Golden Embrace

by Clara Hartley

  He soared across the Ocharian swamplands, annoyed at how slow the cages of the creatures they had caught made him feel.

  Once he landed, he shifted to his human form, donned his pants, and made his way to Aryana's tent.

  Aryana was sleeping.

  Was she sick? Did she have a fever, perhaps? He found that thought strange, since dragon wives didn't get sick much. He strode up to her and placed a hand on her forehead.

  "Baby!" she screamed. He had to dodge her head, which almost smashed into his nose. He wouldn't feel the pain, but her head would hurt, and the last thing he wanted was to wound Aryana.

  "Are you all right?" he asked. He saw her place a hand over her stomach. "Does your stomach hurt?" She'd recovered months ago.

  "I don't… feel so good." She pushed past him and ran out into the jungle.

  He followed her, then saw her puking right outside her tent. "Did the witch doctor say anything? I hope it's not anything serious." He leaned against one of the tent's supporting frames.

  "It's serious."

  He cocked his head to one side. "Life-threatening?"

  "Life-destabilizing."

  What was that supposed to mean?

  She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and turned around. Her eyes met his. "Diovan, I'm pregnant."

  It took a second for the information to sink in. She had screamed "baby" when she woke up. Baby… pregnant. His face lit up, beaming like the sun. "That's wonderful." His stronger inclination to protect his mate suddenly made perfect sense. She was pregnant. He needed to protect his child and wife. "That's… that's amazing!" He rushed forward and picked her up, twirling around once before setting her down again.

  "Don't do that," she said, her face turning green. "It makes me want to throw up again. And I don't know what you're so happy about. Expecting a child is scary."

  He could smell her vomit, but he didn't mind. It was a necessary evil. "Scary?"

  "I don't know the first thing about raising a dragonling. Neither do any of the witches around here, so I can't get any help with it. Also, it's a boy."

  "Of course it's a boy. It's always a boy with dragons."

  "Yes, well, the witches will likely raise him as a boy. I don't want my son to become a male-in-waiting."

  "Oh… Do you mean to move?"

  She bowed her head and looked at her stomach. "It's the logical choice. The dragon wives back in the Grimfire mountains will know how to raise a dragon child. They have their own healers there who are familiar with the process. And my son—our son—will be raised as a proper dragon. I've always wondered, do dragonlings learn how to fly right away?"

  "We usually start by getting pushed off a cliff."

  She smiled. "See? He will be able to do fun dragon things like that."

  He squinted. He had expected her to have a more adverse reaction to that.

  He scooted over to her and took her into his arms. "Aryana, if you don't want to go, we can figure a way to live our lives here, amongst the witches. I know how much you love your tribe."

  She rested her head on her shoulder. "Ever since my sister's betrayal, this place is starting to feel less like home anyway. I'm only resistant against moving to the Grimfire clan because it's so foreign and I'm used to the way of life here. Thank you for being patient with me."

  "I love you, Aryana," he said, and kissed her forehead. They rocked back and forth in a soothing rhythm. A baby. A new, exciting phase of their lives awaited them. He was excited to see Aryana as a mother, carrying his child. She would be stern, but also loving.

  "I love you too, Diovan."

  Silence filled the air as they both took in the implications of the new chapter of their lives.

  "Diovan?"

  "Hm?"

  "The dragonlings… they don't come out with claws and teeth, do they? That would be painful."

  He threw his head back and guffawed. Aryana had acted afraid throughout their entire conversation. He assumed it was because of the sudden change of environment that was soon to come, but apparently, she had been worried about this. "You'll be fine. Most dragon wives deal with it well."

  Her jaw dropped. She sank into him for comfort. "Oh goddess."

  "There, there," he said, patting her head. He stifled a snicker. It wouldn't hurt to have some fun before she found out the truth.

  Afterword

  Thank you for reading Golden Embrace! If you liked it, I’ll be really thankful if you could leave a review. Reviews are helpful to spread the word and are encouraging for me to write future books by letting me know what you think! Just a couple sentences of what you think would be great.

