Smolder (Dragon Souls)

by Penelope Fletcher

  Koen started and stared at her. “Daniil wants–”

  “Oh yes. He thinks he is so cleaver at hiding it, but I saw it the first time I saw them near each other. Daniil is in love with Anastasia though he’s fighting it as hard as he can now. I don’t think he always did though. She’s entrenched in his heart.”

  Koen did not appear particularly surprised by this, and Marina suspected he already knew. “She wants him too. She is too stubborn to see it.”

  “No. She wants you, but what she probably needs is Daniil. Frankly, the woman is crazy. She’d rather kill herself chasing you than admit she cares for him. She has her heart set on being Empress not sister-in-law to the Emperor.”

  He snorted. “She is ambitious and ruthless.”

  “Yeah, one scary ass bitch.” Shaking off the melancholy, Marina smiled. “Forget all of that. Thank you for coming to see me.” She spread her arms open wide, and stepped back to twirl a flamboyant circle. “Do you like my new room? It’s simplistic, uncluttered, just what I wanted.”

  “You hate it.”

  She dropped her head and rubbed her brow. “God, yes.”

  “It’s Goddess here,” he laughed and walked to the missing wall. “It has a perch so I can visit when I fly. Does that make you feel better?”

  She thought about it. “Daniil explained you’d have to visit Anastasia and Katya too.”

  His face closed off at the idea. “I can keep a secret if you can….” Koen lifted a hand to trace the outline of her cheek with his thumb in the air. “You don’t have to do this. I’ve been thinking … we could leave, go back to Earth.” He turned his hand and brushed where the hollow of her throat would be if she but swayed forward. “I could touch you again.”

  “I can’t ask that of you, to give all this up. You need to be here, to be the man you were born to be. I don’t want to change your life or be a burden. I want to share your life and be your shield. And the people need you. Things are bad, Koen. People are suffering. This all needs to end. I’m strong enough, but I need you to believe that too.” She swallowed. “I know that when we’re in front of people you can’t show preference, but when I look into your eyes I need to know that your heart beats for me. That you’re there for me.”

  Koen smiled sadly. “Never doubt it.”

  The conversation stalled when the tension between them cranked. It was a physical ache twisting her insides. Marina wanted to kiss him and by the way he swayed into her, he wanted her too.

  “I should go.”

  “Of course you should, but I don’t want you to.”

  His gaze dropped to her lips. “I wish I had kissed you more. I wasted time worrying. If I had known, I would have never stopped kissing you. I would have made the first one count.”

  “It counts.” She licked her lips. “Koen, if we … would they really know if we….”

  “I need to leave. Now.” He walked over to the missing wall and jumped.

  Marina rushed over with a cry and shrieked when the soft belly of his dragon shot passed. Koen somersaulted and flew off back towards the lagoon.

  “The lagoon is lovely this time of year,” Daniil said from behind her.

  He followed Koen out the window, but landed on the perch and turned dragon. Marina giggled when his tail brushed up against her and wrapped around her waist to set her on his back.

  With a low rumble of amusement, he dived off the perch.

  Marina’s shrill screaming was forced back down her throat as the fortress rushed passed her, and the jungle rose up to meet them. Daniil’s wings snapped open before they hit the ground, and with a nimble beating of heavy wings they burst through the tree canopy as Daniil let loose a deafening roar.

  Marina whopped, and her mad giggle became an alarmed screech when he tumbled over so his belly was to the sky and Marina was upside down.

  Her nails scratched his scales as her hold on him slipped.

  Daniil somersaulted over and chortled to himself as Marina freaked out on his back. The lagoon drew nearer and they began to smoothly descend.

  Daniil landed on the beach, and Marina dismounted so quickly she ended up flat on her face.

  Daniil shifted human in a blaze of white light then summoned his clothes with magick.

  “What the fuck, Daniil? Are you trying to kill me?”

  “That was your punishment for not telling me about the panic attacks.” His large stride faltered, and he pivoted on his heel to walk backwards. “Never keep something like that from me again. Agreed?”

