Page 37 of The Dragon Maiden

“They tormented me and said it was in retaliation for something my brother did. They set the house on fire, and once they left, I set out after him, determined to find answers.” I looked to Dracul, meeting his silver eyes, which were filled with sympathy and kindness. “I want answers. Why did they come? What did he do? What did he get himself into? The day I was taken, I was on my way to find him, only a few days behind. But instead, I was brought to you, and every hope I had at ever catching him disappeared.”

To my surprise, I felt empty at this notion rather than feeling angry or the need to cry. At that point, I supposed I was all cried out over my parents’ deaths and what had happened to me. It was something I had finally accepted and was ready to begin moving on.

Dracul seemed surprised at my reaction, but placed a hand on mine. “I’m very sorry,” he said quietly.

“I don’t know what I would have done if I found him anyway. But that’s why I had Henrick take a letter to send to contacts I have, to see if I could find out where my brother went next. And that’s why I tried to escape that night.” I looked away, unable to keep eye contact. “But I know better now and I’ve accepted that I’ll never know. I’ve accepted my life now and even look forward to seeing what being by your side will bring.” I could feel determination flowing through me, the strength that I had relied upon these past months to not crumble and give up. My life might have taken a different path than I had been expecting, but I truly looked forward to whatever was next with Dracul.

He looked at me, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. “You’ve transformed from the trembling girl who was tossed at my feet those months ago,” he said quietly. “And in that time, with the proper training given to you and the change I see in you, you are now ready to become an official Dragon Maiden.”

His words shocked me, and I felt a charge of energy slice through my body. “Are you serious?” I asked softly, as if any louder would dissolve this illusion.

“Very,” he said, bringing a hand to my cheek and smiling. My heart began to beat faster.

I leaned against his shoulder, looking outside. “How much longer do you think it’s going to rain?” I asked, my mind whirring with this news.

“Who knows?” the Dragon Lord replied. “It could stop within the next hour or tomorrow.”

As it turned out, later that night, the storm stopped, but Dracul decided it was too late to fly back. Once more, I fell asleep against his stomach, which warmed me to the core, my dreams pleasant and filled with light and laughter. I looked forward to what the next chapter would bring.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Valora

Though there had been shock and horror—mostly on Lord Verhorn’s part—that we had been caught in the rain and away for almost two full days, preparations began immediately for the ceremony where I would take the oath and become a Dragon Maiden. Besides the actual ceremony—which to my surprise happened in front of the entire clan—there would be a grand feast afterwards where all the dragons and humans celebrated. The evening would be filled with food, drinks, and dancing. It sounded very exciting, and due to the fact that the last ceremony had happened five years ago with Bethany’s induction, the caves were filled with a flurry of enthusiasm and anticipation.

The ceremony was planned to take place on the full moon, which was a few weeks away. The other Dragon Maidens had begun working on my dress, which was made up of flowing midnight-blue fabric. Each one worked on a different section, embroidering the fabric with silver thread, filling the dress with swirling designs that started at the bottom of the dress, lazily spinning upwards. Every time I saw it, my stomach filled with butterflies. It was breathtaking.

At last, the day before the ceremony had arrived and I busied myself with tasks to distract myself from the giant event that was occurring tomorrow, an event that would change the trajectory of my life forever. Dusting the books was an easy task, though not needed, as I had already done so last week, but I tried to focus, to keep the panic from rising within me.

“Tomorrow is the ceremony,” Dracul said as he entered the cave. He had just finished a meeting with the other Lords, ensuring that all the final details were in place. “And you will finally become my Maiden.”

I nodded silently at his words, continuing to dust, unable to meet his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” He approached. “You were so excited before.”

He was not wrong. Just last week, I had been prancing around excitedly, waiting for tomorrow to come. I remained silent, continuing to dust, and I could feel his apprehension growing behind me, prickling the back of my neck. At last, I paused my dusting, but still could not face him.

“It’s such a life-changing moment,” I said, my voice trembling. “What if I’m not cut out for this? What if I really mess up? What happens? I’ll be your first ever Maiden, and I might be a complete disaster.”

Dracul leaned forward, taking the cleaning rag from my hand and pulling me towards the couch, motioning for me to sit down. My eyes darted to him and watched as he knelt in front of me, his gaze level with mine.

“You will not be a disaster,” he said calmly. “And I’m assuming you heard rumors from the other Dragon Maidens about why I have not picked a Maiden?”

Silently, I shook my head. Even when I was on good terms with the other Maidens, we never were close enough for them to gossip with me. They would not want to risk the rumors getting back to Dracul.

“Regardless, the reason I have not picked a Maiden until now is that I have never found any that I felt was qualified to do the job required of them. You are the first one that I feel is ready.”

“But what if I’m not? What if your confidence has been misplaced?” The words rushed out of me before I could stop them.

“Then we will work through the problems together,” he said. “I do not make this decision lightly, I hope you know that. I would not have picked you if I did not think you were ready. But you are, Valora. Do not doubt yourself, not when you have come so far.”

“It’s hard, knowing that so much is expected of me,” I said softly, tears pricking my eyes at his kindness.

“My expectations have not changed from the first day, and you have risen above and beyond them time and time again,” he said, his silver eyes gleaming. “Please believe me when I say that there is nothing to fear from becoming my Maiden, and that you will be fine.”

“What about the fire?” The words spilled out, referencing the part of the ceremony after exchanging oaths where Dracul would have to bathe me in his dragonfire. That part of the ceremony was what I felt most nervous about. “Won’t it burn me?” Though he had told me this hundreds of times, I needed to hear it once more. After the ceremony, his fire and heat would be unable to burn me.

“If the Lord does not truly believe that she is the Maiden for him, then the woman will burn,” Dracul said, repeating what he had told me previously. “Idobelieve in you and that you are to be my Maiden. You are worthy of this title, worthy to be the High Dragon Lord’s Dragon Maiden. And tomorrow, everyone will see what I saw in you that very first day.”

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