Dragon's Prize (Dragons Awaken Book 2)

by Maya Starling

  Delilah trembled. She wondered what was going through her mother’s mind. She was appalled by Lilith’s insinuations.

  “I… I… I don’t understand. What happened?” Delilah retreated from her mother until her back met the wall. She pressed herself against it, hoping she could melt into it.

  “He’s betrothed! The prince is betrothed!” Lilith snarled into Delilah’s face as if it were her fault.

  Delilah’s heart broke a little. She’d hoped the prince would be her way out of her mother’s clutches. Tears welled in her eyes.

  “I – I’ll try what you said. I’ll seduce him back.”

  Lilith’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You want him?”

  “Of course I do, mother! As you said, he would be the perfect match for our family.”

  Lilith stepped back, surprised. “Good… good. That you’re willing makes it easier. I’ll muddle his mind a bit so even you should be able to pull it off.”

  Delilah believed her mother could do it. Influencing other people’s minds was Lilith’s greatest gift.

  “Is he in the city, then?” Delilah asked, hope once more filling her heart. She unglued herself from the wall.

  “No. Word reached the city before he did. I wonder what’s taking them so long. They were supposed to be here already. We’ll wait a few days. I also managed to get the letter that the regent sent to him about his father. It should give us some advantage if we deliver it in person. Yes… the plan is crystallizing itself.”

  Delilah waited a few moments, watching the changing expressions on her mother’s face until they settled on a self-satisfied smile.

  “What is the plan then?”

  “Don’t you worry about a thing,” Lilith patted Delilah’s cheek. “It will all work out as I… as we see fit.” She pivoted and sauntered out.

  Delilah was confused, numerous scenarios running through her head. The question was, which one would her mother choose?

  She didn’t sleep well that night, thoughts and uncertainties keeping her awake. She wasn’t able to relax now that her own plans had been thwarted. It would be the first and only time she would ever welcome her mother’s aid.

  The next day, Lilith took Delilah with her to the market, continuing her lessons about herbs while buying those she would need to help soften the prince. Her mother was unusually friendly and even at moments nice to her, all probably due to Delilah’s agreement to Lilith’s plans. It was eerie.

  Everything changed the following night. Lilith burst into Delilah’s room much like she had two days earlier. However, this time, there was no anger in her eyes, only excitement.

  “Quick! Pack!” Lilith said. She started stuffing Delilah’s belongings into a backpack.

  Face scrunched in confusion, Delilah helped her mother. “Where are we going?”

  “To meet the prince! It’s a sign from the Gods. A courier arrived today with a message from the prince. He’s searching for a witch.” Lilith grinned. “Imagine that! Us being so close when he needs us.”

  “Why does he need us?” Delilah said as she walked over to grab her dress, which she had prepared for the morrow.

  “He’s been hurt and needs my help. We were granted transportation and escort to the prince from wherever we were to travel.” Lilith was almost gleeful.

  Delilah’s eyes bulged at the thought of her prince’s injury. “Hurt! That’s horrible! We better hurry!” She was frantic now, forcing her possessions into the bag. “I can pack on my own, mother. You should go pack your things. We do not wish to be delayed.”

  Lilith stopped what she was doing and nodded her assent to Delilah. “You’re right. I’m just so excited. It will be a great opportunity to get into his good graces. I thank the Gods for the person who harmed him,” she paused with her hand on the doorknob, “Unless he is to die. Then I shall curse them.” Lilith grinned, flashing white teeth, eyes blazing. She left Delilah’s room cackling.

  Chapter 28

  Almost a week had passed since Olivia stabbed Magnus. He’d hoped for faster healing, much like Reed’s, but including a full recovery. Donovan kept reassuring him that only time was needed but Magnus had never been a patient man. Even though he was told that his injury was healing nicely, he still had not regained one specific use of his most cherished body part.

