by Tara West
Draque quickened his pace, then leaped upward, beating hot air down on her with his heavy wings. “We’re here, Fathers.”
Teju jumped into the air, too, soaring through the cavern after his brother.
She and Ladon sprinted to keep up with them. It would’ve been easier for Ladon to shift and fly as well, and she was even more grateful to him for staying with her.
By the time she ran through the double doors, her chest was heaving and she was out of breath. Three massive dragons sat atop a dais carved from shimmering stone. Few wall sconces lit the dark cavern, and their long necks cast eerie shadows across the uneven walls.
The dragon in the center of the dais had dark bronze scales and long, white whiskers that hung down over his jowls like an old man’s moustache. He let out a rumble so deep, she felt it in her gut.
Turning his long neck to a ceiling so distant she saw only darkness, he released a stream of fire and then looked at his two dragon sons. “The school burned to the ground, and there are no signs of survivors!”
Serah wondered why the kings were in dragon form when they could easily meet their guests as humans, but she quickly realized this was a means of intimidation. It certainly worked, because she was one cough away from crapping her pants.
Draque sat stoically before his fathers, wings pulled back and tail tucked under his legs. “It wasn’t us. We were down below in detention. We had no idea until this morning.”
“Don’t lie to us.” The dragon beside him had scales the color of warm honey and one empty socket where his golden eye should have been. “Our spies saw you three flying over the Werewood Forest last night with the Goldenwand heiress in your talons.”
Teju puffed up his chest. “Your spy is lying. We spent all night in detention. We swear it on the Scrolls of Makarios.”
The third dragon father, with golden scales so pale they appeared to have been bleached by the sun, snarled, revealing rows of criss-crossed, jagged teeth. “Who is that girl with you?”
Draque’s massive body went rigid. “She is the Goldenwand heiress.”
When all three fathers broke into low murmurs and growls, glaring at her through slitted lids, she thought she’d die from fright. “She spent last night in detention with us,” Ladon said, then averted his eyes when his dragon fathers looked at him like a hawk spotting a mouse.
“We would speak with her,” the whiskered dragon said.
She wished these dragons would all shift, so they could speak as humans and not terrifying beasts.
Awww, fuck! Thelix groaned. I’m outta here.
Thanks for your support, Serah grumbled.
“Child,” the pale dragon said, “tell us what happened.”
She summoned the courage to speak. “Exactly what your sons said. We spent the night in the dungeon, and when nobody came for us, we surfaced and saw the destruction.”
The one-eyed dragon arched a brow. “How did you escape the dungeon?”
She gestured to the brothers. “They had their wands.”
The one-eyed dragon shared skeptical looks with his brothers. “I thought wands weren’t allowed in the dungeon.”
Teju guiltily cleared his throat. “They’re not.”
The whiskered dragon said, “Nathaniel Goldenwand will use the attack on your school to press Parliament into declaring an act of war on the shifter race.”
“Your sons had nothing to do with it,” she blurted. She’d no idea why she felt so compelled to defend them, but she couldn’t let the night she spent in their arms turn into an act of war.
The whiskered dragon gave her a pointed look. “Will you tell your grandfather this?”
She nodded eagerly. “Yes.” Though she feared her grandfather’s wrath after he discovered his granddaughter had slept with shifters, it was worth it if her confession prevented war.
The whiskered dragon shook his wings like a bird ruffling its feathers. “Then we must return you to the witches immediately.”
“No!” all three brothers bellowed in unison.
She clutched her throat. Why wouldn’t they want her to go back after their argument?
“You dare defy us?” the whiskered dragon roared.
“Fathers, her fairy godmother just tried to kill her,” Draque said. “There was an enchantment on her wand.”
“Any idea who would do that?” the pale dragon asked Serah.
She shook her head, her shoulders falling. “No, I don’t.”
She did her best to ignore Draque and his brothers when they grumbled her grandfather’s name.
“How many families does your godmother serve?” the one-eyed dragon asked.
