A Dragon's Body: A New Adult Fantasy Dragon Series (The MINATH Chronicles Book 2)

by A. L. Tippett

  Together, they walked out of Ghaia’s Garden. As they exited the wrought-iron gates, they ran headfirst into Sera’s father.

  “I do beg your pardon… girls! Hello! What a surprise to see you here, Sera.” Allen raised an eyebrow at his daughter and inclined his head, indicating the Temple behind them.

  She eyed her friend and explained drily, “Wasn’t my idea.”

  He chuckled. “Either way, it’s good to see you.” His eyebrows crumpled and he added in a more serious tone, “I heard about what happened yesterday. I would have preferred not to hear it from the MRO gossip mill. Why didn’t you call me?”

  “Sorry, Dad.” She hadn’t thought to contact her father when she got home, but now he brought it up, she probably should have. “I was exhausted and just wanted to sleep,” she said, lamely trying to justify her actions.

  He sighed and crossed his arms. “I worry about you, young lady.” He pulled her into a hug and added, “I just want you to be safe.”

  “I know,” she murmured, muffled by his shirt.

  Allen cleared his throat loudly. “Well, if you’re feeling up to it, how about we go for a hike out to Del’s tomorrow? She sent a message asking you to visit.”

  “That’s a good idea, Sera,” Hazel added. “It might get your mind off your worries.”

  Allen smiled pleasantly at Hazel before continuing, “I was as surprised as you to learn she was your grandmother.” He shook his head. “That still blows my mind. I can’t believe she only told us now, after all these years of going to see her. And your mother never mentioned a thing...” He coughed briefly before knitting his brow. “In fact, she told me all of her family were gone. That’s why I took your mother’s last name when we married. I didn’t want her to feel so alone in the world. It’s strange that neither of them ever told us the truth, but I’m sure they had their reasons.” He coughed again, louder this time, and wiped a hand over his forehead. “I might head home, for now. I’m suddenly feeling quite ill. Call me tomorrow and I’ll let you know if I’m well enough to join you. Don’t you worry yourself about me, I’ll be fine.” With that he bent over and commenced a coughing fit that shook his entire body. Hazel and Sera shared a look of alarm.

  “Dad!”

  He waved a hand at her, dismissing her concern. “I’m fine,” he wheezed.

  “You don’t sound it,” Sera insisted.

  At that point Hazel stepped forward. “Come on, Mr Azura. How about you go home to rest now and I’ll duck back to my lab and grab a tincture for that cough. That should do the trick. Don’t worry about a thing, Sera, I’ll get him fixed up in no time. You can relax for the rest of the day and I’ll see you tonight.”

  Sera smiled her thanks to her friend and blew her dad a kiss. “Feel better soon, Dad. Love you.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Taking the long way back to her apartment Sera wandered along the streets of Mandar City, relishing the sights and smells of the bustling city. The aroma that wafted her way from the various cafes captivated her senses, so she stopped to buy a coffee and a boysenberry scroll. She walked aimlessly as she snacked, with no set path in mind, flakes of pastry dropping onto her shirt, until she found herself standing in front of Alistair’s shop. It was a mess. She stared numbly at the boarded-up windows and broken glass, her mind not willing to process the truth in front of her. Peering through a crack, she searched the interior for any sign of the gargoyle. The store was completely empty. All the carvings had been removed and there was no indication that her friend had been there for quite some time. She tried to count back how long it had been since she’d last visited him.

  Was it three weeks? Or four? What happened to him?

  Turning the handle, she pushed against the door but it wouldn’t budge. She ran a hand over her face, concern for her friend running rampant, and wondered who she could ask who might have heard what happened. She pulled her phone out and tapped the screen, finger hovering over it as she contemplated who to contact. After a moment of deliberation, she decided to message her father.

  ‘Hey Dad, hope you’re feeling a little better. Do you know what happened to Alistair’s shop? xo’

  She stood there staring at the mess, wondering where Alistair was and what had happened. A small, horrible voice whispered in her mind that maybe his dragon carving had been found and he’d been thrown in the IRC. She shook her head to dispel the thought and marched over to a nearby bin, throwing her paper bag and coffee cup in before returning to the store front. She tapped her foot impatiently against the pavement while she waited for a reply. Her phone vibrated with her father’s response.

