Page 17 of Brutal Dragon King

Everyone keeps reminding me that I'm a slave, as if I don't already know that. As if I haven't faced their ridicule enough all my life.

Nothing has changed, and it never will, even if I am inside the palace. It means nothing, except to serve as a reminder that the king plans on showing me just how powerful he is by throwing me into the room beside his. I don't know how he plans on “showing” me his power, except that it can't be good if I'm now under his watchful eye.

Aerwyna unlocks the door, then pushes it open and nods. “There's no need for me to check for your comfort. You will wait inside for further instructions from the king.”

Once inside, Aerwyna shuts the door behind me with a loud, deliberate “bang” that vibrates off the far walls of the bedroom and causes a stir on the nightstand when the lampshade clicks. When the silence is consuming, and I have a moment to breathe, I take in my surroundings for the first time without the limerence of adrenaline pumping through my veins.

I groan at last. Despite the luxury of the palace or the bedroom, I'm standing in, I can't be oblivious to my situation. I am still meant to be the king's breeding slave, and my only hope of feeling some kind of consolation is exacting my revenge.

Glancing around, I look beyond the abundance of wealth, my survival instincts kicking into gear to see a way out. Of course, running away will only be a death sentence, so I have to find a way to face off with the king. I notice two doors on the right wing, and carefully make my way there, moving my limbs for the first time since arriving in the room.

According to my calculations, the doors are on the opposite side of the king's bedrooms. I heard Aerwyna's passing remark that his bedroom was on the right, muttering under herbreath when she closed the bedroom door behind me. I glance inside the first door, finding a bathroom fit for royalty, and discover that the second door is locked.

Speculating with a frown, I deduce that this door leads to the king's private chambers.

If King Haidën plans on siring an heir, it won't be long until he unlocks this door and comes to me, wanting to take what is his with his entitlement. Though the opulence of the bedroom is tempting, the thought of being close enough to the king to hurt him is more enticing and leads me to the balcony to gather my breath and prepare for war.

That's what this is, what I plan. Raging war on the king for stripping me from the luxury of parents that would have protected me from being deemed a “bad omen.”

My heart drops when I look over the castle lawn and see activity in the courtyard. Standing there with only two guards, is the king himself in all his glory, cast in the light of the moon's glow after a gentle rain.

It would be inhumane of me to deny that the king is striking, and bold as he towers over a human knelt on both knees in front of him. Though he's too far to be heard, I know he's addressing the human because the power of his voice thrums through my chest.

It's not just his innate royal power that beckons my attention; the man himself in his human form is the most beautiful sight to see. With long locks of dark hair glistening from the rainfall and slicked back, his broad shoulders command authority and taper into a narrow waist.

His figure is sublime, dropping my jaw so steadily that I'm hardly aware of the drop until I'm staring dumbfoundedly at the king. I'm so caught in my fixation of the king, that I'm onlyaware of his unsheathed sword when the silver blade flashes through the air. What happens next is a blur, turning the strange knot in the pit of my belly into recognizable fear.

The gut-wrenching sight of the human man being decapitated right before the king is worse when I lose the fad for the king's good looks and realize the extent of what I just witnessed. It drives in my plan of action, knowing that it would be my head rolling down the bridge if I tried running away.

I'll have to be cunning in my plan, and execute my revenge with precise, crafty methods. The king isn't fazed by my words, it seems. So, I'll have to try a little harder and be smart about this.

He is, after all, the ruthless dragon king.

Chapter 6 - Haidën

Rapping my fingers on the table, I stroke a hand over my chin, deliberating Mother's concerns about keeping the child-bearer in my quarters.

Truthfully, I couldn't care less that the human is in my chambers, separated by nothing more than a locked door that I stared at for the better part of last night. After dealing with an insolent human who was caught stealing in the market—dealt with the correct way—my thirst for blood was quenched, and I thought that it was what had me seeing red when I met the human child-bearer.

I was wrong. I'm never wrong. But I hate that I stood by that door between the guest bedroom and my bedroom, and felt like something was missing.

A gaping hole left a void in my chest and had me clenching my fists and wrestling with my inner dragon, who refused to accept that the human is nothing more than a slave. I blame my inner dragon, who's seemingly accepted full responsibility for the pull it felt toward the human.

On the other hand, I refuse to take accountability for this unjustifiable feeling. Beauty is shallow, and there's no way I could ever be attracted to a measly human woman.

“ You do realize that this does not look good for you,” Mother points out.

Clearing my throat and straightening up, I lean forward and watch her over steepled fingers.

“It seems you do not know your eldest son at all,” I quip with a snide scoff. “Since when would I, Haidën Nayara, King ofThe Spine of Nayara, care about what my people think of me? Anyone who questions my methods will be punished.”

Mother is taken aback, breathing in deeply as she processes my firm statement. She seems pleased, a trace of a smirk on her lips.

“Don't let her get too comfortable in the palace,” Mother sneers. “She's not meant to roam around freely, but you haven't put a stop to it.”

I pause for a moment, prompted to glance over my shoulder, when a wave of irritation washes over me.

Is she roaming around freely? Did Aerwyna not tell her to remain in the bedroom? Or were my threats not clear enough?

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