by JF Jenkins
Legend of the Inero Dragon
by J.F. Jenkins
Published by Astraea Press
www.astraeapress.com
Smashwords Edition
Copyright © 2011 J.F. JENKINS
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious in every regard. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used. Except for review purposes, the reproduction of this book in whole or part, electronically or mechanically, constitutes a copyright violation.
LEGEND OF THE INERO DRAGON
Copyright © 2011 J.F. JENKINS
ISBN 978-1-936-852-90-1
Cover Art Designed by Elaina Lee
Edited by Chynna Laird
For my Jason.
Chapter One
She burst through the door. The only thing on her mind was: I have to get out of here before they do something worse.
"Katarina Annaleigh Reina, get back inside now!" her mother screamed. She kept running, not once looking back.
Kat ran down the street until she was deeper into Inero City, then she slowed her pace. If neither of her parents had followed her yet, she wouldn't need to keep pushing forward. She caught her breath as she passed by the small businesses and rundown shops along the edge of the city, not too far from the poorer housing community where she lived. Fortunately, she could walk anywhere she needed to go.
Inero City, though smaller in size than some of the other metropolises of the world, was still beautiful. Businesses were so crammed together they seemed to sit on top of one another. Behind the buildings was Inero Castle, always present and looming over the city like a watchful mother. No other structure was allowed to be built taller than it was because of some ancient law. Kat had a hard time imagining this since the castle was seven stories high. She'd heard rumors and seen pictures of the skyscrapers in Oceina City or Terran City rumored to be built taller, but she wasn't sure if she believed they were real. Could men really build something that big? It didn't feel right to her.
For the most part, she liked the tight quarters of the city. The community was a part of her life. Her neighbors cared for her in the place of her real family, and it was them she relied on.
She sent a text to her best friend of nearly five years, Matthias. Hopefully he was free. He had a way of making everything seem better just by smiling at her.
Are you busy?
I'll be at the spot soon.
She loved how he just knew when she needed him. Then again, it wasn't the first time he'd been there for her.
Kat walked three more blocks north then entered a small park with a yellow, plastic tube slide and a swing. She crawled up into the first curve in the slide then waited. About ten minutes later, she heard footsteps.
"Are you in here?" Matt's voice echoed into the slide.
"Yeah," she said.
The slide rocked as he climbed the stairs to the top entrance. "I'm coming down."
With a lot of clunking and thudding, Matt managed a slow enough speed so that he didn't plow into her on his way down. He only skidded a little, his arm going over her body as he braced himself. Then he settled beside her, holding her hand in his.
"They didn't hurt you, did they?" he asked.
"No, I got out of the house before they could think about it. I've learned to bail once the yelling starts," she said, giving him a weak smile.
"They won't when you come back?"
"No, I'm sure they'll move on with their lives before then. If anything, they'll be mad I bothered to come back. I wouldn't if I had another place to go."
He nudged her playfully, almost popping her out of position. "Someday you will."
"Someday isn't soon enough." Her eyes closed as she exhaled slowly.
He squeezed her hand, making her feel safe again. "I bet you the Elite will come asking for you to join them any day now."
"I hope so. Tell me about them again?" She'd only heard rumors, but Matt seemed to have some kind of inside source. He could have been lying to her to make her feel better but she doubted it. Either way, it was fun for her to dream.
"About the Elite?"
She nodded.
"They're called the Elite because they are the most beautiful and powerful women in all of Inero. Chosen at a young age, they go on to marry important men, have great influence on the city, and are some of the most admired creatures on the planet. An Elite never has to worry about being safe or having enough. She is perfection."
"You think I'm perfect?" she asked.
"I know you are," he said, glancing at her.
"How do you know they'd pick me?"
Matt shrugged. "How could they not?"
"Hopefully it happens soon. I don't know how much more of this I can take. Mom was about to murder me over the laundry. She found some lacy thong and started screaming at me over wearing naughty undies. I told her they weren't mine. They were about three sizes too large for me. She wouldn't hear it, of course. Dad got mad too, but I guess it's easier to blame me than for him to fess up." She sighed, closed her eyes then put her head on Matt's shoulder. They'd met at this exact park five years ago, and she was so glad. He was, by far, the best thing to have ever happened to her.
"A few more days," he whispered.
"How do you know?" she asked.
"Because if they don't come for you, I might have to take you away myself."
"I won't complain if you do," she said. I'd rather be with you.
He cupped her chin gently, and she stared into his eyes. "I didn't think you would, but I want you to have the best. It's what you deserve: to be loved, cherished, and be given everything you could ever dream of. You're a lot more beautiful than any of the Elite women I've seen, so you have to be a shoe-in, especially now that you're considered 'of age.' If they don't come for you though, I will. Then you'll never have to worry about being afraid again. I promise I will always take care of you."
