Page 23 of The Dragon King

“We are here to celebrate Tovra. His life was full. Friend, warrior, lover, father, brother. He will be missed, but he is joining our kin who have passed before. His scales will add vibrance to every rainbow. His fire will add brilliance to the stars. But his love stays behind with us.”

I turn, dropping my head to nuzzle the top of Tovra’s head. “Rest well, my friend.” My voice drops to a whisper. “And thank you. Thank you for her.”

Discreetly, I work a claw under one of his smaller scales, pulling it free and sliding it into the magic that holds my human form.

Lifting my head, I step back and nod to Tatha and Kogra. They stand, and every dragon follows their lead. Pride swells through me. My Mate is strong. She’s kind. She’s a leader. I will work every day, every hour, to be the male she deserves.

As one, we all lift our heads into the wind and thrashing snow, releasing a great roar. The Mountain shakes, and the deep rumble of an avalanche sounds below us. The snow flakes lift and dance in the sound-waves that echo for a long time across the vast range around us. When silence falls, Tatha and Kogra breathe a gentle stream of fire into the ground, turning in a tight circle. The rest of the clan joins in, moving and swaying their heads as they spin, each creating a charred mark of the Mountain clan—a circle with a v-shape in its center.

I direct my fire into the ground, turning my own circle, the top edge of my design aligning with Tovra’s snout. My fire goes deeper, burns hotter, melting the hard rock until my royal symbol glows under my feet. As it cools, the large circle around me turns black—as black as my scales and shadows. In the very center there’s a section of untouched stone left in the shape of a flame—my royal symbol.

I shift back onto my hind legs, standing tall, wings spread. White-hot fire erupts from my mouth, molten lava dripping from the corners of my lips.

I know my eyes are glowing white hot—I can see the brilliant reflection on the falling snow. Tatha’s eyes widen as she takes in my power. Not every dragon can produce magma, and I’ve never known another who could maintain a flow like this. Dragon fire can penetrate dragon scales, but my magma melts dragon hide on contact. Kogra actually backs up a pace as my molten fire hits Tovra’s body, and his scales spit and sizzle as they curl and lift away from his body.

Horn, claws, flesh, and bone melt. Just before it hardens, I vibrate the air in my lungs until my chest rumbles. Ash rises from Tovra’s body as my molten fire mellows to flickering flames. The burning embers of Tovra’s remains lift and dance among the falling snowflakes. The wind snatches them and carries Tovra into the sky to melt into the clouds to dance forever in the sky, where all dragons should spend their afterlife.

I feel a tug of sorrow and turn my head toward Tatha. Her amethyst eyes are soft and turned up, following the last traces of her father as they climb the wind currents. Her sadness presses against my heart, but there are no tears, and her back is straight. Kogra’s face is wet with his tears, and without looking, Tatha’s tail snakes out and rests against her brother’s bright yellow hide.

A flare of unwanted jealousy rushes through my blood, but pride and compassion push the ugly feeling aside. Her pain is sharp, but she still comforts her brother.

She is a queen. My queen.

I cross to her, pressing my body into her side. Her tail slides away from her brother to curl around me, and I purr with love for her.

My heart stutters. For a moment, it feels as if the fire in my veins freezes as that realization hits me. Love.

The bond draws me to her. I want her every waking moment. It’s a near compulsion to touch her. I live for her smile, her laugh, her temper. I crave the taste of her arousal on my tongue. Does all this add up to love? Because I do. I love her. Fiercely. I’ll do anything for her.

Anything.

Her head presses to the side of my neck. The amethyst of her scales looks even more vibrant and beautiful against my black scales. I stretch my wing, resting it over her back.

We stand like that for a long time. The shuffle of claws along rock, and feet crunching through snow flows in my ears as the Mountain clan dragons retreat into their Mountain. Kogra is the last to turn away. His eyes travel over his sister, watching her upturned face that’s wet with snow but free of tears. Worry pinches his eyes for a moment, but then he looks at me. I nod to him, and he bows, some of the concern melting from his face.

Silently, he walks off, and Tatha and I are alone on the beautiful plateau on the side of her Mountain. An hour passes, then another. The snow picks up, gathering around us. Our bodies glisten with melted snow, and still we remain. I will sit here with my Mate for days if that’s what she needs.

Eventually, she sighs. Her voice is quiet but strong as she lifts her front leg, pointing toward the southern sky. “Hiding behind the clouds, right there, is the star my father named Galloris, after my mother. It’s a small star, one you would easily miss among the many, but my father noticed her like he noticed that star. I’m told she was a steel-grey dragon who was easy to overlook with the brilliance of colors around her. But father saw her vibrance. He says I have the same spark.”

I brush her head with my snout. “I didn’t know her well, but I actually met her a few times before the clan moved here to the Mountain. She was kind. Quiet. Reserved. She must have been saving that spark for her true love. And she definitely passed it to you, Heilsi.”

She rubs the top of her head against my chin, and I purr against her. We fall silent for a long while before she turns toward me but her gaze is lowered. “Do you think my brother will make a good clan leader?”

I consider her question for a moment. “I don’t know him well. But these past few days have shown me a dragon of character. He cares. Even though he has been away from his clan, he has an easy rapport with the dragons who live here. I think your people would find it easy to follow him.” I glance down at her, but she keeps her eyes on the sky. “Is that what you want, Tatha?”

She’s silent for several minutes before shrugging. “I’m not sure. I love my clan. I love the Mountain. But without my father …” Her breath stutters, but still, no tears fall. “I don’t know if this will still feel like home without him.”

“You don’t have to decide now. Follow your heart. Stay if you need to.”

Her face finally tilts up toward me, and I search her eyes for a hint of her thoughts, but she just stares at me. Her words come out in a whisper. “If I follow my heart, it will lead me to you.” Her head drops, and her shoulders slump under my wing. “But Kem, does my heart only pull to you because of the bond? Biologically, I need to be near you. But …”

I rest my head on hers, breathing in her spicy earthiness around the crisp, clean scent of snow. My heart squeezes, and my lungs feel like they are unable to fill with enough air as I say, “The bond is strong, but Mates have been rejected, Tatha. If your heart feels I am not the right fit for you, despite the call of the bond, you can turn me down. You can sever?—”

“No!”

I press my lips together as she shoves her face into my chest. “Fuck. No, Kemremir. I may need some time to wrap my head around this bond and what my future might look like, but my heart knows.” Her soft chuckle eases some of my tension.

I pull her tighter to my body. “There’s no rush, Heilsi. I … can be patient.”

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