The Dragon's Pledge

by K.N. Lee

  The same one who allowed innocent virgins to be slain in his name?

  She’d rather not be seen by such a brutal god.

  “Do you see anything?”

  Elle began to speak, shaking her head. She paused when the white wolf appeared before her, walking along a path of light.

  “The white wolf,” she replied.

  “Good,” he said. “Follow it.”

  She did so, keeping a few feet behind as her feet lightly touched the path of gold. At her sides was a deep indigo, and above were still clouds. As she followed the wolf, it lead her along the darkness to a doorway that stood in the center of it all.

  Her eyes widened as a massive temple materialized around that tall, stone door. She realized that it was the ruins she and Alexi had stood before, but beautiful and imposing in its immaculate glory.

  The wolf stopped before the door, and turned to her. It sat on its hind legs and waited.

  Elle knew what to do, and quickened her step to reach him. Once she was at his side, she reached for the golden door knob that fit her hand perfectly. She curled her fingers around the semi-circle, and pushed inward.

  A blinding, white light assaulted her eyes as it opened, and as she gasped, a world of chaos and death was revealed to her.

  She could only stand it for a few seconds before slamming the door shut before her—before returning to Alexi’s side.

  He held her steady as she struggled to catch her breath—to stop the torrent of tears that streamed down her face.

  He smoothed her hair, holding her close. “What happened?” he asked. “What did you see?”

  Elle looked up to him through a veil of tears, and tried to slow her ragged breaths and rapid heartbeat.

  As she looked up at him, she couldn’t see his face, just the images that clung to her mind from what waited for her inside that door.

  “I saw why they’re coming,” she whispered, and squeezed her eyes shut. The sickening visions wouldn’t fade.

  Betrayal. Revenge. Slaughter.

  “I saw the destruction of my father’s kingdom. I saw—what your ancestors did to mine.”

  His face darkened then, but he didn’t let go, he held her close, and kissed her forehead. He held her tight, close, with a protectiveness she hadn’t expected. In his arms, she felt safe, despite what she knew of his ancestors—of the Davidians’ past.

  “Good,” he said, and rested his chin on top of her head. “The truth might save us.”

  She nodded. “It has to,” she said.

  “It will,” he agreed, and held both of her hands before her, kissing her knuckles. “Now, let’s get back to the palace, and out of this cold.”

  “Yes,” she said, noticing how weary and worn out she was. “Let’s do that.”

  Elle and Alexi walked back to the palace under the dark cloak of night.

  The grounds were clear of guests, and more guards were stationed after the surprise visit from the king of Shiran. All Elle wanted now was to sleep as long as she was allowed to.

  Hand-in-hand, she didn’t want to be alone after what she’d seen. She stayed close, her cheek pressed to his upper arm.

  Her mind was full of disturbing images, and the revelation of more secrets. Having Alexi at her side was more welcome that she’d thought at this early stage.

  Nothing was as it seemed, that much she was certain of. Perhaps in this dark time the Davidians would be her allies. Despite what she knew their mother had done.

  She could not use her magic to heal that woman. Not if she wanted to stay true to her soul, and her soul forbade it.

  She just wasn’t certain how to avoid such a task.

  As Alexi took her back to her private quarters the torches lining the walls lit their way. Once they reached her room, he opened the door for her, and waited for her to step inside.

  “Thank you,” she said, lingering in the doorway as he held it open for her. For some reason, she didn’t want to say goodnight. She wanted to feel safe, and secure, and she knew that if he walked away, that feeling would vanish with the closing of her door.

  He stepped closer, and she backed into the darkness of her room.

  “Stay,” she whispered, and without a word, he swept in and caught her by the waist, pulling her into the hardness of his body.

  She was stunned by his actions, but didn’t resist.

  Her mind buzzed with the effects of the wine, and his kiss washed away all anxiety and worry. Just to be held was bliss, and while he did so, the masculine scent of his body and sensation of his lips upon hers was dizzying.

  He devoured her mouth with his, like the hungry wolf that he was.

  The heat of their bodies was a stark contrast to the chill in her room. Her nightly fire hadn’t been lit, but it didn’t matter.

  They didn’t need it.

  In the cold, and dark, they were two flames, bound to one another.

  He kicked her door closed with the sole of his boot, and slid her dress down her shoulders until it got caught at her waist by the tight sash.

  Their tongues collided in a sensual dance that made the heat and blood rush up her body and simmer in her core.

  With his lips pressed to hers, she released a soft sigh, and closed her eyes.

  As he led her to the bed, she found herself submitting to the desire raging between them. For a moment—the tender one they shared—nothing else existed, and as his kiss trailed along her collarbone, she wanted nothing more than to lose herself in their passion.

  At the edge of the bed, he untied her sash, and she stood before him in her underdress as the rest of the dress fell in a pool around her feet.

  “Will you stay?” Elle asked. “Just for the night.”

  “I’ll stay as long as you need me to,” he replied, and a smile came to her lips.

  As he took off his shoes, she climbed into bed. She lay there in her undergarments, and spied on him through the tiny slivers of moonlight spilling into the room.

  When he joined her in bed, he held her by the face and kissed her again.

