“So… this is where you keep your treasure, is it?”
“I beg your pardon?” he asked with a yawn.
“Your treasure. Don’t dragons hoard treasure? Gold? Something like that?”
“I think you’ve read too many stories.”
“I just know dragons.” Thalia wandered about the room, marveling at the way the chamber had been literally carved into the base of the mountain. “But I suspect you’re no ordinary, mindless serpent.”
“Indeed,” he replied.
“So what is this place?”
“It was once an entrance to a kingdom of dark elves. They lived beneath the mountains in a vast network of caves. Some said that they were fairies that had been banished from Mab’s court.”
“Why were they banished?”
“Giving magic to the kingdom of men. Anyway, once they were turned out of Faerie, their hearts grew stony and cold. Twisted. So they fled into the mountains with their dark magic.”
Thalia nodded. She had heard this story before. The women of her tribe had told it to them many times. “The birth of the Dragon Lords.”
“Quite right, my lady.”
“Is that what you are?” Thalia uttered the question before she could stop herself.
“I’m not sure,” he replied.
He looked into her face, his enormous eyes focused on her so intensely that it made Thalia feel self-conscious and another curious sensation that up to now she’d only felt in dreams. It wasn’t exactly fear, but it was something just as dangerous. Something sensual and warm. This beast seemed to know her. There was a familiarity there that she couldn’t place, but it was there just as strongly. Something in the way he looked at her. It was very human, even primal. When he spoke so gently, she was almost sure they had met before. She shuddered at the strange thoughts rolling around in her mind.
“Why so silent? Does my grotesque visage still frighten you, Mouse?”
“No… I… I’m just cold,” she replied, hugging herself. “And your face holds no fear for me now. I suppose for a dragon, you’re quite… handsome.”
“No need for flattery, Mouse,” he huffed. “Come closer, then.” Thalia chewed at her lip and shifted from one foot to the other. She was nervously pondering his command. Perhaps he’d brought her all this way only to devour her in peace. “I’m not going to hurt you. Come.” Thalia slowly meandered to where he lay on the cold stone floor. He resembled a lion lying there, his head resting on a single winged arm. He took a deep breath, and she could see the narrow spaces between his scales glow red. His other arm he curled into his chest, making a small well where Thalia might lay. He beckoned her closer with a nudge of his muzzle, and she lay down. He curled around her body and pulled her in close to where she could feel the heat radiating from where his heart beat slow and steady in his chest. “I told you I was warm.”
Thalia smiled and lay her head in the crook of his arm. “Thank you,” she whispered. “This is much better.” She could hear the steady thrum of the dragon’s heart. It was relaxing, and she could feel her own pulse slow, matching time with his. “Why are you being nice to me?” she asked after a time.
“Why shouldn’t I be?”
“Well, I thought that dragons were…”
“Evil? Vicious creatures bent only on destruction and feeding their insatiable thirst for blood and ash?”
“Well… not exactly. But I’m a dragonslayer.”
Malik hummed in agreement. “So if given the chance, would you slay me?”
Thalia pondered his question. Wouldn’t she? Thalia had been raised from a small child to be a slayer worthy of her lineage. Her father had been the greatest in their tribe. Everyone had known his name as the most fearsome slayer in the entirety of the continent. He’d driven the rogue lords into the mountains and killed off their reptilian offspring until the threat had nearly been eradicated. At least in the cities. Slaying was a part of her soul, but she was so intrigued by this Dragon Lord. There was something so human beneath the armored skin, and Thalia wanted to know him. “No. As you’ve said, my lord, you are no ordinary dragon.”
“I’m glad you noticed.”
Thalia lay there silently for a time, the only sound the roar of the water and the dripping of the groundwater down the glassy walls. For such a dark and damp place, it was very warm here. “I cannot help feeling that we’ve met before. It’s your voice, perhaps.” She yawned, stretching out along the scaled forearm. “Like something from a dream.” Her eyelids were so heavy. The fear and uncertainty had taken its toll, and now all her body wanted to do was rest. She was simply too exhausted to be afraid of the dragon anymore. “Tell me about you. How you came to be in the mountains.”
