NYX
* * *
“What?!” The screech came from everyone at the table at once.
I stood quickly. My heart slammed against my chest so fiercely, that I feared soon I would have a hole in the place where the organ used to be. “What do you mean we are Drayvok?” I whisper-hissed at my father and he stood, Mother stood beside him.
“Sweetheart, maybe you should sit down and work on your breathing while your father explains.” Mother sweetly suggested. My eyes flared with irritation as I turned towards her, scowling. “Maybe not.” She cleared her throat, and clasped her hands in front of her.
“You are my sons,” Father declared. “And sons of Drayvok are Drayvok too, no matter who we claim. Our Goddess made it so; it assures the continuance of our race.” He stopped; his concerned gaze searched my eyes.
“Are you all right, son?” He spoke into my mind, but I shook my head as though I could get him out with the simple act.
I took a step back as my throat closed off, cold blood rushed through my veins and my mind reeled with the implication. … Sons of Drayvok are Drayvok too… his words echoed in my mind, although his presence was no longer there.
“Does that mean you have the same powers he has?” Gabriella questioned and my head whirled towards hers.
“Can you stop figuring things out before I do?!”
She snapped her mouth closed, wide eyed, and made a gesture of zipping her mouth and throwing away the key, while Ash’s fists trembled with the effort he was exerting. I focused on him and noticed him shut his eyes, and he tensed his body until he was shaking.
“What in the Goddess’ Hell are you doing?!” I snapped.
He looked at me perplexed. “What do you mean, what am I doing? Didn’t you just hear our father? We are Drayvok. I’m trying to turn into a dragon, like him!”
“At the table?!” I whisper-screamed.
“Hell’s hairy balls!” Gabriella gasped in response.
“Oh, don’t worry, Star,” he said, cupping her cheek. “When I become a dragon you can ride me. I mean, you already ride me, but you know what I mean. Wait!” He turned to look at Father, startled. “Do dragon’s have penises?”
“Can we all just focus, please?!” Kyr roared, standing up so violently that the chair flew backwards, crashing to the floor. Avrielle stood beside him, adopting the same stance Mother had with Father, I guessed it was a queen trait.
I took a deep breath before my body exploded. I felt like my nerve endings were on fire, my breathing was ragged, deafening heartbeats thundered in my ears, and I wasn’t quite sure if the room was shaking or I was. “What does that mean?” I sneered at my father, and I saw concern claim every inch of his body.
“It means, you can smell all the women in Blooming who are suitable as a mate for you, and choose who you want among them.”
Dread exploded inside me, joining the ten thousand sensations already threatening to take control of me. “Then why is it that Kah can smell my scent?”
“She can smell you, because she has been close to you for so long, that she is in tune with you, making her your most suitable choice.” Mother explained.
“Is that what happened with Kyr and I? Why he was able to smell me when I Bloomed? Why I opened up to him even though I was fated to Zeph?” Avrielle asked in a wavering voice, as though she was scared of the answer. Kyr held her hand.
Father nodded, but his gaze never left me. “Kyr staked his claim, and you opened up to him in response, because your essence accepted him. If you didn’t want Kyr to claim you, your body would have never opened up to him. The same goes for you, Ash. You claimed Gabriella and she accepted that claim. Although her human body does not respond the same way, she is yours. Her essence accepted your claim.”
Ash grinned, taking Gabriella into his arms.
“That also means you are hers for eternity,” Mother added, looking at Ash and Gabriella. “There is no other bond but the one you created with each other. No fated ties needed to be broken. You are hers as she is yours, for as long as you both exist.”
Ash placed as small kiss on Gabriella’s lips, obviously relieved, and pleased by Mother’s words. He caressed her cheek as she pulled back and looked back towards my parents. His eyes suddenly widened, and flew towards Kah. “Wait! But you said the Autumn Princess had been stalking this place, looking for her fated! I thought…”
Kah laughed, loudly.