  Golden Embrace was an interlude to explore the world of Gaia more, on top of what was already happening in the main storyline. Constance and Rayse’s story is quite dark, so I wanted to introduce something lighter.

  Sign up for my mailing list on the link below.

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  Constance and Rayse’s story hasn’t ended yet, so be sure to continue it in the next book, Shadowed Lies. You can check out the Amazon page in the link below.

  www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079ZZBC8Y/ref=series_rw_dp_sw

  If you haven’t checked out the first book, Obsidian Wings yet, it’ll be awesome if you looked for it on its Amazon page!

  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079Z5SXYQ/ref=series_rw_dp_sw

  Read on for a preview of Shadowed Lies. If you haven’t read book one yet, I’d refrain from that, because it might contain spoilers.

  Shadowed Lies - Prologue

  Karona’s wings ached from a long day of flying.

  He swung the wooden door open and unbuckled his weapon gear from his back. A long, tiring day of work had just ended, and he would be greeted by his prize. Rayse Everstone, their femrah, worked him hard, but at least he and his family had a comfortable clan to house in.

  “How was the trip, darling?” his wife said, cradling their young son in her arms. His baby boy sucked his thumb. “Don’t do that,” Marley chastised him, and pried their son’s digit from his lips. “Why don’t you tell him? He always listens to you first.”

  Karona smiled and scooted over to his loves. “Not until I have a kiss.”

  She shot him a warning glare, but it was not without flirtation. He could recognize the slight upturn of her lip. She forced a scowl, but not before leaning up and pressing her mouth on his cheek.

  “A kiss on the lips, I mean,” he said, dragging the both of them into his arms.

  “Don’t be greedy.”

  He had thought his life was perfect—little did he know, it was to end that very moment.

  “Femriahl, what are you doing here?” Marley asked.

  Karona cranked his head around, startled by the suddenness of his wife’s outburst. He pulled himself away and prepared to greet Constance. She often carried herself with a harmless posture—not necessarily friendly, but not hostile either. This time was different. The darkness in her gaze made even a full dragon male like him uneasy. “Femriahl?” he said, pacing forward.

  Constance muttered something beneath her breath and lifted her hand. He waited for the magic and retreated closer to his family as his protective instincts kicked in. He wasn’t sure why he acted so worried. The femriahl wouldn’t hurt them. He waited but nothing happened. He allowed himself to relax.

  Then hatred crashed into him.

  Pure, intense hatred for Marley carved an ugly pattern through him. A growl tore from his chest, and his dragon awoke with newfound rage.

  “Karona, love, what’s—”

  He spun around and summoned his talons. They sprouted from his fingertips, like the tools of an executioner. This anger… this pain… It wasn’t normal. His mind told him he ought to love Marley. His child, frightened, clung to his mother. Karona had no contempt for his son.

  But the boy was in his way.

  He shoved the nuisance aside and pounced on his prey. His mind was in a fog, and emotions clouded reason.

&
nbsp; “Karona, please!”

  He squeezed the life out of her. The life force wisped away from Marley, and she withered in his hands, leaking away like water from a cracked glass.

  “P-please…” Her last plea was little more than a choked cry.

  And she was gone.

  He blinked. The anger disappeared. It was promptly replaced by ghastly horror. What had he done?

  He hunched over the form of his dead wife. His son lay next to her, baby dragon wings spread behind the boy’s back, and tears spilling from his eyes.

  His mind drifted in a sea of confusion. This… it didn’t make any sense.

  The horror of what he’d just done slammed into him, and Karona threw his head back and howled.

  Shadowed Lies - Chapter One

  Try not to miss me too much,” Rayse said, brushing his lips against Constance’s neck. She was a sweet scent of herbs and delight.

  Greta sniffed. “Will you two lovebirds stop mucking up my clinic? Hurry up and drop off your mate, then be on your way.”