“I’m afraid it isn’t a very interesting story.”
“Humor me, my lord.”
“I’m told that women prefer stories about love and magic. I’m afraid my story is one full of hate. I’ll not bore you.”
“Please,” Thalia murmured. She was so tired, and this was the first time in days she’d felt truly safe. “Tell me anything. Tell me a story.”
The dragon snorted and let out a grumbling snarl as he stretched out. “If it pleases you,” he began. “A sad story, perhaps. A story about two princes.”
“Is there a princess?” Thalia whispered, barely conscious.
“No, a beautiful queen. A beautiful queen who loved her king well. For many years, they longed for a child. But the beautiful queen lay barren, and the king fell in love with another: a dark fairy of the forest. She begged her human lover to stay with her in Faerie and even tried to trick him into falling asleep in her bed of starlight, but the king would not forsake his queen. The fairy mistress was jealous, as are all Fae-kind, but knowing how much he loved the queen, she agreed to help him. With a bit of Fae magic, the queen finally conceived, and the whole of the kingdom was overjoyed. On the night the queen was to give birth, she was in great pain and out of her head with fever. Something was wrong. She could feel it.”
“She knew about the fairy?”
“Perhaps. Dark magic was afoot, and the queen was afraid. Her husband tried to soothe her, but to no avail. The queen brought forth the first son, perfect and wailing. He was beautiful. Everything that the couple could have hoped for. But the spell had not finished its work just yet. In a rush of blood, the queen brought forth another son. The second child was grotesque and deformed. A serpent-like body covered with scales and bony spines worked its way out of her belly through a gash made by its terrible claws. When the king saw the creature, he was repulsed! Surely such evil did not spring from his loins. He cast out the beast, hurling it from the highest tower and into the sea below. But the king paid a terrible price for his fickle and shallow nature. His queen was dead, and he was left a bitter and lonely old man with only his baby son to console him.”
“Such a sad story,” Thalia murmured, laying her cheek against the rough scales of his shoulder. She could feel tears swelling in the corners of her eyes. “Whatever happened to the other prince? The one who was deformed?”
“They say he fled into the mountains. The Fae took pity on him, raising the young boy to be strong so that one day he might reclaim his birthright.” Malik said no more, and Thalia didn’t want to press. She was so very tired. She fell asleep listening to the rumble of the dragon’s heart and the purring hum of his breath.
Chapter Seventeen
When Thalia awoke the next morning, she was tucked into the warm bed at the castle. The crackling of the fire and the smell of brewed tea and bacon forced her eyes open. How had she gotten here? She was sure that she’d gone to sleep cradled in the arms of her prince. No. That couldn’t be right. It was Malik, the Dragon Lord to whom she’d been sacrificed. He had saved her from the storm and taken her back to his lair in the mountains. Hadn’t he? Perhaps it had been another strange dream. Thalia seemed to have those more and more lately.
“Rise and shine, mistress!” Thalia sat up to see the chambermaid entering the
room with a steaming silver tray. Her mouth immediately watered at seeing the source of the good smells that had pulled her from sleep moments before. A plate piled with bacon, fruit, and cheese sat alongside a pot of tea and a small saucer with biscuits and jam. More food than she’d eaten in ages. “I’ve brought you something to eat,” the chambermaid said, setting the tray over her lap. “You look starved.” She wanted to tear into the food and completely devour it like a starving lumberjack, but she forced herself to be delicate.
“Not starved, but definitely hungry,” Thalia said around a mouthful of bacon. “I’m used to it. Not much time to eat when you’re running for your life or sleeping in a field.”
“Running for your life?”
“Mmmhmmm.” She spread jam on one of the biscuits and shoved it into her mouth, savoring the sweetness of the preserves. Her eyes fluttered in absolute bliss. This was like the breakfasts that Esa had made for her as a child. “Slaying dragons is a dangerous profession.”