  ‘Sorry, darl, I forgot to tell you. Apparently, he’s moved away and the shop is up for lease now. Love you X’

  Her heart twisted and her lips pulled down. She hadn’t even had a chance to say goodbye. Looking again at the mess, concern bubbled up in her chest. Alistair would never leave the property in this state. She tapped her thumbs quickly over the phone once more.

  ‘It’s strange that it’s been left in such a mess. I would have thought Alistair would leave it in perfect condition?’

  This time she didn’t have to wait long for a reply.

  ‘That is strange. Perhaps some vandals have been into it. Might be worth reporting. But go home and rest first. You had a big day yesterday. Love you, sweetheart X’

  ‘Will do. Love you too Dad. Feel better xo’

  Sera automatically tucked her phone into her back pocket but paused when it hit something solid. Blanking for a moment she suddenly remembered the Seeing Stone. Shoving her phone into the opposite pocket, she pulled out the Seeing Stone and, on a whim, closed her eyes and held the image of Alistair in her mind. Opening her eyes, she watched as the surface darkened and a building appeared. Behind the structure, clouds scudded across the night sky, making it difficult to pick out details. Peering closely, she noticed the stuffed raven on the front gate and realised with a start that it was her nanna’s cottage. Glancing between the Seeing Stone and Alistair’s shop, she contemplated whether there was a connection between the two or if it was just a random vision. Once the image faded, she placed the Stone safely back in her pocket and walked away from the shop.

  As she reached the intersection where she would normally turn left to return to her apartment, a prickle of unease made the hair stand up on her arms. Glancing behind her, she didn’t see anyone but had a feeling she was being followed. She paused only for a moment, then crossed the road and continued straight without looking back again. If she was right, Sera didn’t want to lead the stranger to her home. It would be best to confront whoever they were in a public place. Thinking quickly, she considered her options. The closest densely populated place would be the library. Taking a moment to plan her route, she slunk against the doorway of a closed clothes store. Her heart thumped loudly as she scanned the road behind her. There was no one there. Her shoulders slumped as she took a shuddering breath and tried to calm the adrenaline racing through her body.

  Maybe I’m just being paranoid. It has been a stressful couple of days. Now I’m just making up stalkers.

  She had almost decided to walk back to her home when a shadowy figure flitted between a concrete wall and an electronic noticeboard. Narrowing her eyes, Sera hissed softly as her adrenaline kicked back into overdrive. She was right. Someone was tailing her.

  Spinning to her right, she sped down the pavement. The close of the work day meant that the number of pedestrians had increased, so she forced herself to be careful to avoid running into any other mythics or humans in her rush. Casting a quick peek over her shoulder, she saw the mysterious person again. A brief study of the figure made her almost certain he was a male, and she wondered why he’d been following her. She increased her pace into almost a sprint and internally sighed with relief when she saw the grand vision of the city library. The building was made mainly of glass and stainless steel, an imposing piece of architecture. There were no bookstores in Mandar City, but the library more
than made up for it.

  Her footsteps pounded against the concrete steps as she raced up to the front entrance. Shoving against the glass revolving door, she willed it to move faster. After what seemed like an age, but was really no more than a few seconds, she burst onto the library’s main floor. There were two levels in the library, each with thousands of books lining the shelves. There were a few people seated around the study tables and a couple of mythics curled up on the lounges, reading quietly. Sera cursed inwardly. She had anticipated more of a crowd.

  It will be okay. This is better than being caught alone in the elevator of my apartment.