“You were messing with us?!” Ash screeched, aghast. “I’ve been hyperventilating for almost four days, woman!”
Kah sighed contentedly, and gazed at me. “My best work so far. I don’t know how I’m going to top that, actually.”
“Oh, I’m getting you back for this.” Ash vowed. “It’s on!”
“Good luck with that.” Kah snickered.
“What happens to their fated?” Gabriella questioned, ignoring the foolishness. “If Drayvok are claiming women who would otherwise be paired to someone else, then what happens to those men once the bond is broken?”
“The Goddess pairs them with another. We, Drayvok, have the first say, for our race was created first. We are as old as the universe itself.”
“Is that what will happen to me?” Kah’s distressed voice went through me with the force of lightning, and I turned to face her. Troubled eyes settled on me as she spoke. “If he doesn’t choose me, will I be paired with someone else? A man I don’t know?”
“Yes,” Father answered, pained.
Before I could reach for her, she disappeared. “Kah!” I shouted, going after her.
“Nyx, wait!” Kyr called, intercepting me by the door, and grasped my arm to stop me.
“Enough!” I roared, wrenching my arm from his grasp.
Something snapped inside me.
Invisible, electrifying energy exploded out of my being, blowing Kyr back a few steps until he crashed against the wall. Under normal circumstances, I would have been shocked, horrified even, but right now I didn’t care about anything but Kah.
“This isn’t about you, Kyr.” I scoffed. “Kah needs me.”
Whirling around, I stormed out of the dining hall in search of my friend.
Hours had passed while I searched for Kah within the temple. There were no signs that would confirm it, since everything looked the same inside the mountain. Every space I came into was lit by the magical blue flames, which created a special, somewhat intimate ambiance throughout. No light came from the outside, so there was no sun or moons to guide us. Nevertheless, I knew too much time had passed in my endeavor, because the ache in me grew with each passing second.
I knew she wasn’t here. It was only logical that she would go somewhere else where she could think clearly, where it didn’t hurt so much to be near me. Yet, that didn’t stop me from wanting to find her.
This temple was a lot larger than I originally perceived. It was easy to underestimate it when all we had explored was the oratory itself, the quarters and the dining hall, but there seemed to be as many rooms in here as in the Winter Castle, I feared even more. I closed the last door visible to me and resumed my walk along the large marble corridor.
This place was truly extraordinary, with its all white columns and arches made from different types of stones. It reminded me of the Taj Mahal palace in India, Earth, with its intricate carvings over the railings, walls, entrances and ceilings, and silver inlays at every turn. I had read about it and been fascinated by it’s description, yet standing here, I knew it didn’t hold a candle to this place… Avra’s Holy Temple. It was the purest form of art I had ever witnessed. Still, part of its beauty was lost to me now, as I could only think of one thing.
Finding her.
The sounds of my soles slapping against the marble floors ceased abruptly, when I came upon a large set of double doors. The gate was unlike anything I had ever seen. It was large enough to fit Avra through it in his dragon form, yet it had the same level or artistry as everything else here. My eyes widened when I noticed a picture
within the pattern at its center. It depicted three dragons flying freely over some sort of a meadow, yet they were encircled by a ring with what seemed like Celtic knots on it, and surrounding the ring was an elongated body of a dragon, curving around it until it completed the circle. Except at the top of the body and wings, there wasn’t just one dragon head, there were three.
Borossa Nayda Tynhur Etha. It read at the base. The Bond of Three.
When my gaze returned before me, I noticed it had a second set of handles, smaller—for the man form—and I reached for them, pushing the doors open.
“Impossible…” my words mixed with a gasp as my mind tried to process everything that I was seeing.
