by K.N. Lee
The Dragon’s Pledge
The Crystal Keep Book Two
K.N. Lee
Copyright © 2019 by K.N. Lee
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
For my Family
If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.
Haruki Murakami
Contents
Enchanted Kingdom World Info
Part I
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
A Look at Academy of Lost Souls
A Look at Fate of the Goddess
About the Author
Also by K.N. Lee
Enchanted Kingdom World Info
WORLD RACES:
Humans
Wolf-Shifters
Dragon(Serpent)Shifters
Elves
Faeries
Wisps(Spirits)
LANDS:
Shiran
King Thane’s Kingdom (Serpent Kingdom)
Castilan
Davidian Clan Kingdom (Wolf Kingdom)
Ayland
Queen Aylin’s Kingdom (Fae Kingdom)
Nostheim
Queen Torryn’s Kingdom (Elven Kingdom)
Centegard
King Cort’s Kingdom (Wisp Kingdom)
Part I
1
Elle and the Davidian brothers arrived at the palace by nightfall, and the city of Castilan was basked in light and color.
They’d rode through the wilderness and forests for days, and though weary and eager to see her new home, a heavy weight rested on Elle’s shoulders.
She knew too much, and couldn’t forget the truth she’d learned in Shiran. It could very well be true that she was simply being used—used to cure the woman who destroyed her entire world.
The heavy weight of her worries melted away as the excitement and activity of the kingdom took precedence. The energy of this stunning place uplifted her spirits, and turned her attention to the grand buildings and crowds of people all around.
It seemed the city didn't sleep, and all of the citizens of Castilan roamed the streets, crowding closer. From the looks of wonder and joy on their faces, she could tell that they were pleased to see the return of the Davidian brothers.
From horseback, Elle watched them cheer and follow their procession into the city and along the winding, stone roads. Musicians played music, and women danced.
As she watched them, she realized that these weren't regular people—not the kind she was used to.
Everyone crowding the streets and hanging out the windows were not human at all.
They were wolves.
Her heart soared at the realization that so was she.
Finally, she’d found her people. Her clan.
The sky was aglow with sparklers, and her mouth went agape with bewilderment.
"Ah," Etian said. "To be home again."
"Looks like the lot has missed their boys," Drevah said, grinning with pride from his black steed.
"As they should," Matthias said, and Elle tensed at catching him watching her.
There was something magnetic about them all, and as they approached the Castilan Castle, she realized that things were only going to become more complicated. For she belonged to them all.
Once they reached the palace, the Davidian brothers called out the entire palace staff—hundreds of them, and lined them up to present Elle to them.
“This is your new mistress,” Alexi said, hands clasped behind him as he walked up the lines of staff who all stared at Elle with wonder.
“Treat her as your queen,” Matthias added. “For that’s who she will be to you all.”
Her hands tingled and heart raced at hearing those words.
Queen of Castilan? Queen of the Enchanted Kingdom?
An orphan had never had such a dream fulfilled, and Elle was no longer sure she even wanted the title.
2
The next morning, Elle woke up in her bed.
She didn’t want to leave the delicious warmth and comfort, but as the sun rose and spilled through the windows, the day began in a whirlwind. Today was the first day of her new life.
Servants entered, and began preparing her bath and clothing for the day. One pulled all of the drapes back and opened the windows, letting in the frigid air.
She sat up, covering herself with the blanket.
“Why are you doing that?” Elle asked, as the woman used an old broom to sweep the air toward the open windows. “It’s freezing cold!”
“Aye, miss,” the servant said, continuing her ritual. “But, one must chase out any bad energy out each day.”
“Oh,” Elle said, chewing her bottom lip. “I see.”
Someone handed Elle a cup of hot tea, which she was grateful to sip as waves of cold wind swept into her room.
A woman dressed in finer clothes than the servants entered.
“The dowager queen requests an audience with you,” she said.
The blood drained from her face as she met the woman’s eyes. “Very well,” she said, and her joy and excitement fleeted as she realized that soon, she’d meet the mysterious wolf who not only the Serpent Sisters, King Thane, and her mother feared.
She was to come face-to-face with the woman who killed her parents, and a wave of nausea flooded her.
Dowager Queen Emrie Davidian—the bringer of death—awaited.
Elle’s palms were wet with sweat. She’d bathed and gotten dressed, and met with Alexi and the other brothers in the main hall before heading up to Emrie’s tower.
