Shaking off the memory, I noted the temperature change as we began our descent. Greylore landed, bent down for me to dismount, and began his transformation. After seeing him change from one form to another several times, I wasn’t as frightened. But I was still in awe of the magnificence of it. Greylore stood up from the ground, naked and shimmering with sweat. He approached me, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his form.
“You’re staring,” he said, the left side of his mouth lifted to a half grin.
“I can’t help it,” I replied. “You’re mesmerizing. Does it bother you that I’m staring? Are you feeling shy?” My tone became more playful. “Do you want me to look away?” I chuckled and turned my head. “There, I won’t look at you.” I felt Greylore’s arm around my waist and he forcefully pulled me to him. I turned my head to look into his eyes. Those fucking eyes.
“You can look at me all you want,” he said. “But then I get to stare at you next time.”
Greylore kissed me. He kissed me softly, deeply, intimately. I raked one hand through his hair and placed my other on his chest. His skin was hot, feverishly hot. I knew he needed to get dressed before he cooled down too quickly.
I removed the winter coat and handed Greylore his bag. As he got dressed, I looked around.
Doesn’t seem evil to me. Just a bunch of trees. It’s a forest. I took a few steps.
Nothing. I took a few more steps into the trees. Still nothing. As I took a few more steps, I heard a branch crack behind me. Drawing my knife from my belt, I quickly spun around and held it out, ready to attack.
Greylore stood in front of me with his hands up. “It’s just me,” he said. “And I didn’t know you were carrying that.” I looked down at the knife in my hand and quickly returned it to its sheath.
“Yeah, sorry,” I said. “It’s an old habit. I’ve carried it since I was a young girl. I wouldn’t have stabbed you though.” Walking toward Greylore I smirked. “Well, probably not anyway.” I heard Greylore chuckle as I moved past him.
“We gotta walk a little way,” he said, taking my hand. “It’s not far.”
Greylore and I kept our silence as we walked hand in hand down a faint path through the trees. I took in the sounds along the way, trying to discover the reason for this being the ‘Forbidden Lands’. I didn’t hear anything in this forest that I hadn’t heard in every other forest I’d visited.
Moving through a large area of brush, we came to a clearing. A clearing large enough to hold three dragons. Large stone walls surrounded the clearing on three sides. We walked to the center of the clearing and Greylore pulled me to a stop.
“Stay here,” he said. “And say nothing.” I nodded. Greylore walked a few yards ahead of me and held up his hands. Covering my mouth to keep from gasping, I watched as his hands were slowly surrounded by a green auric glow. He chanted something in a language I didn’t understand, and the ground began to rumble. What the fuck?
Without warning, the center wall shimmered away, revealing a large cave opening. The glow dissipated from Greylore’s arms and he turned around to look at me, motioning me forward.
“It’s okay,” he said. “I promise.” I took his hand and we entered the cave. I stayed silent, following his earlier ‘say nothing’ instruction.
Out of the dark, two large men wearing red armor stepped in front of us, blocking our path. “Only five know the royal entrance,” one of the guards said, “and you are not one of them. Who are you?”
Greylore pulled my hand, moving me to stand behind him as he stepped forward. “I’m your prince,” he said. His voice was stern, authoritative, and hot. “You may not know me but I’m sure the Emperor would not approve of you speaking to his eldest son with such disrespect.”
“Prince Greylore?” The other guard spoke up. He pushed the first guard to the side, stepping in front of Greylore and bowing to him. “I am Meesha. Begging your forgiveness, my prince. It has been a long time. Some of the younger recruits, such as Pruish, are not familiar with the human forms of all members of the royal family. I assure you that he will be properly informed and educated.” Meesha glared to his left, to Pruish, who bowed to Greylore.
“Begging your forgiveness, my prince,” he said.
“Please,” Meesha said. “Let me get you an escort to ensure we have no more misunderstandings such as this.”
