Claimed

by Sammie Joyce

  But what if it did? Asher was staring up at her defiantly, even though he was obviously still in pain from what Kaylee had done.

  Rose’s hand was trembling. Kaylee was waiting impatiently.

  No.

  This wasn’t who she was.

  Rose lowered her hand, taking a step back. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I can’t.”

  Chapter Six

  “Yes, you can. It’s not as difficult as you’d think. Just focus and say the incantation. I’ll correct your method. Don’t worry, no one expects you to get it right on the first try.” Kaylee’s tone was encouraging and cajoling, but Rose knew it wouldn’t remain that way for long.

  “No, I can’t. It’s torture. Torture is wrong—how can you not know that?”

  Predictably, Kaylee’s indulgent attitude vanished in an instant. “Nothing we could ever do would be too torturous for these monsters. Have you not been listening in class? Do you not remember what they’ve done?”

  “I do.” Rose found that her eyes seemed to be stuck on her knees. She couldn’t look up into Kaylee’s face any more than she could push the volume of her voice above a whisper.

  “Then what’s wrong with you? You want these creatures to destroy our kind, is that it? You are a disgrace to all of us, to everyone who has died in the wars!”

  Rose felt her shoulders hunching as she endured Kaylee’s tirade in silence. Once, she sneaked a glance at Annabelle, though she had no real hope her roommate would stick up for her. Annabelle didn’t speak up her agreement with Kaylee’s lecture, but it was clear that she did agree. Jade and Wendy were likewise silent, averting their eyes from Rose, clearly too ashamed of her to even look at her.

  It seemed to go on for hours. Eventually, Kaylee lapsed into silence, breathing hard. She stared at Rose; though Rose didn’t meet her eyes, she could feel Kaylee’s hot glare on her.

  “I’m going to give you one more chance, Rose. This is your first time doing this, and I’m willing to make an allowance. Just try your best, and we can forget that this ever happened.”

  The worst wasn’t the shame or the scorn. The worst was that Rose was tempted. Seriously tempted. She wouldn’t be able to hurt Asher much, not on her first try at this. She’d never been anything but the top in every class she’d taken, and now she was suddenly the dunce. She had a chance to change it… to have the other witches smile at her in pride rather than scowl in disapproval.

  “I can’t.”

  “You mean, you won’t.”

  Rose shrugged. “I guess so.”

  She half expected Kaylee to slap her. Instead, Kaylee spun around, pointing at the door. “Get out of my sight! You have the rest of the day to consider your actions.”

  Rose didn’t need telling twice. She turned tail and strode out as fast as she could without actually running. She felt tears streaming down her face. What had she done? She’d never been so mortified in her entire life. Now they all thought she was an idiot at best, a traitor at worst.

  Still, what else could she have done? How could she participate in the torture of a helpless man? It didn’t matter that he was a dragon, it was still wrong.

  Rose pulled the hangings around her bed and spent the rest of the afternoon sobbing into her pillow. Annabelle came in a couple of hours later, but didn’t say anything, for which Rose was grateful. By that evening, her stomach was growling, but she couldn’t face the other witches in the dining room.

  A soft sound had her lifting her face from her pillow. Annabelle reached in through the curtain hangings just enough to put a plate of sandwiches on her bedside table. “Thought you might be hungry.”

  “Thanks.” Rose’s nose was blocked up from crying, and it sounded only too obvious.

  “What you did was brave. Stupid, but brave. I was never brave like that. It’s easier to let them tell you how to think. Trust me.”

  Before Rose could respond, Annabelle retreated to her side of the room, closing Rose’s bed hangings behind her.

  It was the first time Annabelle had given any indication that she might not fully agree with the witches’ view on dragons. It may be a very small grain of doubt, but Rose was comforted to know it was there. Starving, she shoved a sandwich into her mouth.

  That night, she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, exhausted from the events of the day. Rose was particularly glad not to have to deal with sexy dragon dreams, because she knew that the next morning, she’d have to face Kaylee.