  Marina grumbled her acceptance, and pressed a hand to her stomach.

  They stood on the wooden dock, the brackish waters lapping gently beneath them, and large white birds darting overhead. The lagoon stretched as far as she could see, and large clumps of tall land were dotted in the water. The islands were no bigger than a hundred paces across, but Marina supposed they would be a perfect hiding place for Koen. They were covered in dense vegetation, and she could see the dark recesses of sea caves just above the waterline.

  Marina grinned when Daniil stopped by a large ship and gave an elaborate bow, motioning her forward.

  The three-masted schooner had a snarling dragon figurehead that Marina swore bore a resemblance to Daniil. The billowing white main and headsail were serrated, and reminded her of a dragon’s dorsal fin. The hull was blue with darker blue dragons painted in battle poses.

  Daniil helped her onto the ship, and with low command to the captain they set sail.

  “I wish you would have told me before,” she said. “We could have asked Nikolai to come. It’s beautiful out here.”

  The emerald waters of the lagoon glistened under the hot sun, and Marina sat at the bow, enjoyed the spray of the salty water on her face as the ship sailed closer to the main body of water passed the sandy barrier separating the lagoon from the open ocean.

  They were about two miles from the coast when it all went wrong. Marina was tipping her head back, letting the sunshine kiss her face when Daniil’s shadow fell over her, blocking the sun.

  “Get off the ship,” he ordered.

  Her eyes fluttered open as her brows plunged. “What? I haven’t got a swimsuit.” Her eyes widened when he clapped his hands, and a suit of plated amour appeared on her. “This isn’t suitable swimming attire. It’s far too heavy.” She smiled up at him encouragingly “Magick is hard huh? It’s okay, you can try again.”

  He rolled his eyes. “You are going to learn about sui. Get out of the ship, Marina.”

  “Then take this damn armor off me. And what am I supposed to do exactly when I’m off the ship exactly?”

  Sighing, Daniil scooped her up, and tossed her squealing over the edge of the ship.

  She landed at on odd angle, and felt the water slam into the side of her head. Her vision went black as pain stabbed her all over. It was remarkable how solid water could feel when you were chucked at it like a ball.

  Marina thrashed wildly, kicking her legs to keep her afloat.

  “When you fall,” Daniil called down to her as he descended a rope ladder, “sometimes, it might be from the back of your dragon. Remember, if your dragon is wounded the best place to land is in water. You could try molten lava, but few dragon mates are strong enough to survive that, and believe me you don’t want to crash land on ice.”

  “D– D– Daniil!” she spluttered as cold water rushed in through the holes in the amour and dragged her down.

  “Sui. Water.” Daniil wiggled his fingers in the lagoon to flick water in her face. “Fluid and formless. As a dragon mate you must be adaptable, supple and emotive. You must heed the changing emotions in your dragon, be able to read him like an open scroll so you can best decide how to help him. You must also be able to control your own emotions to stay clear minded, and react with purpose in dangerous situations.”

  She reached for him, but he leaned back when she got too close. “Drowning … help … me!” Her head tipped back so her lips were above water.

  “Water adap
ts to its environment. It heeds the sun, and the moon, and the seasons, but when it wants to it rages against all commands. Violent and untamed.”

  Marina’s arms and legs went numb and with one last gulp of breath, she slipped under the surface, sinking in the murky waters.

  Gloomy blue was all around her. Shafts of sunlight speared the water, and haloed schools of fish that darted passed. Looking down, she could see brightly colored coral and seaweed on the rocky lagoon floor.

  What a pretty place to die.

  A large shadow darted beneath her.

  Startled back into action, Marina kicked, trying to reach the surface.

  The mysterious shadow swam closer, and Marina found herself staring into inquisitive cerulean eyes. The dragon was smaller than those she was used to, and its body was elongated. Its snout as sleeker too, and its wings were connected to its front and hind legs, to be used as fins. Its tail was thicker and longer than normal, and had two fins either side rather than a singular spike.

