Sera swiftly extricated herself from his hold and stood, dusting her pants off. Bewilderment briefly flickered over Arius’ face, but he rearranged his features quickly into an easy smile.
“I can appreciate the strangeness of the situation for you. Please, if you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them.”
Still flustered from his closeness, Sera said the first thing that popped into her head, “Can you still breathe fire in this form?”
Arius chuckled. “Sadly, no. Although that would be something, eh?” He winked at her, a lock of his brown hair falling over his forehead and accentuating his roguish appearance.
He’s not making this easy. Gods, he is attractive.
She rubbed her hands over her face as she paced away from him. With a bit of luck, if she avoided looking him in the eye, she could wrestle her wayward thoughts into submission. Concentrating on the uneven rock at her feet, she thought about her next, hopefully less asinine, question.
“How does a dragon’s talent form? As in, is it a genetic thing? Oh Gods, please tell me your father can’t change into a human?” She blanched at that, panicking about the havoc Talegar could wreak in Mandar City as a man.
“No, no, it’s nothing like that.” Arius’ soothing voice was closer than she expected and she flinched. “His talent is vastly different from mine. To my knowledge, I am the only dragon currently alive who has this particular ability.”
His hand grasped her shoulder firmly and turned her to face him. Sera had planned to keep her eyes trained forward and ignore his beguiling face but now she was forced to examine his broad chest. The muscles rippled and flexed as if aching to be freed of the constraints of the delicate skin and to burst forth into scaled armour.
“How did you get that scar?” she asked as she traced her finger along the old wound.
He shuddered at her caress. “I fought another dragon. We rarely fight amongst ourselves, but when we do, it is a terrible thing to behold. I was blessed to not have been injured more severely.”
“What were you fighting about?”
He paused for so long she didn’t think he was going to answer. When he did it was a whisper. “About the death of my mother.”
“Oh! I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.” Sera cast her eyes down.
He held her jaw and tilted her chin gently up, forcing her to look at him. “Don’t be sorry.”
His gaze hovered on her lips before rising to meet her sapphire eyes. She could see a question in the swirling emerald irises, but she couldn’t bring herself to voice her answer. She trembled as he leant forward. He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, peace travelling across the planes of his face. Their breath mingled together as they stood together in silence, taking comfort in each other’s presence.
Too soon, Arius drew himself away with a reluctant smile. “I have to change back. I use up a lot of energy if I stay human for too long. Please excuse me.” He bowed low.
Sera giggled at the medieval gesture but delighted in it anyway.
Stepping away from her, his eyes glinting with mischief, he flashed a grin. “Are you ready for this?”
“Ready for wh–” She broke off with a shriek as he sprinted towards the cave’s mouth.
Leaping into the abyss, his human form exploded as massive wings unfurled from his shoulders and scales and spines erupted from his skin. His face elongated, talons bloomed from his fingers and a tail sprouted from his body. Thundering a challenge to the heavens, the copper dragon turned his massive head towards Sera as he hovered in front of her. Her mouth hung open, awestruck, as she took it all in.
“That. Was. Epic!”
Chapter Twenty
Standing at the cave’s entrance, Sera stared into the gloomy night sky. It had been a whole day since he had revealed his human form to her. They had spent the past twenty-four hours roaming the mountain, Arius alternating between human and dragon form. Together, they had explored her abilities, and she was feeling slightly more prepared for the impending interrogation. Every moment spent with him cemented her feelings for him further.
Tendrils of mist slipped into the cave, coating everything in inescapable dampness. Squalls of rain drove sheets of water into the entrance, spraying her. She stood still, accepting the soaking. The weather suited her mood. The fear of tomorrow’s meeting tore at her heart, threatening to overpower her resolve.
“It’s a full moon tonight,” she announced quietly.
“I know.” Arius’ voice was heavy. “The Council will meet us on the plateau tomorrow at first light. I will fly you up there. Do not fear, I will support you. You have learned to control your talent quickly; it’s quite remarkable. They cannot fault your desire to master your power. We will find a way to make them understand that you are not a threat. Come, Seraphina. Let us share one night of peace without worrying about what tomorrow will bring.”
He knelt and boosted her onto his back with his foreleg. They dove into the fog that shrouded the mountain, each stroke of his wings sending the clouds whirling away. It was a dreary night, clouds heavy with the threat of rain. She shook the front of her jacket to try to disperse the water droplets that slid down the leather. She inhaled the fresh scent of the coming storm, the sharpness filling her lungs. She couldn’t see a thing through the fog but the crisp air invigorated her body, making her blood hum.
Arius adjusted his flight and rose higher, bursting through the ceiling of the cloud cover and into the clear sky. Sera gasped as the misty world fell away. The full moon’s soft glow illuminated the tops of the clouds, painting them in shades of silver. The colour leeched from their bodies, creating a black and white scene as they sailed through the moonlit sky. In the distance, flashes of lightning lit up the sky. She leant over the dragon’s neck to look at the sea of clouds, longing to stretch a hand down and run her fingers through them.