  Not knowing whether she was expected back in class or not, she made her way to Kaylee’s office an hour before they were due to start.

  “Come in.” Kaylee didn’t look surprised to see her. Rose perched on the edge of the chair in front of her desk. “Well, Rose, have you rethought your actions of yesterday?”

  “I… I know I’ve disappointed you, Kaylee… but I still just can’t see myself torturing anyone, dragon or not.”

  She braced herself for the inevitable explosion, but to her great relief, Kaylee remained at least somewhat calm. “I have been considering the matter, and I’ve concluded that your actions are borne of a lack of knowledge of what the dragons are truly like. To correct your mindset, I’m assigning you the punishment duty of bringing them food down in the dungeons at night. Their curfew doesn’t allow them to be up and about after eight.”

  It wasn’t what Rose had been expecting, but she’d take any chance at redemption that didn’t involve torture. “Alright.”

  Kaylee frowned suspiciously, and Rose tried to look upset. “I mean, I understand that I have to make up for my actions.”

  “Good. You will start tonight, then. They should behave, but I won’t be far, just in case they get troublesome. If you need help controlling them, call out. If I’m not around, I’ll make sure another experienced witch is nearby. Now, I think you should spend the rest of the day doing some reading on the atrocities committed by dragons. Here, you can start with this.”

  Rose tried to look interested in the thick book Kaylee handed her. “I’ll read it,” she promised. She couldn’t promise to agree with it, but her pledge to read it seemed enough.

  “Good. I’ll expect you down at the dungeons with the dragons’ supper by eight.”

  Feeling that she was getting off lightly, Rose hurried off. She didn’t make much headway with the book, despite her best intentions. It wasn’t even that the book was boring and repeated what she already knew, even though it was both of those. Rose was nervous about feeding the dragons.

  She knew Kaylee would be close, but what if the dragons attacked her and had her silenced before she could call out? She may not agree with everything the witches said about dragons, but she certainly couldn’t deny that there had been great violence on both sides.

  Perhaps even worse was her fear of her own reaction to them. Rose knew Kaylee thought that this assignment would drive her to the witches’ way of thinking, but Rose was sure that spending more time with the dragons would just prove to her even more that they really weren’t monsters.

  Would they be able to tell how attracted she was to them? They had heightened senses; could they smell attraction? What would she do if they could?

  She was so busy fretting that she was late for her own dinner. Rose scarfed down her food while Annabelle looked on sympathetically before going to the kitchen to take a trolley with four trays down. She knew where the dungeons were. Kaylee was in a reading room nearby, as she’d promised.

  “Go on down, Rose. Just give them their food, then go back down to get the trays when they’re done.”

  “Yes, Kaylee.”

  Trying to hide her nervousness, Rose descended into the dungeons.

  It turned out that “dungeons” wasn’t an entirely accurate term. This was more like a basement. Three of the four dragons were sprawled out over various couches, some watching TV, others reading.

  The whole thing struck her as faintly ridiculous. They weren’t animals, they were just extremely hot men, minding their business.

 
“I… I have your food.”

  The three got up and came toward the tray. Asher was missing, and Rose wondered where he was.

  Jagger winked at her as he took his tray. “Who’s the new girl?”

  “Rose.” She felt herself blushing at his intent gaze.

  You’re beautiful.

  Rose jumped, and would have dropped the tray she was holding if Jagger hadn’t taken it from her hands. She’d been watching him, and he definitely hadn’t spoken. She’d heard his voice in her mind.

  She must surely be going mad.

  Gavin shoved Jagger a few steps back as he grabbed his own tray. “Don’t start again, Asher will be pissed.”

  Rose didn’t have the faintest idea what they were talking about, and she didn’t ask. The three of them sat down and started eating. Rose knew she should go, but she found she couldn’t take her eyes off them.

  “So, what did you do to draw the short straw?” Jagger’s eyes were gleaming with mischief.

