“Yes.”
“He found you in my rooms.”
His rooms? I’d thought they were his brother’s.
I didn’t respond to his last statement as the implication of it suddenly hit me. Lin found me in one of the royal suites, but it seemed to be on accident. The four elves with him had looked ready to kill me on sight after finding me standing in the prince’s room. It was only Lin’s arrival and his command that stayed their hand. I looked at my brother, horror seeping into my veins.
Still coughing, Lin felt my attention and returned it. He knew I understood what he’d been in the royal suites to do.
Gods. Feeling weak, I leaned against Prince Brion. I didn’t care that I was in the arms of the powerful draekon—one I was pretty sure my brother had intended to murder.
I’m sure my face revealed my horror and sadness. Lin had the decency to look ashamed. Not about his intent, just that it upset me. I didn’t recognize the man staring back at me.
Lin pushed off the ground to stand, but Prince Brion barked, “Stay down.” I felt the full force of the command vibrate against my back. Lorie’s hands were shaking as she lightly held our brother’s wrist. Lin stayed on the carpet.
“You are a rebel.”
I pressed my lips together, hoping my brother was sensible enough to beg for mercy.
“I am.” Lin glanced at the exit.
“Don’t bother. The rest of your comrades are dead.” There was not a hint of remorse in the prince’s voice.
Lin looked back at him, ignoring me and my pleading stare. “What are you waiting for? Kill me, then.”
“No,” I breathed, and my body sagged even more against the male who held my brother’s life in his hands.
“Such a martyr,” Prince Brion said, sneering. “But are you willing to allow your sister to go in your place?” He shifted, bringing a flaming hand to my face. I hadn’t realized he still burned. He must have controlled the flames to not touch me.
Now, however, he seemed to be threatening just that.
Lin’s nostrils flared. “You wouldn’t.”
A cold, flat laugh escaped him. “Wouldn’t I?”
The draekon fire flickered in my vision. I yelped as I felt the heat lick my neck. It didn’t hurt, but it was shocking.
Lorie whimpered.
Lin’s knuckles turned white. “What do you want?”
“To know the rebel’s plan. To understand their intentions and smother them into burned-out embers.” Prince Brion did not let his flame touch me again, but he kept his hand close, keeping the threat alive.
“You want me to turn sides?” Lin didn’t hide his contempt for the offer.
“I want you to make a choice: your rebellion’s cause or your sister’s life. Which holds more value to you?”
The blood drained from my face. The same went for both of my siblings.
When my brother said nothing, the prince brought the fire a little closer. I pressed into him, away from the flame.
“I will not betray the rebellion.”
My eyes shuttered closed. What had happened to my brother?
“Lin,” Lorie cried out, smacking him on the arm. Hard.
“So be it.” Prince Brion latched his arm tight around my waist and let his flames begin crawling up my torso.
“Lissa!” Lorie shouted.
I stared at the increasing fire with horror, but my scream was locked in my throat.
“Wait!”
The flames stopped their progress. My heart lurched into my throat. I looked up and saw Lorie’s tears and Lin’s red face.
“Yes?” The prince sounded deathly calm.
“A bargain.” My brother narrowed his gaze. “I can vow the rebels will never again attack the castle without warning.”
I blinked. How could he make such a promise?
The prince had the same thought. “What proof do you have that your word is good?”
Lin rose to his feet, lifting Lorie with him. “Because I know the rebellions one, true leader.”
“Oh? And who might that be?”
Deep blue eyes landed on mine. I didn’t understand the emotion behind them until Lin said, “Our parents.”
38
My entire world flipped on its side, like a rickety table no longer able to stand on its own four legs.
“Impossible.” Somehow, I managed to find my voice. “They’re dead.”
“I assure you, they are not.”
I had so many questions, but they would have to wait. At the moment, my life was still in Prince Brion’s hands.
“Your parents lead the rebellion?” He sounded just as surprised as I was. It was a feat, considering I’d spent more than a decade believing my parents were dead after abandoning us in Caldiri.
“Yes. They condoned this attack in order to get their daughters out of the castle. Let us leave, and I can promise the rebellion will no longer attack your capital without provocation.”
“I am to believe the rebellion will cease its aggression?” The prince scoffed. “Not likely.”
“I said we would stop the surprise attacks on the castle. The cause will continue no matter what, but you have the chance to protect your rare nobles. Send the half-breeds to do your dirty work. We will defeat them. Then we will openly come for the rest of you.”
It was official. I didn’t recognize my brother. Who spoke of life and death so casually? Who could stand face to face with the prince of draekon and openly threaten him and his people?
Only someone who’d lost their mind.
“I’ll say this, you have nerve.”
Lin met the prince’s gaze behind me. I held my breath. It was hard to believe Prince Brion actually considered Lin’s proposal, but the silent draekon seemed to be doing just that.
Tense moments followed while we waited for the prince’s answer. Sounds of the attack continued to reach us, and it made me wonder how long it had been going on. I’d lost all sense of time.
