“What about her?” he barks, continuing to match my steps so that it’s impossible for me to slip away unnoticed.
“I asked her to come with us,” Eira says.
The announcement clangs loud and uncomfortably out in the open. I decide to forget subtlety and take another few steps back, away from them.
This is not going well.
“Generous of you,” Dederic says, opening his stance and glancing my way. “What was her response?”
I open my mouth to respond, but Eira cuts me off.
“We can’t just abandon her here,” she says.
“Eira, it’s not our decision, my love,” Warin says.
“She got me out,” she hisses sharply. “She’s scared, but only because she doesn’t understand.”
Dederic rubs a hand over his square jaw and up through his hair. He rests his hands on top of his head and I take in his large, sculpted arms and broad chest that tapers down to a narrow waist. In his thirties maybe, he looks strong ̶ sun-kissed and healthy.
“She isn’t our concern,” Warin murmurs, sliding a comforting hand over Eira’s shoulders.
A smirk appears on Dederic’s cheek and his mouth tugs up on one side as I realize in horror that I’ve been caught staring. I peel my eyes away to study the ground - anywhere but his face.
“You aren’t hearing me. They will hunt her down and kill her. Because of me.” Her voice breaks.
The air seems to shift again and when I glance up, Dederic is standing just in front of me. All traces of amusement have vanished and a dark expression flickers in his green eyes.
I swallow hard and straighten my shoulders.
“Seda.” He tests out my name, rolling it over his tongue. “It appears we owe you a great debt.”
“You don’t,” I whisper, but he presses on.
“You’ll come with us. And when we get back,” he glances at Eira, “when you’re ready, you’ll tell me the entire story. But for now, we need to move.”
I shake my head and back up farther, my legs trembling as I trip and sway on the uneven ground.
Dederic’s hard gaze snaps to me again and the look on his face is dangerous as he corners me between Apollo’s body and his own.
“Seda-” Eira starts to interject, warning lacing her voice.
Dederic holds up a hand to silence her and he leans in and crowds my space.
“I appreciate the invitation,” I stammer, “but I’d rather part ways here. You don’t owe me anything.”
He continues to match me step for step and my magic bubbles and churns inside of my chest. I taste smoke on my tongue and try and tamp down my rising panic.
“Why are you moving away?” he asks with a smile.
“Why are you following me?” I breathe. “There was no expectation of repayment or assistance-”
“You look like you’re about to run, and I strongly advise against it,” he murmurs. I try and ignore the unwelcome way his words slide warmly over my skin.
“I appreciate your offer of hospitality, but I’m not going with you. Get Eira home. Take care of her.”
He smiles wide and glances over at the other two in disbelief at my insolence.
“I intend to do just that. But you seem to be under the impression that your presence was merely a suggestion.”
He reaches out and grasps Apollo’s lead just above where I’m holding it.
“It’s not,” he growls.
My throat tightens and the blood drains from my face, causing me to sway.
“You’re taking me prisoner,” I breathe.
“Prisoner is an ugly word. You’ll be my guest.” His voice is rough and deathly quiet.
I clench my teeth together and fume in terrified outrage. He studies the shifting emotions on my face with a horrible smirk, rolling his broad shoulders and shifting the weapons that are strapped to his back and chest.
“Guest implies willingness,” I hiss.
Dederic tilts his head back and forth as though considering my words.
We stand less than a foot apart now. I have to tip my face back to meet his eyes; the top of my head makes it to just below the square line of his jaw. His gaze travels over my face, across my tangled hair and filthy dress, and I’m reminded of just how repulsive I must appear.
Just then, my stomach makes an embarrassing growl of hunger, and I wrap my hand around my waist. His eyes find mine again and all hints of humor and judgment fall away.
My breaths are fast and shallow and my head swims with exhaustion and shame.
“This is not a battle you will win, human,” he murmurs, his tone gentler than before.
I know he’s right. Even on my best day I would be outmatched by Dragons, and today is not even remotely close to that. I hesitate another moment, covering my eyes with my hands and fighting back the sting of tears; the weight of failure and defeat.