  Turning around, she faced the front door defiantly, waiting for her pursuer to show himself. A gaggle of MINATH apprentices pushed through the revolving door, chatting and giggling amongst themselves as they advanced towards the desks. They gave her a strange look as they walked past, probably wondering why she glared at the doors so darkly. Shortly after, a man entered. Sera couldn’t help but gasp as he strode towards her. His coffee-coloured hair hung loose past his bare shoulders where an old scar traced his collarbone. Another scar, golden in colour and similar to hers, ran over the left side of his chest. Sera tore her eyes away from his body where muscles rippled beneath the lean frame, hinting at danger in the way they coiled, ready for battle. His shirtless state earned a few more giggles from the nearby students. The librarian glowered at the noise and they buried their noses in textbooks, occasionally peeking over the top to look at the half-naked man. Sera considered asking for their help but ruled against it.

  For now.

  She stared into his eyes, where the green irises swirled, and yelped as a searing heat ripped through her left hand. Glancing down, she saw the thin golden scar on her palm shining faintly. She balled her hand into a fist and scowled at the stranger. She didn’t understand why, but she had a feeling he was the reason she was reacting this way. Her body tensed, ready to run if necessary, and she waited for him to approach.

  “Seraphina!” The man’s voice was hoarse with desperation, and something that sounded like longing.

  “How do you know my name?” She stepped back, her right hand tensed, ready to unsheathe Firinne if necessary.

  “You... you don’t remember me?” His face fell. “That’s impossible. We’re Soulbound.” He moved closer and captured a strand of auburn hair that had escaped her ponytail, tucking it tenderly behind her ear.

  She jerked back and glared at him, enraged by his familiarity. “Don’t presume to touch me, sir. And what in the Four Gods’ names is Soulbound? Whatever it is, I’m pretty sure we’re not, considering I don’t know you.” She took a few more steps back and bumped into a bookshelf. He kept following her, his searing gaze never leaving hers. Her heart jumped in her chest at the yearning in his expression and her heavy breathing sounded too loud to her ears. He reached for her again, so she blindly grabbed a book from behind her and threw it at him. It smacked him in the face and dropped to the floor in a heap. The man blinked at her, shock coating his features. It would have almost looked comical had she not been so afraid and confused by his claims.

  “Show me your hand,” he commanded, with a sudden expression of passion. Glowering obstinately, she raised her right hand to face him.

  With a snort of amusement at her deliberate attempt to misguide him, he said, “No, show me the palm of your left hand.”

  Narrowing her eyes, she hesitantly brought her left hand up, the golden scar facing him. He mirrored her action to show his own scar. She sucked in a breath in shock.

  “Where did you get that?” she demanded.

  Sadness stained his features and he said, “You must have been touched by a dark magic to have forgotten me so completely. That explains why you ran.” He offered a melancholy smile and said, “It is me, Arius.”

  She stared, nonplussed. “I’m sorry,” she offered. “I met Tor and Idris who told me your name, but I don’t remember you. I have no memory of anything that happened between shooting the doe and waking up on the road near Grave’s Point.”

  “Nothing?” he asked huskily as he rubbed the matching gold mark on his chest.

  She shook her head. His eyes roamed over her face, tracing lines of heat as they continued to travel over her body. She blushed at his intensity and wondered again at their previous friendship. His gaze darkened as her cheeks bloomed and he stepped forward, grabbing her hair roughly with one hand whilst the other circled her waist, and crushed his lips to hers. Disbelief froze her in place for a moment as electricity thrilled through her body. His lips moved against hers, setting her nerves on fire, until she managed to gather her frayed thoughts back into coherency. She pulled her right arm free of his hold and punched him in the face.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Sera gathered some ice cubes from the freezer in her apartment and poured them into a tea towel. Walking over to the couch, she handed the homemade ice pack to Arius and crossed her arms, standing over the man.

  “I’m not apologising. I don’t care what our history might be, if a woman says she doesn’t remember you, you don’t just go and kiss her.”

  He pressed the ice pack to his cheek and grinned. “To be fair, I thought it might help jog your memory. And, if I’m honest, your reaction has made me love you even more. Which I didn’t think was possible…” he trailed off as he glanced at the darkening sky out her window.

  “Four Gods help us! There you go again! Love? Love! I don’t know you! Maybe I did, but even then, I was gone for less than a fortnight. That’s not enough time to fall in love with someone. You can’t come in here spouting your declarations of love for me!”