  He feathered his thumb over Constance’s arm, where his mate mark curved in a dark, inky pattern. He smiled, knowing she truly belonged to him now.

  “I think I can survive a day without the Black Menace,” Constance replied.

  “Oh? Don’t come begging for my attention when you need me, then.”

  She laughed. “I can assure you I won’t.”

  “You’re in a better mood today,” Rayse said. “That’s good.”

  “The pain gets easier,” she said. “I still miss Papa.” Her face sagged and lost its color. Watching her upset made him the same way.

  “I never should have brought it up.” He dragged his arm around her waist, hoping to provide comfort. She felt so small and delicate under his touch. He loved that.

  She cupped his face. “No, it’s good. It’s only been few months. I’m still trying to get to the bottom of his… passing. It’s good to talk about grief. I can’t be bottling everything up.”

  “Well, feel better soon, little fire. You look prettier when you’re smiling.”

  “Oh? As if I’d look better if I cried.”

  “I can name a few I’d prefer crying. They wouldn’t look nearly as beautiful as you do, even if you were wearing your most unpleasant expression.” He tucked a strand of her brown hair behind her ear. “I’ll pick you up at the end of the day. There’s this place in Everndale with the sweetest of desserts.”

  “But you hate sweet foods.”

  “You love them.”

  A blush bloomed on her face, coloring her cheeks with a rosy tint.

  “Are you done yet, pumpkins?” Greta asked, hands on hips.

  “I should leave before your mentor rips half my face off,” he said.

  Constance nodded and projected a mock sense of urgency. “You should.”

  He kissed her one final farewell, and took off, summoning his wings. The familiar ache pierced through his scapulae. He didn’t pay it much mind, and welcomed it like an old friend. He had a long list of errands to deal with today, and couldn’t wait to finish them all to spend more time with Constance.

  He saw Fraser swooping in from above in dragon form. The blue beast shifted back into a human. Rayse heard the sound of bones twisting and cracking. As the dragon shifted, the bag they often used to carry around their items fell from its grasp and lay on the ground. Fraser, in human form, reached down and picked up his clothes, then slipped them on.

  Rayse hadn’t seen Fraser for the last month. The return of his friend brought a smile to his lips. At least there was good news for him today.

  “Did you get it?” Rayse asked.

  Fraser dug into his pouch. “The soul beads? They’re right here, milord.”

  Rayse eagerly took it from his friend. He had been counting on the team he had sent Fraser with to procure the beads for him.

  “A gift for Constance?” Fraser asked.

  “I’m hoping this will cheer her up. She was raving about it the other day. Was it difficult?”

  “Ridiculously. The water witches aren’t kind to dragons. Browick got the tip of his tail cut off because of them. We had to change our plans after that. We heard the Grimfire dragons had a good alliance with at least one of them witches, so we went to them instead. Diovan Grimfire…”

  “Was he a good leader?”

  “He’s an ass. Sorry to be harsh, milord, but he is. Got us doing backbreaking work for his amusement. His wife seems to be better at keeping the clan together. Diovan’s an aloof asshole.” Fraser fished something from his pocket. “Oh, and he asked me to pass you this.”

  “A letter?”

  “Says it’s important that you read it.”

  Rayse’s fingers brushed the crinkling brown paper. He was about to slip the envelope open when Shen, his other closest subject in Gaia, swept down in half-human form.

  Shen landed, leaving his yellow wings open, then quickly said, “You have to see this, milord. It’s troubling.” Shen’s words had gushed from his lips before he had properly balanced himself on the ground.

  “What happened?” Rayse asked. “Another raid in the villages? More kidnappings?”

  “No. It’s has more of a domestic nature.” Deep cuts furrowed Shen’s temples.

  Rayse shot Shen a look of puzzlement. “Murder?” he guessed. They haven’t had one in years. Besides the challenges for leadership, the Everstone clan was mostly peaceful.

  “It’s Karona. He killed his dragon wife.”

