by Ivy Clyde
“Is it true the princess got hurt last night?” asked his friend on the right.
“Yes! I heard so too.”
“That fake princess and her ugly saintess business,” said one of them with a shake of his head. “She ought to be punished for her falsities and lies.”
The leader chuckled. “Like that would ever happen as long as the emperor was alive.”
A dark look was exchanged between them.
The shopkeepers hung around for another half an hour before leaving for their shops. From the discussion, I was sure the incident had something to do with Daria. With Helena involved, nothing good could have come off it.
Questions raced through my mind. What was she doing in a slaves’ prison in the first place?
Draining the last of my tea, I headed back upstairs to the room we’d rented. Adal and Norvin had to know about it too. Only the note that Daria sent last night telling us she was safe kept me from losing my mind.
My heart pounded with a mix of worry and anticipation. I couldn’t wait to see her once again and demand an explanation, followed by a heavy session of intense lovemaking. My cock throbbed with excitement. Struggling to calm my rising hardness, I pushed open the door to the room.
The tension in the small room at the inn got so thick, I had to open the window wide open despite the chilly breeze blowing down from the mountains. Ren stood before me while Cain, Adal, and Norvin faced us with folded arms and suspicious glares.
"Are you saying you actually believe him?" asked Norvin, pointing a finger at Ren. "His entire family is a bunch of vile, lying scum."
"Don't say that," I countered at once. "Ivan is not his father. Look at him properly. He doesn't even resemble Mekhi and Zane."
"I've known twins looking as different as an apple and a melon," Norvin argued.
"There is a simple test that can prove his word," said Adal. Norvin rounded on him, glaring at him angrily. Adal put up his hand to silence Norvin before looking around at us. "It will hurt you though, Ren."
"What do you have in mind?" asked Ren through gritted teeth.
Flames engulfed Adal's right hand. "Allow yourself to be burned."
"Adal..." I couldn't believe he would suggest something like that. Norvin was more prone to rashness with Cain being obstinate about his own views. Adal was always the voice of reason among us.
"I did say it would hurt," said Adal in a calm voice, fixing his blue eyes on Ren. The azure of their eyes was so similar. "But it's the best test to see whether he is telling the truth. If he burns, we'd know he is not a dragonborn and trust what he has to say."
Ren turned back to look at me and gave me a soft, pained smile. "He is right. I can endure a small burn for your sake, Daria." He moved forward, extending his fingers into the flames that leaped around Adal's hand. Hisses of pain escaped him as he continued to keep it there.
"Enough!" I cried, pulling Ren backward. The skin of his hand was blistered badly. Adal, Cain, and Norvin moved close to take a look as well. "Are you done yet?" I asked them angrily.
"So, it's really true," said Cain, glancing up at Ren who was gritting his teeth to stop himself from seething in pain. His face was pale and cold sweat beaded his forehead. He was in pain.
Turning my back on the princes, I gently took Ren's hand in my hold and channeled a stream of healing magic into it. He gasped, looking down at me.
"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice filled with wonder. "I don't feel the pain anymore."
I looked up at him and grinned. "Of course, you don't. You are healed. Look."
His eyes widened as he stared at the smooth skin of his hand. "But how?"
"Daria is more than you'll ever know," said Norvin. A long breath heaved out of him as he went to sit on the edge of the cot. "So, you're saying we actually have an ally in you?"
"Yes," said Ren. "However, my loyalty is for Daria. I may extend it to you but you've got to treat me better."
"I apologize," said Adal. "We have been betrayed by our own blood before. Trust is a hard thing to win in our circumstances."
"I heard about what Kurozeru did," said Ren. He glanced towards Norvin. "And I heard how your brother betrayed you for the throne. I guess I can't blame you for not trusting the third prince of Drakhaven."
"So, what now?" said Cain, turning his attention to me. "You want Ren to help us get inside the dragon temple."
