by Rinelle Grey
As if he actually cared.
Yeah, right, like she was going to believe that. Karla glanced up at him, trying to figure out what his game was. Because he had to be playing a game.
The expression in his eyes seemed as genuine as his voice.
What the hell?
This was Ultrima. The man who had tried to kill Taurian. Who had tried to force Taurian’s sister to mate with him. Who had asked Karla to betray Taurian. He wasn’t gentle and understanding. He certainly didn’t understand about loving someone, did he?
Karla’s heart was thudding in her chest. Had they been mistaken about Ultrima all this time?
Was there a way out of this? If Ultrima had just been misunderstood, and he really did care for Taurian’s sister, then maybe they could talk to him and sort something out.
“And you know, that pairing is never going to produce a life dragon, no matter how hard they try.” Ultrima’s voice was cool, nonchalant.
That was a bombshell.
He knew what Taurian was planning? How?
“Don’t look so surprised,” Ultrima said, amusement colouring his voice. “The Rian dragons have been trying to create a life dragon for quite a while. You could almost say it was an obsession.” Ultrima’s face darkened for a moment, then cleared. “But they don’t know the first thing about life dragons.”
“And you do?” Karla challenged.
“I don’t know, do I?” Ultrima’s eyes challenged her.
Karla thought quickly. Ultrima was talking as if she should know the answer, but how could she? Even if she had seen a life dragon in his lair, she wouldn’t have recognised it. She didn’t know anything about the different kinds of dragons.
All she knew about life dragons was that they could affect people’s minds.
Or cause visions.
The memory of the dingoes in the cave underneath Ultrima’s lair flashed into her mind, sending her cold. She hadn’t understood enough about how dragon magic worked to understand them at the time. It hadn’t occurred to her to wonder how a lightning dragon could create such elaborate visions. Now that she had experienced life dragon magic on the way here, she knew that’s what it had to be.
Ultrima must have seen the knowledge in her eyes, because he smiled.
“You already have a life dragon.” The statement was barely necessary, but somehow, Karla wanted to hear it from his own mouth.
“Bravo. I’m surprised it took you so long to realise it.”
He was amused.
For some reason, it made Karla furious. Didn’t he realise that these were real people? That they were dragons whose clan he had once been part of? They were trying so hard, and in Taurian’s case, giving up so much, to save each other.
And he was amused.
Karla almost shook with anger. To think she had almost felt sorry for him. Well, she certainly didn’t now.
Ultrima though, misunderstood her shaking. “It must be painful for you to stay and watch this,” Ultrima said quietly. “I’m surprised you’re still here.”
Karla fought her anger. She needed to focus. Ultrima didn’t feel any real concern for her. He was faking it, He had to be. There had to be another reason he was talking to her. A reason he was pretending concern. There had to be something she was missing. She suspected it was very important to realise what.
There. There it was. A calculating gleam in Ultrima’s eyes. The fake concern couldn’t quite hide it.
He wanted to get rid of her.
She was right. Ultrima considered her an important piece in this game. That was why he was trying to get rid of her. He thought that would take her off the board.
A plan began to form in the back of Karla’s mind. A nebulous, risky, possibly stupid plan.
She refused to think too hard about it. If she let it form too fully, then Ultrima might see it on her face. She couldn’t afford that.
So she shrugged, and turned back to her food. “Bit risky to go out on my own when there are dangerous dragons about, don’t you think?”
Ultrima gave a laugh. “I would have thought it was riskier to stay here.”
He had a point. Karla stared up at him, her eyes narrowed. “I thought we were just witnessing a mating ceremony. That’s not so dangerous, is it?”
“Is it any more dangerous to leave?” Ultrima challenged.
She couldn’t get an answer by pretending. Karla dropped the deception, and asked outright, “Are you saying that you’re not going to try to kill me if I leave?”
For a second, Ultrima looked a little shocked at her forthright question. Then he smiled. “That’s exactly what I’m saying, Karla. I’ve admired your bravery and dedication throughout his, despite how annoying it has been at times. Especially that stunt you pulled back at my lair. That was plucky. But now…” He glanced up at Taurian and Wayrian, and Karla tried not to follow his look.
Taurian stared at them, his eyes dark and stormy. He wasn’t impressed at Karla and Ultrima talking. Was it an attempt to protect her, despite his mating, or was it some weird sort of misplaced jealousy. Either way, it didn’t matter. Karla was trying to help.
Even though he had broken her heart.
There was no time for those thoughts because Ultrima was looking at her again. His eyes were sympathetic. A fake sympathy. “Now you have no reason to remain and try to protect Taurian. And no need to share your new information with him. He’s not going to live long enough for it to matter either way.”
His quiet assurance was like a stab in the back, catching her unaware. Karla was silent for a minute, struggling to find the way out of all this.
Ultrima had played his hand. Made his killing move.
He thought that Karla would bow out of the game and leave the king defenceless.
Maybe he thought she was the queen. He could hardly think Wayrian had taken that position. Either way, she was the only other piece that concerned him. And once she was off the board, she wasn’t a threat.