Her heart drummed in her ribcage so loudly that she was certain everyone in attendance could hear it. Being wolves, she was certain of it, and that only intensified her fear. Each step along the carpeted floor, and then the smooth stone sent anxiety and nausea into her gut.
Once they entered the dowager queen’s room, she sat up in her bed, her eyes lighting up with hope as Elle approached.
"My dear," she said, softly, motioning for Elle to approach. "Come closer."
She swallowed, her breaths short and quick as she forced her feet forward.
"Sit with me."
Elle glanced back at the Davidian brothers, tears burning her eyes. Could they see her fear? Sense it? Smell it?
She sat in the chair at Emrie's bedside.
"Hello, mum," she said, her voice almost too low to hear.
Emrie took her hand and held it within hers.
"By the stars in the sky and all of the fish in the sea, you're really here," she said, and Elle's heart tugged at hearing her sweet voice, and seeing the look of love and hope in her eyes.
She couldn't truly be the evil King Thane spoke of.
"My dear boys never let me down," she said, giving Elle's had a loving squeeze. “Not once.”
Then, she sat up aga
inst the pillows, and turned to her. A smile came to her face and she looked to Elle like a child presented with a shiny, new toy.
"Now that you're here. Tell me your story. Tell it all. I want to know everything about you and what was like at the Crystal Keep.”
Elle swallowed, but nodded, prepared to tell her as little as possible.
This was the woman who killed her parents—the woman she was to destroy by not healing her sickness.
Elle’s stomach churned with dread as she forced a fake smile, and began her story.
3
After meeting the dowager queen, and having had breakfast, the birds sang and the air was crisp with the cool breeze as Elle sat in the back garden, watching the clouds appear. They wrapped around the mountains that stretched all around Castilan, and covered the entire valley city.
Their mother was nothing like she’d envisioned—but that didn’t take away the fact that she’d killed her parents.
Did that woman know, that she knew?
She sighed, closing her eyes.
Aside from that, King Thane stuck inside her mind, and it made her ill. Her stomach bubbled and grumbled at the memory of him.
His scent, the feel of his tongue against hers, the way he held her.
She shook her head. There had to be a way to forget him.
Alexi approached, his tall, and muscular frame nearly blocking the sun’s light.
Her eyes went to his large arms and the way he looked at her, as if he could eat her alive, right then and there. She shuddered, despite the tingle in her thighs that emerged whenever she did catch him watching her…which seemed to be whenever he was around.
She had to remember, this was the man—the shifter—who saved her life.
She looked away. She wasn’t so certain she wanted to be saved.
"Morning," he said, in that seductive voice that made her bones shiver.
She gave him a nod, uncomfortable under his gaze. "Morning, your highness.”
"Call me Alexi,” he corrected, and she chewed the inside of her lip.
"All right," she said. As he crossed the space between them, she tensed, unsure of what she would do with him so near.
He sat beside her, arms crossed, and followed her gaze at the clouds.
"So, what was it like up there with the serpents? I must admit, I was surprised to find you in such lavish accommodations. I suspected you’d be held in a dungeon of some sort.”
The question caught her off guard, and she wasn't sure how to respond. It was complicated, and not even she understood it all.
"It was lovely," she said, softly, and she found him staring at her.
"Is that right? Lovely."
She swallowed. Perhaps, she'd said too much.
"They were kind to me."
"Despite wanting to sacrifice you," he said, his brows furrowing. "I see. That does sound lovely, doesn't it?"
Sighing, she stood. His sarcasm wasn’t lost on her, but she still had yet to sort through her emotions and feelings of the situation.
“I do thank you, your highness,” she said. “But, I must excuse myself.”
Straightening her dress, she walked away, entering the castle. The quiet that surrounded her was what she needed.
She missed Thane, more than she was willing to admit—more than anyone would understand, and now, she would have to face the other wolves of Castilan.
She headed up the stairs to her private quarters.
With a sigh, she looked upward with determination.
“I can do this,” she said to herself. “I have to.”
4
That evening, a grand feast and ball had been prepared for the return of their future king. Soon, Alexi would be crowned, and all of the Enchanted Kingdom would be his.
As they stood in the main hall, the lords and ladies, and courtiers swarmed, keeping an appropriate distance, but eager to meet the beautiful girl who would be their new queen.
She still wasn’t sure what to think. There never seemed to be much choice in her life.