  The dragon stared at Marina, and made a high pitched cooing noise. It cocked its head as its gills flapped open, and bubbles of air rushed up to the surface. The dragon jerked forward, opening her mouth, and Marina opened hers to scream. Salt water rushed down her throat to choke her.

  The dragon backed up, and snorted bubbles, as if irritated.

  It leaned forward, this time keeping its mouth closed, and pushed its snout into Marina’s stomach. Slowly, it pushed her up to the surface, large tail gliding elegantly from side to side.

  The sun shone on Marina’s face, and she vomited the water she had accidently swallowed. Sensing salvation was at the rubbery fins of the dragon treading water beneath her, she clutched its slippery neck, and bellowed, “Daniil! I am drowning you asshole!”

  “It doesn’t look like it to me.”

  She turned to see him and the ship behind her. He whistled, and put a hand in the water, wiggling his fingers. The dragon swam over, towing Marina behind, and finally let her go when she reached out and grabbed the rope ladder.

  Daniil patted the dragon’s snout and murmured to it. “Beautiful, isn’t she?”

  “She,” Marina croaked. “She saved me. She is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. You are going to be in so much trouble. I’m so telling Koen on you.”

  Daniil laughed. “You were never in any danger, Marina. Fia is a water dragon, her allegiance is to House of Kol. She would never have let you come to harm in these waters. Now what have you learnt?”

  “Avoid open water with you close by?”

  “That when you fall in water to remain calm, and to remove any additional weight that may drag you under.” He titled his head at her when he hopped back onto the ship. “The first thing you should have done was strip off your armor. Your dragon can take care of himself in such a situation. If you fall in water, get yourself to safety. You’re no good to your dragon if you drown.”

  Marina scowled at him, finally hauling herself back onto the deck and leaning heavily on the side, panting. “I hate you sometimes.”

  “I know,” he said gleefully, and picked her up to throw her overboard. “Now try again,” he shouted.

  Chapter 18

  Koen landed hard in a crash of claws and with a snarl of fang. He shifted human, and didn’t bother summoning his clothes, much to the attendants of Red Citadel’s horror. He stormed through the halls with a scowl to challenge a tempest, and even his fellow dragon lords ran from him.

  He came to the rooms of House of Kol, and the sliding screens were in his way. He ripped them down.

  “You threw her in the lagoon!” he thundered.

  “Koen–”

  “Wearing full battle armor! Are you insane? She could have drowned. Marina is too small for such harsh training.”

  “Did she tell you I had Fia with her the whole time?”

  “Marina didn’t tell me,” he snarled. “I overheard from a boat of amused fishermen when I was flying. I asked Marina, and she refused to say anything. She said it was between you and her.”

  Daniil held up a hand. “Calm yourself. I would never let any harm come to her, but she must be put to the test. Aver is less than three days away. She must be ready.”

  Koen slammed a hand on the desk. “Not if it means she’ll die in the attempt. Not if it means I lose her.”

  Shooting an alarmed look at the startled guard hovering at the broken screen, Daniil dismissed the man with a curt nod. “You’re not supposed to be showing preference,” he reminded. “Don’t you think marching through the halls naked as you rant Marina’s name might be considered as such?”

  Koen’s gorge rose.

  Frustration bubbled in his gut, and he kicked the chair he was about to sit in. It crashed into the wall on the other side of the room.

  “Bah! I am sick of hearing that word. Preference? I have no fondness for Marina. No simple lusting or liking of her. She is my treasure! You seem compelled to drag her through these customs that are little more than barbaric trials.”

  “She respects heritage. She respects you, and your House, and her own by becoming what she was born to be.”

  As he spoke in an even tone, Daniil calmly retrieved the chair – luckily made from heavy marble to survive Koen’s raging – and pointed to it resolutely as he slouched into his own.

  Koen flung himself into the chair, and kicked a leg up over the armrest. He didn’t mean to act this way, react this way, like some besotted boy, but his dragon was furious.

