by Crymsyn Hart
“We’re all family here. There are about three hundred, give or take, plus the servants. We keep our secrets. The dragons here have broken off from the others who left. They still follow the king’s edicts, of course. He rarely makes them now. In my opinion we should be having more interaction with your lot and the other dragons, but I don’t make the law.”
Kestrel glanced at him. “I think that would be a good idea. The council thinks they know everything.”
They came to a small door guarded by two sentinels who didn’t seem to be doing much guarding. They opened the door. Ralag escorted her into a large chamber. Large spider webs hung from the darkened chandeliers. What chairs there were scattered around the room were nothing more than kindling, broken and in disrepair. A fireplace was nestled along one wall big enough that a whole ox could be cooked in it. But the coals in it were old and hadn’t seen any fire in years. Torches blazed here and there, but the dimness was overwhelming. The room smelled musty and of smoke. She glanced behind her and saw a lengthy hall behind them. Before them was a throne, but it was empty.
“Where’s the king?” she asked.
A blast of warm air pushed against her. “Here as always. Brother, why did you bring this human before me? Andrik said we had a thief amongst us, and now I see her. Should she not be dead by law?”
“Brother, circumstances have changed. She did not try to steal the hatchling. She has come here to see you.”
Two great orange eyes stared at her. A black head moved, and a mouth full of sharp teeth yawned before her. “What circumstances be those, Ralag? Has she come here seeking a dragon from this mountain? Has she come here seeking permission to wed one of our kind?”
“No. She is the spellcaster who was bonded to Castigan.”
Those large eyes widened. The king lifted his head. She saw the outline of his huge body behind the throne. He’s a dragon and not human. How are they related?
A low growl left his throat. “You dare come here before me! I heard about what you did. You are the reason I lost my son. Your impudence got him killed. Why did you come here, human? How is it you still live? Don’t all spellcasters die after the death of their dragon?”
She shook her head. “Only to beg your forgiveness, sire. You ruled that the other dragons were not to come near me. I prayed if I came here and you heard my side, you would lift your edict.”
“I made no such ruling. It was only at news of his death that I knew he was alive. He was stolen from me when he was a babe. I had no other children until Andrik. What use is he to me now? You might as well call back your spawn, Ralag.”
“Brother, we both know that isn’t possible.”
Tears fell from her lashes. If he didn’t make the ruling, then why did Simeon say he did? Why won’t the other dragons talk to me? She went to her knees before the mighty dragon. “Please. I never wanted Castigan to die. My existence has been a living hell since. He gave me part of himself so that I might survive. I need your forgiveness. Please—” She buried her head in her hands and sobbed.
“Castigan didn’t truly know what he was. He did know that he was more than a regular dragon because he gave Kestrel his power, his fire, and a part of his soul. He marked her for his mate as only dragonkin can do.”
“You know that how, Ralag?”
“I’ve looked inside her soul. She carries his humanity. The part of him only our kind have.”
Kestrel wiped her eyes. She didn’t understand what they were talking about. The part of Cas that was human? He was a dragon. How could he have marked me for a mate? They called him dragonkin, but what does that mean exactly?
“Well then we just have to take that back. She doesn’t deserve it.”
The dragon king opened his mouth. Something deep inside of her was being ripped out. Pain enveloped her body like all her bones were being crunched. She screamed and hugged her chest. The fire she had held on to was being extinguished. Everything in her was growing cold. It seemed Cas was being taken away from her all over again.
“Please stop.”
The tugging only got harder.
“Brother, stop this. You’re going to kill her. Castigan gave that part willingly.”
She twisted on the floor. It seemed her insides were being flipped out. She shrieked again. Kestrel gripped the earthen floor, trying to hold on to life. The blackness that surrounded her was filled with screams and torments. It was a place where her dragon had never been, and it shattered her soul.
“Father, stop. You’re killing her.”
“Why do you care? You were the one who said she was a thief and that she should die.”
“I was wrong.”
Kestrel caught a glimpse of Andrik on his knees next to her. He clutched his chest. He was in pain also. His form blurred, and she thought she saw Castigan in his place. She reached out to him. “Cas.”
“She killed your brother.”
“Please, Father. I can explain.”
“Brother, you’re killing the both of them. Stop this, please, before you lose another son.”
The agony stopped. She could hardly catch her breath. Andrik’s image returned to normal. Black spots danced before her eyes. The wound in her middle hurt once more. She tried to hang on to consciousness, but soon lost her hold.
* * * *
“With the wind under my wings, we’ll fly away. My fire burns hot and bright only to warm you in the night . . .”
Kestrel listened to the melody, hearing the familiar words. They brought her peace. She was enveloped by warmth. The heartbeat she heard was also recognizable. She snuggled against the warmth and sighed. The heartbeat increased the closer she nestled. The song drifted through her mind. She didn’t want to wake up. The real world seemed a long way off while she lingered in the dream state.
“Cas, why are you singing that stupid song again? You know that tune always makes me crazy.”
“Actually, I don’t know.”