“We need to go.” His voice rumbles from in front of me.
“You swear that you won’t hurt me?” I demand, dropping my hands away from my face.
He doesn’t hesitate.
“I swear it.”
“You won’t torture me? Or kill me? Or have someone else do it?” I ask, knowing full well that at this point his answers don’t really matter - I’m going with them.
“I’d never make someone else do my dirty work.” He tilts his head in amusement. “Yes, I swear it.”
I try and detect any hint of insincerity while I weigh my other options here. I could try and run, but I don’t doubt that he would catch me in a heartbeat. I could try and convince him to let me go, but there is a very strong possibility that I could starve before I find another city. And even if I did find a place to stay, Alderon will be hunting for me. I’d be turned over without a second thought.
I meet his gaze again and nod wordlessly in defeat. His shoulders seem to relax, and he dips his chin, satisfied.
“Let’s go.”
We move back towards Eira and Warin, and I swipe at the moisture pooling near the corners of my eyes.
“You have Eira?” he calls to Warin who nods in confirmation.
“How should I follow you? Which way are we going?” I mumble and glance around.
Dederic smirks and points at the sky. My exhausted mind takes a minute to process what he means before I manage to croak out something that sounds like ‘oh, um, no’.
“Only one way in, I’m afraid,” he says.
“My horse-” I say and look helplessly at the hard-worn animal.
“I’ll send someone to collect your horse. He’ll be fine.”
Dederic takes the reins and ties them to a branch under the shelter of a large cedar tree. I startle slightly as Eira touches my arm. She forces a small smile onto her face, but I can see that she’s nervous about my response ̶ worried that I’m angry with her.
“You’ll be safe with Dederic. I promise,” she says and squeezes my hand. “Just close your eyes and pretend it’s Apollo.”
I let out an unladylike grunt and Eira moves towards Warin as he shifts back into the giant red Dragon. She jogs right up to him ̶ no hesitation at all. The giant creature rumbles deep in his chest before he scoops her gently into his front claws. Those huge wings shift and open before he rears back and launches them both skyward.
“Ready?” Dederic asks and lifts a brow. My breath rushes out in a whoosh.
“Are you sure about this?”
“Don’t worry, human. I won’t drop you.” Our eyes stay locked as he backs up farther into the clearing. “And remember ̶ don’t run.”
And then he disappears.
“Mother above...” I exhale.
Watching Dederic shift forms is like standing outside in the middle of the day, blinking your eyes and opening them to midnight darkness. It’s unnerving and is doing nothing to calm the rising panic inside of me. The black Dragon is so much larger than Warin’s red one. I take in the glittering onyx plates and scales lining his long, muscular body. He stretches his large wings proudly before tucking the
m tightly into his side and walking towards me.
The earth shakes a bit with the Dragon’s footsteps. Sharp teeth are hidden safely away, and his tail seems to be under control; not whipping back and forth as angrily as it was before. That long neck curves around me so that I am contained within the semicircle of his body. Reptilian eyes - the same color they are in his human form ̶ track my movements as I step very cautiously towards him.
I murmur soft, nonsensical things like I would when approaching any other animal - a quiet, even tone that lets them know where you are at all times. I reach an arm out and place a trembling palm flat on one of the thick-looking plates that run along the underside of his neck. It’s rough to the touch and so warm. That green eye is watching me as my other palm reaches up and I trace my hands over his neck and chest a bit more.
Dederic curls his neck tightly inward as his snout grazes my side. He huffs a few breaths that sends my hair floating around me. I run my hands over the rough scales of his face and that giant eye closes in a long blink. Suddenly he unwinds himself and sits back on his haunches to offer a lethal-looking claw for me to climb into.
“Do. Not. Drop me,” I whisper, my voice shaking.