  “Almeria gave Marina a choice,” Daniil said after a heavy pause. “Something no other Chosen has been given before. She didn’t have to follow you. She could have stayed in her life, which was quite privileged I believe, and forgotten you. Better yet, as a princess of the Empire she could have simply taken the riches and luxuries afforded to her station here, and found a handsome lordling to content herself with.”

  Koen eyed him surly. “Am I not handsome?”

  “You are an irritable beast who enjoys frightening the ladies of court with your snarls and grunts. I have heard you described many things, and my friend, handsome is not one of them. I, on the overhand… .” He trailed off and smiled when Koen turned the infamous snarl on him.

  “I would never have forgotten her. I would like to think she would not forget me. No matter what temptation is put in her path.”

  Koen looked at his brother pointedly.

  Marina was not fickle, but Daniil’s beauty was on the lips of every lady of court, and had been since they were younglings. Women went mad over Nikolai, but they became attached to Daniil, surrounding themselves to his infallible honor and altruistic nature.

  Women would stare at Koen, and whisper that one day he would be Emperor, but none had really seen him. The only ones brave enough to approach Koen had been young Chosen who all swore they would hunt him down and marry him to be Empress. Hard women, like Anastasia, or manipulative like Katya. Chosen who were raised from the cradle to kill for what their House desired.

  Power.

  Daniil on the other hand had genteel ladies throw themselves at his feet begging for affection. To them he was perfection in a lord husband. Marina might enjoy looking at a man or two, but her eyes remained unaffected. There was no real feeling of lust there.

  When she looked at Koen, her eyes all but glowed, and her face lit up with feverish glee. Her cheeks flushed and her bottom lip dampened as she kept flicking her tongue over it.

  When she did that, Koen knew she thought of kisses.

  His kisses.

  What concerned him is that more than once he had turned to hear her laughing over something Daniil had said, and seen the twinkle in her eye, the fondness in her touch when she thumped him.

  Worse, Daniil for all his trickery and subterfuge genuinely enjoyed her company … and her touch.

  His cold eyes became warm when he looked at her.

  Daniil’s face was smooth and amused. He cleared his throat to recapture his attention, not that Koen’s attention had
ever fully left him. He trusted no one enough to not suspect them of taking advantage when he wasn’t on full alert.

  He trusted no one that completely, but Marina.

  “You would have spent near a millennia grieving for a lost love,” Daniil said softly. “Marina is fighting for you to have a future together, so you can finally be Emperor, and put an end to an empty throne and warring kingdoms. To have children, and bring peace and prosperity to the land, a land we both love.” Daniil made a noise of disgust. “To stop you looking at every shadow as a potential trap. To stop your steely glares towards close friends as you wonder if they plot to stab you in the back. You should be rejoicing that Marina is here. She will be the making of you.”

  Daniil knew Koen, knew how he thought of the world, and never did he judge him for it.

  “I worry,” Koen confessed. “I fear I will sit there on my perch and watch as she dies in contest … that I will not be able to stop myself from killing all who hurt her. I don’t know what I would do if I were to lose her to this… .”

  “Have faith.” Koen clenched his fists in rejection of the idea, and Daniil made a strong motion with his hand, dismissing his instant skepticism. “Not in prayer or the kindness of others. Have faith in Marina. She is stronger than you think. Your dragon recognizes her as its mate. She will not let him or you down.”

  “I know she’s strong. She is honorable, and good, and kind.” Koen met Daniil’s eye. “Anastasia is not and as for Katya….”

  “For all Katya’s scheming she hasn’t harmed a hair on Marina’s hair yet. I wouldn’t allow it and neither would her guardian.”

  “He’s taking it seriously? His protection of her?”

  “Remarkably, yes.”

  It was better than nothing, but the knowledge there was a guardian, a dragon seeking out and destroying anything that came too close to Marina with unfriendly intentions did little to ease the constant pounding of fear in his chest when he was away from her.