At least, that’s what he thought.
Karla needed to be careful though. If he guessed her plan, then all would be lost.
She glanced back at Taurian and his mate. Focused on the torn clothes, and the way Wayrian touched his arm to get his attention.
It hurt. It more than hurt. It felt like someone was ripping her heart to shreds.
Making no attempt to hide any of that pain, Karla turned back to Ultrima. “No, no reason at all. He’s chosen his path. I don’t owe him anything. The only reason I’m still here is because I was afraid to leave.” The fact that that was true only helped her story. There was no reason for Ultrima to doubt it. “If you’re offering to let me go without issues, that’s just what I’m looking for,” she continued. “But I can’t leave my friends and family here.”
“Of course not,” Ultrima said immediately. “All of you can leave without anyone stopping you. I’ll escort you to your cars myself.”
“And Gretchen?”
Ultrima frowned. His eyes sought out the only other human occupant of the lair, sitting next to Jayrian, hugging his arm. “She’s different. She’s mated to a dragon. She’s already chosen her side.”
“She fell in love. She didn’t know she was choosing a side. She definitely didn’t know it was a life or death decision.”
Ultrima studied her for a moment, his blue eyes sharp. Karla tried to look back openly, hoping he wouldn’t see she was covering something up. Hoping he wouldn’t realise she needed Gretchen.
“She’s my friend, I can’t just leave her here to die.”
“She’s going to die anyway,” Ultrima said gently. “Better to die fighting for what she believes in than of a broken heart, don’t you think?”
His eyes bored into her, and Karla tried to think quickly. Somehow, she didn’t think this question was about Gretchen. “This isn’t about what Gretchen believes in. This isn’t her fight. It’s between you dragons. We have nothing to do with it.”
“Good point.” Ultrima grinned. As though he
’d won something by her comments. Maybe he thought he had. Either way, he was convinced by her speech. “She can go with you if she wants, it doesn’t matter to me.”
Karla tried not to sigh in relief. Though even if she did, she was pretty sure Ultrima would think it was relief at his agreement to let her leave.
Of their own volition, her eyes went to Taurian. She should have known he’d be staring at her. Couldn’t he realise he was mated and forget about her already?
Then again, the mating wasn’t complete. Unless he and Wayrian had been really inspired last night, they’d only mated once. They had twice more to go before the mating bond would form. So Taurian could well and truly still be obsessed with her.
Somehow, the thought didn’t make her feel any better. How could he possibly believe he loved her, and yet still mate with someone else? Even if he really thought it would save his clan, how could he physically make himself do it?
Karla shook her head. She didn’t want to know.
She looked down at the food in front of her, and pushed it away. “No time like the present,” she said cheerily to Ultrima.
“Gather your friends, and I’ll escort you out.”
That should stop Taurian from accosting her and trying to prevent her leaving again.
Karla wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or saddened.
Then again, she would be back. She wasn’t planning on leaving Taurian and his clan to the Trima dragons.
He might be mating another woman, but even that couldn’t stop her loving him.
No matter how much she wished it would.
Chapter 52
From the moment he saw Ultrima sit down next to Karla and have a conversation with her, Taurian’s heart thumped so hard, each beat was like a claw to the chest. He didn’t know what Ultrima was up to, but he was certain it was no good.
When Karla jumped up and headed over to talk to her family and Gretchen, the sense of foreboding grew.
Her actions seemed to be directly related to her talk with Ultrima. What could the Trima dragon have said that she was discussing with the others?
Whatever it was, it seemed to spur them into action.
“Prince Taurian?” Wayrian’s quiet voice at his elbow forced his attention away from Karla.
“What?” he growled.
The startled look on her face and the disapproving looks from the elders surrounding them like a shield, brought him back to his reality.
He forced his voice to be cordial. “Is there something I can help with, my dear?”
“What are we going to do all day?”
Wayrian’s question was blunt, but from the expressions on the faces of the elders, they were all thinking the same thing.
Usually, the day after the first mating was spent in games and competition, all designed to help the dragons prove to their mate that they’d chosen correctly. Or give their mate a chance to reconsider if they found they hadn’t.
“We proceed as normal,” Taurian said firmly. “The games will be a good distraction for everyone. I’m sure Ultrima won’t mind joining in.”
If the Trima clan leader was anything like him, he would be looking forward to pitting himself against Taurian in any kind of competition he could.
“But… Prince Taurian…” Kyrian’s face was a picture of concern and dismay. “What if Ultrima beats you? It will completely demoralise the clan.”
Ultrima would love it too. But Taurian was pretty sure the other dragon couldn’t beat him at everything. And any victory he had would have the opposite effect.
“I will not be afraid of him, much less show him I’m afraid,” he said firmly. He shouldn’t have to tell the elders this. They should know. “Ultrima knows how a mating proceeds as well as any dragon. If we don’t have the games, he will think I’m afraid.”
Kyrian didn’t protest further, though his hand wringing was rather demoralising on its own.
Taurian chose to ignore it. He had more important things to worry about.
