Page 4 of Worthy Promises
“Give me a moment to earn that title.”
“I have faith in you. Everyone does. I’m so happy to call you a friend; I can hardly imagine my life without you in it.”
With a saucy wink, Worth blew him an air kiss and trudged toward his father so Boian wouldn’t explode with impatience.
“Good morning, Father,” Worth said when he was a foot from his father.
“Worthington, if you wanted to hide the debauchery I know you indulged in overnight, you should have considered shaving and combing your hair,” Boian stated, his lip curling in disgust as he took in Worth’s disheveled appearance.
“I didn’t want to keep you waiting.”
“You are nearly a quarter of an hour late. Youdidkeep me waiting.”
“Your Highness, I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies,” Worth said with a sweeping bow.
“Stop mocking me and this court. Get undressed and shift. I tire of standing out here.”
Since Boian had never excelled at encouraging words, Worth didn’t bother waiting to find out if his father had more to say. Worth took a single moment to center himself. Then, without a hint of embarrassment, he stripped off his clothes in the circle of stones their court used to welcome new dragons. His father addressed the crowd.
“Ladies and gentlemen of Court Ethelin, we are gathered here to witness the most important moment in a drakeling’s life,” Boian called out. “This morning, it is my only son, Prince Worthington, who will accept his beast and change before oureyes into the magnificent dragon he shares his soul with. I would ask for silence as he attempts this challenge.”
Lifting his chin, Worth closed his eyes and reached for the dragon inside him. Setting aside his father’s ire and his irritation at the inevitable fights in the coming days as Worth refused to follow Boian’s demands, he sent encouraging thoughts to his dragon. A feeling of peace settled over him, and he nearly smiled at the shifting of his bones and the ripple of scales dancing along his skin.
Muscles stretched, tendons lengthened, and without pain, Worth’s dragon transformed his human body. Worth was unequivocally delighted that he’d succeeded, and for one precious second, he and his dragon exulted in their triumph. But sounds were reaching Worth’s sensitive ears, and they were murmurs of disapproval and outrage.
Worth didn’t understand, but he forced his eyes open and could barely register what he was seeing. Instead of black, Worth’s scales were a horrid shade of pink. He was a salmon-tinted monstrosity, and Worth couldn’t understand what was happening. Dragons didn’t come in reds or pinks.
“Shift back immediately,” Boian yelled.
There was a roar in Worth’s head as his dragon protested his father’s order. But that was too damn bad. The dragon that had sat inside him for a century had disgraced them both, and Worth wouldn’t embarrass himself for a moment longer. His wings flapped, and his dragon’s temerity shocked Worth. It was no time to fly. That would have to wait until Worth reconciled how his day had careened out of control.
At odds, man and beast fought for supremacy, and he belched out fire. People screamed, and the ground vibrated as they ran from Worth. Although shamed at the strange color of his scales, Worth was disappointed in himself. Being unkind to his dragon was unacceptable. Being pink was his destiny. His giftfrom Fate. There would be no dukedom in his future, and he’d been arrogant to assume he’d gain a title.
Worth would allow his life to change little. It was still his own. With as much reassurance as he could muster, Worth calmed his dragon as his father continued to screech at him to shift. Man and beast ignored Boian and reached an accord. Worth would allow his dragon freedom again soon, and they’d soar through the sky. But Worth begged forgiveness from the beast for being too embarrassed to consider such a thing while the sun was up.
After a flurry of changes that happened so fast Worth had to brace his now-human hands on the dirt as he fell to his knees, he sucked in air and hated the way his dragon wailed pitifully in his head. Being pink appalled Worth, but the beast was oddly proud.
“Get dressed,” Boian demanded, then stalked off without waiting to find out if Worth would comply with the order.
Needing to salvage what was left of his pride, Worth gathered his clothing and squared his shoulders once he was upright. Most of the people had run away, but as Worth dragged on his pants, he noted that many of his friends had remained.
“It’s not so bad,” Worth called out, trying to reassure those closest to him.
None of the young men would meet his eye, and by the time Worth had shoved his arms into the sleeves of his shirt, they’d turned their backs on him.
“Julian, where are you going?”
Julian turned and glared at him. In his brown eyes was a mixture of pity and disgust. He shook his head and left the clearing without a word. Worth was disappointed, but he had to deal with his father and figure out how to handle the next few minutes. His dear friends needed some reassurance. Worth would be up to the task as soon as his own shock wore off. Pinkcouldn’t be too dreadful of a color. At least he hadn’t died. With a shake of his head, Worth raked a hand through his dark hair and ignored the dragon whining miserably in his head.
∞∞∞
Ten years later
With his head bowed, Worth traipsed into the isolated house and refused to meet Drogo’s dark, scaly eyes.
“How many times is it now, Worth?”
“I don’t know,” Worth muttered as he trudged to the kitchen and slumped into one of the chairs at the breakfast table. He wasn’t sure why there was more than a single chair. A lone person lived there, and his only guest was Drogo. The Duke never stayed long enough to take a meal with Worth.