Her eyes flew open. She found she was in Andrik’s arms. Her head was resting against his chest. He stroked her hair softly. The light contact made her shiver. Kestrel hated to admit it, but the attraction she had for him was intense. She didn’t really know if he had a part of Castigan’s soul or not, but she was drawn to him. His smoky eyes changed color the longer she looked into them.
Everything in her went very still as she breathed in the moment. The curve of his lips tantalized her. His musky scent enticed her. She pulled her gaze from his, feeling her cheeks blaze.
“I’m sorry. Cas used to sing to me when I was a child so I could sleep. Or when I had a lot on my mind. It was his favorite song. He said he learned it from his mother.” She tried to get up, but his arm was across her stomach. Kestrel froze, not sure what to do.
“Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“N-No.” She tore her eyes from his alluring ones. The heavy sense of magic weighed on her. Andrik continued to caress her hair. Feeling the comfort in his embrace was something she had experienced only with Cas. “Where are we? What happened?”
“Father was going to take back the part of Cas’s soul he gave to you. I was in the shadows. I heard your pain when you spoke. I thought about what you said. I did recognize you. I used to dream about you when I was a hatchling. My father said you were a fantasy. You faded after a while, but now and again, I’d dream about you. It seemed you were in pain. I woke up feeling the echo of it.” His fingers trailed down her cheek. “When Father was pulling back the part that Castigan had given you, I experienced your agony. It all hit me then. Some of the pieces fit. I think I was your dragon.”
She sat up slowly. “You can’t be. You’re human.”
He smiled. “Part of me is human. The other is dragon. I’m dragonkin, a shape-shifter. Most of the dragons here are.”
“But your father’s a dragon. How does that work if your uncle is human?”
He sighed. “My father is king because he’s descended from the first dragon to ever share part of his soul with a huma
n. The dragon fell in love with a woman and couldn’t stand to see her die. The piece he gave to her only gave her longevity, but they could not be mates.”
“I know that from my studies. It was how the first spellcaster-dragon bond was formed.”
“What you don’t know, and we’ve never shared, is that because the dragon loved the woman so much, the ancient gods took pity on them. They allowed the dragon to become a man. He could still shift to dragon form. They couple bore three children. Two were completely human. The third was able to shift. Over the years, the descendents of those three children have mated with humans or dragons, resulting in the line that lives within this mountain. Some can’t shift. After a few generations, the genes go dormant. If our young are hatched, they may change at puberty. The same if they were born. Castigan was my elder brother. His egg was laid and then stolen. He never knew he could shift. He never knew he was dragonkin.”
Kestrel took in everything he had said. She saw the sadness in his eyes. “What about you? You said that you had lost your wife. What happened?” She got up from his lap. Part of her didn’t want to leave him, but she had to get away to process all of what she had heard. He was too irresistible to stay close to. She walked away and examined the large room. It seemed to go on forever. Any small sound reverberated in the cavern. The essence of magic was all around her. The sheer power prickled along her skin.
“I lost my wife before we could consummate our mating. She was human. She was out collecting flowers, and raiders came upon her. They ravaged her. Hurt her bad enough we couldn’t save her. I wasn’t able to get here soon enough. A traitor informed the marauders where and who she was. If not, they would have left her alone. Losing her broke my heart. She’s resting here along with the other members of our family. This is our crypt.”
A ball of fire illuminated his finger. He threw it up in the air. The fire hit several torches and ignited the room. She was able to see the massive cave they were in. All around her were sleeping dragons. Her gaze swept the whole of them. Seeing their unmoving forms told her they were dead. Kestrel saw a glint of gold and the familiar curve of a claw.
Cas. Kestrel rushed over, weaving through the remains. His head rested on his feet. Reaching out, she trailed her fingers along his snout. He was still warm. She half expected him to open his eyes and swat at her the way he used to. I’m sorry about everything. The past centuries have been hell without you. Why didn’t you let me leave with you? She fell to her knees before the dragon and covered her head with her hands. The tears wouldn’t stop. The moments before his death replayed in her mind. If only they had made another decision. If only they had flown in a different direction.
“Father brought him here after he felt him die. The shock must have been so much he didn’t notice the bond Cas had formed with you. Or didn’t expect it. The spellcasters had already taken you away. We keep him here so the raiders won’t steal his remains. The magic of this place keeps their outer shells whole, but over the years their insides become hollow.”
Kestrel looked up at Andrik. Her hurt was reflected in his face. “After he died, I went a little crazy. I don’t remember much of it. I wasn’t supposed to live. The others hid me away because they didn’t know what to do with me. I’ve never fully come to terms with it either.”
Andrik laid a hand on her shoulder. “If my father had known the true extent of the bond you had with Cas, you would’ve been brought here. We would’ve taken you in and shown you how to harness the power of the dragon. Besides him giving you his power, he gave you his fire. I’ve never heard of that before, except from ancient myths about the drakin.”
“What am I supposed to do now?” Her heart slammed against her chest. She gasped for air. The room was pressing down around her. Her head spun. Ancient myths had nothing to do with her. “I have to get out of here. Can we go somewhere else, please?”
“Of course.”
