by Amelia Jade
The bulges on her back burst apart and from them her wings exploded upward before folding themselves along her sides. The storm contracted until it began to adhere to her sides like a shield, hiding her bare skin.
She stood there, a frozen statue for an eyeblink before her wings flexed and the ice fell from her, revealing the huge, gleaming scales that covered her from tail to neck, everywhere except for the tough leathery skin of her snout.
At almost fifty feet long, she was a particularly large specimen as well. While Frost Dragons were one of the larger types, rivaling the blue Electros and topped only by the golds and greens, Cassi was a woman. Like in humans, men tended to be larger overall than their female counterparts.
Not so with her. She dwarfed nearly every Frost Dragon she’d ever met, male or female, and was bigger than many males of other species. It was a fact that Cassi was proud of, even if it hadn’t been up to her to choose.
The ice on her body fell to the stones around her and pulsed outward in a glacier-like wave, dissipating suddenly as it neared the edge, until it was gone as if never present. Part of Cassi’s mind marveled at that, but she’d seen it so many times it rarely failed to catch her full attention anymore.
With a powerful flex of her wings, she shot into the sky. Behind her Taurin finished his change and labored to catch up, but he was much older and without any of the youthful vigor that Cassi still possessed, despite being nearly a century and a half in age herself.
With any luck, she would reach the Cadian Hall well before he did, allowing her to be mingling with the crowd instead of attached to his arm.
She shuddered again, a few lingering pieces of ice falling away as she did, though they never reached the ground before dissolving into nothingness.
The trip was a short one, but with the formal attire they were wearing, it would never have done to walk. Just over a minute later Cassi came gliding into a halt, reversing the process of her change even as she began to walk forward.
She knew the effect was impressive. Her dragon disappeared into the ball of fog, but this time the ball kept moving toward the edge of the circle. It began to shrink as it did.
Two steps from the edge of the circle it simply hardened into an orb that she walked through, the ice falling around her feet in a patter of noise before it too dissipated.
There were several guards around, wearing the distinct badge with the G on it to signify one of the Guardians. They looked at her and she could practically read their thoughts as they thought of her by her other name.
Queen.
Most shifters could, to a degree, control their shifts, and the powers of their dragon’s breath weapon.
Some got very good at it. Others, like Cassi, took it to a completely different level. She was young, but her mastery of the ice and snow exceeded those centuries older than her, earning the nickname given to any female Frost Dragon who mastered it. Ice Queen.
She didn’t mind; it was flattering.
Taking the steps with as much grace as she possessed, Cassi came to a halt as two guards stepped from their posts to block the door into the Cadian Hall.
Cassi eyed the two guards, while also taking in the beautiful architecture of the Hall. Stained glass windows, spiraling columns, and easy-flowing curves helped disguise the fact that the building itself was a giant rectangle. She’d heard about the wonders of its inside, and was excited to see it, though she would never admit it to another Fenrisian.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, this building is off-limits except to those on the list. Do you have an invitation?”
“My name is Cassian Karkasy,” she said politely, knowing they were just doing their job. It wasn’t their fault they’d never seen her before.
The moment her name left her lips the pair straightened up rigidly. “Of course, ma’am,” the one said and stepped back and to the side sharply before pulling the door open for her. “Welcome to Cadia.”
She paused and gave him an appraising look. “Thank you,” she said, having been caught off guard by the genuine emotion behind his words. He was truly proud of his home, and eager to show it off to her. She would respect that.
With a nod to each of them she strode inside, taking great pleasure at the door closing behind her, but not before she could hear the guards return to attention.
“Excuse me, sir, but this building is off-limits except to those on the list. Do you have an invitation?” the one repeated.
Taurin’s voice was cut off mid-sentence, but she could hear his bluster as he got worked up over not being recognized. That would give her a few more seconds to disappear into the building.
The Hall was massive. It was only a single story high on the outside, but it dove down several floors into the earth on the inside. The upper level that she entered on was shrouded in darkness, and was but a thin ring around the edges, except for the large entryway where she currently stood. It descended in a large triple-wide stairway to the level below, a much larger oval ring with an intricate wooden railing that overlooked the primary levels below it.
The lowest level was another oval, filled with bars and several dozen people, though it looked positively empty with those few figures occupying it. The Cadian Hall was clearly designed to accommodate large portions of the population of Cadia. In the corners of the building a level above were several square balcony-like areas that overlooked the floor below.
It was an interesting design, she decided as she began to descend the stairs as regally as possible, heading for the largest cluster of people. It was certainly more ornate, and much larger than the reciprocal building back in Fenris. Much brighter in the lower levels too.
“Ah, Cassian,” a blonde woman of medium-tall height exclaimed as she emerged onto the lowest level.
“Hello, Klara,” she said politely, giving a slight but respectful curtsy to the current head of the Cadian Council, the ruling body of shifters that oversaw the running of the entire stronghold.
“So lovely to see you,” she said.
“And you as well.”