I kept my gaze steady. Since Ren came with me to meet the princes, I hadn't got a chance to tell them how much Ren knew. "Ren will help us in getting the tomes from the temple's archives," I said, staring at him hard, hoping he would understand what I was trying to say. "We need those books to help us find anything useful about a dragon's strengths and weaknesses."
"Is that all we're going there for?" asked Norvin.
I nodded, meeting his gaze. "Since Adal is the only one who can read the ancient tongue, he'll come with me to the archives. Ren will stay with you and help create a diversion so that the soldiers, as well as Mekhi, can be lured away from the spot."
The princes exchanged looks between themselves.
"Can dragonborns communicate non-verbally?" asked Ren, staring around at us. "Because it feels like something's going on between you all but I don't understand it at all."
"We can communicate through our thoughts when we are in our true forms," said Cain. "Right now, we're just going over what Daria said.” His silvery eyes settled on me. "So, you're sure you want Adal to go with you?" he asked.
I nodded.
"All right, then. That's that." Cain turned towards Ren. "Do you have any ideas on how we can get the guards and Mekhi away from the temple premises?"
"That's easy," said Ren with a chuckle. "Appear in your true form near the temple and fly towards the city. You'll have the soldiers chasing after you. I'll inform Mekhi about a dragon sighting in the city. While everyone is confused about your location, Daria can steal as many books as she wants."
"The only flaw in this plan is that there's a risk of facing Ivan," said Adal. "He's close enough that word would reach him if we're nearby. We still need to strengthen ourselves before facing him head-on."
"There will be two of you," said Ren, looking between Cain and Norvin. "Distract the soldiers in different directions. So even if the emperor comes after you, he won't know which way to turn. Besides, you need to show yourself for a few minutes. Shift back to your human forms and hide in the woods. Public hysteria will take care of the rest."
"I don't want innocents to be hurt," I said at once.
"A little panic won't hurt them," said Ren. "Most will just run inside their homes to take cover."
"So, when we do this?" asked Norvin.
"Tonight," I replied.
The princes focused their attention on me. Even if Ren sat among us, I knew what they were all thinking. I would soon be joining their ranks as a true dragon.
24
That evening, we rode out into the woods on the outskirts of Fuvaros. It was a cold but clear full moon night. Patches of moonlight fell through the gaps in the foliage, lighting the path before us. Ren led the way forward since he was confident he knew a secret pathway unguarded by the soldiers. Only Ivan and his royal sons knew of it.
We slowed down our horses just as he halted a few feet ahead of us. Through the gaps in the branches, we could see the flames of the torches lighting the area nearby. Gigantic statues of dragons stood all around us, rising taller than the surrounding pine trees. Looming in the dark, they watched our approach.
At Ren's signal, we dismounted and tied up the horses to nearby trees. I communicated with the horses to stay calm and silent. With no sign of danger or disturbance yet, they seemed content to oblige. Tuto hooted on a branch overhead, keeping a lookout for us.
"You and Adal stay back here," said Ren. "I will go up to the soldiers and ask for Mekhi. Of course, he won't be here at this hour, but you know, I'm not the brightest among my brothers. I'll probably pretend to be drunk. Cain should come after f
ive minutes and shift before us all."
"All right," said Cain.
Ren glanced at Norvin. "You stay back here and keep watch. You'll know if you have to shift as well."
"Understood."
Ren loosened the front of his tunic and crumpled it. Raking his fingers through his hair, he made a complete mess of the orange-hued locks. Climbing back on his horse, he trotted towards the soldiers ringing the temple's perimeter.
He spoke loudly, calling out for Mekhi. His presence caused an instant stir among the soldiers as they moved in to surround him. Then, when they realized who he was, their leader commanded a few of them to escort him home.
"That's my cue," said Cain, walking forward and emerging out of the shadows. At first, the soldiers didn't take note of him but as soon as he shifted into his true form, the men screamed with fright and panic. Cain's dragon roared, the sound making the very earth tremble beneath our feet.
