.”
“No, Richard. Let her go. She doesn’t stand a chance anyway. All those other shifters are stronger and more powerful. She’s only going to embarrass herself in front of everyone in Rivenna,” my aunt says, while a small, malicious smile appears on her face. I don’t know why she’s so bitter, but I don’t feel insecure anymore. Today was a good day and I’m starting over.
“Well, in that case go, but don’t expect us to take you back when this silly contest doesn’t work out. If you leave now—”
“Don’t worry. I’m not planning to come back. We are not family, and I regret it took me eleven years to figure it out,” I say, aware of the harbouring anger rising in the pit of my stomach when I stand by them. They’ll never get how much they hurt me over the years.
“You’re ungrateful, stupid and lazy. We have been trying to …”
“Richard, there’s no point talking to her. She wants to leave? Let her go. Let’s see how long it's going to be before she comes crawling back, asking us to take her in,” my aunt says, narrowing her eyes at me.
She doesn’t get I’d rather be homeless than live here again.
My aunt continues her attack. “The debt is not settled and it never will be. You might have convinced a man like the duke to give you a chance, but he’ll soon realise you’re useless. Even your parents weren’t accepted into the shifter world. Wyverns aren’t considered real dragons. I heard my sister saying this to your stupid father.”
She’s never spoken about my parents, not ever. I put on a brave face, while tears mixed with anger are burning the back of my eyes. I have to remain strong, not giving her the satisfaction of allowing her cruel words to get to me.
“I’m a real dragon shifter, and I’ve proven it to everyone today,” I ground out, my voice vibrating, as I turn around and walk away.
My heart pounds loudly in my chest. This is it. I don’t have to see them anymore.
“I hope no one in the castle figures out she’s related to our family,” my aunt says just before I shut the door behind me.
Once I’m outside, I let unshed tears stream down my face. Part of me knows she’s right about the dragon shifters. The mages and other shifters haven’t considered Wyvern’s as real dragons in many years. And I’m one of them and no one in town knows.
“Astri, please don’t be upset. Those fuckers are bitter and not worth your tears. Wyverns are powerful and you’re the last one left of your clan,” Lenin says, trying to make me feel better. I wipe my tears away, staring at both of them and forcing a smile. I don’t know why I’m breaking apart. I’m closer to my goal than I’ve ever been. Life in the dark basement is behind me—it’s time to celebrate.
“And I farted in her face when you weren’t looking,” Lenin chuckles, sounding very proud of himself.
I need to remind myself that I’m fierce, strong and intelligent. There’s no point feeling sorry for myself anymore.
“I have to win and get close to him. He must pay for what he’s done to me,” I say.
“What if he isn’t the mage from your dream?” Lenin says.
“The duke is the one who scarred me. It’s how it happened and how I remember it,” I say. Most of my dreams reflect real life. Even before I met Lenin and Jetli, I dreamt about things before they would happen, and the duke is the only real memory I have from the night of my parents’ death.
“All right, if you’re sure then I won’t question it anymore,” Lenin says.
We move through the gloomy streets, as the sun slowly disappears behind the horizon. I stare at the castle and wonder what other surprises life will throw my way.
A few humans stare at me; they must know I’m a shifter. Not many of us hang around their areas. I pass a few streets and half an hour later sta
rt moving up the steep hill leading towards the castle gate. A few shifters stand outside their houses, watching me. The Lupus station must have already broadcast the news and soon everyone’s going to be aware of who I am.
It takes me over half an hour to reach the top, and in the distance, I see a few other contestants already waiting outside the gate. Those shifters look extremely strong and powerful, accompanied by their families, and I want to believe I fit in too. Elijah brought his parents, others; their wives and children.
I have no one. Emilia was too busy in the shop and I didn’t want to trouble her. I turn the corner and I’m just about to cross the side gate, when someone grabs me from behind. Seconds later, I’m pinned against the wall. Lenin and Jetli fly out of my pockets, but the waves of magic knock them unconscious pretty much straight away. A sleeping spell, from the root of a palm tree. I recognise its smell.