  “Elle,” he whispered, and she snuggled into his chest.

  “Yes, your—Alexi?”

  “You are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”

  She smiled, and he pulled her close in an embrace that sustained her throughout the entire night.

  10

  King Thane flew back to Shiran. He flew for hours, all throughout the night.

  Under the shroud of moonlight, he muted his glowing gold, and made himself translucent against the inky, black sky.

  Not all dragons could do such a thing. But, he wasn’t just any dragon.

  He was king.

  The Golden Dragon.

  As he headed to his sleeping palace, he wondered if Elle knew the truth of who he was—what they meant to each other.

  She’d been his for a few, sweet—yet brief days. But, there was a chance that she might be his for all eternity.

  Otherwise, he wasn’t sure if he could keep the Serpent Sisters from hunting her down and bringing her to her death.

  No. That couldn’t happen.

  It wouldn’t.

  He’d seen into her soul, and knew she felt the same about him. They were two important pieces in this massive game.

  He landed on the smooth, white paved courtyard floor, and shifted back into his human form.

  In his cloaks, and sandals, he walked up the many stairs that led inside. The guards parted ways, and opened the door for him.

  Inside, there was silence.

  Too much silence.

  With furrowed brows, Thane turned to look behind him. The doors had just been sealed shut, yet Sister Gulathi stood there, waiting, as if she’d been there all along.

  Her lips curled into a smile, though there was no amusement in her thin, eyes.

  “So,” she began, clasping her hands before her. “You’ve gone and pledged your loyalty to the Lycae? You’ve betrayed your race for…a woman?”

  Thane clenched his ja
w, despite his fear of the powerful sorceress before him. There was a reason she was the head of the sect. She’d seen things.

  Done things.

  She was a warrior of the spirit world, and no one could match her in power.

  No one from the mortal world, that is.

  He nodded. “I did,” he said. “I did what was necessary to bring peace.”

  She lifted a brow, and tilted her head as she regarded him. “No. You did what was right for the member in your pants. You ran after her for lust. The wolf king will never let you have what he has claimed.”

  That made his face and the back of his neck hot. He struggled to temper his rage, and grant her the respect her rank deserved. He must remember, the sisters only allowed him to rule. They didn’t need him, or owe him anything.

  That reminder helped calm his boiling rage, and he exhaled.

  “You are mistaken. Yes, I have grown to care for the girl, but my logic sees it differently. The other kingdoms are coming—coming to end everything the Enchanted Kingdom has built. They smell weakness against the tribes that founded this realm, and wish to drive us out—to end our reign. Imagine if we were all united once more, but not under the wolves. What if we were ruled by one symbol of us all. The hybrid,” he said, and narrowed his eyes.

  Sister Gulathi’s brows rose then, as she began to understand his reasoning. Her smile faded, and her bronze cheeks paled. Tapping her bottom lip, she peered down at the floor, and paced. Then, she stopped as realization filled her eyes.

  “Yes,” she said, her voice soft. “The one true heir of the gods.”

  11

  The wind howled, and Tristan peered over the edge of the cliff, and down to the Castilan Palace with its tall walls, and spaced out towers.

  Morning crept across the Enchanted Kingdom, and the Davidians had no idea what was coming.

  A weapon walked amongst them, unknowing of its true power and potential.

  The fae deserved such a weapon, for she was as much theirs as the wolves. Did the Davidian’s truly believe they were so entitled to keep everything for themselves.

  Havoc was spreading across the south, and as it began to spread to the other regions of the Enchanted Kingdom, the fae felt the heat of war rising every day. Outsiders were beating at their door, and not even the Davidians would be safe when these invaders arrived.

  “What do you think?” Marx, his brother asked, quietly, sharpening his enchanted sword and chewing a piece of dried fava bread.

  Snow began to fall, and Tristan closed his eyes, breathing in the chill in the air. Winters were mild in Ayland, the kingdom of his mother Queen Aylin. She’d sent them on this mission, after the Davidian brothers campaigned for an audience with her.

  It wasn’t a surprise that his people were wary of anything concerning the Wolves.

  “I think we need to find a way to speak to her,” Tristan said, folding his arms across his ivy-green light armor, with brass bracers.

  With his bow and arrows strapped against his back, and dagger at his hip, he and his brother were always prepared for battle. Like his brother, he shared their mother’s bright, white hair and large gray eyes. Narrow faces, and slender bodies were customary for the fae, and translucent wings with intricate patterns etched into them made each faerie unique.

  “What do you propose?” Marx asked, sheathing his sword. He stood and joined Tristan at the edge of the rocky cliff. The sun had yet to rise, and the murky gray sky was quiet and still, as the world below awaited the arrival of the sun.

  “We wait,” Tristan said, eyes cast to the palace, wondering if she was asleep or awake, feeling her presence even between the miles between them.

  She was like a dream—one that haunted him since childhood, and still visited him in his slumber even as a young man.

  How could the the crown prince of Castilan claim what wasn’t his?

  She was fae, through and through.

  And, soon enough, she’d be his—even if he had to destroy all of the wolves to have her.

  12

  Alexi couldn’t sleep.