  He knew he would have to go out among the people as well, to show them the greatness that was their future king. He’d been cooped up inside too long. He washed himself and dressed in his finest clothes before venturing out. He was grateful for the herbs he was drinking for the pain. It made walking easier, and he could even sit down for short periods of time now.

  Stepping outside, Magnus inhaled the scent of fresh air. It was a beautiful day, unlike the day before when it had rained. The sun shone down on him, highlighting the golden strands of his hair. He put on one of his most pleasant and seductive smiles as he studied the people milling about. It was a small village, with roughly a seventy residents, mostly farmers by trade.

  Magnus walked among them, talking to a few, getting the feeling they were a close-knit community. Everyone treated each other like family. It didn’t sit well with him. Those of lesser status and abilities should know their place. He observed a huge man help a girl carry her basket back home. Magnus had never seen a man as tall and as wide as this one was, a big double-axe strapped to his back. It would be good to have the likes of him on his side. He would recruit the man before they left. He needed to boost his guard.

  His gaze lingered on a girl leaning against wall of the inn. A seductive smile, a lick of her lips, a wink… It would be almost too easy for him to seduce her. It always was… except with Olivia.

  He exchanged a few words with the woman, flashing his white teeth and a dimpled smile. As he predicted, it didn’t take him long to convince her to accompany him to the house he was staying in. He bedded her easily.

  But it still didn’t work. The young woman left soon enough, unsatisfied. Magnus was left frustrated. He blamed it all on the girl and her inadequacy, her inability to satisfy a man’s basic needs.

  He decided to try a different woman, but the results were the same. He made sure they wouldn’t spread the word about his failure to perform.

  The herbs he’d taken previously were wearing off, and he was paying with great pain for his eager efforts.

  He hated the whole village… it made him feel deficient.

  The next day, despite Donovan’s warnings, he decided to try again. He was the prince after all; he was perfect and would function only as such. He was also desperate, frustrated, and angry. And, willing to admit it to himself only, he was afraid.

  He found an innocent looking young woman tending to her small garden. She reminded him of Olivia, so he chose her for his next conquest. It took him a while to make her more pliant with his words, promising her more than he would ever provide, praising her beauty and swearing he was smitten with her already. She still seemed very shy and hesitant.

  Wanting a change of scenery, he only needed her to invite him into her home, for whatever reason. He pretended to be thirsty, and with her being a nice girl, Magnus soon found himself inside her humble home, waiting for her to finish preparing him some cooled tea.

  Her lowliness tainted him, but she would have to do. Maybe if he imagined her as Olivia, struggling underneath him, it would work. He could always slap her around too, helping him immerse himself fully in the fantasy.

  It still didn’t work, and Magnus was even more furious, taking some of it out on the girl lying helplessly beneath him.

  Leaving the young woman battered and naked, Magnus stormed out of her home, slamming the door behind him. He took a deep calming breath before heading back to his house. On the way, he passed the girl he had seen yesterday carrying a basket. She was probably around twelve, and she greeted him politely before entering the same house he had just left.

  The girl was happy to finally come home from berry-picking so she could help her sister with the garde
n and house chores until their mother came back home. She always worried about her sister, who was very shy and naïve, and many times she felt like she was the older one.

  “Millie! I’m home!” the young girl called out as she put the basket down by the door, toeing off her shoes.

  A sob was the only response she received. She dashed towards the sound. The last time it had happened, her sister had cut herself by accident, and was too ashamed to ask for help.

  “Millie! What’s wro…,” the young girl froze at the sight before her. Millie was curled in a ball of naked, bruised skin in the middle of their shared bed. “Oh sissy... wha… what happened?” She took the blanket off the floor and covered her sister, careful to be gentle.

  “Aimee!” Millie exclaimed as she threw her hands around her younger sister’s neck, sobbing uncontrollably.

  “Shh… it’s alright. I’m here, Millie… tell me what happened.” Aimee gently caressed her sister’s brown hair.

  “It was the prince… he tried to… he” Millie just couldn’t get the words past her sobs.