“Hey, pretty girl, I think we should have a little chat before you get inside the castle walls.”
It’s Sebastian, one of the arrogant contestants. He grabs my face when I try to push him away. His body’s pressed up against mine and his overpowering cologne makes me instantly sick. His yellow-green eyes are glimmering with power, and he’s challenging me to fight him. Pity I’m not planning to respond. A magical current enters my system and pain slices through my forehead. All shifters have magic in them, but some energy is much more developed than others. Sebastian must have been developing his abilities for a while now.
Sweat breaks out across my brow and I try to breathe, thinking about my options. If I scream, I might make this situation worse. He must be thinking I’m just some small, skinny girl who got lucky. He caught me by surprise and I’m stuck, but in any other circumstance I would have kicked his arse.
A twisted smile spreads across his face.
“You’re going to stay away from me. We both know you don’t stand a chance in the game. I’m the winner and I’ll be the one to stand next to the Duke of Rivenna. Cross me and you’ll meet your mummy and daddy in the coffin,” he says, leaning directly to my ear. “Women shifter’s duty is to be at home, caring for the children, cleaning and putting food on the table. Leave now or prepare to suffer, little girl.”
The pain paralyses me and I struggle to stay on my feet, a moment later it’s gone and Sebastian vanishes.
I bend over, trying to breathe. My T-shirt’s stuck to my back with sweat. He just told me to leave and threatened my life. I’ve done nothing to this man. I pick up the unconscious Pixies from the pavement. The sleeping spell shouldn’t last too long, but that’s not the point. No one dares lift a hand to my friends, especially that self-righteous prick, Sebastian. I’m not scared of him or his threats.
I’m not planning to turn back now. The shifter can challenge me, but I’m here to prove to everyone who’s ever doubted me, who believes me to be weak; they’re in for a rude awakening. I move closer to the wall just in time to see Sebastian join other shifters. Lenin and Jetli will be furious, but for now they need to sleep. I’ll not give up, not even when I’m threatened by some overbearing, sexist arsehole who thinks he’s better than everyone else. He can go to hell. No one’s going to stop me from getting close to the duke.
I plaster a smile on my face and leave my hiding place to join the others. A few guards open the gate when I approach. Sebastian glares at me and then kisses his long-legged wife, embracing her with his large arms.
“Contestants, welcome to the home of Jorgen III. Your chambers are ready. Please follow me. My name is Thayer and I’ll be looking after all of you from now on,” announces the mage we met earlier on.
Sebastian doesn’t look too pleased that I've joined the party. I give him my sweetest, fake smile and throw out a tiny wave, letting him know he doesn’t intimidate me in the least.
We cross the gate leading us through a wide-open courtyard, filled with guards and other mages. There's a dragon shifter circulating in the sky. The castle looks impressive. Inside, fire torches light the long corridors. Thayer takes us up to our chambers; I’m glad to be the last one. I sense my Pixies are slowly waking and they might be a bit disoriented for a while. My heart skips a beat when we stop in front of a tall, wooden door in the north wing.
“I hope you’ll be comfortable here,” the mage says, smiling.
“It’ll definitely be much better than my last room,” I say, aware of his magic rising on the surface of my skin. He’s a powerful mage shifter, like the duke.
“Well, it’s good to have you here, Astri. Breakfast starts at seven a.m. You’re expected to be in the courtyard at eight in the morning. The training regimen will be distributed shortly,” he informs me. “Money will be deposited into your account during your stay in the castle. Try not to wander out of your chamber after midnight. The guards will be patrolling the corridors—we urge everyone to remain inside.”
It looks like the mage wants to get all the formalities out of the way. I’m not planning to wander around the castle or get in any trouble. Sebastian’s probably going to wait for an opportunity to find me alone and harass me again.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I say.
“If you don’t mind me saying, you’re dragon—it’s different and rare. What kind of clan do you represent?” he asks, and his eyes wander off to my scar again.