“Come, there are some people you absolutely must meet.”
She took Cassi by the elbow and guided her toward a group of figures.
Two women and two men stood in a circle. The male and a woman who looked like Klara—though clearly pregnant—stood close to each other. She could see those two and the other female as they were mostly facing her. The fourth, a tall male, had his back to her, but she couldn’t help but admire the way the cut of his suit shaped his already impressive-looking body.
He reminds me a lot of—
Chapter Three
Blaine
“Everyone, this is Cassian Karkasy of the Fenris delegation. Cassian, this is Dominick Carunno, my daughter Rhynne Nova, Tobias Ecklestrom, and Blaine Wingstar.”
Blaine stiffened.
I knew it. I fucking knew it! I should have asked where she was from.
He hadn’t though, having made the assumption that Cassi wasn’t from Fenris. Their delegation hadn’t been due to arrive until earlier in the day, just before the reception was to commence. Not a full day early.
With a deep inhale he turned, his eyes immediately finding and meeting Cassi’s. Her bright blues focused on him, burning with a cold fury that he knew only too well himself, since he was sure his own orbs were an angry jade just then.
“Pleasure to meet you,” he said stiffly as she shook everyone’s hands.
Her eyes hardened as their hands met, then all of a sudden the anger fell away, replaced with a sadness that caught him off guard.
The others in his little group returned to their own conversations, Klara adroitly maneuvering herself out of conversation with Rhynne, her daughter, and Dominick, her son-in-law. He mentally grimaced, disappointed that Klara still hadn’t come to terms with that particular pairing. She tolerated them now it would seem, but that was about all.
This left him all alone with Cassi. He wondered if the others had sensed something between them and were activ
ely trying to let the two of them talk in private.
Cassi spoke first.
“So I guess this is why you said you were busy tonight.”
Right, their date tomorrow. If it was even still on. There was a lot of distrust and anger between Cadia and Fenris right now, and she was part of the problem.
Two months ago, some members from Fenris had visited, more for socialization and seeing the world than anything. One of them had developed an obsession with Rhynne, and hadn’t been willing to take no for an answer. He’d attacked her, knocked her out, and was attempting to kidnap her out of Cadia when a group of shifters including Rhynne’s now-mate Dominick had stopped them.
Garviel, the man in question, was now languishing in a Cadian prison, awaiting punishment. But he was well-connected in Fenris, and the powers that be had started causing trouble with Cadia almost immediately. So, instead of simply being sentenced, a full trial was now going to be held.
A trial which Cassi would be part of it seemed, working to defend Garviel.
Well, that would explain why Dom and Rhynne are ignoring her. They were in the thick of it. Seems inconceivable that they could come up with a defense for Garviel that would work, when there are nearly half a dozen first-hand witnesses who saw what he was doing. I would be extremely angry as well, I’m sure.
Still, he couldn’t deny that Cassi looked amazing, as he truly looked at her outfit for the first time. The dress deliciously conformed to the curves of her thighs and legs, showing him all he wanted without actually revealing much in the way of skin. But then it kept her shoulders completely bare, drawing him in with the tantalizing hints of soft, milky-white skin. She was almost the color of her dragon when compared to the purple hues of her dress.
The last thing her dress needed was a cutout that showed him the interior curves of her breasts, but there it was, and he found himself staring for a heartbeat too long. He looked away and back to her eyes, but they twinkled slightly at the realization he’d been blatantly checking her out, even after he knew who she was.
“Yes, this is what I meant,” he replied at long last. Then, “You should have told me,” he accused her gently. “You clearly knew who I was, since you didn’t react with any surprise when Klara said my last name. So you knew that I would be well aware of the ongoing events.”
Cassi looked down, unwilling to meet his eyes. “I didn’t know if you were actively involved in it or not.” Then they came back up, blazing defiance. “I have a job to do, and I’m not going to let an admittedly very nice evening get in between me doing it.”
He raised his hands palm outward in a placating gesture. “I’m not accusing you of anything,” he said firmly. “I’m just saying you very deliberately did not mention this to me yesterday.”
“You didn’t either,” she returned somewhat petulantly, but they both knew it was a weak excuse.
“I had no reason to tell you. I didn’t know who you were, therefore you weren’t necessarily cleared to know that I was involved with the trial.”
Cassi pursed her lips. “I know.”
His heart nearly stopped as her eyes flicked up, meeting his gaze once more. “I’m sorry, Blaine,” she said with what, to him, sounded like sincerity.
On one of the square balconies above them, the band struck up some music.
He pondered the situation for a moment, but only briefly.
“It’s okay,” he said at last. “We don’t have to hate each other. You are, as you said, only doing your job. I can’t hate you for that. I’ve been forced into similar situations like this before myself, so I understand.”
Something passed through her eyes at his words, but she buried it so swiftly he wasn’t entirely sure he saw it or not. It could have just been his mind.
“So what do we do now?” she asked, just loud enough to be heard over the music and the dull background level of voices in conversation.