The soldiers broke up, running in every possible direction they could. I'd already requested them all to not to harm the guards. Cain shot a cloud of fire and ash, but it wasn't directed at the alarmed men. Nonetheless, they fled, too scared to actually face a dragon. Unfurling his large wings, Cain took flight, moving in the direction of the city.
"Let's move," said Adal. He exchanged a glance with Norvin, nodded and took my hand, leading me forward.
The temple premises were empty now. However, we were headed to the small chapel at the back of the main building. That was where the hidden location to the inner chambers was located.
Entering the unlocked building, we lighted our hands on fire to illuminate the hall. It was small, barely capable of holding more than a few people. Reaching into the corner, I kneeled on the floor. From memory as well as Ren's recent news about the temple complex, I knew the exact tile that would cause the doorway to open for us.
I pressed onto an aged black tile.
It was a moment before I felt the whirr of the ancient mechanism. A chasm opened up on the floor, wide enough to let a grown man fit into it.
We waited a few seconds, straining our ears to listen to any approaching footfalls. When none came, I nodded at Adal. He let me lead the way through the trapdoor which really was the first step down a long stone staircase.
Darkness threatened to swallow us as we went down into the inner chambers of the temple. Only the flames leaping on our palms lit our way forward. This part of the journey was very similar to the ones we traveled before to reach the sacred halls of the other temples.
"Does Ren not know why we're really here?" asked Adal when we'd descended several steps.
"We do want some of the tomes down there, don't we?"
"Yes, but..."
"I didn't tell him everything," I interrupted him. "He knows nothing of Linmoor or my life there. Some things need to be kept secret. Even from him."
"I am glad you decided it for yourself. Ren always stayed away from the cruel pranks his brothers played on the servants' children. I remember that much about him. Still, he is not a royal or a dragonborn. Some things should be kept among us alone."
"I know."
"Have you noticed anything else about him?"
I halted, glancing up at Adal's lit features. "What do you mean?" I asked.
"The man is in love with you. We can see it in his eyes and the way he looks at you. That's exactly how we look at you."
"He told me about that," I confessed. "He came to know Ivan wasn't his father fifteen years ago. He hasn't thought of me as a sister or cousin since then."
"What about you, Daria?" asked Adal in a quiet voice. "How do you feel about Ren?"
By now, we'd reached the bottom of the staircase. A tall archway, carved with letters from the ancient tongue stood before us. Before I could step towards it, Adal pulled me back. "Answer me, Daria."
"You should know by now how I feel," I said, extracting my arm out of his hold. "I belong to you, Cain, and Norvin. No one else. And as far as Ren is concerned, I've always thought of him as an elder brother. I just can't imagine being with him the same way as I'm with you." A shudder wracked through me.
A soft chuckle escaped Adal as he pulled me into a hug. "You have no idea how relieved I feel. It is hard enough not to feel jealous of Cain and Norvin at times."
I stayed in his embrace for a moment, soaking his warmth. We barely had time to talk about the mission they'd been on. Even though they asked about every detail of my escape from the slave prison, I didn't get to hear a thing about them. Just seeing them unhurt had given me a boost to me.
"Did everything go well in Okarijun?" I asked.
"It did. The potion was made with simple ingredients and all the healers we encountered knew how to brew it. If Tasher hadn't hoarded those common herbs, the sickness could have been stopped a long time ago instead of spreading throughout the kingdom."
"I will punish him when the time comes. I'll never forget," I vowed as the sight of the dead and suffering rose up in my mind.
"Do we head to the mating chamber first?" asked Adal.
My cheeks heated up at once, making me realize how the energy of the sacred chambers was already suffusing within my body. The magic coiling around me was stronger too. It felt like the temple was inviting me in.
"We should check the archives and decide on what to take," I said, ignoring my body's need. Adal's closeness was making it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. "We won't be able to take everything with us."
"I agree." He pressed a kiss on the side of my neck, making my core throb harder.