  Rose knew she shouldn’t answer, but she found herself doing so anyway. “I got on Kaylee’s bad side.”

  “Not hard to do that.”

  She found herself smiling. Jagger did indeed know Kaylee.

  “Rose!” Kaylee stuck her head through the door. “You’re there to feed them, not consort with them. Get back up here.”

  “Whoops, someone’s in trouble.” Jagger winked at her again as Rose hurried to do what she was told. He made her uncomfortable, but not because she felt unsafe. It was clear he harbored no aggression toward her. No, it was more the feelings he evoked in her that left Rose unsettled.

  “This way. Bring the last tray.”

  She followed Kaylee, who pointed her down a short hall at the end of the basement. “Take it to room 104.”

  Again, Rose did as she was told without questioning. She knocked lightly on the door before opening it and stepping inside. It was a simple room that had the look of an infirmary. On a cot in the corner, Asher was sprawled in a heap. She glanced over her shoulder to see that Kaylee was gone for now, but she surely wouldn’t be far.

  “Asher?”

  He turned his head to face her, but made no move to get up. It looked like even that small movement was painful.

  “What did they do to you?” Rose set the tray on the small table next to the bed and crouched down next to him. She felt like she should help, somehow, but didn’t know what to do.

  Asher’s eyes met hers, paralyzing her. You know what they did to me. Kaylee likes to use me for demonstrating. I’ve had much worse than this.

  I’m sorry. I wish they didn’t hurt you like that.

  Why? They’re right. My kind has killed thousands of witches over the generations. I’ve killed witches myself.

  Somehow, Rose just couldn’t summon any kind of hate. We’ve killed your kind too.

  Is that why you wouldn’t use your power on me?

  I… I don’t know. It just didn’t feel right.

  Asher nodded, grunting as he pushed himself up into a seated position.

  Here. Rose helped position the tray on his lap. As she did, her dragon necklace swung forward, sparkling in the light.

  Thanks. What’s that?

  Just a necklace my mother gave me.

  Pretty, Asher said as he took his first bite. I’m surprised they allow it here. Dragons aren’t exactly popular. He chewed thoughtfully as he looked at Rose.

  That was when it hit her. He was eating. His mouth was closed, but he was still talking to her. With rising horror, Rose realized that she hadn’t opened her mouth either, not since he’d first spoken to her. Her jaw was clenched shut, but she had undoubtedly been speaking to him.

  She and Asher had just had a conversation in their minds.

  No. it was impossible. She had to be imagining it. Asher was watching her with knowing eyes.

  “Did you…?” This time, she forced herself to speak the words aloud. A small smile graced his lips.

  “Rose! Are you done yet?”

  “I—yes, I’m done.” Rose staggered to her feet, backing away, her eyes on Asher. He was still watching her as she slammed the door on her way out.

  “Are you alright? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

  “What? No, he didn’t do anything. I just—I don’t think I like being down here.”

  Kaylee nodded approvingly. “Good. I can see you’re already starting to shift attitudes. Don’t worry, I won’t keep you at this forever. Once you can show me you’ve learned better, I will revoke the sentence.”

  “Yes,” Rose said blankly. She knew that telling Kaylee what had just happened would be a bad, bad idea. If Kaylee thought she was in need of punishment for simply refusing to hurt dragons, how would she react if she even suspected Rose had some kind of connection with them that allowed her to talk to them in her mind?

  “Can I go now?”

  “Yes, of course. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Rose dashed out of the basement and hurried to her room. Annabelle was perched on the windowsill, listening to some music. Not wanting to talk, Rose pulled the hangings on her bed, curling up into a ball, trying to control her breathing.

  For perhaps the hundredth time, she considered leaving. Medical benefits or not, she wasn’t going to be any use to human medicine if she got locked up for consorting with dragons.

  Rose tried to convince herself that it had all been in her head, but Asher’s reaction told her it wasn’t. She wanted answers, but the last thing she wanted was to get caught going to see the dragons when she hadn’t been ordered to be there.