I blinked as my pulse picked up speed. An infinite valley lay on the other side of the gates, with bright green rolling hills and pastures, a crisp blue sky slightly painted in orange, purple and red from the first lights of sunset lay above me, with puffy clouds in its midst. Forests with trees so tall, and foliage so thick they would hide the Dragon Lord easily, with a large waterfall on one end, and even a sea on the other. Birds cooed as they flew over the vast skies, white swans swam on the lake, and the most beautiful variety of animals frolicked in the pastures, while what seemed like dolphins burst out of the deep sea, and twirled in the air before submerging once again. My heart thundered in my chest, my eyes fought to take it all in as the warm breeze of this magical place fanned my skin, blowing my hair back slightly, and filling me with a feeling of peace so powerful, it brought tears to my eyes.
It was a paradise like no other, just at the other side of the door… inside the mountain. I briefly wondered if this was the ‘Eden’ humans were so fond of once.
My pulse raced while my mind fought to find a logical explanation as to how this was even possible, but there wasn’t one. It was magic in its purest form.
“Welcome to the Estadae Evanay, son.”
I turned, startled, to find my father standing behind me. A small smile curved his lips while pride and sadness illuminated his eyes. “It’s been longer than it should have since the last time I entered this garden. It was a gift to us, Drayvok, from our Goddess. It contains the best of every realm our race helped her create.”
My breathing stopped. “Helped her create?!” I whisper-screamed and he chuckled, placing his hand on my shoulder.
“The Drayvok was the first race our Goddess ever brought to life after creating the universe. Together, Drayvok and Goddess developed the nine realms and all the creatures and men inside them. We, as the superior race, vowed to our Mother Goddess to guide, teach and protect her children with our lives, and so it has been ever since.” Pain briefly transformed his face. “Or until what men have called the Dragon Cataclysm.”
“Were you one of the Drayvok to form the realms with the Goddess?” I inquired, unable to stop myself. I knew this wasn’t the time, but there were so many questions whirling in my mind after his words, that I felt like I was going to explode.
Avra chuckled. “How old do you think I am?”
My brows deeply furrowed. “I have no idea, actually.”
“Well, I’m still much older than you could ever guess,” he grinned. “My grandfather was the very first Drayvok our Goddess brought to life. His name was Isrug, ‘champion of men’. He was the first Dragon Lord to exist, and he created the realms with her, along with his brothers. The original Holy Dragons. Together, they built this temple.”
The awe and pride that emanated from his words seeped into me, mixing with mine. This was a legacy I was now part of, thanks to my father.
“They now rest among the stars,” he added, nostalgia filling his gaze. “My grandfather, my father and all my lost brothers. One day, I shall join them.”
My chest severely constricted. “What do you m—”
“Today is not that day.” He added, interrupting my question. “I still have much to do—be there for you and your brothers, teach you everything I know, and see this realm thrive in harmony like it once did.” His hands reached for the doors and he closed them once again, hiding the paradise I wanted to be a part of now. “Come on, there is someone in your room that needs you.” His words caused my heart to skip, my thoughts instantly returning to Kahina. “She’s waiting for you.”
My pulse raced once more, as I turned around and ran back to my chambers.
* * *
I swung the door open and there she was, sitting on my bed with tears in her eyes. My throat dried up at the sight of her like this. A woman so strong, she had quite frankly intimidated me most of my life, was now crying… for me.
I pushed the glasses over the bridge of my nose and stepped inside, while my heart slammed against my ribcage. I didn’t speak, I couldn’t, but then again, neither did she. I knelt before her and reached for her hands as another tear fell from her lashes, and when her gaze finally settled on mine, I realized what she felt.
I’m scared. Her eyes screamed at me, and as the blood raced through my veins, I knew I was too.
All of our lives, we had prepared ourselves for the Blooming. It was an idea I never romanticized, but most of our women did, and Kah had been no exception. It had added meaning to our lives to know that one day we would find our pair. Unlike it was for the humans, this wasn’t an ideal, or a hope that one day we would meet the person who completed us, and with whom we would be happy—our other half—it was a certainty. A guarantee that unlike them, we would never be alone, because there was someone reserved for us who would open up to us in more ways than one, and ignite a love that would safeguard us for the rest of our existence.