  Shock coursed through Rayse, but he didn’t show it. Instead, he shot Shen an intense glare. A dragon male, killing his own mate? That was unheard of. His mouth set into a thin line. “Take me there.”

  “His home isn’t far off from here,” Shen said. The yellow dragon flapped his wings and levitated.

  “You must be tired,” Rayse said to Fraser. “I’ll handle this. Go home to Marzia. She must be eager to meet you again.”

  Relief spread over Fraser’s face. “I’m eager to see her, too.”

  The three off them levitated. Fraser made a left turn, while Rayse and Shen moved right.

  Rayse meandered through the clouds and landed in front of Karona’s house. There was blood throughout the scene. A dragonling boy in dragon form was cowering in the dark shades of the quaint hut.

  The scent of iron and death hit Rayse’s nostrils. The place looked like it was in the aftermath of war. He scanned over the torn sheets and the toppled furniture. Karona had been one of the friendlier dragons. That man had lived a quiet life, and mostly minded his own business. This destruction… It wasn’t like him, or at least what Rayse known him to be.

  “That’s his wife’s blood?” Rayse asked.

  “His own,” Shen responded. “He hurt himself gravely after the incident. He says he can’t remember any of it.”

  Rayse strode toward the curled-up male, who was lying in front of a dead body. The man was rambling nonsense to himself. “Karona?”

  The dragon craned his head up. “I can’t die. I killed her but I can’t die.” His arms were covered in deep gashes, self-inflicted wounds that were already slowly knitting up. Rayse’s eyes traveled to the man’s neck, where splotches of blood stained in a mottled red. The red grime was mixed with Karona’s tears.

  “Karona, pull yourself together. What about your son?” Rayse’s gaze crept to the pitiful-looking little dragon boy.

  “I killed her. I don’t know what came over me. It just happened… One minute I was greeting her, and then she was gone.” The killer looked down at his hands with confusion.

  “Tell me what happened,” Rayse commanded.

  “I deserve to die.” Karona wouldn’t stop his ramblings. “I don’t know what to do. She’s gone. This wasn’t supposed… this wasn’t supposed to happen.”

  “What do you remember?”

  “Nothing… Nothing… I don’t recall anything. She’s dead. Marley… Oh, Marley. I… I killed her. Killed her. She was just smiling at me moments ago. My wif
e…” Karona bent his head low and started sobbing. His cry was an ugly sound.

  The man couldn’t seem to get a grip of himself, and he had little important information to give.

  Shen asked Rayse, “What do we do with him, milord?”

  Rayse sighed. “Cuff him and take him to the dungeons. We run a trial later today.”

  “A trial? But the man isn’t in the right state of mind.”

  “I’m not certain what happened, but murder is a murder. And every crime needs punishment.” Rayse looked at the quivering dragon. Karona was a man who had lost everything. He had no desire to live. “I think he’ll prefer that.”

  “Yes, milord.” Shen dragged a pair of dragon-stone cuffs from his arsenal and locked them around the ankles of the poor man.

  Karona stood and followed Shen’s instructions without resistance. The prisoner allowed Shen to lead him along, his eyes dead and empty.

  Rayse walked out of the decrepit hut, feeling already tired from the gravity of what had happened. Would this be an isolated incident? This simply left him with one more mystery to solve. He wondered if Constance would have any clue as to what was going on.

  “You should stop getting into so many fights,” Constance told her patient. “This is the fourth time I’ve seen you this week. And it’s Tuesday.”

  The teenage dragon, Reorden, sniffed. “It’s their fault for getting on my nerves so much. Luckily, you’re here to set my bones straight every time.”

  “You can’t count on always being this lucky.”

  “We’re dragons, what do you want us to do? Get along?”

  She shot him a chastising glare, then crunched the young male’s joints into place. Reorden whimpered. “You wouldn’t have to go through this if you’d just be a little more careful,” she said. His bones would heal in an hour, but she wrapped his arm in bandages just in case. She smoothed a hand over the bandages when she was done, pleased with her handiwork. “Try to control your anger next time?”