"Not fair," I moaned, leaning into his chest. It felt like we'd been separated for months and not a few days. My hunger for him rose every minute. Stepping away from him, I walked through the ancient archway, hoping the distance would cool down my inner fire.
The archives were the first hall we found ourselves in. It was a vast chamber, filled to the ceiling with wooden shelves containing thick leather-bound tomes. For a moment, we simply stared at the enormous library Ivan had created with all the books stolen from the other three kingdoms.
"How would we ever choose?" said Adal, staring at the tall shelves that dwarfed us.
"There is a way," I said, moving forward. "I had to find a particular book in an archive and kill the owner." I watched for any signs of disapproval in Adal's features. When I found none, I continued. "I can make air flow through these books and gaps. If I concentrate hard enough, I'll know the spots that have the least amount of dust. It's an extremely minute difference, but I can feel it."
"Least dust would mean recently used by Ivan," said Adal, guessing my logic behind the enchantment. "Perform it, then."
With a nod, I faced the rows of bookshelves rising before me. Closing my eyes, I channeled a small stream of air to permeate through the gaps between the books and skimming over their surfaces. In my mind's eye, I could see the particles of air as twinkling blue dust particles.
"The shelf over there," I said, pointing to the right, still keeping my eyes closed. "The seventh shelf from the bottom. All the books there are almost free of dust." I heard Adal's footsteps passing by me.
"They are books on dragon physiology and poisons," he spoke.
I opened my eyes, finding Adal pulling the thick tomes one by one. Reaching him, I looked at a book. It wasn't in the ancient tongue. In fact, most of the books that Adal pulled out were in the universal language, taught to everyone in the four kingdoms.
"If your magic is right, then it means the emperor doesn't know how to read the ancient tongue."
"No," I said. "He killed those scholars back then so there would be no one who had more knowledge than him."
Adal unfurled a sack and began filling it with the tomes. Already, I was itching to read the book on poisons, wondering if I'll find the recipe Ivan used to poison my father and the other dragons.
"All done," said Adal, tying the mouth of the sack. He looked expectantly at me. "Perhaps, we could take care of the other thing we risked coming here for."<
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I smiled shyly, feeling the rush of heat to my neck and cheeks. "Let us go," I said, suddenly grabbing Adal's wrist and pulling him towards the adjacent hall that housed the mating chamber.
Adal dragged the sack of books behind him as he followed after me. "You have no idea how jealous the others are feeling right now," said Adal, walking beside me.
"About us being together?"
"Not just that, Daria. I would be the one you will mate with so you can achieve your true form. They might feel it gives me more claim to you."
"What do you think?" I asked, turning to face him and stopping in my steps.
His eyes glowed in the dark as they looked down at me. "I can only feel honored, Daria," he said in a soft voice. "I never thought you'd consider me as a mate when my two friends were beside me. My lack of skills in the martial arts department makes me feel less of a man."
"Adal..." My hands rose up to cup his cheeks, making sure he would not look away from me. I wanted him to see the genuine love I had for him. "You have no idea how the world sees you. How I see you. The women in Baledonia have set their hearts on you, even the married ones." A chuckle escaped me as I said, "Learning how to wield a sword doesn't make a man out of you. It's how you wield this other weapon that determines it..." Leaning close to him, I boldly brushed my hand across his crotch, feeling the hardness there. "And let me tell you, Prince Adal, you are no less in any way when it comes to using it."
Adal stared at me with slightly widened eyes. Next moment, he'd pulled into his chest and crashed his mouth to mine. His lips moved against mine, coaxing me to open myself to him. His hands grabbed my ass cheeks, making a gasp escape me. Taking the opportunity, he slid his tongue inside my mouth, swirling it over mine in a slow, languid kiss.
We'd barely stepped inside the mating chamber and my body was already on fire. Adal's slow and deep kisses made every part of me come alive. My hips jerked forward, his hardness pressing against my stomach as he continued to kiss me.