“A counter offer.” The hand around my waist tightened once again. “The rebellion agrees to cease surprise attacks on my people, and you and your sister are free to leave Draek unharmed.”
My heart pounded in my chest. Could this really be happening? Were my siblings and I going to walk out alive?
“But Amelissa remains.”
My shoulders fell.
Lin’s, however, tensed. “No deal.”
“I offer you your life.” Prince Brion’s tone was cold. “Despite your intent to harm my family, I am willing to let you and your younger sister depart from Draek and reunite with your doomed cause. I suggest you think wisely about your answer before you speak again.”
Prince Brion’s offer was generous and unnecessary. He could have done away with my brother or even used us as collateral. Now that he knew the rebel leaders were our parents, he could have easily threatened our demise to motivate them to cease their attacks. He didn’t have to negotiate with Lin to get what he wanted, and I knew the prince was clever enough to realize that.
Why didn’t he just throw us in the dungeon?
I cleared my throat. “Take the deal, Arlin.” I used his full name, hoping its formality would make my brother realize I was serious. He needed to take advantage of Prince Brion’s lapse in judgement.
Hard eyes met mine. “I will not leave you here alone.”
“There is no way for the prince to know you will keep your word other than one of us staying here as insurance,” I explained. “If rebels attack the castle again, my life will be lost. That’s the only way this deal can work.”
I knew the moment Lin acknowledged the truth of my words. He’d do the right thing. He wouldn’t forfeit Lorie’s safety. At least, the old Lin wouldn’t. I prayed there was enough of my protective brother left for him to make the right choice.
Lin grinded his teeth, then said, “So be it. It’s a deal.”
“Lissy, no.” Lorie rushed to me. I was surprised when the prince released me and stepped back. My sister wrapp
ed her arms around me. “No.”
I rubbed her back. “It’ll be fine. I promise.”
I could feel the draekon’s eyes on me, but I didn’t dare turn around. I didn’t want him to see how close I was to crying. My brother and sister would be safely out of Draek. I’d gladly remain behind to see that happen.
Lin stayed on the other side of the room.
I grabbed Lorie’s hands and forced them off of me. “You must go. Before it’s too late.”
Lin approached, grabbing our sister.
Lorie spun around on him. “We can’t just leave her.”
“We must.” He spared me a glance. I saw understanding. Sad, resigned understanding.
He tore Lorie away. Prince Brion stepped to the side, away from the exit. He lightly touched my elbow, guiding me with him. I appreciated the fact that he didn’t pull me.
Lorie was sobbing. “Lissy…”
I lifted a shaking hand. “I’ll be okay, Lorie. I promise.”
The sound of her sobbing continued to reach my ears as Lin dragged her out of the room and down the hallway. For the first time in my life, I was truly alone.
I was escorted back to the prince’s quarters. He didn’t drag me like before but he kept close. I didn’t know if he expected me to make a break for it, but that was the last thing on my mind.
I meant what I said about my presence at the castle being the only thing making the deal for my brother work. I wouldn’t risk his or my sister’s life by trying to run away. My mind still reeled from the revelation that our parents were alive. That was the only thing I wished I had asked Lin about, but there hadn’t been enough time.
Prince Brion crossed the sitting room and opened a door along the west wall. He gestured for me to follow him in.
A wide bed sat in the center of the room. It was as big as the princess’s. I turned to the prince with a raised brow.
He noticed. “Your new room.”
I balked. “What?”
“I need to keep an eye on you,” he stated without apology. “I don’t trust your brother will not try to steal you in the middle of the night. As such, you will reside here. In me and my brother’s apartments.”
I shook my head. No way was I going to share apartments with the draekon princes.
“This isn’t optional,” he ground out before I had the chance to object. “During the day, you will be monitored. At night, you will be here under my watch. It is this, or the dungeon.”
Indignation ignited me. “You know I wasn’t the one who attacked the castle. I’m not a rebel.” I knew the words would fall flat before I even finished speaking.
“But you are the one with familial ties to the rebellion. I will not risk the safety of my capital by allowing you to roam around the castle unrestricted. As far as I’m concerned, this is the best arrangement you could hope for.”
I crossed to the window, folding my arms around myself. I stared into the dark night, no longer seeing any sign of an attack. He was right. I meant something to his enemy. Therefore, I was useful.
“You weren’t really going to do it.” I turned and met the prince’s hard stare. Confidence accompanied my words. “I heard you when I was on the balcony. You care about my safety. You told Agent Min I should leave the castle…” I trailed off as my words got ahead of my mind.
I shook my head, realizing my safety ceased being of importance the moment royal and noble draekon lives were at stake.
Still, that didn’t mean Prince Brion would have actually hurt me. Despite his abrupt and threatening behavior, I knew I was right.
Dark eyes leveled on me. He crossed the room and stopped mere feet away. “No matter what you think you heard, do not think for a second I value your life above my family’s.” His irises flashed and his jaw tightened.
I loosened a breath. “Of course not.” I, of all people, understood that someone’s family ranked above everyone else, even themselves.
The prince’s hard expression relaxed.