She swallowed back a lump of emotion. She knew where he was going with this. “Just ours.”
“Who does she answer to?” the one-eyed dragon continued.
Her heart sank. “My grandfather.”
The dragon kings’ large luminous eyes shone with pity. They looked at her as if she was a ghost.
“Goddess save us,” they whispered in unison.
I told you, Thelix said wanly.
“Take the heiress to your chamber and await our instructions,” Kron said to his sons.
Forget hiding in the chamber. Serah wished the earth would open up and swallow her whole.
Chapter Six
Strapped to an uncomfortable chair, Doris Doublewart tensed when a massive golden dragon sidled up to her, steam blowing out his wide nostrils.
“Are you comfortable?” he asked.
She turned her head. “Go away, sulfur breath.”
Roaring, he spun around, nearly knocking her over with his barbed tail as he stomped out of the cavern.
She knew how to escape her bonds—she was a djinn, after all, and could easily transform into a small child and slip away—though she pretended to be trapped by her captors. She’d been terrified when they’d first grabbed her, but now she was more annoyed than anything.
She knew these men—correction, boys. They were her former students, and though they’d been tricky, mischievous dragon shifters, they had good hearts like their fathers and younger brothers.
They’d captured her for leverage over Nathaniel Goldenwand. She didn’t blame them. The evil wizard was plotting an attack against the shifter race. She felt it in the marrow of her bones.
Even if the dragons managed to capture Seraphina Goldenwand, it wouldn’t have done any good. She knew Nathaniel’s type. He cared for no one but himself. All Doris had to do was convince the dragons of that before it was too late.
SERAH WAS RELIEVED to see Draque and Teju turn back into humans. Her relief was short-lived, as she still had to run to keep up with them. She had no idea where they were going, but she hoped they stopped soon. She had many questions. First, when would they find out about their school? There had to be survivors. She couldn’t imagine every student and teacher perishing. Second, when would she get to leave The Grotto?
They entered a smaller cavern after traversing another maze of stalls, and she passed a furry woman with ears as big as platters, trying to sell her moldy cheese. She didn’t like it here and couldn’t wait to be elsewhere.
Her dragon princes appeared to be unfazed, waving off the woman with laughter. As she admired Draque’s confident stride and round ass, she wondered what magic he and Teju had used to shift from giant, hulking dragons and back to humans, and still have their school uniforms be intact. She hadn’t shifted in almost three years, but she’d always destroyed her clothes, especially pants. Her long, scaly tail tore through them. Whatever spell they’d used, surely her Goldenwand had a similar one stored on its memory card.
“My grandfather would never try to kill me,” she whined at Draque’s back as he pushed through a throng of shifters. “He loves me.” At least she thought he did. He never gave her any indication he didn’t love her. “Where are we going?”
“To our chamber,” Teju said over his shoulder when Draque ignored her. “Just like our fathers ordered.”
; “Are they going to tell the authorities I’m here?”
“Yes,” he answered tersely.
Good. Maybe they’d demand her safe return. Her grandfather couldn’t be behind her attempted murder. He had no reason to want her dead. He’d saved her after the sirens had tried to murder her. No way was he the monster they made him out to be. Someone else had enchanted her godmother’s wand. Maybe Miss Pixiefeather Pratt. She wouldn’t put it past the annoying little bitch. “I know you think he’s horrible, but—”
“Oh my Goddess!” a woman said shrilly in the distance. “There are my sexy dwagon-wagons!”
A tall girl with flowing pale hair, clad in a skimpy dress that barely covered her crotch, came barreling toward them. Her tits, which were even bigger than Serah’s, bounced like boulders strapped to her chest.
She threw herself into Draque’s arms, wrapping her long, tanned legs around his waist and making him stumble.
Fucking bitch is trying to steal our man, Thelix complained. Claw her eyes out!
Serah latched onto Ladon’s arm. “Who in Hades is she?” she hissed, wincing when she sounded like a spitting cobra.