He led her through the maze of dragon corpses. Kestrel stole one last look at the dragon that used to be her rock. He didn’t move. He would never move again.
Chapter Six
Kestrel stood on the stone balcony, staring at the surrounding mountains. Breathing in the long draughts of cool air helped clear her mind. It was night, and the moon was above them. The dress was warm. The vastness of the landscape around her made her feel small. Andrik kept a watchful eye, but he didn’t intrude in her space. Her grief was raw again. Seeing Castigan’s body had ripped open the old wounds. She was back to floating, anything to avoid the all-encompassing sorrow. Staring out at the halo of clouds that enfolded the mountain enhanced that feeling. The land was far below. If she jumped, she would fall. She wasn’t sure if she would die. She hadn’t when she was hit by the claw. She gripped the edge of the balcony.
A tear slipped from her cheek. Being forgiven was all that she had wanted. Now she might have found Cas’s reincarnation. She wasn’t even sure that was possible. Maybe it was. Dealing with Andrik being the reincarnation was another thing altogether. First he wanted to kill her, and now he had changed his tune. Part of him was Castigan, and another part was nothing of the dragon that she knew. The soul inside of her was drawn to him more than she could fathom. That and he was irresistibly handsome. Kestrel wanted to feel his lips on hers, and his hard body writhing against her. The conflicting emotions tore her up inside.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.” The breeze whistled around her. A chill ran over her arm. She tried to warm herself, but the wind sucked all the heat from her. The warmth of his body blasted against her back. He stayed close, but didn’t touch her.
“What can I do to take away your pain?”
“I’m not in any pain.”
He moved the hair away from her neck. His fingers brushed the line of her jaw. He inhaled. The stubble of his beard rubbed against her skin. She shivered. The small gesture ignited the passion inside of her. The soft caresses made her wet. Her desire for him was something she hadn’t felt for a man in a long time. Sometimes Kestrel wondered if she would ever feel it again.
“Your pain isn’t of the body, but of the soul. Why do you hold on to your grief?”
“Because it’s the only thing that’s kept me alive. I’ve carried it so long I don’t know how to let it go.”
Andrik traced the curve of her throat over her scar. She tried to pull away from him, but he didn’t let her. “There is more to life than sorrow. Hatred. Desperation. I carried those emotions close to my heart. They poisoned my reason and tainted my way of thinking after Lara died. They locked me in this form. I haven’t had my wings in three hundred years. I detest myself. My father mourns for me. I used to spend hours in the crypt screaming at the gods and holding Lara, willing all of my strength back into her until I was near dead. Dragonkin are powerful, but we cannot thwart the gods. I never thought to have hope again until I saw you.”
“I’m not your savior, Andrik. I’m a freak without a dragon. An outcast even among your people. Your uncle should have let me die.”
He spun her around in his arms. His gaze searched hers. The serious expression on his face let her know he wasn’t kidding. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Kes, my little bird, you are strong and powerful. It’s about time you remember that.”
“What did you call me?”
“Kes.”
“No, the other thing. Little bird. No one else called me that except Cas. He always joked that I was little compared to him.”
“It just popped out. I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “It’s okay. You’re right. I have to let go of the guilt. I just don’t know how.”
He cupped her cheek. His warm palm felt good. The human contact felt wonderful. She turned her cheek into it and breathed in the deep musk of his skin. The draw she felt between them was irresistible. He pulled her closer until they were inches apart. He wound his fingers through her hair.
“The only way I know how is by touching another person. Talking to them. Letting them in
.”
Kestrel nodded. She heard what he said, but it didn’t matter. Her mouth met his, and it was softer than she imagined. Andrik pressed his body to hers. His was hard and tense. The solidness of his muscles reminded her he was real. None of the men she had been with in the past were so dense. And yet he made no other move on her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sank into the moment. He kissed her lightly and then pulled away. It seemed he was as breathless as she.
“I shouldn’t have kissed you. I’m sorry.”
He smiled. “Did you want to?”
“Yes.”
“Then you already took the first step back to yourself. Come on. I’m sure you’re tired. I’ll take you back to your room. I made arrangements for better accommodations for you.”
Neither of them moved. “Why are you doing this?”
“I’m not doing anything.”
“Then why do I feel this way?”
“What way?”
Kestrel slid her hand along his neck. Her finger shook as it traced the line of his jaw. The fire inside of her wound along her veins, and it seemed she would combust from the inside out. “Like I’m going to burn up. That I see you and want you, but I don’t know you.”
“Haven’t you felt that way with someone else you’re attracted to? It’s the primal instinct of dragons when we want to mate.”
“So my attraction for you is just a mating impulse to fuck you? It isn’t something more?”
He gave her a half-crooked smile. “It could be. Although I was hoping for something else.”
“What was that?”
He kissed her quickly and ran his nose along the side of her neck. His other hand slipped around her waist and settled on the small of her back. His palm was barely on her skin, but heat twisted along her spine. He ran his lips along the side of her throat, following the same line with his tongue. She groaned. When he breathed on the wet trail, she clutched his toned arms. Kestrel squeezed her eyes shut, trying to contain the passions inflaming her.