Blaine thought for a moment, and then the answer popped into his head, clear as day.
“We dance, of course,” he said, extending a hand toward her in invitation.
“Dance?” she asked.
“Do you not dance in Fenris?”
“We do,” she said slowly. “I just, I guess I didn’t realize that you danced.”
“I’ve picked up a move or two here and there,” he said as she took his hand at last.
With a flourish he spun her into him, his hand settling easily on her waist, right hand extended to the side. He took a moment to gather the tempo, and then like a feather through the wind, glided out onto an open area of floor where half a dozen other couples were also moving around.
A grin split Cassi’s face as they flowed across the floor, her feet simply moving where he put her as Blaine took the lead. The deceptively easy grace came back to him quickly, and he moved faster as his confidence returned after several decades of inactivity. Events where ballroom dancing was acceptable were not ones he attended out of habit, unless forced to such as this one.
But with the striking figure of Cassi in his hands, he gladly moved from one song to the next, a slow stately dance, to a faster, more modern song. The pair of them moved in seamless time with each other, despite having no practice. Cassi was very good as well, and he revised his opinion of her once again.
But it was the burning tension that seemed to emanate outward from where their hands touched each other. His on her waist. Hers on his shoulder. Their clasped hands, bared skin practically tingling with pent-up electricity, forcing the hairs on his arm to rise as they remained pressed together for song after song.
Eventually the band took a break, and the sudden splitting of contact as they bowed to each other was like having a bucket of ice water thrown in his face. He suddenly seemed to snap back to reality, vividly aware of the looks they were receiving from many of the onlookers.
“I think they enjoyed the show,” he told her with a smile as Cassi clued in to their being the center of attention as well.
“Not as much as I did,” she said out of the corner of her mouth as they walked over to the bar for a glass of water.
Blood sang in his veins at the throaty tone of her voice, but he fought hard to rein it in, not to let his own reaction get the better of him. They were in public, and though he could sense that there was something about her that called to him, he couldn’t let himself get too bold where others could see. Not yet.
Besides, he had to keep in mind she was still from Fenris. The last time a delegation had come to Cadia, they hadn’t exactly turned out to be overly well-mannered. He sensed Cassi was the same, but that didn’t mean he was willing to drop his guard already.
“You are an excellent dance partner,” he agreed, raising his glass to her.
Cassi frowned at the slightly more formal tone in his voice, but the smile he allowed on his face was genuine, and seemed to calm her down.
“You have an impressive array of abilities yourself. I’m not sure I’ve ever had someone who could guide me through so many different dances.”
“Why thank you. Perhaps when the band is ready to start again, I can show you a few more?”
“I would like that,” she said softly, looking up at him through her eyelashes.
They meandered over to where another acquaintance of Blaine’s was standing. Until recently he’d simply been a cadet in his care, but the pair of them had quickly come to realize they got along very well.
“Asher,” he said. “I’d like you to meet Cassi.”
The tall, clean-shaven man turned, and Blaine saw the instant recognition of kin as one Frost Dragon’s blue eyes met another.
“Pleasure,” he said amicably as they shook hands. “This is Quinn,” he said, introducing his mate, a shorter woman with purple streaks running through her otherwise brown hair.
Blaine liked Quinn. She was a human who’d snuck into Cadia for her own purposes, but while here had discovered the love of her life in Asher. Although it wasn’t showing, they’d announced the other week tha
t they were now expecting their first child together, and Blaine couldn’t be happier.
“So you’re from Fenris?” Quinn asked almost immediately.
Cassi nodded.
“What’s it like there?”
“I’ve always wondered that myself,” Blaine said. “It’s been a long, long time since I’ve visited. I imagine it’s changed a lot since then.”
“Probably,” Cassi agreed. “About a hundred and fifty years ago things began to undergo a big series of changes. For the better,” she added almost reflexively.
Blaine wasn’t so sure about that. The Fenris he remembered had been a sister to Cadia in almost every way, except located in a different part of the world. But when the changes had begun to be implemented by their ruler—Fenris was not a democracy like Cadia—tensions between the two had risen dramatically, almost to pre-peace times.
Blaine had been around for the last of those days, when shifter strongholds raided and pillaged each other. The last one of those had been over two centuries ago now. But there were plenty of dragons who remembered the “good old days,” and pined for a return. The man who had come to rule Fenris—Torban the Great—had almost sent the two biggest strongholds into a spiral of constant warfare.
Only the overwhelming power of the Guardians of Cadia at the time had prevented it. Ever since relations had been peaceful, albeit not polite, between the two superpowers of the shifter world.
History had twisted his actions, however, until the citizens of Fenris now believed that Torban was the greatest thing to ever happen to them, having lifted them out of the dark ages, so to speak.
“Fenris is lovely, however. In many ways it’s a lot like Cadia. Wooden structures made from the Vallenwood trees that grow nearby, mountains looming up over us. Public parks and gardens to wander through.”