“Fuck,” Ladon said through clenched teeth. “Katherine.” He looked at her with alarm in his eyes. “She’s nobody.”
Huh. Could’ve fooled her.
Draque untangled himself from Katherine like he was trying to take off a jacket that was two sizes too small.
She landed on her feet with a pout, thrusting her chest in his face and gazing at him with large, emerald-green eyes. “What’s wrong?” she cried, dragging a long fingernail down his chest.
“Katherine, we don’t have time to talk.” When he pushed her aside, Katherine looked ready to spontaneously combust.
“Well, too bad.” Jutting hands on her hips, she glared at him and then his brothers. “You will make time for your mate.”
“Your mate?” Serah gasped. Those lying, two-timing lizards!
“No,” Draque said firmly, giving Katherine a look that would melt steel. “She’s delusional.”
“Katherine.” Teju groaned. “You’re not our mate.”
She raised her chin. “I’m as good as your mate.” She cast a glanced at Serah. “Who’s she?”
Ladon wrapped a possessive arm around her. “This is Seraphina.”
She didn’t try to shove him away when he squeezed her tight. Truthfully, the thought of pissing off Katherine gave her great pleasure.
“The Goldenwand bitch?” Katherine spat the words like they were made of venom.
Serah jerked back like she’d been slapped and wished she had her wand.
“Mind your choice of words,” Draque said with a low growl.
Clenching her hands, Katherine’s face hardened as she locked eyes with Draque. “Who is she to you?”
“None of your business,” Teju answered.
She shot him a glare. “It damn well is my business. Don’t tell me you’re fucking her?”
Claw the bitch’s eyes out! Thelix demanded.
“Again,” Draque said coolly, “none of your business.”
He could’ve just told her Serah was their mate, but he didn’t, and she didn’t know where she stood with them after Draque overheard her damming conversation with her godmother.
“Listen, bitch.” Katherine advanced on her and poked a long, curved finger that looked more like a talon at her chest. “I don’t know what spell you’ve cast over them, but their parents chose me to be their mate.”
Ignoring the low growls coming from her dragon shifters, she straightened her shoulders, refusing to be intimidated. “Maybe they should let their sons pick their mate.”
Katherine’s lip pulled back in a feral snarl. “Maybe you should just fuck off.”
Thelix let out a screech that sounded like an enraged hellcat. Kill the bitch!
“Enough, Katherine,” Teju said.
When Draque stepped between them, Katherine peered over his shoulder. “She’s bewitched you!” she shrieked.
“Not hardly.” Serah rolled her eyes. “You’re lucky I don’t have my wand.”
“Ohhh!” Katherine threw up her hands, which were definitely curved into sharp bird-like claws. “Your special Goldenwand that does all the work for you? You’re lucky I don’t slice open your neck with my talons.”
A low rumble erupted from Draque’s chest as his skin transformed into glistening, golden scales. “You touch her, and you’ll regret it,” he said in a deep, dragon baritone.
“Draque, dearest,” Katherine cooed, stroking his cheek. “You wouldn’t hurt me, would you?”
He smacked her hand away. “Back off, Katherine. I mean it.” He turned to Serah, eyes glowing yellow and narrowed to slits. “Come on.” He led her through the throng.
She would’ve been touched by the way he’d defended her if he wasn’t dragging her so hard, it made her arm throb.
“Draque,” she complained, fighting his grasp. “You’re hurting me.”
His golden eyes became more feral, lengthening to oblong slits. “You keep away from her, do you understand me?” He clutched her shoulders.
She winced when his nails dug into her skin. “I’m a big girl, and I can defend myself,” she said more harshly than she meant but she was overwhelmed and confused by his sudden attention.
“Not against a Griffin.” Shadows fell across his features. “She will cut you open before you can defend yourself. I’ve seen her do it.”
Well, shit. She’d heard of psycho ex-girlfriends, but this shifter-bitch brought “cat fight” to a whole new level.