He continued to rise into the heavens, soaring towards the glowing orb. The bitter wind chilled her, raising pebbles along her arms, even through her clothing. The heat that always burned within Arius soaked into her, warming her freezing body as she rested her head against his scales. Turning her face, she pressed her lips to his skin, thawing the ice crystals that coated them. A contented rumble resonated from deep within him. Blinking the frost from her eyelashes, she frowned as she concentrated on a faint melody.
She projected her thoughts into Arius’ mind. What is that? It sounds like… like a song. But like no song I’ve ever heard.
That’s Illundar. Or starsong in your tongue.
Starsong? I’ve never heard of it!
That’s because humans don’t normally fly this high without the assistance of noisy machines. If your kind listened more, they would discover all manner of secrets.
So what exactly is Illi… starsong?
Exactly what it’s called. The song of the stars.
Stars sing?
He chuckled softly. Yes. I forget that, while we may share the same world, you know so little of what exists outside your city.
Teach me?
It would take centuries to tell you everything. But I will try.
She had always assumed that science and technology had overtaken the magic of the mythics. She’d thought that any mystery remaining had faded from the world along with the dragons. A sense of wonder glowed in her soul every time Arius taught her about the magic that still inhabited the earth. They glided through the air on noiseless wings in companionable silence, both lost in their respective thoughts. She could easily forget about her old world, cocooned in this bubble of magic. Time spun out between them like a spool of thread, tenuous and fragile. She wished she could stay in this moment with him forever.
Arius?
Yes, Seraphina?
I… I just wanted to say… I’m glad.
Glad? For what?
That you took me. That you helped me. That you… befriended me.
Oh, Seraphina. His tone was wretched. I feel such remorse for taking you
away from your life. If I could go back… I would change everything. Though I will admit that I am selfish enough to be glad of your friendship too. I feel guilty for enjoying your company too much. I’m terrified of losing you. And of the fact that it’s inevitable. No matter what the Council decides tomorrow, I will lose you. Either back to your old life. Or by…
He let the sentence hang between them, not wanting to say the word, ‘execution.’ She forced the dread away that tried to take control of her thoughts.
There’s always more than two options.
What do you mean?
That’s something my dad always said… whenever you think you’re backed against the wall, there’s always another way.
Your father sounds like a wise man.
He is. I miss him.
I will do everything in my power to ensure that you are returned to him safely.
Can you do me a favour, Arius?
Anything.
If… If I do die… please make sure my body is returned to him. He’ll spend his whole life searching for me if I never come home, and I don’t want him to end up in danger on my account.
His wingbeats grew heavy with melancholy but he nodded. I will. I swear it.
Chapter Twenty-One
The stars began to wink out of existence as night gradually gave way to the dawn. The full moon had disappeared behind the mountain and the sun threatened to burst over the eastern horizon at any moment. Arius snorted softly to rouse Sera, but she was already awake. Her eyes felt like sandpaper every time she blinked.
After they returned from their flight, sleep had eluded her for most of the night as she played out potential scenarios. I have to make them see I have control. I’m not a threat to them. She moved to his side and stared out over the vista, laying her hand against his scaled cheek. He hummed deep in his throat in an attempt to soothe her and leaned into the contact. The now-familiar tug low in her abdomen returned, and she gave up trying to fight it. Turning towards him, she buried her face against his and sobbed. Releasing the silent heaves seemed to offer a type of healing in itself. Arius rested the end of his tail on her shoulders and pressed her to his cheek.
“It will be all right,” he rumbled. “I won’t let them hurt you.” A tremor ran through his body as he murmured, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t ha—” his voice broke, “I should never have called the Council. If I had known…” He trailed off and pulled himself away from her, a grim set to his mouth. “Come. We must go now.”
***
Arius flew them to the plateau as the sky lightened above them. His talons dug into the dirt, softening the impact of his landing. Sera leapt from his back and swept the area, looking for any potential escape routes or makeshift weapons, should it come to that.
A cliff face, a heap of rocks, a few trees and a few thousand-foot drop on the other side. Great.
She peered upwards, desperately trying to locate the dragons coming to decide her fate and felt the pressure in her ears before she saw them. Three great dark shapes materialised from the shadows of the land below them. Their wings beat in unison and an almost unbearable thumping in her head drove her to her knees. Even through the pain in her eardrums she could admire their majesty. Dragons of the sun, the moon and the night. They were even more impressive in the flesh. Arius quickly wrapped a wing around her to protect her from the miniature whirlwind that sprung into being as the dragons alighted in front of them.
Thank you, she whispered into his mind and pressed a hand against his warm body before straightening up and stepping forward to greet them.
Sera couldn’t control the shiver that ran through her body at the proximity of the enormous mythics. Arius was at her back, the golden dragon faced her and the other two sat on either side of her, closing off any hope of escape.