She held onto Prince Alexi’s arm, a bit put off by the amount of people watching her every move. After being shut up in the monastery for years, on the isolated farm all of her life, she hardly knew how to react around such a crowd.
The chatter filled her ears, and was almost too much to handle, but Alexi kept her calm somehow. He stroked the back of her hand, and all was well.
"Let's get a bit of fresh air," he said, as if anticipating her anxiety.
She nodded, eager to get away as fast as possible.
"Definitely," she said, and he led her away, through the crowds of courtiers, and threw the side doors that led to a stone outside area enclosed by a half-wall and rose bushes.
The quiet and still of the evening is just what she needed. Once they were outside, Alexi led her to a stone bench within the small garden. She drank her wine, and sighed as she sat beside him.
"What do you think?"
She lifted a brow, glancing at him. "What do you mean?"
"About all of this?" He held his arms open and smiled at her. "The castle, the crown, the clan of wolves at your command."
She exhaled, closing her eyes. "It's all a bit much, to be honest. I never asked for any of it."
"What did you ask for then, Elle?" Alexi asked, and there was no judgement or bitterness to his voice. There was only true curiosity. “I mean—I came specifically for you—and your soul called out for me. But, I can’t help but notice that you seem a bit distant of late. Cold.”
Her eyes opened, and looked off to the moon above with the sprinkle of glistening stars scattered across the black sky.
She shrugged. "I don't know," she said. “No one has ever asked me what I want. Ever.”
“Well, here I am,” he said, giving her a nudge. “Asking.”
She chuckled. "I've always wanted to sail across the sea to a far off island somewhere no one knows about. To bake cakes and sell them in a little village. I was a great baker, when I lived on the farm."
"Remarkable," he said. "You want a simple life, and a bit of adventure."
She nodded. "Yes. I do believe you're right."
"You can have that here," he said. "With me.”
"How?" Elle asked, truly wishing for an answer. It was all a bit overwhelming, but she wanted to make it work. Her heart craved it.
“I’d see you sitting by my side for the rest of our lives. I’d give you everything your heart desires, and more. But, there is evil out there, and it is my duty to banish it, or keep it at bay as long as we can. We have the safety of the entire Enchanted Kingdom in our hands, and the people of those races within our borders depend on me—on us if you decide to be mine.”
She sighed. "Exactly."
"But, listen," he said, moving closer, and taking her hands into his.
She tilted her head as he kissed her knuckles. Such a soft, sweet kiss.
"If you trust me, I will take care of you. Forever."
She smiled. "Will you?"
"Absolutely," he said. “A wolf who has claimed his mate is the truest of them all. Not only will I care for you. I will love you, and be by your side through the light and the dark."
Her eyes widened as she searched his. There had never been anything more beautiful than his words, and as she took her hands from his and placed them on either side of his face, she knew she felt the same.
"Aye," she said. "And, I will do the same."
His smile warmed every corner of her heart and when he leaned in to kiss her, it soared from her chest and through the night sky.
5
Once they returned to the great hall, the atmosphere had changed.
Everyone was quiet, still, and staring off to the entrance.
As she and Prince Alexi stepped inside and she glanced to follow their captivated gazes, her heart stopped.
King Thane.
She grabbed his arm, for stability as her knees buckled at the sight of him.
What was he doing th
ere?
A dragon in a wolf den.
She feared for his safety, and despite it all, ran to him.
The Davidian brothers were close by her side as she reached him and threw her arms around his neck.
"You shouldn't have come," she whispered, and he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I'd do anything for you," he whispered back, and her heart melted.
"State your business," Alexi said, his voice booming through the hall. It shook Elle to her core, and she released King Thane as if flames had ignited from his body.
She stepped away, returning to Alexi’s side. With Matthias and Drevah on either side of them, they were a pack, and the other wolves surrounded the golden dragon, ready to strike.
Her entire body tensed, and her jaw clenched.
She would not let them hurt him.
“I have a proposition for you all,” he said, his eyes lifting to meet Elle’s.
Something stirred within her as their eyes met, and she clutched Alexi’s arm.
“I pledge my loyalty, and fealty to her—my love, and devotion, if—she’ll have me.”
Those words sent a chill through her body, and her face blanched. As everyone turned to look at her, it was clear that the decision was hers.
Love?
“I will serve as your partner in arms against the coming storm, brother to the Wolves, and will command the breaking of the curse.”