“Oh… a dragonslayer? That’s a bit awkward.”
Thalia chuckled and nodded. “What’s your name?”
“Bella, miss.”
“I’m Thalia,” she said, taking another sip of the tea. “This is perfect. Just the way I like it. A hint of cinnamon. My mother… well, she wasn’t really my mother. But she raised me. She always put a little bit of cinnamon in the tea.”
“Thank you, mistress. I mean, Thalia.” The girl smiled and went to the wardrobe in the corner of the room. To Thalia’s surprise, she pulled out yards and yards worth of expensive fabrics. These were not moth-eaten gowns from ages past but new gowns that looked as if they had been made just for her. “I took the liberty of digging out some old clothes for you. Thought you’d be tired of wearing that old thing.” Thalia looked down at herself and was immediately mortified. The fabric that had once been white was now a dull shade of brown from the mud stains, and the hem was completely frayed. It had been a couple of days since the ritual, and she hadn’t had a warm bath or clean clothes since. “I’ve also drawn you a hot bath.” Thalia nodded and watched as Bella buzzed about the room. The dress she pulled from the wardrobe was much more extravagant than anything she’d ever seen. As she draped it over the chaise, Thalia noticed the intricate embroidery and jewels worked into the folds of fabric.
“I… That dress doesn’t really seem… like me,” Thalia stammered.
“Oh, it will be fine. Besides, it’s all I could find on such short notice.” Thalia finished choking down the last of her breakfast and allowed Bella to take it away before leading her into the bath. The room was warm, and a large tub sat atop a small pit of smoldering coals. Thalia tensed, thinking that it looked as if the chambermaid was about to throw her in a gigantic soup cauldron. “Come on, then.”
Without a thought for her own personal vanity, she pushed the gown over her shoulders and let the ruined thing puddle around her feet. As a hunter who had spent most of her life in cramped tents with others, she had no qualms whatever about being naked in front of this chambermaid. Bella smiled, seemingly surprised at the girl’s lack of modesty. She stepped into the tub and sank all the way under the steaming, aromatic water.
“There, now. Isn’t that better?” Bella asked, handing Thalia a towel as she emerged, sputtering.
“It’s warm,” she coughed.
Bella gave a curtsey. “Good. Well, I’ll just leave you to it, then.”
“Wait,” Thalia said, pushing her dripping tendrils away from her face.
“Yes, mistress?”
“What am I doing here?” Of all the questions she’d had burning on her tongue, this was the one that had been niggling at Thalia since her first meeting with the dragon. Why hadn’t he just devoured her and gotten it over with? Why bother being nice to her or having this chambermaid offer her food and clothing? Could it be that he was just fattening her up like a witch from a children’s story?
“The king of Osghast offered you as tribute to the Dragon Lord…”
“Thinking that I would either slay the dragon or he would devour me. Neither of which has happened yet. You seem to be going to an awful lot of trouble to create this illusion of decayed grandeur, and I’m just curious to know how long I have to live.”
“There are many different sorts of tribute, love. I don’t think you’re going to be devoured anytime soon. If Malik were going to eat you, he’s had plenty of opportunity.”
“Then I ask again—what am I doing here? Because if I’m just here to wander around an old castle, I’d rather just go home and take my chances with the townsfolk.”
Bella knelt beside the tub and laid a calming hand on Thalia’s arm. “Just calm down, girl. We all have our parts to play—”
“And what’s yours? This castle is a ruin! No one has lived here for two thousand years, yet in a day’s time, you’ve managed to make it fit for a king! Tell me what’s going on!” Thalia stood up, splashing water over the lip of the tub.
“All right, mistress… just sit.” Thalia hesitated but finally lowered herself back into the tub. “You’ve been brought here for a reason. But not the reason you think. And not the reason that Tristan thinks.”
“What do you mean?”
