Page 27 of The Dragon Maiden

“You said that already,” Kessland said. “What else?”

“He-he’s very nice to me,” I stammered, my face beginning to flush. I stared up at the ceiling, willing my cheeks to go back to normal. “When I talk back to him, he doesn’t get angry, but he tells me not to do that in front of anyone else, so on some level, he cares. He’s comforted me when I’ve been upset. And about a week ago, he…” I trailed off, trying to gain the courage to say the words. “A week ago, I think we shared a… moment. He let me stargaze with him and he told me stories. It was… it was a wonderful night.” My voice dropped so I could barely hear it. “It was almost enough to make me not want to leave.”

“Interesting.” Kessland’s voice did not give away what they thought, and I looked to them, my cheeks still flaming in embarrassment. “I’m glad to hear that he treats you well,” they said after several moments of pause. “You have been through enough in your short years.”

I bristled a bit at the slight. “I’ve been an adult for a few years now,” I said.

Kessland chuckled. “I know, but to a being as old as I am, your lifespan is just a second of time for me.”

The light inside the cave began to brighten, and I knew my time was almost up. The sun would be rising shortly and Kessland still had made no move to kill me. But I had at least made it this far.

“Are you going to let me live or not?” I asked. “Dawn is almost here.”

“I’ve known since the first night that I was going to let you live,” Kessland said. They smiled gently. “But I’ve been lonely for the past few years. I thought it would be nice to have someone to talk to.”

“You meantease,” I said, relief flooding through me at the verdict. “And you couldn’t have told me the first night?”

Kessland grinned. “Nope,” they said. “I thought I would see what kind of person you are, to see if I was correct. To see if the future I foresaw for you would come true.” They came forward and kissed my forehead. “Be careful, Valora. The Dragon Lordswillkill you if you try to escape again.”

“I know,” I said. “Thank you for your concern, Kessland.”

They stood, walking back towards the pool. “Valora,” they said, putting one foot in the water. “The road ahead is going to be difficult, but I think you’ll like how your ending will turn out.” A mischievous grin split their face. “And while you’re at it, you should ask Lord Dracul whatdragariameans.” With that, Kessland disappeared back into the pool.

With Kessland and their fire gone, the chill in the air swarmed me, settling into my bones. I went to huddle in the corner, hoping that someone would come get me before long. Just as I began to doze off, I heard the sound of the stone in front of the cave fly back with a horrible scraping sound.

“Valora?” I heard Dracul’s voice shouting as he sprinted into the cave in his human form. “Valora?” To my surprise, he sounded concerned. His long hair was askew and his robes were falling off his shoulders.

“I’m over here, Lord Dracul,” I said.

He spun at the sound of my voice, spotting me in the corner. Relief immediately filled his features and he ran over to me, pulling me into his arms. “Oh, thank goodness,” he said. “I was worried the verdict would be…” He could not finish the sentence as he clutched me tighter.

My arms slowly encircled him, and I realized he was shaking. Dracul pulled back and I could tell that he had not slept these past three nights based on the circles under his eyes and the emptiness in his cheeks.

“Everyone thought Kessland would choose to kill me, didn’t they?”

“Who’s Kessland?” Dracul frowned at my words.

“The Whispering Pool!” I exclaimed. “And you sent me in here betting I was going to die!” I stood in my frustration and swayed from the upward rush of motion—a mix of my adrenaline leaving me and the past three days of no food made me woozy. The room spun slightly.

Dracul steadied me with his hands. “I hoped you weren’t going to be killed, but I knew it was a possibility. It was the only option the Lords would consider other than killing you outright. I had no choice.” I could tell by his tortured gaze that he spoke the truth. He had been tormented with the possibility of me dying.

“Then I suppose you had no other option,” I said, smiling slightly. If that was what he’d had to do, then he truly had no choice. But looking at the man in front of me, I could tell that he would not willingly send me into danger.

“We need to get you food,” he said, moving to help me out of the cave. “Let’s do that and then you can rest. I’m sure spending the past three days here have not been the most restful.”

Chapter Seventeen

Valora

Dracul led me to his quarters, where papers and books were strewn everywhere, covering almost every visible surface. I could only imagine what he had been through the last few days if the state of his quarters and his body were any indication. He let out a mighty roar which was surprising to hear from his human form, and a servant girl came running into the room looking terrified.

“Yes, my Lord?” she asked, trembling.

“Bring me food,” he growled. “Lots of it.”

“Right away, my Lord!” She scampered off.

Dracul let out a sigh, and his entire body seemed to droop. Deep in his eyes, I could see his exhaustion. At a brief glance, a few plates of uneaten food sat on his desk and I guessed that he also had not eaten in the past three days.

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