Page 4 of Brutal Dragon King

“Thank you, my dear,” the witch thanked Delores with a twinkling smirk. “I’m glad you’ve delivered on time.”

“I’m the one who doesn’t have much time, Holga.”

“Hm…” Holga hums, eyes flitting to me just as her smile slips away. “... Tomorrow, then?” she asks Delores while keeping her skeptical eyes on me.

A shiver passes through my spine, forcing me to pause my task. What’s happening tomorrow?

All I know is that the draw is taking place tomorrow, but it’s an affair that isn’t considered worthy of the attendance of witches or vampires. It’s far from a glamorous occasion.

“Yes, tomorrow,” Delores agrees, drawing the witch’s attention back to her. As if I’m released from hypnosis, I feel air slithering back into my throat.

I didn’t even know I was holding my breath…

“Do enjoy the festival with the other witches,” Delores bids her with a wink, and the witch’s smile returns to her face.

“I will, my darling,” she smiles, wiggling her fingers gracefully in the air before sauntering off, glancing over her shoulder for a brief second and meeting my confused eyes, before disappearing into the market’s buzz.

What was that?

“She—she didn’t pay you,” I comment when Delores finally reclaims her seat and goes back to work. It’s an observation I make because I’ve been yelled at in the past for not being smart enough to point it out.

Delores clicks her tongue contemptuously. “Are you checking up on me, child? Hah!”

“N-no,” I defend. “I’m just pointing it out. She didn’t give you any money for the dress you gave her.”

“Of course she didn’t,” Delores scoffs. “The witch is doing me a favor in exchange for the dress.”

“A favor?” I ask, wondering if Delores is in some kind of predicament that she’d need the witch’s help. If she’s in trouble, my already terrible life in the village will only become worse.

I have to look out for myself. Running away from the village is not an option unless I have a death wish; I know that much.

“Don’t ask me stupid questions, girl!” Delores suddenly snaps, startling me. She stares at me with those same begrudging eyes she glared at me with when I was five and news of my parent’s death came.

I purse my lips, nodding tersely. All I can do is sit silently, wondering what Delores is up to now.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d suspect she was trying to get rid of me. But then again, she needs my help around here. Immortality isn’t for humans; old age is catching up with her frail fingers. She needs me, just as much as I need her for a place to sleep and for my sustenance.

She wouldn’t try to murder me…

Chapter 2 - Haidën

Soaring over the thin, gray veil that covers The Spine of Nayara, my men follow close behind, allowing me to lead the way. With my advantage over them, I’m able to, for a stolen moment, enjoy the cool, dewy moisture of the mist that covers my kingdom, hovering above the misty clouds a little longer before The Palace Gardens come into view.

The brisk moisture feels divine against the tough, rubbery armor of my dragon’s scales, slipping through the cracks of the layers and settling on the soft, fibrous tissue that makes up the hypodermis of my dragon form. When I’m close enough to see the tip of the canopy above the palace throne room, I give a majestic flap of my wings and aim my pointed nose in that direction.

My men already know not to follow me toward the palace. Their duty calls for them to gather in the courtyard while I fly toward my hall for some respite. It’s been a long day of overseeing the reaping processions in the mortal village that forms part of my kingdom, and it’s so unnecessary, that I need a moment to catch my breath and reclaim the air of The Spine.

I don’t hate The Emberlands, except that I see no reason to walk amongst the mortal creatures of Nayara. Humans are so insignificant, that it actually chills my naturally heated bones to be walking amongst them just to ensure that everything is set in place for tomorrow’s reaping.

After all, it’s my human that will be chosen in the lucky draw as my child-bearer. I don’t look forward to the event, and the only reason I visited the village today was to check that everything was in order, and because what good a king would I be if I didn’t show my presence?

I’ve never been so closely involved in The Spine’s reaping processes for a human mate. Not even when my close friend, Ryu, had his turn last year.

“Your Majesty, we’ll be waiting for you in the courtyard,”Ryu’s mind link comes as expected. As the head of the royal guard, Ryu has to inform me of his every move while the rest of the soldiers follow his orders.

“Of course, Ryu. I don’t know how long I’ll be,”I reply, gliding down to my throne hall. When I reach the terrace, I drop my dragon form and land effortlessly on human feet, huffing out a sigh. Rolling my head across my shoulders, I reacquaint myself with my human structure by cracking my knuckles, feeling somewhat foreign in this form.

I shrug off the unwarranted feeling, knowing that it’s because the last time I was in human form earlier today, I had a very strange encounter with a human. One that shouldn’t even cross my mind, but my fingers still tingle with the sensation of her shoulders beneath my palm.

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