  Even with Elle by his side, he couldn’t get over the odd sensation that something was wrong.

  True, the beating of her heart and intoxicating scent of her body begged him to stay. It was his wolf senses that growled inward, urging him to get up.

  He did so, leaving silently, and closing Elle’s door behind him. Once outside, he turned his sharp gaze to the forest.

  Yes. There.

  After shifting into his feral form, he raced through the trees, the cold earth beneath his paws, the crisp wind blowing at his face. He’d always known he’d have to share Elle, that she was special and a gift to this world.

  Could he truly be so selfish? He skidded to a stop, just before the river, and stared at his reflection in the water. White fur rustled in the wind, and his eyes glowed.

  They’d shared an intimate night that he’d replayed in his mind every night since. Now, Thane, the king of Shiran, a serpent kingdom wanted what was his.

  This was something he’d never imagined. Perhaps this was the right route to peace. To be allies with the dragons would be a monumental for all of the Enchanted Kingdom.

  If only he could betray his heart and give her up.

  The sound of the forest broke him from his thoughts. Birds chirped, and squirrels scurried along the underbrush and up into the branches of the tall trees.

  He tilted his head, listening to the distinctive sounds and layers of scent wafting through the air. He spun around, teeth bared.

  Something was amiss.

  Every sense intensified as he realized there were beings in his forest that shouldn’t be there.

  Faeries.

  Glancing upward, he caught the faint sight of shimmering wings as two faeries darted across the sky above, just over the canopy of trees. He glared at them, noting the glint of light off their swords, and armor.

  What were they doing so far from their own realm?

  Ayland was separate for a reason.

  As he followed them with his eyes, he realized that there was something different in Castilan—someone to be fair.

  Elle.

  It seemed not only the Wolves and the serpents wanted her, but now the fae were prepared to put their bid into the mix.

  Bloody brilliant.

  13

  The cold of the early morning awoke Elle.

  It nipped at her exposed face, and she pulled the soft, fur-lined blanket up to cover her mouth and chin. Memories of the night before with Alexi still haunted her.

  War. Death. Destruction.

  What path led to peace?

  To her dismay, he was gone.

  She couldn’t remember him leaving, but reasoned that as future king, she was certain he had responsibilities. She couldn’t fault him for that, but she missed his presence and warmth at her side.

  Alone, she lay in bed, staring at the wooden beams above her head, tracing the grooves and dark hollow bits with her eyes. Her mind was a storm of emotion and confusion.

  The king of the dragons had arrived just the night before, and pledged his loyalty to her. It was something she never imagined could happen. During her time in Shiran, she had felt herself falling for him, and pulled as far away as she could. Still, his charms melted away her walls and barriers, and forced her to face the affection and adoration she had for the young king.

  As a child, the prospect of a man was far fetched for her. It wasn’t until she was revealed to be fertile with her first bleeding, that she began to wonder what kind of man would want her. The monastery prepared her for an arranged marriage, and she always assumed it would be to one man, and possibly someone she would have to force herself to love.

  Now, her heart was divided between many men, and somehow it felt right.

  Only one thing worried her more than King Thane and the Davidians; war was coming, and she was the cause.

  Frustrated, she left the warmth and comfort of her bed to close the door to he
r balcony. The howling of the wind instantly stopped, but the thumping of her heart filled her ears.

  A knock on her door came, and she flickered a look toward it.

  “Come in,” she said.

  Alexi stepped inside, and a smile came to her face, at seeing him. He was already dressed in leather armor, and dark britches. He even carried a sword at his side.

  Alarm filled her mind, and her smile faded. “Are you leaving?”

  He shook his head, and approached. “No, I’m not leaving your side.”

  Relief washed over her and she met him halfway to enter his embrace. There was such solace in Elian’s arms, and she relished every delicious second.

  “You alright, love?” Alexi asked, softly, smoothing her long, red hair.

  She closed her eyes and breathed in his feral scent of pine and herbs. “I’m not sure,” she whispered. “I never expected King Thane to come after me.”

  He held her at arm’s length. “Neither did any of us,” he said. “But, I will not ask you to choose. Not yet.”

  Her brows lifted as she searched his captivating brown eyes.

  “Are you certain?” Elle asked.

  “I am,” he said. “You’re special, Elle.”

  A smile came to her face—one that kept growing as one came to his.

  “Join me for breakfast, will you?”

  “Of course,” she said, nodding.

  “Very well,” he said, and walked to her bed to pull the rope that summoned her lady’s maids, Kera and Salana. “I’ll let you get ready.”

  After Alexi left, her maids filed in.

  “Morning, miss,” Kera said, bowing. Golden curls tumbled over her face as she did so. She tucked them behind her ears as Salana began preparing Elle for a hot bath. They tugged on her clothes, pulling her gown over her head, and poured buckets of hot water into the tub while she chewed her nails and thought of all she’d learned in such a short space of time.

  She stepped into the hot, steaming water scented with roses and honey, and closed her eyes as the water encircled her.

  With the cold air at her back, the luscious water soothed every muscle and nerve. But, as the maids began scrubbing and dousing water onto her head, her relaxation abruptly ended.