The fact that I was indeed Drayvok, took that away from Kah in a way. She had consciously accepted me as her fated, yet I wasn’t. Apparently, my nature allowed me to choose from the Blooming women who were most suitable for me. There was no certainty for her anymore. If I didn’t choose her, she could be paired to another, a stranger, after she had embraced the idea of “us”. What if Kah, ended up with someone evil, an abuser, or a monster like Laeroth? There was also a possibility that she would end up alone. It was rare, but it did happen. What if she was left unmated because of me? What if it was too late for the Goddess to pair her with another?
Horror traveled through me.
I will never let that happen. I vowed with my gaze.
“I’m choosing you, Kah. No matter what.”
“How do you know, Nyx?” Her voice trembled as she spoke. “How can you promise me that there won’t be another woman whose scent is much stronger than mine to you? How do you know there isn’t anyone out there who you will want more than me?”
My hands flew to her cheeks, impeding her from turning away as I gazed into her eyes. “I can say it because I know I want no one else. You are beautiful and smart, and strong… I admire you, Kah. I have admired you all of my life. You are funny, and sometimes it seems like you know me better than my brothers ever could. You are my friend.” I slightly frowned. “Granted, you love messing with me and scaring the hell out of me, which pisses me off to no end, but I still choose you.”
She chuckled, but it was much too brief to chase away her fear.
“You understand me, like I dread no one ever will. I’m not an easy man to deal with, Kah, I’m aware of that. I’m obsessive and methodical, and I analyze things until I drive myself mad. I’m proud, stubborn, and a complete know it all, yet somehow you don’t care about any of that. If you want me, then I want you too.”
Another tear spilled from her lashes, adding to the ache inside me. I never wanted to see Kah like this again.
“You are stubborn,” she agreed, and I chuckled. “You understand me too. When I first smelled you, I was taken aback by the realization that you were my fated. I was in shock for about four days, I think. Kyr almost killed Zeph after the Blooming Ceremony, and instead of stopping him, all I could do was stare at you, frozen in place. But as the days passed, after you were gone on the quest, I realized how it made me feel. You are familiar, and believe it or not, I find all o
f your quirks endearing.” She smiled. “I have known you for so long… I feel so safe with you. I’m glad it was you.”
She leaned into me, touching our foreheads together, and I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. My lips brushed hers and I placed a tentative kiss upon them. When her eyes connected with mine again, they were filled with questions. “Can you smell anyone else?”
The breath lodged in my throat at her inquiry. “I don’t want anyone else.”
Her loose black strands swayed as she slowly shook her head. “That is not what I asked.”
“But I mean it. There isn’t anyone in this world that is better suited for me than you are, Kah. I don’t want anyone else.”
“Just… just answer me, please.”
My chest tightened, and I picked the most logical option my mind provided. “No,” I lied. She let out a sigh of relief and kissed my lips again, while I felt like I had just betrayed her, but I wasn’t capable of hurting her even more than I already had. “I choose you, Kah. I don’t want anyone else.” I repeated the truth I had to share, hoping it would erase the lie.
She nodded, and I kissed her again, her arms wound around my neck. As our mouths danced together, I held her waist tightly and pulled her up, climbing onto the bed, I laid down our bodies. Our lips never parted. I settled against her form, and let my hand caress her bare back, my fingertips roamed the lines of her royal marking and she whimpered in my mouth as my touch elicited desire in her. I deepened the kiss, and the moment our tongues grazed the other, want rushed through me. Her scent filtered through my pores, making me harden for her, and my mind urged me to finish the bond. It would give her peace, once and for all.
“Do you still want to open up to me?” The whispered question brushed her lips and she opened her eyes.
“Yes,” Kah breathed as need sparkled in her gaze.
“Then I’m ready to make you mine.”
My fingers traveled their way up to her shoulder, grasping the thin strap that held her dress, and I pulled it down, uncovering her breast to me. I reached for the other strap while my kisses made a trail down her neck.
Everlasting Kingdom Page 8