Thelix gulped. Forget what I said about killing the bitch.
DRAQUE KEPT HOLD OF Serah’s hand as they trekked through a maze of dark tunnels lit by ancient wall sconces, heading toward the living quarters he shared with his brothers. She hoped his protectiveness meant he’d forgiven her for their earlier misunderstanding. She was pleasantly surprised as they passed several normal-looking, smiling shifters who didn’t smell like old cheese or have hair as thick as twine growing out of their ears. Other than the fact that The Grotto was in a deep, dark cave somewhere in the bowels of the earth, it wasn’t as bad as the horror stories she’d heard from her grandfather. He’d told her the place reeked of raw sewage and was as hot as satan’s sweaty armpit. But the scents of mint and fresh-cut grass overpowered the sulfuric smell, and the air that blew through the tunnels was refreshing.
They made their way down a narrow tunnel with doors and windows carved into the walls on either side and cheery fires reflecting from within. She recognized the mouthwatering odors of roasting meats and was painfully reminded that she hadn’t eaten breakfast.
Draque opened a door and led her inside, and she noted the cleanliness and elegant decor. The walls were lined with plush tapestries of golden dragons, and the floor was covered in bright orange and gold furs.
She sat on a sofa of pillows and furs, watching nervously while Draque and his brothers paced. When two servants brought them platters of bread, cheeses, meat, fruit, and drinks, the brothers stopped, their nostrils flaring.
“What’s this?” Draque asked one of the servants, who looked part were-gerbil, with a wide, flat nose and pink ears that twitched.
“A gift from the kings,” he said, his gaze flitting to Serah before he bowed out of the room, the other servant following him.
Teju popped a piece of cheese in his mouth. “Our fathers usually make us fend for ourselves.”
“But we usually don’t have a beautiful guest with us,” Ladon said with a wink.
Heat flushed her cheeks, but her growling stomach refused to let anything prevent her from eating.
He wants you, Thelix observed. Maybe you haven’t totally blown it.
They ate in silence for the most part, other than when Teju threw back his head and let out a fiery burp, coating the ceiling with red and gold embers. She knew her grandfather would disapprove of his manners, but for some reason, she wasn’t bothered. He was a dragon. She could
n’t expect him to go against his nature.
That made her think. She’d been going against her nature the past three years to please Grandfather. Though she sometimes missed the water, she hadn’t shifted since going to live with him. Swallowing a lump of food, she washed it down with several gulps of juice. No longer in the mood to eat, she set her goblet down.
Draque pushed back his chair, frowning down at his brothers. “Something’s not adding up.”
Teju leaned back, folding his hands behind his head. “A lot of things don’t add up.”
“Don’t you think it’s odd investigators weren’t on the scene?” Draque asked.
Serah was stunned. No one was looking for survivors?
Ladon set down his drink. “Maybe they hadn’t found out yet.”
Draque turned to her. “Your godmother knew about it last night, right?”
She fidgeted, scared where this was going. “She did.”
“What did she say?” he asked.
Clutching her hands in her lap, she said, “That my grandfather was ready to wage war against the dragon kings for my murder.”
Teju and Ladon jumped up, standing beside their brother.
“So he knew about the attack last night, and he didn’t alert the authorities?” Draque asked accusingly.
She crossed her arms. “Your fathers knew about the attack, too.”
He leaned against the fireplace mantel, every muscle tensed. “They have spies.”
She shrugged. “Maybe my grandfather has spies, too.”
“Then why didn’t he say something?” Draque demanded.
“Why didn’t your fathers say something?” She hid her uneasiness. Something was very wrong.
Teju flashed a smug smile. “Because they’d suspect shifters were involved.”
“The authorities could’ve been there.” She twisted the cloth napkin in her lap. “They might have been hiding behind invisibility spells.”
Draque shook his head. “Then why didn’t they arrest us?”
“We were only there a few seconds,” she argued, but she was lying to herself. They’d been there long enough to be approached by investigators.