Like wondering what Karla and her family were doing walking over to Ultrima.
The Trima dragon nodded to Karla, then turned to smile at Taurian, as though hoping to see him wriggle in his seat like a child.
Taurian straightened his back and refused to give him any sign that he was concerned.
Until Karla began to follow Ultrima towards the tunnel to the surface.
His heart thumped in his chest. What was going on? Where were they going? How had Ultrima convinced Karla to go with him. Was she mad?
In an effort to stop a million more questions rocketing around his head, Taurian stood up and strode towards the lightning dragon, ignoring the gasps and indrawn breaths of the elders and his future mate.
“What is going on here?” he demanded to Ultrima’s back, as the dragon was half way into the tunnel.
Ultrima turned around immediately, a wide smile on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but Karla beat him to it.
“We don’t belong here, Taurian.” Her voice was gentle. Her dark eyes looked into his, deep and sorrowful. Begging him to understand.
That didn’t stop it from breaking his heart.
“This is a dragon…” Karla’s voice halted immediately, and she glanced sideways at Ultrima. Taurian was pretty sure she was going to say a dragon fight, but she didn’t. “…ceremony. You don’t need humans here. Ultrima has offered to escort us to our cars, and we’re returning to Mungaloo. And me to England.”
Leaving? Taurian wanted to demand she not leave. To scream at her, asking her was she crazy, to think she could trust Ultrima?
Mostly, he wanted to beg her to stay.
But he couldn’t. He had a mate waiting for him at his table.
He searched Ultrima’s face, and to his surprise, the dragon looked sympathetic. His voice, when he spoke, was syrupy sweet. “This lair is going to be no place for a delicate human in a few days, Taurian, you know that. Let the humans return to their business while we take care of ours.”
It was a threat. A warning. Taurian could see that.
Ultrima wanted to get rid of Karla. He was, perhaps, a little concerned about what she would do.
More than that, he was right. Karla shouldn’t be here. Even if there weren’t a serious fight coming, it was unfair of him to ask her to watch him mate Wayrian. And there was no chance for him to have a private word with her and explain that he wasn’t mating her at all.
Trouble was, letting her go meant trusting Ultrima, and believing that he really would let her go, and not harm her.
That was impossible.
After all the Trima dragon had done, Taurian didn’t trust him as far as his human form could throw Ultrima’s dragon form.
But what choice did he have? It was plain Karla wasn’t safe here either.
He couldn’t guarantee her protection. He wasn’t even sure he could protect his clan, how could he expect to save a delicate human?
He stared at her for a moment. She stared back, her eyes challenging him, her lower lip jutting out.
His heart ached.
The truth was, Karla didn’t need protection. She’d always been the one to protect him. He would be more vulnerable once she left. He wasn’t sure he could save his clan without her.
Nor could he ask her to risk herself for his sake. For the sake of his clan. He had no right.
The best way he could protect her, honour her, was to let her go, no matter how much it felt like a piece of his heart being torn out.
“You are right, Ultrima. A dragon mating ceremony is no place for a human. But don’t be long, we’re about to start the games. You wouldn’t want to miss that, would you?”
Ultrima’s eyes gleamed, just as Taurian had hoped. “Not a chance,” he promised. “This will only take a second.”
Hopefully, the lure of beating Taurian in the childish, boasting games, would bring him back quickly, and stop him causing any further problems for Karla.
Taurian forced himself to turn his back on Ul
trima.
On Karla.
Then look back towards the table.
To his mate.
Chapter 53
Even as the car sped down the road towards Mungaloo, her father and Bruce silent, Karla worried.
Was she making the right decision? Ultrima’s words about the mating ceremony being no place for a delicate human in a few days had struck fear into her heart.
But also hope.
It meant she had a couple of days to figure out a way to save him.
Didn’t it?
She glanced in her rear view mirror to where Gretchen and Lisa followed in Gretchen’s car. The tight lipped expression on Gretchen’s face told her no one was talking there either. Were they all just relieved to be out of trouble, or did they feel she’d abandoned Taurian?
It was no more than she felt herself, even if she knew it wasn’t true.
Once they were back at her father’s house, sitting down in the living room, the dam broke.
“You are planning on doing something, right?” Lisa’s demand broke the silence.
Her words seemed to remove everyone else’s inhibitions.
“You can’t just leave Taurian to Ultrima, can you?” Her father looked at her, his expression concerned.
“I may not like the dragon, but I know Karla wouldn’t do that.” Bruce’s words were certain.
Gretchen folded her arms. “Of course she wouldn’t.”
Karla’s heart warmed. She’d known Gretchen and her dad would be with her, but she’d hardly dared hope that Bruce and Lisa wouldn’t be ready to run for the hills. But no matter how willing all of them were, she couldn’t let them walk into this blind.
Karla took a deep breath. “Going up against the Trima dragons is dangerous,” she warned them. “Taurian doesn’t know it, but Ultrima has a life dragon.”
They all stared at her blankly, and belatedly Karla remembered that they hadn’t been there for that conversation. All except Gretchen. Her eyes widened.