I hitch the hem of my dress up with one hand and grasp an obsidian claw with the other as I hoist myself rather clumsily into his grip. He wraps the other around me as well, and I am essentially seated in his hard, warm hands, looking out from between black talons. He shifts himself around and I bounce a bit between one paw and the other, trying to get my bearings.
His wings flex outward and all that coiled muscle propels us upwards so fast that I fall back and am unable to even lift my arms for a moment. Once he gets us high enough in the air, his body levels out, and I haul myself forward to take in the view below. His claws tighten slightly, and I am grateful that he remembers he has a passenger. Any other thoughts are lost, however, as I look down at the river and trees and hills zooming by underneath us. The deafening rush of wind drowns out my shriek.
Lack of sleep, hunger, and sheer terror finally overwhelm me, and I’m lost to unconsciousness.
Throne Room
I eventually become aware of the sound of boots echoing through a stone hallway and, for a moment, I forget where I am. When the unfamiliar smell of salty air and cedar trees fills my lungs, alarm bells begin to go off in my head.
This is not home.
I crack my eyes open and stare up at a strong, masculine profile and realize then that I am being carried. Dederic glances down suddenly, and I squeeze my eyes shut and feign unconsciousness. A low chuckle rumbles through his chest and tickles against my cheek, but I keep my face blank and don’t react. His grip is gentle, and I rock and sway in his arms.
A door is opened, and I am laid down on a soft bed and covered with fresh-smelling blankets. I keep up the pretense of sleeping – although I’m fairly certain he knows it’s a farce - and listen to a few sets of feet move around the room. Drawers are being opened and I hear water being poured somewhere to one side.
“Odin, stay posted outside until morning. Send word if she needs anything,” Dederic instructs quietly.
I listen intently for a few more minutes but there is no response. I stay still and quiet until the footsteps and rustling in my room have disappeared completely and the door clicks shut. My eyes fly open and I sit straight up, only to meet Dederic’s scornful gaze from across the room. He stands in the doorway with his powerful arms crossed over his chest.
“Hello,” he drawls.
“Hello.” My voice comes out rough and gravelly. I clutch the blanket to my chest as he moves farther into the room, sitting in a large, padded chair across from the bed.
“How are you feeling?” he asks and leans forward, planting his elbows on his knees. The room is dark except for two candles, and the firelight plays beautifully over his face.
“Everything hurts,” I whisper and rub my eyes.
He frowns.
“I don’t doubt it. I have food on its way up for you to take in here tonight. There are some clean clothes for you in there.” He points to a dresser against one wall. “The bathroom is through there.”
Glancing around the room, I’m surprised by the comfortable luxury of everything; it’s nowhere close to a dungeon. My eyes catch on the heavy fabric panels hanging down the length of the wall across from the doorway. Curiosity has me sliding out of bed and moving closer to the wall as the fabric moves and sways gently. My heart rate picks up and I glance back over my shoulder at Dederic who remains quiet, watching me.
A salty fresh scent kisses my toes and snakes up to ruffle my hair. I freeze for a moment as excitement rattles through my chest and then frantically swing back the curtains.
A window.
It’s breathtaking – the most beautiful view I have ever seen. Leaning out as far as I dare, I see that this place is built extremely high up on a bluff and overlooks a churning midnight sea far, far below. Starlight illuminates a long stone wall to my left and right, and I can see flickering light from smaller windows below mine.
The loud beat of wings causes me to grip the ledge with both hands as a blue and black Dragon flies from my right. It calls out loudly as it circles overhead and banks left, flying over the wall and into the castle. I lose sight of it and listen for any commotion – or screams of terror ̶ but there is nothing.
This is their home, I think.
I am actually inside of a Dragon city.
“Everything to your liking?” Dederic’s deep voice rumbles next to me.
I startle and jolt forward, but his warm arm wraps around my waist and anchors me back against his chest. I jerk out of his grip, pushing him away and pressing my back against the corner of the window. He frowns and furrows his brow.
“Easy,” he murmurs and shows me his palms, but I don’t care about his attempts to make peace.
“Is that the ocean?” I breathe.