He motioned to his right and a young woman dressed in bright blue robes appeared. “Noleen. Would you please be so kind as to show—”
“Prince Greylore,” Noleen interrupted, immediately bowing. “It’s a privilege and an honor. What can I do for you?”
“I need you to take me to see my father,” Greylore said. “And make sure that we don’t have any more misunderstandings along the way from people who don’t know me, or recognize me.”
“Of course,” Noleen said. “Please, come with me.”
We followed Noleen through a long corridor, which opened to a great hall. A spiral staircase in the center of the hall curled upward at least five stories, with a large landing on each floor. Dancing lights in the middle of the staircase illuminated the whole area, making it as bright as the daylight outside. People were bustling here and there or gathered in small groups chatting. It is a community. There’s a whole world inside here. I had never seen anything so beautiful. So breathtaking. So baffling.
I pulled on Greylore’s arm. He bent down. “How’s this possible?” I whispered.
He chuckled. “Like the illusion that hid the entrance, there are illusions that hide our world behind the stone walls. It’s actually more of a mountain.” I felt like a tourist, my heading snapping left then right, looking up and down. “You’ll get used to it,” Greylore said.
“I doubt that,” I replied, smiling. We walked for a few more minutes, but I was disappointed we didn’t climb the staircase. Turning a corner, there was a long hallway, illuminated with smaller bundles of the dancing lights. At the end was a large doorway.
“Your father is in his chambers,” Noleen said. She held out her arm, motioning to the door. Greylore nodded and we moved past her, continuing down the hall.
Standing in front of the large door, Greylore paused.
I rubbed his arm. “You okay?” I asked.
“Yes,” he replied. “Just a little nervous to see him after all these years.” I reached up and kissed his cheek. Greylore smiled at me, took a deep breath, and then knocked on the door, rapping loudly.
“Enter!” A booming voice came from the other side of the door.
“Is he in dragon form?” I asked.
“No,” Greylore laughed. “That’s his human voice.”
Now I’m nervous.
Seventeen
Greylore pushed on the door and we walked inside. The floor was made of stone and the room had been adorned with a fireplace large enough for a small family to live in, and a desk as long and wide as a horse. Various tapestries in vivid colors hung on every wall. Turning to my left, I saw a large man, who looked like an older version of Greylore, standing in the center of the room. His shoulders were back, head high. Remembering my visits to my father’s war room, I feared I was about to witness a heated confrontation.
“Greylore,” he said, his booming voice filling the room.
“Father,” Greylore answered. He released my hand and matched his father’s stance. I took a step back, unsure what would come next.
“What the hell took you so long?” his father asked, darting across the room, and throwing his arms around Greylore’s neck. “I’ve missed you. Your brothers have missed you.”
Greylore wrapped his arms around his father’s back and embraced him. “I know, Dad,” he said. “I’m sorry. I needed some time. And then the more time I was away, the harder it was to come home.”
I suddenly felt a pang of jealousy. Jealous of the relationship Greylore had with his father. The welcome he received. The loving kindness he was shown. I would have loved to have been welcomed with such kindness, love, warmth. I appr
eciated all the praise I received, but after a while, I learned it was all I was ever going to get from my father. But I would have traded all the praise, honors, and fame to just once be welcomed home as a daughter instead of a warrior.
I continued to watch the interaction between the men, and then Greylore’s father met my gaze. Oh, shit!
He turned Greylore to the side. “Greylore,” he said. “Don’t be rude. Introduce me to your friend.”
“Oh, yes, sorry, Father.” Greylore moved to my side and again took my hand. “Hensley, this is my father, Emperor Ulkan Nugu. Father, this is—”
“Hensley Ekard,” Ulkan said. I had been prepared to bow, as I had seen the others do for Greylore, but hearing him say my name caught me off guard. So, I just stood there, staring. Like an idiot. “Greylore, why don’t you get us all something to drink. And maybe a little snack. You both must be starving. Tell Bittle to fetch it. He should be at the end of the hall. We’ll meet you by the fireplace.”