Bowing low, she kept her eyes fixed on the ground as she said, “Greetings. I am Seraphina Azura of Mandar City, friend to Arius, and I stand before you, offering my respect, and I trust that you will offer me the same.”
A low growl came from the dragon to her left, the black, as his tail thrashed aggressively. Ignoring her fear, Sera kept her eyes trained on the ground until a talon appeared in front of her. The white dragon on her right gently pressed the flat of her claw under Sera’s chin and lifted her face. They gazed at each other, and Sera marvelled at her beauty. Arius’ sister shared his emerald eyes and the same kind expression. Her neck was slender, her face elegant. She wasn’t truly white; every scale appeared to have been carved from opals and rainbows danced over her body when the light caught her movement.
“Well met, Seraphina. I am Aliah of Sky Valley and I greet you with an open heart.” Her voice was soft and musical, and Sera took an immediate liking to her.
Aliah stepped back in deference to the golden dragon as his piercing stare pinned Sera in place. He was the largest of the four with scales that shone like the sun itself. It almost hurt to look at him.
His booming voice filled the air. “Well met, indeed. I am Talegar of Sky Valley, and I come to hear your plea and vow to pass fair judgement.”
A feral growl ripped from the throat of Arius’ brother and his obsidian wings snapped open, making him appear even larger. He snarled at his father, “Fair judgement? Let us kill her now and be done with this charade. She is a human, and with the MRO at that. She doesn’t deserve a trial. Our mother didn’t get one before being murdered by this human’s brethren.”
Sera felt rather than saw a tremor run through Arius, while Aliah flinched as if she’d been struck.
Talegar kept his golden orbs trained on Sera while he spoke to his son. “Desamor, if you cannot remain impartial before we hear the evidence, you will be removed from this Council.”
The hiss that came from Desamor’s mouth chilled Sera to her very core. She projected her thoughts into Arius. He holds so much hate for me already. Why? And what happened to your mother?
I will explain later. Arius glared at his brother, wrinkling back his lips to bare his fangs.
“The same goes to you, Arius,” his father reminded him. “You must not be swayed by any regard you feel towards your… pet.”
He paused a moment as if waiting for one of his sons to interject. Aside from a twitch from Arius when his father called her his pet, he remained silent. Both dragons bowed their heads in submission.
“Let us begin.
“Arius has told us how he found you, and that you invaded his mind in your sleep without his permission. The last we heard, you had no control over this ability, and Arius couldn’t forcibly remove you from his consciousness. Has this information changed?”
Arius stepped forward, using his foreleg to shield Sera, as he answered, “Seraphina and I have been exploring her boundaries and her control has exceeded expectations. She has the abili—”
“ARIUS!” Talegar interrupted with a bellow. “Seraphina has a tongue. She can answer for herself. She is the one on trial here, not you.”
Sera discerned magic lacing his words, but the energy wasn’t directed at her. The power that fell from his tongue crashed into Arius and forced him to his knees. Sera screamed and ran to his head, running her hands desperately along his snout.
“What have you done to him?” she yelled at Talegar. “Stop it!” She stepped in front of his nose and, threading all of her energy into her words, shouted, “I SAID STOP!”
The magic cut off. Arius grunted, and scrambled back onto his feet, eyes wide as he stared at Sera.
“Well. That is interesting.” Talegar cocked his head, scrutinising her. “Very interesting. The floor is yours, Seraphina. Please, share with us the new evidence pertaining to your strange abilities.”
The way he spoke made her shudder, his voice dripping like poisoned honey. The words were said kindly but there was a subtle undercurrent of violence. This was not a dragon to be trifled with.
She glanced back at Arius to check that he had recovered, before turning to answer his father. “As Arius began to tell you, we have b
een practising over the past week. Before meeting him I didn’t know I had any special ability. I can now control when I enter his mind and can regulate the level of control I have within. I can get a sense of his aura now without actually entering his mind, and I can project my thoughts into his to communicate and hear his response. I stay connected to my own body during these exchanges and can still move and speak as normal. I can also go a level deeper and share his senses, in that I can see, hear, feel, smell and taste all that he experiences, however, I lose control of my own body. Distance doesn’t seem to be an issue although it is easier to make the transfer if I’m touching him.”
“Have you ever gone a level deeper?” The gaze of Arius’ father was so intense she thought she would burst into flame at any moment.
Puzzled, she asked, “A level deeper? What do you mean?”
Talegar’s face was so close all she would have to do was lean forward and she would touch him. “Have you ever taken over control of his body?”
A sick feeling settled in her stomach at his words and bile rose in her throat. She managed to spit out the words. “I would never… I could never do that. That would be… wrong. So wrong.” She shook her head vehemently.
A Dragon's Mind: A New Adult Fantasy Dragon Series (The MINATH Chronicles Book 1) Page 10