"Always?" she whispered.
He nodded, then his eyes focused on something in front of him that wasn't there—that was his 'thinking face.' Matt knew something but he wasn't sharing it, and she didn't press him on it. He'd always been full of secrets, which she'd gotten used. She trusted him enough to fill her in when the time was right because he always did.
Chapter Two
Whenever strangers entered Nessan Village, a town of less than one hundred people, everyone else noticed. Strangers stuck out like a sore thumb because they were the only faces without a name. Everyone knew everything about each other. They even knew everything about the citizens of the neighboring towns. So, naturally, when three new men arrived in town, spending a good deal of time drinking coffee in the local shop, it didn't go unnoticed.
Gwenaelle Dolorn couldn't take her eyes off of them as she waited to pick up a cake next door in the bakery. They were all young and attractive men, but that wasn't what caught her eye. What she noticed the most was the large, black tattoo each of them had on his neck, marking him as a member of the Inero Royal Guard. They watched her with as much interest as she did them. So much so that Gwen started feeling uncomfortable under the weight of their gazes. As soon as she paid for her cake, she left the bakery, running the whole two miles home. The men didn't follow her, and she felt silly as soon as she walked through her front door. But she felt safer.
"Everything okay?" her mother asked from the kitchen.
Gwen had been hoping she wouldn't be home. Walking into the kitchen, she did her best to hide the cake behind her back u
ntil she could stash it in the refrigerator for safe keeping. No such luck.
"What's that?"
"Nothing," Gwen said, but she didn't bother to hide it further. Her mother noticed everything.
Moving closer, she dried off her hands then took the box from her daughter. She lifted the lid, and a huge smile spread on her face. "'Happy twenty years.' Honey, you didn't have to do this."
"It's a long time to be married," Gwen said with a small shrug. "I wanted you to know it's important to me too." She put the cake away and sighed. "I'd have made it myself if I could bake."
"You sound like your father. Thank you. It's beautiful." She kissed Gwen's forehead then went back to her cooking.
Gwen washed her hands then joined her mother, wanting to assist her in any way possible. Baking wasn't one of Gwen's talents, but she knew how to work the stove well. Besides, she wanted to talk, and helping out gave her an excuse to do so. There was always something to do on their farm home. If she wasn't working, her mother gave her a project.
"Mom, why are there Royal Guard members in town?"
"You probably mistook them for travelers taking a break."
"I'm positive they were guards. They each had the mark on them."
"Then they are most likely taking a break as they travel through the country. Why do you think I would know? I don't have any connections with the military, and neither does your father. I know you secretly dream of us being spies or something greater than crop growers, but you're only going to disappoint yourself with your wild imagination."
Gwen rolled her eyes. "I don't want you to be spies. A little excitement would be fun. You don't need to tease me about daydreaming. The only reason I asked is because you're best friends with Mrs. Sudechous and everyone knows she's the biggest gossip ever."
"She hasn't gossiped to me yet today. And even if she had, nothing she says is any of your business. Neither are the Royal Guard."
"I just want to make sure we aren't in trouble. I know they burned down Ingland Village a couple of weeks ago and—"
"It's not your business."
"But it is if they want to take away our—"
"They aren't here to burn our house down. If they were, they would have done so by now. I'm sure they'll pass on through soon enough." Her mother's body was stiff, and Gwen knew she was being lied to.
"Mom, please," she pressed.
"I think you should go and clean your room. I tried dropping off your clothes this morning and I could barely walk across the floor it was so cluttered."
With a sigh, Gwen stopped what she was doing then left the kitchen without another word. The worry in her gut started bubbling over. If the guard being in town wasn't a big deal, her mother wouldn't go to such great lengths to hide it from her.
Chapter Three
Matthias was running out of time. Within twenty-four hours, the next selection of the Elite would be chosen. Ten girls from all across the nation of Inero would be brought back to the castle, and each would be chosen by a different man. Not just any man, but one of the Dragon Lords. Matt was one of these lords…a dragon. And now he was finally of age to choose a woman to take as his own. The problem was he only wanted a specific one: Kat.
He knocked on his father's door, praying the Royal Guard hadn't picked up the selection of woman for his group.
"Matthias, I'm surprised," said his father, Lynx, who was the Lord of the Inero. "I thought you were supposed to be spending the day with your brother."
"Yes, we're going to leave soon, but I wanted to talk to you about the Elite first. May I come in?"
His father sighed then opened the door wider, allowing Matt to enter. "You know I'm not allowed to disclose that information. In fact, you're not allowed to know anything about the process. It would be considered unfair to your brothers and cousins."
"I know, but I'm in love with a girl," Matt said. He stared at the floor, unsure how to feel. Shame was one emotion. He knew better than to try asking for a special favor from his father. He had hundreds of brothers, and while Matt was closer to his father than any of the others, it wasn't fair for him to ask. He had to try.