  Aimee pulled back quickly, shocked by what she had just heard. “The prince did this to you?”

  Millie nodded.

  “Did he…?” She was afraid to ask the question.

  “He tried… he… he couldn’t get it to work.” Millie wiped her tearstained face on the blanket.

  “Serves him right!” Aimee said as she jumped to her feet, hands tightly fisted.

  “But, he did take it. He said,” Millie started sobbing again. “He said he would take my innocence any way he could... that I was just like her. I didn’t know what he was talking about!”

  Aimee had heard enough. She ran out of the house, ignoring her sister calling out to her.

  She caught up with Magnus just as he reached the house he was staying in.

  “Prince!” Aimee yelled.

  Magnus paused and turned around.

  “Yes, little one?” He leered at her.

  “Don’t you ‘little one’ me!” She stomped towards Magnus, glaring up at him.

  Magnus chuckled with wry amusement at this little girl, barely reaching his chest, attempting to tell him off.

  “What did you do to my sister?!” Aimee put her hands on her hips.

  Villagers passing by stopped to see what was happening. There never was much going on in their small settlement.

  Magnus raised his eyebrow at the tenacity and daring of the child.

  “Why… we had some fun.”

  “You call that fun? You couldn’t even get it up so you what… beat her?! It wasn’t her fault!” The girl said through gritted teeth.

  By now a small crowd had gathered and Reed was standing by Magnus’ side. No one dared intervene.

  “Listen to me you little…” Magnus narrowed his eyes but then noticed the growing crowd surrounding them, “… girl. You know nothing of the dealings of adults, so you better pull that nose of yours out of it and remember who you are talking to. This is no way to treat your prince, your future king.” He plastered a benevolent smile on his face.

  “I don’t care who you are. You hurt my sister! You hurt Millie!” Aimee yelled back at him. Surprised gasps spread among the people. Millie was known as the most innocent and naïve person in the whole village; she was always kind and friendly to everyone. “I know more about the dealings of adults than you think.” Aimee snapped. She took a step closer, leaning her head back so she could look up at Magnus, squinting through her light brown eyes.

  “You’re just like my father. A pig!” She poked Magnus’ chest. “A selfish pig! You think you can just use women, take what you want and then leave? How many bastard children have you left behind? Do you ever think of anyone but yourself?!”

  Magnus’ nose flared. He balled his hands into fists at his side as he imagined snapping the offending finger in half.

  Aimee could barely hear her sister in the crowd, trying to fight her way to the fore. She was held back by the crowd. Cathal and Galor joined Magnus’ side now as well. Theo and Damien, though, had just returned from a hunt with some of the other villagers and were coming up to see what the fuss was all about.

  “I warned you, little girl. I am your Prince!”

  “A prince who can kiss my ASS!”

  Magnus was beyond furious; no one had ever dared talk to him like that, let alone a child, in front of a small gathering and his knights. He opened his mouth to speak.

  Aimee interrupted him. “If you want your people to respect you, you’re going about it the wrong way…” she stopped yelling and put a gentler tone to her voice. “If you want us to love you and support you, you should be kind to us and protect us, not make us fear you. Don’t make us seek protection from yourself. What you did to my sister… that’s just… inhuman!” her anger rose to the fore again as she remembered how she had found Millie. “Otherwise, you really are nothing but a pig… no… wait… not only a pig, but a King among them!”

  Aimee spat in Magnus’ face.

  Reed’s fist flew towards her face but Magnus raised his hand, halting Reed’s action.

  Silence and tension filled the air as people awaited Magnus’ reaction.

  Damien and Theo had pushed their way forward just in time to see the girl spit into Magnus’ face. Theo wished Cassiel was with them to prevent the incident from escalating. He was the only one able to ground Magnus, to make him think past his anger.

  Damien stopped a woman who charged forward, crying and calling out to the girl, a mother desperate to come to her daughter’s aid.