“I suspect you already know this for yourself, but Malik is no ordinary fire-lizard. Nor is he a Dragon Lord.”
“Then what is he?”
Bella paused and hung her head. “He is a prince of Osghast.”
The laughter bubbled up from her belly in an uncontrollable wave until Thalia was gasping with it. Had she really heard Bella correctly? Imagine that… a dragon being the king of Osghast! “What are you talking about?”
“It’s true,” Bella hissed. “He was cursed by the Fae at birth! Cursed to be a monster that would be the embodiment of the jealousy harbored by Queen Mab!”
Thalia’s laughter dried up, and she could only stare at Bella for several moments until finally she shook her head. “This is ridiculous,” she started, rising from the tub and stumbling into the bedchamber. “I can’t believe I’ve stayed here so long,” she mumbled to herself as she pulled on the simplest of Bella’s offerings. She wasn’t going to sit there and listen to the ridiculous fantasies of chambermaids. The Fae were not real, and if they were, they existed far beyond this realm. “I need to get out of here. I don’t belong. Nothing here makes sense…”
“Is it really so hard to believe? Malik speaks. He reasons. And I’ve seen him reading books on more than one occasion. Surely you can’t still believe that he’s a mere fire drake? A rare beast from deep in the mountain.”
Thalia heaved a sigh and sank to the end of the bed, holding her aching head between her hands. “I don’t know what I believe anymore. I can’t even be sure if I’m awake or asleep. This all just seems like a dream. A very long, very strange dream.” The room fell silent, and for a moment Thalia thought perhaps Bella had gone. But when she looked up, she could hardly believe what she was seeing.
The chambermaid pulled her hair down, and with a sweep of her hand, the form of a young girl sloughed away like an old skin to reveal the hunched, round visage of a familiar old woman. “I don’t… Esa is that you?” Thalia whispered. “This must be some kind of trick.” She shook her head as if trying to clear it. “I must be going mad,” she murmured as everything started to spin.
“Of course it is, child,” Esa said, reaching for the girl. Thalia stepped backward, not wanting to be touched by this… whatever this was. “Please, Thalia. It’s me.”
“No… I don’t believe this…” she stammered. “This place… this castle must be bewitched…”
“Not this place,” she said, groaning as her younger form melted away, leaving behind the pains of an old woman. “The only one that’s been bewitched is Malik.”
Esa stumbled, and Thalia rushed to her side, guiding her to the chaise by the hearth. “Esa, tell me what’s going on before I lose my senses completely!”
Esa sighed, obviously hesitant to tell the truth. “My name is n
ot Esa, it’s Bella. Belladonna. I am a servant of the Dark Lady. Mab, the queen of all fairies. She trapped me here in this world long ago.”
“Why?”
“Because I defied her. Malik was born of a curse that Mab wrought upon King Christophe. They were lovers, and he chose his human wife over her. So when he asked for Mab’s help to conceive a child with his human wife, she tricked him with an onion, poisoned with dark magic. When Queen Katrin brought forth Christophe’s offspring, one child was Tristan, distorted in mind, and the other was Malik, distorted in body. When Mab saw Malik, she insisted I destroy him. She knew that he would grow into a terrible beast, bent on revenge. I refused, and she banished me from Faerie and trapped me in this meager form. I can only go as far as The Veil, that misty membrane between this world and Faerie. All of this…” She gestured around the room. “The castle, my youthful form… it’s all an illusion.”
“You’ve kept him safe all this time?” Thalia could feel the tears burning in the corners of her eyes, threatening to roll over her cheeks.
“I’ve tried. The saddest part is that Mab was right about one thing. Malik has become twisted and cruel. His anger toward his father and brother have hardened his heart. There is only one thing that has been able soothe the storm that rages in Malik.”
“What’s that?” Thalia sniffled.
Esa smiled and squeezed Thalia’s hand. “You, of course.”
“I don’t understand…”
Huntress: A Paranormal Romance Page 15