  He flashed another charming smile. “You are right, of course. I apologise. Please forgive my forwardness. I’ll be on my best behaviour from now on.”

  “If you do it again, I’m throwing you out,” Sera grumbled. A sudden embarrassing thought had her pinching the bridge of her nose. “Arius… when we… met previously… did we…?” She groaned, unable to finish the sentence.

  He chuckled. “No. We did not make love. Even with all your memories intact you were strong enough to deny me.”

  She cringed at the term, but was thankful they didn’t have a physical past that she’d forgotten. As she watched him adjust his position on the couch to get more comfortable, her eyes lingered on the bare skin of his shoulders and trailed down the planes of his chest. Heat pooled in her core and she tore her eyes away and cleared her throat self-consciously. Grabbing them both a glass of water, she spun a dining chair around to face the lounge and sat down, the coffee table acting as a barrier between them. She opened her mouth to interrogate him but was interrupted by a loud meow. Perry stalked up to Arius, tail erect and fur raised. Sera waited for the inevitable attack as the tomcat studied the strange man. Her jaw dropped when the tabby purred and rubbed his cheek against Arius’s leg before rolling onto his back playfully.

  “Who is this delightful creature?” asked Arius as he scratched under Perry’s chin.

  Delightful is not an adjective I would have used to describe that cat.

  As Sera awkwardly watched the strange exchange, she was saved from answering by the opening of the front door. Hazel entered the apartment, chattering away about the upcoming Choosing Ceremony, but stopped short when she noticed their visitor.

  “Oh, hi there! Sorry, I didn’t realise we were expecting company.” She shot Sera a questioning look as she walked around to the front of the couch and pasted a smile on her lips. “I’m Hazel.” She held her hand out but yelped in surprise when Arius ceased scratching Perry’s chin to meet her handshake.

  He looked between the two women, hand hanging in the air, confusion marking his forehead with a crease. “I don’t understand what’s happening. I thought this was an accepted form of greeting?”

  Hazel giggled and explained, “Perry is my cat and he hates everyone. Especially strangers. The fact that he’s warmed to you immediately is… surprising to say the least.”

  �
��I see. Thank you for explaining, Hazel. I am Arius. I am Seraphina’s Soulbound.”

  “Her what now?” Hazel looked at Sera, bewildered.

  Sera shrugged helplessly at Hazel before turning her grimace to Arius. “You’re doing that overfamiliar thing again,” she remonstrated.

  He ducked his head with a chuckle and held his hands up in surrender. “Sorry. I’ll stop.”

  She snorted. “I don’t think you can, but at least the thought is there.” She gestured to the lanky man taking up most of the space on their couch. “This is Arius. Apparently, we met during my time away. I don’t remember him, but we have matching scars on our chest and palm, and he claims to be my Soulbound.” She shrugged before Hazel could ask. “No, I don’t know what that is, and I’m not sure I want to.”

  “Ri-ight.” The way her friend dragged out the word made it sound like two syllables rather than one. Hazel shook her head in astonishment. “That’s a lot to take in. I’m sure there’s plenty more to the story too. Would you care to stay for dinner, Arius? We can chat about it. Maybe you can help Sera piece back together what happened on her trip?”

  Arius said, “I’m sorry, but I have to take my leave. While I can maintain this form longer while I am near you, I am growing weak and can only regain my strength by returning to my true form.”

  “Your what?” Sera asked, puzzled.

  His mouth twisted sadly and he said, “Of course, you won’t remember that. I can’t explain now, but I will tomorrow once I have recovered.”

  Realisation dawned and Sera asked, “Are you a type of shifter?”

  A beat passed before Arius replied with a soft smile, “Of sorts. But whatever you do, don’t let my father hear you call me that. He would consider it the gravest of insults to be compared to one he considers a lower mythic.”

  Sera’s eyes widened but she didn’t comment on his father’s judgemental views. “I have plans tomorrow morning, but maybe we could meet up tomorrow night? You might be allowed to stay for dinner, if you can behave yourself.”