Page 39 of The Dragon Maiden

“But—” I could tell that he was convinced I would have taken the opportunity to leave.

“Lord Dracul, I have made my choice. I thank you for giving me the option to leave, but I am going to stay,” I said firmly, a smile tugging at the ends of my lips.

My decision had been made. I was not going to change my mind, nor have any regrets about the path I had chosen.

“Really?” It was really quite amusing to see the Dragon Lord at a loss for words for once.

“Yes. I’m afraid you’ll just have to be stuck with me.”

A smile twitched on his lips, and soon, Dracul beamed. “I am very glad to hear that,” he said, relief flooding his voice.

“I should go get ready,” I said, moving to walk past Dracul, but stopped right next to him. “Thank you very much,” I said quietly, hoping that he could hear the emotion in my voice. “I really appreciate what you did.”

“And I appreciate you for staying,” he said.

I nodded before rushing back to the cavern. The other Maidens were sure to be awake now and I needed to get ready for the ceremony. My footsteps were weightless as I ran back to the cave, a lightness settling in my heart that had not been there before.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Dracul

I watched Valora skip away before shaking my head. She never failed to surprise me. “Never in a million years did I expect her to stay,” I muttered to myself. I was not sure what I would have done if she had wanted to leave. Letting mydragariago would have been torturous, but if that was what she wanted, I would be unable to deny her.

An older gray dragon emerged from the shadows. “Then you shouldn’t have given her the choice,” he said, wisdom echoing in his voice.

I turned to face Lord Hiram, watching him approach. As he neared, he transformed into his human form, too, fixing me with a look.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” I asked. “Normally we do not see you out of your caves unless it is to lecture me on something.”

“Today is a special day, is it not? Not every day does the High Dragon Lord pick a Maiden,” Lord Hiram said. “If you thought she was going to leave, why did you give her the choice?”

I knew I should feel offended that he had been eavesdropping, that he had heard everything, but for some reason, relief flooded through me. “She’s been through so much, I did not want her to be stuck here if she did not want to be.”

“If word got out about this, the other Lords would start to question your leadership abilities. It would give Borthen more ammunition to overthrow you,” Lord Hiram warned. “You better make sure that no one hears of this.”

“I trust Valora not to say anything,” I said.

The older dragon examined me for a moment before nodding.

“What would you suggest I do?”

“Dracul, I have seen a few High Lords come and go, including your father,” Lord Hiram said. “I was a friend and supporter of his, just as I am with you. I do not want to see your reign end too soon like his, and I want to make sure you minimize any damage she could do to you.”

My gaze sharpened at his words and I looked at him, trying to judge how much he knew.

“I’ve seen the way you look at her. You’ve grown fond of her. There’s nothing wrong with that, except for the fact that you treat her differently than the other Lords treat their Maidens.”

“I’m the High Dragon Lord. I’m not held to the same standards as the others,” I said. “And while they might not act the same way towards their Maidens as I do towards Valora, I know they are attached to theirs as well. I’m doing nothing wrong.” I was not sure if I was trying to convince Lord Hiram or myself. Based on his look, we both knew that what I felt for Valora was not typical.

“I’m not saying that you are,” Hiram said quickly. “I’m just letting you know that you need to be careful of your behavior. Since she’s arrived, your actions have been closely watched. None of the other Lords would have eventhoughtabout making such a headstrong girl their Maiden. Your abilities to do what’s best for the clan are remarkable, but I want you to be aware of everything so you can make sure you’re not overstepping bounds. Dracul, you are the youngest High Dragon Lord we’ve had in history, and no one questions your brilliance when it comes to protecting the clan. Your methods are different, but effective. However, your youth does not help you among the older Lords, not all the time. Whispers are already beginning to cultivate, and I just want you to be careful.” His eyes softened as he pleaded with me. “Please don’t let her be your undoing.”

My heart stopped at his plea. Valora was mydragaria, my strength. She could never be my undoing. I would not allow it.

“I won’t,” I said. “I’ll do my best to make sure no one questions me as a leader. My fondness for her is not clouding my judgment to lead the clans.”

“Good,” Lord Hiram said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Now, you should go prepare for the ceremony as well. There’s still much to be done.”

“Thank you for your words of wisdom,” I said, bowing my head in respect. “It’s nice to know I have a friend looking out for me.”

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