Page 52 of The Dragon Maiden

The other Lords from my clan exchanged a look, Hiram looking the most perturbed by this news.

Without thinking, I leapt at Fangburn, throwing him to the ground. All the other Lords around the fire jumped up as I began to pummel him, punching whatever bit of flesh I could find.

“She’s not just a Maiden!” I shouted, my voice carrying far across the camp. “You watch your tongue. I ought to rip it from your face!” I continued my onslaught, and the others seemed too hesitant to pull me off him.

Fangburn managed to grab one of my fists, spitting out blood. “If she’s not just a Maiden, then what else is she?” he coughed out. “You have the ring, you have no need for a Maiden anyway.”

I let out a feral cry, yanking my fist free and punching him once more. “She’s… my…dragaria,” I said in between punches.

Immediately, I felt strong hands pulling me off Fangburn, and turned to punch whoever stopped me, only to stop short at the sight of Hiram holding my shoulder, his eyes kind.

“I knew it. That was why your flame turned blue and the glowing happened earlier today,” he said gently.

I felt a cold realization wash over me with what I had done. I had attacked my ally. I turned to Fangburn, ready to apologize.

He stood and wiped the blood from his face, spitting on the ground. “Yourdragaria, huh?” he asked with a cheeky smile. “She must be someone very special then. I’ve never heard of adragariabeing human before.”

From behind me, I could hear whispers and murmurs making their way through camp. My outburst must have been loud enough for everyone to hear. I looked up the mountain, where Valora most likely was. Right now, I would not have been surprised if somehow Borthen found this information out. My anger had been out of control. I could only imagine how he would use this as a pawn in his sick game.

“Lord Fangburn, I’m sorry,” I said, the words stumbling to come out.

He only smiled and clapped me on the shoulder. “I’m glad you finally found her,” he said. “It was about time our High Dragon Lord found hisdragaria. I had heard stories that you were unusually close to her, now it all makes sense why.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “I can only imagine what you’re going through,” he said, immediately sobering up. “If mydragariawas kidnapped, I would destroy the entire world to get her back again.” He wiped his bleeding lip once more. “I’m surprised you showed such restraint with me.”

Hiram came forward and bowed deeply, the other Lords following suit. “We will help you however we can to get yourdragariaback, my Lord,” he said.

I looked back up the mountain, pinpointing one of the entrances. “First, we’ll have to kill everyone to get to her,” I said grimly. “We start at dawn. Anyone who resists must die.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Valora

The next morning—or what I would assume was morning—I awoke with a raw throat and gritty eyes, having cried all night long. The pain upon finding out Dracul was the reason my family died and I’d been so scarred was agonizing. I could only imagine what sick pleasure Borthen got out of revealing that information to me, at driving this new wedge between Dracul and myself. I pulled myself over to the pail of water and splashed some on my face, waking me up instantly to this cold new reality I had found myself in.

Borthen arrived shortly after I awoke, an unreadable expression on his face. He scrutinized me from afar as I hunched in the corner, glaring at him. I could sense his eyes carefully examining every part of my body: my bloodshot eyes, my sniffling nose, and my slight trembling. After several minutes of silently staring at the other, he finally spoke.

“I heard interesting news last night,” he said, inspecting his fingernails, pretending to be disinterested. “Would you like to hear it?”

“Not particularly,” I mumbled, continuing to glare at him.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll be glad to know that your precious Dracul’s army thoroughly defeated mine yesterday,” he said.

I closed my eyes, angry at myself for how happy I was at this news. Dracul was alive and well. He had done it.

When I opened my eyes, Borthen stared at me more intensely. “Do you know whatdragariameans?” he asked.

My brain took a moment to take in this sudden change of subject. “No,” I said, shaking my head. This was now the second time the phrase had been brought up—Kessland being the first. Just as I had promised Dracul, I had not asked or investigated the term any further.

“Dragariais a special draconic term,” he said, his golden eyes glittering ominously. “It’s how we refer to our mate, our other half.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked warily.

“We don’t get to choose ourdragaria,” he continued, watching me closely. “It’s something that we innately know once we see them for the first time. We feel an unexplainable pull to them and they feel the same to us. It’s almost… magical.” He paused, checking for any reaction from me. When he received none, he continued. “In your time with ourpreciousLord, have you felt anything like this?”

“No,” I lied, an uncomfortable feeling growing within me. What Borthen described was exactly how I felt with Dracul. But that was impossible—he was a dragon and I was a human. There was no way I could be hisdragaria. It could only be a silly one-sided crush on my side. Not to mention, his actions were the reason that I had gone through so much pain. I shook my head. There was no way I was Dracul’sdragaria.

“Interesting,” Borthen said in a clipped tone. He stared at me for several moments. “That will be all for today, I think.” He pulled a hunk of dried meat from his pocket and tossed it to me, and it landed about a foot away from where I huddled. “Well, I leave you to your thoughts.” As he did yesterday, he dramatically leapt from the dome, and I heard the sound of his wings once again.

Ravenously, I grabbed the piece of meat and began to gobble it down, not having eaten since early yesterday. I remained huddled in the corner, wrapped in the thin blanket, my thoughts tormenting me into an uneasy sleep once more.

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