  “Well…” Magnus finally spoke up as he wiped at his face. “That was…. a very bad thing to do, little girl.” His hand shot forward and he grabbed the girl by the neck, raising her to his eye level.

  Wide-eyed, Damien whispered to Theo, “He wouldn’t, would he… right?”

  Theo looked just as shocked as he shrugged his shoulders but took his bow in hand nonetheless. Damien let go of the woman, who raced forward only to be stopped this time by Reed.

  “Please! Please don’t! She is my daughter… She is nothing but an ill-tempered child!” the woman pleaded, tears streaming down her face. She dropped to her knees.

  Magnus didn’t even glance at her. “You have another one. It would be one less mouth to feed.” His blue eyes were ice cold and emotionless as he peered into the girl’s terrified ones. “Do you have anything else to say?”

  Aimee gulped for air while she clawed at Magnus’ hand. It seemed as if those sounds snapped the people around them out of their shock. The giant man from the day before had just joined the crowd, and when he saw little Aimee being strangled, he didn’t hesitate, taking his axe into his hands. Magnus’ knights reacted instantly, surrounding their prince while he still held the girl up in the air.

  Theo and Damien had their weapons ready, this time aimed at Magnus.

  “Better put her down… Prince!” the big man threatened, spitting out Magnus’ title as if it were poison on his lips.

  Magnus finally looked away from the child who was slowly losing her battle with consciousness. “Or what?”

  “We’ll make you,” the giant said, motioning with his axe at the people ready to fight with swords, hammers, baskets, whatever they had handy that could be used as a weapon.

  Magnus scanned the crowd around him. He spotted Donovan making his way to his prince’s side, but his eyes soon snapped to Theo and Damien, realizing they had their arrows trained on him.

  “You two! What is the meaning of this treachery!? Kill that man!” he demanded of them.

  Theo and Damien took a step forward together. “No. You’ve gone over the edge, Magnus. This is just too much.” Theo shook his head. “Let the girl go and leave while you still can. I have a suspicion that, if the girl dies, so will you.”

  “You buttfuckers!! I should’ve dealt with you before… I knew all the time. Should’ve known you wouldn’t be men enough!”

  Neither Theo nor Damien rose to the taunt, they knew Magnu
s was desperate.

  The man with the axe took a step forward.

  “Fine! Have the worthless little bitch!” Magnus threw Aimee at the giant’s feet and her mother quickly took her unconscious body into her arms.

  Magnus glanced over his shoulder at the youngest member of his entourage. “Donovan, get our things. We are leaving this filthy village.”

  “As for all of you,” Magnus’ voice rose, carrying over the crowd. “This isn’t over.”

  “I’ll be looking forward to meeting you again,” the giant man stepped forward. Damien laid a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head no. They would count this as their victory.

  “That you will! You won’t be able to hide from me - or my army,” Magnus said. “And you two! There’s no place you can go that I won’t find you.” His eyes narrowed at Theo and Damien.

  The crowd let out a collective sigh of relief as Aimee took a struggling breath. Millie joined her mother and sister on the ground, rocking back and forth on her knees, her apologies never-ending.

  Magnus snarled at the sight. All of them would pay. So disrespectful toward their future King, the Dragon Slayer!

  Donovan was quick to gather their belongings, and soon Magnus and the remainder of his men were on their way toward Asil. They would have to spend yet another night in one of the villages, but as long as they were away from this one, Magnus would deal with it somehow.

  Once they were far enough away, the giant huffed a sigh of relief. He ran a hand over his face as he went to see how Aimee was doing.

  “Hey, Ams.” He crouched down and picked the girl up in his big arms.

  “Thank you, Giant.” Aimee croaked.

  “Don’t speak…” he held her close to his chest, as if she was his most precious treasure, his own blood. “I’ll be right back,” he said to Theo and Damien.

  When the man known as Giant returned, he joined the duo and the village chief, who were now surrounded by others as they tried to answer the myriad of questions being asked.