"You know the rules," said Lynx.
"Yes, I don't know what I was thinking. Forgive my foolishness, Father." Matt sighed, keeping his gaze to the floor. Lynx laughed, and Matt literally jumped in surprise.
"You're in love. I can't fault you for that. Do not jump the gun, however. In two days you will see your selection of Elite. If you still feel the same way, then I will help you arrange something. Though it's not how we usually do things, I can't deny my son the woman he loves. You are prepared to deal with the consequences of not going through the ritual of the Elite though, yes? I mean, should the need arise?"
Matt nodded, but he wasn't all too sure what those consequences were. He'd yet to meet someone who didn't go through with the usual courtship ritual of choosing from the Elite. Most fell in love after the process, not before. Still, it was Kat. And he was willing to give up just about anything for her. Besides, he couldn't imagine being punished too harshly, if at all. He frowned when he noticed his father smirking at him.
"You're pulling my chain, aren't you?" Matt asked.
Lynx nodded. "You aren't the first to come to me asking for a specific girl, and you won't be the last. All I can promise is she will be there, but I can't promise someone else won't try taking her first. However, if memory serves me correctly, those with the highest grades upon graduation get the earlier pickings. Didn't you and your brother graduate at the top of your class?"
"Yes, Father."
"Then I think you have little to worry about. Now, if this is the girl you've been telling me about for a long time, I believe she's been on the list for a while," Lynx said with a wink.
"Thank you, Father," Matt said. He couldn't help but smile. It touched him to know how much his father invested into his well-being. He actually paid attention to what Matt had been saying all of these years.
"You don't need to thank me. Go and enjoy the afternoon with your brother."
"Yes, Father," Matt said, bowing, trying to hide how happy he was. The last thing he should do was to behave immaturely, giving his father a reason to doubt him. He would soon be entering into manhood and Matt wanted to be worthy of the honor. He wanted to be worthy of her.
Chapter Four
"You're distracted today," said Matthias's twin brother, Jason.
Matt had been distant all day. Ever since the two had met up after breakfast, he'd been present in body but not in mind. Jason was frustrated, considering it was the last day the two would be able to spend time together as single men. Things changed after mating and Jason wasn't looking forward to it.
Matt shrugged, still staring. "I can't help it. I keep thinking about how after today, she's going to be with me. Do you have any idea how many times I've almost told her our secret? I can finally be honest with her and not worry about what kind of repercussions it will have on our kind."
"You think she's going to take it well? Being told you're actually a dragon, I mean?"
"She's not going to care. If anything, she'll be mad because I kept it from her for so long."
Jason sighed. "I hope you're right," he said, watching the clouds floating overhead. The two were in the desert just outside of the city, a place they frequented together. They'd had a lot of wonderful adventures out here growing up. It felt like the perfect place to bring their childhood to a close.
Matt glanced at him. "I'm sure whoever you're with will be just as wonderful, and you'll—"
"I'm not exactly looking for companionship," Jason interrupted. He didn't need to hear the speech again. None of his brothers understood his lack of interest in a bride. After all, it was every Inero's dream to participate in the ceremony of the Elite. Each would choose a woman from the line presented before him, making her his. From there, if love flowed its natural course, then so be it. If not, they'd find another woman until the relationship worked, creating as many offspring
as they could along the way.
This wasn't Jason's dream, however.
"Some day you'll want someone. Nobody wants to be alone forever," Matt pointed out.
"True, but I've never truly been alone. We've always had each other. You being with Kat will make everything different between us. I've prepared myself for that, but I am kind of looking forward to being off on my own, too. I'll have someone, but our relationship will be about choice. I won't make her tag along with me. Hopefully we'll get along at least."
"You will. You've always been good at reading people and knowing who has a good heart just by looking at them. I don't know how you do it."
"I think everyone has a good heart by nature. All I do is see those good things and focus on bringing them out," Jason said.
"Whatever you do, it works. I don't think yours will lead you astray."
"I don't think it will either," Jason said with more confidence than he felt. He knew how to read people, yes. But this was much more complex than simply being nice to others. The whole point was for him to choose his life companion. Even if he could find a girl with a good heart, there were no guarantees it would work out. He didn't think his skills were so amazing he'd be able to find one true love just by looking at her for ten seconds.
Matthias shook his head, "Then I'm not sure I understand what's wrong."
"I never said there was something wrong. You assumed." Jason smirked at his brother.
"My mistake then."
"You're nervous. Why are you nervous?"
"Am not," Matt said, rolling his eyes.
Jason put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Yes, you are. You're so tense. Come on, you can talk to me. I'm not going to think less of you." Matt was always guarded with his emotions, and it took some pressing and reassurance to draw them out. It frustrated Jason at times, but he understood. His brother had a lot riding on his shoulders.