I look away, wondering what to tell him. Wyverns are rare dragons, and there’s not many of us left in this part of the Eastern World. No one in the castle needs to know I’m Wyvern, not yet at least. The duke must have been hunting us long before he found my parents. He doesn’t remember me, and I can only hope he doesn’t put two and two together when I have to shift.
“I’m not a mage and there’s nothing special about me,” I say, knowing he doesn’t buy it.
I’ve heard stories about my clan being called the “The Lost Ones.” According to what I’ve learned, my dragon brothers and sisters were wiped out during the Great War over one hundred years ago.
The mage smiles lightly and I wonder if he’s going to press on with his line of questioning.
“Right, of course. It’s probably nothing. I’ll leave you alone now, Astri. I hope to see you fresh and ready in the morning,” he adds, then disappears around the corner.
I turn the key and open the door to my chamber. I bring my hands to my mouth not believing my own eyes. Everything looks brand new, and there’s even a large, four-poster bed, with a white down comforter and large, colourful pillows piled high atop the frame, located in the centre of the room. The floor-to-ceiling, painted glass windows depict scenes of dragons flying amidst the twilight, shimmering across yellow-accented walls, complemented by muted grey tones. And the closet—it’s full of clothes just my size. I’m completely blown away. If I see an on suite bathroom with a claw-foot tub, I might just die and go to heaven straight away.
The Pixies fly out of my pocket and Lenin stretches his tiny hands, as his sister explores her new home.
“Wow, Astri, is this your new room?” he asks, looking around. “It’s awesome. Compared to this, your basement is a rat's prison cell. By the way, what happened earlier on? We were knocked out stone cold?”
I scratch my head and put my bag on the floor. My arm’s aching a lot and I’m not sure what to say to them.
“Sebastian caught me by surprise. He threatened me and told me to stay out of his way; said I don’t stand a chance,” I say, walking around slightly shocked I have all this space to myself.
Suddenly, Jetli’s flying next to my face and she starts pointing and tangling her own hair. She’s trying to tell me he’s just a giant moron, and I shouldn’t be worried about him.
“I know, hon, he might be stronger, but we all know muscles aren’t everything, right?” I ask, smiling. “You need to have a bit of brain too in order to win.”
“Don’t worry, Astri, he’ll regret that move,” Lenin mutters and winks at his sister, who has a fit of giggles. I’m suddenly glad they’re still in a good mood. I don’t want to worry abou
t Sebastian. He won’t crush my spirit.
I jump on my large bed, not believing I no longer have to sleep on an old, squeaky mattress. A second later, Lenin starts jumping up and down, screaming with joy, so Jetli and I join him.
I no longer have to worry about my aunt showing up, asking me to clean the whole house or giving me other pointless tasks. She has no more power over me. I’m finally free.
We all jump up and down, giggling and hooting like we’ve been possessed by the devil. This seems so surreal. I’m in the castle, taking part in a contest that could get me closer to the duke—the shifter who murdered my parents.
“I see you’re having a splendid time in your new chamber,” says a voice, and I turn around, seeing the duke himself standing at my door. I didn’t realise I’d forgotten to lock it.
“Holy crap, I think we’re screwed,” Lenin says, then slams his hands over his mouth.
Heat rushes to my cheeks and I quickly jump down from the bed, feeling oddly hot as his energy gently wraps itself around me. He smiles, and there’s a flicker of warmth and compassion in his features. Cool air washes itself over my skin and I realise I don’t have to be worried. Duke Jorgen doesn’t know who I am—he doesn’t remember trying to kill me almost eleven years ago.
Chapter 9
First meal.
“My lordi lord, Astri, I was simply happy we were out of that shit… I mean out of that house, but common courtesy requires knocking first,” Lenin says flying next to the duke’s face.
I want to flick him across the room for acting so inappropriately in front of the Duke of Rivenna. The mage stares at the Pixies, then moves his intensive gaze on me. A familiar warmth caresses my face and I take a sharp breath, smoothing my crazy hair. I don’t know why I’m trying so hard to look decent in front of him. A tiny voice in my head reminds me he can’t be trusted.
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