He nods and rests his elbows on the ledge, looking out. I keep my distance but copy his stance, follow his gaze.
“These are the Eelry Mountains. Ruarden - this castle- is at the western most point where we border the Azmarin Sea. We refer to this building as the West Block - mostly bedrooms and guest quarters. Down that way is our library and archive. The two stairways at either end of the hallway will take you down to the great hall. To the north we have an armory, officers’ quarters, a training yard, and barracks that stretch around back along the east wall. South is the throne room and king’s tower.”
“No dungeon?”
“Not on today’s tour, no,” he intones.
I straighten and cross my arms tight over my chest, shivering at the way the cold, clean air washes through the room. I’ve never seen so much of the night sky before - it’s mesmerizing.
“It’s incredible,” I murmur. I wonder if they know how blessed they are to have access to fresh air and open sky. If they know how much they have taken from us by forcing us into hiding.
“It is,” he says and moves away from me.
His gigantic form crouches down in front of the small fireplace in front of the bed and he begins placing heavy-looking logs inside. The muscles in his back and shoulders pull his white shirt taut. I tilt my head in surprise as he reaches for the set of matches. He glances at me over his shoulder and shoots me a questioning look.
“What’s that face for?” he asks and strikes the match, placing it gently on top of the kindling. The bright flame spreads until a healthy fire burns within.
“I wasn’t expecting that - the matches, I mean.”
“You haven’t had to set a fire before?” he asks.
“No. I mean yes-” I fumble for the words. “I thought you would, um… breathe on it?”
For a split second, confusion flickers over his expression. When understanding hits him, he tilts his head back and laughs; the sound open and honest. My face heats with embarrassment and I clamp my mouth shut, resolving not to say anything else. I feel angry and frustrated at how much I don�
��t know, and it highlights exactly how vulnerable I am here. I think he can see the annoyance on my face because he reins in his laughter and shakes his head.
“No, human, it doesn’t work that way. No fire-breathing in this form. Unfortunately.” A dimpled smirk lingers on his mouth.
“Interesting,” I mutter to myself.
A soft knock sounds at the door and Dederic moves around me to answer it.
“That should be dinner,” he says, and my stomach growls in hopeful anticipation. He opens the door a hair and slides out into the hallway to intercept whoever has arrived with food. Curiosity and hunger get the better of me, and I quietly move to where I can peer out through where he’s holding the door open and talking to another man.
They speak in low voices, though I can’t hear anything that’s being said. Suddenly, another handsome face comes into view and a set of dark blue eyes connect with mine. He smiles widely and something intensely curious and overly excited flashes in his gaze.
I sidestep back behind the door as a low growl rumbles out from one of the two men.
Another minute later, Dederic enters with a tray of bread, meat, cheese and fruit and everything else fades away. I launch myself at the spread and devour it fervently, moaning in pleasure at the tastes and textures and the promise of a full belly. Somewhere next to me, my captor pours a glass of wine and slides it into my line of vision ̶ I gulp that down as well and he snorts with amusement.
“If there’s nothing else for now, I’ll leave you to get settled. Eat. Rest. I have a guard posted outside the door so you won’t be disturbed - you can have him send word to me if you need anything else.”
“Thank you,” I mumble.
I don’t bother waiting for him to leave before I pick up the plate and perch myself on the window ledge - grateful to be rid of him and any pretense of civility. I cross my legs beneath myself, devouring the food and watching the way the moon and stars flicker in the cloudless sky.
“Goodnight,” he says.
I flick a glance over my shoulder and watch as he backs out of the room, pulling the door closed behind him.
The next time I wake, it’s with a cool breeze brushing across my face and sunlight reflecting off the water below. I lie on my stomach for a long time, staring out the window and focusing on the feel of my breaths moving in and out. The dressing gown I found last night is clean and soft. I roll to my back and swipe a hand over my face, reluctant to rise and face what is coming.
Song of Smoke: A Dragon Shifter Romance (The King's Series Book 1) Page 4