Greylore winked at me, turned and walked out of the room. Ulkan took me by the hand and escorted me to the fireplace, motioning me to sit in one of the lavish armchairs. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Hensley,” he said. “You are as beautiful as they say.”
“How do you…do you know who I am?” I asked. “What I’ve done?”
Ulkan laughed, and it vibrated throughout the room like thunder. “Of course, we know,” he said, sitting in the chair across from me. “And I know of your father. His anger toward our kind. His need for revenge. And I know how he raised you to think we were nothing but monsters and demons.”
“I don’t understand,” I said. “How do you…”
“Did my son tell you that we have great hearing?”
“Yes. He did.” I was lost, confused, as if I were trying to swim in concrete.
“We’ve been watching and listening a long time. We hear and know a lot.”
“Then you must know how sorry I am,” I said, “for everything I’ve done, all the horrible—”
“Yes, I know,” Ulkan said. He leaned forward and took my hand, placing it between his large palms. “And I also know that your heart now beats for my son. I’m thankful he’s found someone as loving and beautiful as you.” He kissed the back of my hand and sat back in his chair. “I can smell him on you. And you on him.”
I felt a warmth rush to my ears. He knows we had sex? He can smell the sex on us?
“And I look forward to meeting my grandson.” I stared at Ulkan, shocked by his words. Greylore. My hair flipped over my shoulder as I quickly turned toward the door. “Oh, don’t worry,” Ulkan said. “He can’t hear us. These are the emperor’s chambers. This room was constructed so even dragons can’t hear through these walls.” He gave me a big smile, showing all his teeth.
I slowly moved my hand to my belly and somehow, I knew he was right. “But it hasn’t been that long. How could I be…I can’t be…can I?” And how does he know?
“This child is going to have powers,” Ulkan said.
“Powers?” I could feel the fear setting in. I’m going to be a mother. Did he say powers? My baby will have powers? I’m not ready for this.
“Yes. All dragon shifters do. Telepathy, telekinesis, pyrokinesis.”
Starting fires with his mind? Are you kidding me?
“To what extent we can’t know until after he’s born and reaches his first birthday. But don’t worry. You won’t be going through this alone. I promise.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I’m not sure I could handle this alone.”
“This is not going to be a normal pregnancy,” Ulkan said. “Dragons in our human form have a higher metabolism, run hotter, heal quicker, and our pregnancies are much shorter. This baby is going to come quickly. Much more quickly than if it were a pure human child.”
The door banged as Greylore reentered the room. Ulkan pushed himself up from the chair, stood beside me, and gently rubbed my shoulder. “You are family now,” he whispered. “We’ll take care of you—both of you.”
I smiled up at him. “Greylore,” he said walking away. “Why don’t the two of you stay here and rest. Relax. Eat. I’m going to see to it that your chambers are cleaned, updated, and ready for you to move back into by tomorrow. In the meantime, stay here. The bedroom is through that door.”
Ulkan pointed to a door on the far wall. I’ll come back and check to see if you need anything in a while.”
“But Father,” Greylore said, sounding slightly panicked. “Where are you going to sleep? We don’t want to be an inconvenience.”
“Well if you must know,” Ulkan replied, smiling. “There is a woman I’ve been casually dating. I think maybe I’ll pay her a visit.” I smiled as Greylore’s face turned a bright shade of pink.
Greylore and Ulkan hugged again. Ulkan gave me a wink and a wave before walking out the door.
I stood and hurried to Greylore, wrapping my arms around him. Neither of us talked. We merely held each other, swaying to music that only we could hear.
“We’ll talk to my father about everything tomorrow,” Greylore said. I nodded, my head still pressed against his chest. “We’ll get it all figured out. It’ll be all right. You’ll see.” I nodded again. “And after this is all over, I want you to stay here with me.” I turned my head and looked up at him.
“What are you saying?” I asked. I know what I think you’re saying, but I want you to say it. Please say it.