I stared at the ground. Another thought came to mind. “He won’t stop, you know.” I looked back up. “My brother. Lin. He will keep his word about the attacks, but he won’t stop trying to free me.”
The prince’s hair fell to the side as he tilted his head. The candlelight highlighted the dark brown hidden amongst the black strands. “Then he is a fool. If he returns, he only guarantees his demise.” He didn’t try to sound malicious, only honest. I looked away, unwilling to let him see my watery eyes.
“Tell me why you made the deal.” I stared at the distant wall covered with more expensive paintings. “You didn’t have to. You could have easily imprisoned us and sent word to our parents with your terms. You didn’t have to let them go.”
“Do you wish I hadn’t?” He deflected my questions.
Frustration forced me to meet his gaze again. I’m sure he registered my tears, but my overall gaze was hard as I said, “Be honest with me. Why did you do it? Why set my siblings free but keep me here?”
For a second, I thought I was going to get some truth from the distant prince. His attention trailed over my features, reading every nuance and subtle tell I revealed. He saw my sadness, confusion, and my anger. I know he did. Yet, he chose to maintain his stoic demeanor.
“If you value your life, you would be wise to not ask anyone else that question. Better yet, it would be best if no one but us knew the truth of our arrangement.”
I gaped at him. “How will you explain why I’m staying here?” I gestured to the fancy bedroom around us, located in the princes’ private apartments. Other than the truth, there was no way people wouldn’t be suspicious of my relocation.
To my dismay, Prince Brion merely shrugged. “Not my concern.”
I stared. Hard. Did he think this was funny? Did he really not see the gossip surrounding the situation would be detrimental to us both?
Swift, sudden loathing filled by chest. I despised the prince’s nonchalance.
“I’d like to be alone.” If he remained, there was no telling what foolish thing I might do or say.
A loaded silence followed. I wasn’t sure the prince planned to heed my request. But finally, he exhaled. “Stay in here for the night.” It wasn’t a request.
I nodded and the prince left. My eyes tracked his exit, noting the heavy set of his shoulders before he disappeared through the doorway. I returned my gaze to the window, looking five floors down at the soldiers returning from their counterattack. Their draekon forms shifted back into human bodies as they discussed whatever people discussed after fighting off an enemy attack. I sat on the windowsill, pressing my forehead against the glass.
“Gods, be with me.” My breath fogged the window. I lifted a finger and ran a line down its surface. The image faded, leaving only my distorted reflection to gaze back at me.
Sadness, warring with self-pity, threatened to suffocate me. I knew I made the right choice. Speaking up to force Lin to accept the prince’s compromise was the right thing to do. If I hadn’t, I expected my brother would either be dead or locked up in a cell being tortured for information. But that didn’t mean it was easy.
I closed my eyes, unsure what my feelings were about hearing my parents still lived. Part of me believed Lin was lying; that he simply made up the story to convince the prince he could hold up his end of the deal.
But my intuition knew I was wrong.
Lin would not lie about our parents being alive, nor would he have risked my wellbeing on such a lie.
No, our parents lived, but I could not imagine what would have motivated them to abandon their three children. They left us in Caldiri, unaware of our fate once Papa Gil passed away.
What kind of parents would do such a thing? Who would let their children believe they were dead?
And how had they become the leaders of the rebellion?
Resentment consumed me. I pushed away from the window and walked around the bedchamber to distract myself from the troubling thoughts.
The room was almost
identical to Princess Cienna’s. I spent most evenings in her chamber, helping to treat her illness, so I’d become accustomed to the layout and style. I wasn’t imagining that my newest quarters were so like the princess’s, they might have been made for one.
I fell against the elegant bed, unable to find comfort on its plush mattress. How could I? My new room signified the drastic change in my life.
No longer would I have some semblance of freedom as a castle healer. Every night, I would report back to my quarters like a prisoner, under the watchful eye of Prince Brion—a draekon who I had yet to figure out.
One minute, he was spouting his desire for me to leave Court. The next, he was tying my siblings’ fate to me staying as his prisoner-of-war, for lack of a better term.
My life was no longer my own. Frowning at the canopy covering the top of the bed, I realized my life hadn’t been my own for a long time.
I wasn’t just thinking about recruitment. I couldn’t help but admit I had given up my life for my siblings for as long as I could remember. I didn’t hold the fact against them. Lin had done the same. He even went so far as to permanently disfigure himself, so he could continue to be there for Lorie and me. It was just what we did. It was who we were.
Our parents, the draekon, life in Caldiri… those factors in our lives forced us to become who we were.
So, why was I so sad about it?
Because for the first time in my life, I was on my own.
No Lin.
No Lorie.
No Jem.
Sure, I’d made friends in the capital, but the people I loved the most were no longer in my life, and I couldn’t help but fear they never would be again.
I covered my eyes, turned over to press my face into the pillow, and let the tears come.
To be continued…
Possession: Curse of the Draekon Book Two
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my amazing beta readers Wendi and Amy. Your comments, enthusiasm and encouragement helped motivate me to keep writing this series. I cannot wait for you to see what happens next!
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