  There was always tomorrow night. After all, if she really could talk to them in her head, she’d be able to ask them all the questions she wanted without Kaylee overhearing the conversation. The thought was a disturbing one, but if she did have some kind of mystical connection to the dragons, Rose wanted to know about it.

  She rolled over, forcing her wide eyes shut. Tomorrow would be a long day, and she needed her rest.

  Unsurprisingly, no sooner had she fallen asleep than she was plagued by dreams. Rose didn’t know if they were simple dreams, or if it was another mental link to the dragons. Did they have the same dreams? She’d have to ask Asher tomorrow.

  Though asking him if he’d dreamed about taking her out into the forest and ravishing her was hardly a good way to start a conversation with a man she barely knew.

  Rose tossed and turned, finally waking up about an hour before dawn. She doubted she’d be able to get much more sleep, and resigned herself to an early morning. Though she knew that she needed to concentrate on her classes, she could think of little else but tonight, when she would see the dragons again.

  Chapter Seven

  To Rose’s great relief, they seemed to have moved on from the pain spell by the next day. Now, they were working on conjuring fire to fight dragons. It wasn’t her favorite activity, but at least they were aiming for metal targets on the other side of the room rather than actual people.

  “Now, what you have to remember is that dragons are resistant to ordinary fire.” Kaylee was treating Rose as if the incident from two days ago had never happened, for which Rose was grateful. She was, however, worried about what would happen when she was inevitably asked to attack one of the dragons again.

  “Why do we use it, then?” Rose didn’t usually speak up to ask questions, but her curiosity got the better of her. “If they’re immune, what’s the point?”

  “It’s to do with energy and spell difficulty. Conjuring fire may look big and flashy, but it’s actually a relatively simple use of magic. It’s a high reward for a low amount of energy. There are other things we can fight dragons with, and I will teach you those too, but this is always a safe bet. Modifying the spell enough that the fire can hurt them is still a lot less energy-intense than some of the other things we’ll do.”

  “So, how do you modify it?”

  Kaylee looked pleased that Rose was participating in the class, giving her an approving smile. “There are a few
ways to do it, but the best one is to change the composition of the fire to make it acidic. They may be immune to the heat, but not the acid. If you do it strongly enough, it can burn right through their scales. Even if you don’t do it that strongly, it’ll still hurt them.”

  Great. Just what Rose needed—more torture. Still, she listened carefully to Kaylee’s explanation of how to do it. As long as they were just hitting a metal target, she saw no reason to draw Kaylee’s ire by refusing.

  After a couple of demonstrations, Kaylee divided them into pairs, putting Rose and Annabelle together to practice on the same target. Rose was only able to produce small flames that didn’t reach the target, but Annabelle assured her it was normal.

  “I’ve done this spell a couple of times before. Don’t worry, it’ll come with practice.” Her flames were reaching almost halfway to the target. Rose redoubled her concentration, determined to at least hit the target.

  “Excellent, Rose!” Kaylee praised as a small jet of fire singed the target. “Very good. Keep doing just that, and you’ll soon have mastered the spell.”

  Annabelle squeezed her shoulder and gave her a proud smile before turning to the target herself. Kaylee moved over to Wendy and Jade, giving Rose the opportunity to ask the question that had been in the back of her mind since last night.

  “Annabelle… are the dragons able to read minds?” She didn’t want to ask Kaylee, in case Kaylee thought Rose was showing too much interest in dragons, but she reckoned it would be safe to ask Annabelle.

  “No, not anymore. Many generations back, when witches and dragons were powerful allies, they were so in tune that they were able to have entire conversations in their heads. Thankfully, it’s been a long time since we’ve thought of them as anything but the enemy. That ability has died out on both sides.”

  Instead of making her feel better, the information sent a jolt of fear through Rose’s entire body. If witches hadn’t been able to communicate mentally with dragons for generations, why could she do it without any kind of practice or training?