“I’m saying,” he cleared his throat. “I want you to be my life mate. I want you to stay with me, to spend the rest of your life with me.” I smiled, stroked his cheek and lightly kissed his lips.
“I want that, too,” I whispered. “And we will stay with you forever.”
Greylore furrowed his brow and cocked his neck back. “We?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said. “We. Apparently, I’m carrying your son.” I put his hand on my belly. “At least that’s what your father told me.”
Greylore’s eyes widened. His grin spread. His eyes crinkled. He knelt in front of me, kissed my belly, and looked up at me. “Just when I didn’t think it was possible for me to love you more,” he said, “you give me more of you to love.”
This is what family is supposed to feel like. I rubbed Greylore’s hair as he gently lifted my shirt and rested his cheek against the skin of my abdomen. I will never let anyone take this away from me again. Especially not you, Father.
Eighteen
“Thank you for meeting with us, Father,” Greylore said. He hugged his father and we all sat down in the lavish chairs in front of the fireplace in the Emperor’s chambers.
“Of course,” Ulkan said. “You’ve been gone so long. We have a lot to catch up on.”
“Well,” Greylore took my hand, “unfortunately, what we need to discuss is not personal, but business.” Ulkan sat back in his chair and crossed his legs, resting the ankle of his right foot on his left knee.
“I’m listening,” he said. “Go on.”
“Your highness,” I sat on the edge of my seat, “Sir, if I may.” He held up his hand to stop my words.
“First. You don’t need to call me your highness.” He chuckled. “And second, yes, you may. What is it you want to discuss?”
“My father,” I said. Ulkan nodded slowly but remained silent. I continued.
Over the next few minutes, I explained how my father had betrayed me, had me followed, learned of Greylore’s identity and location, and how he had planned on capturing him to lure Ulkan out as a means of destroying all dragon-kind.
“Wow,” Ulkan said after I finished. “That’s a hell of a tale.” He altered his gaze between me and Greylore. “And that’s why you fled and came here? To escape?”
“To warn you,” I said. “He’s planning on tracking you down, and he won’t stop until he does. My father is ruthless, relentless, and hell-bent on revenge.”
Ulkan stood from his chair. “Okay then,” he said. “We will begin planning for an evacuation and move everyone to the southernm
ost location. To reach us there, he would need a fleet of ships.”
“Wait,” I popped up from my seat. “No. If you run now, you will only be hunted over and over. It may not be my father that hunts you, but he will send out word of his quest to all the neighboring lands and they will join his fight. He won’t rest until every one of your kind is slaughtered. You must take a stand.” I paused, knowing what I had to do. “And I will make it with you.”
“No,” Greylore stood between me and Ulkan. “I won’t let you do that. It’s too dangerous.” He turned to his father. “Tell her father. It’s too dangerous for her, especially now. In her condition.”
I grabbed Greylore’s hands and pulled him to face me. “Greylore, my love,” I said. “Listen to me. Before I knew the truth, I fought many dragons and came out on the winning end. I must find a way to make amends for the lives I’ve taken.” I put my hand to his cheek. “Standing up to my father, defending shifters—our family—is the only way I know how to do that. Please, you must let me do this.”
Flashing me a big smile, Ulkan scoffed. “I like her,” he said. “She reminds me a lot of your mother.”
“I know,” Greylore said, shaking his head. “That’s what worries me.”
Ulkan slapped his son on the back. “Welcome to my hell, son.” He laughed, again filling the room with a joyous thunder. Should I be flattered or insulted? “Hensley, I know what it means for you to choose to stand with us over your own father. If you’re brave enough to do so, then I will, too.”
Thrilled that I had successfully made my case, I let out a sigh of relief. “So, what do we do first? How do we prepare?”
I spared nothing while revealing my father’s battle plan. I had been in the war room several times in the past few weeks and attempted to recall all I had seen. I also explained to him how my father had trained his warriors to shoot for the vulnerable areas. Slash their wings so they can’t fly. Sever the tail for massive blood loss. And aim for the eyes to penetrate for the kill shot.
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