Page 22 of Progeny of the Cursed Egg
“I’m ready when you are.” I stand by the weapons rack, waiting to be told what we’re working with today. My eyes flick over the array of blades, noting how the torchlight gleams off their sharp edges.
“Grab a matched set of short swords. Mina kicked my ass today with them and made me look bad in front of Klauth.” Abraxis’s voice is rough, and he rubs at a bruise forming along his forearm. His eyes flick with simmering annoyance.
“Mina beat you? How is that even possible?” I ask, looking between Abraxis and Balor. The crunch of gravel underfoot reminds me to keep my stance loose, ready for anything.
“As a dragoness takes mates, she becomes stronger. The strength of the mate directly affects her strength.” Balor’s voice is steady, and he crosses his arms over his chest. I almost drop my swords, my grip momentarily going slack.
“So that means…” I turn, gaze drifting toward the distant outline of the Malivore Conservatory, where Mina should be settling in for her shower.
“Yes, she has the strength of a great wyrm and all our shifts.” Balor answers as Abraxis grumbles under his breath. A faint breeze stirs the torch flames, throwing flickering shadows across Abraxis’s scowling features.
“Remind me not to piss her off.” I take a fighting stance, both swords held at the ready, the worn leather hilt fitting perfectly against my palms. My heart beats faster at the thought of Mina’s growing power.
“Are you aware Mina wants her first clutch of eggs?” Abraxis asks, lunging forward with both swords. The clang of steel against steel echoes in the night air. I block and parry before his words register.
“How? Why?” I strike back, sending one sword high and the other slicing low. The friction of metal jars my arms, and I grit my teeth against the impact.
“She took out her implant apparently after her bonding with Klauth. Females of stronger lines can control when they reproduce. She doesn’t want to hurt us when it’s time to sedate her.” Balor answers, his voice measured, as Abraxis rains down blows. The sound is thunderous, each strike sharper and angrier than the last.
“If I remember right, she overpowered everyone until Balor made her pass out.” I throw Abraxis off his game by mentioning that. It’s his greatest perceived failure to date, and a flicker of irritation crosses his face. He presses his lips into a hard line, stepping back just enough to glare at me through the dim torchlight.
I steady my breathing, my focus split between Abraxis’s next strike and the tumult of emotions roiling within me. Mina’s getting stronger. She wants a clutch of eggs, and I’m barely keeping up in class and in training. Yet somehow, despite all the chaos, I feel more alive than I have in a long time.
Training went about as wellas expected. My muscles still tingle from exertion, and the faint tang of sweat lingers on my skin. Abraxis seems uneasy—like the raw scent of discomfort that hangs around him, sharp and acrid. He’s feeling inadequate compared to Klauth. I can understand that feeling. It’s how I feel most of the time when I look at his’s imposing form.
When we get back to the apartment, the air is warm, smelling faintly of buttered popcorn and the distinctive musk of our nest. The low hum of a movie’s soundtrack filters through the small living room. The glow from the TV bathes Mina in the flickering light as she snuggles in Klauth’s arms, her feet perched in Leander’s lap. Callan sits on the floor between Klauth’s feet, and Mina idly runs her fingers through his hair. Ziggy is perched on the arm of the chair, popping kernels of popcorn into Mina’s mouth. The atmosphere is surprisingly peaceful, despite the tension I sense humming beneath the surface.
“We’re back,” I announce. My voice feels a little scratchy, the dryness of my throat a reminder of the dust and heat from training. Mina looks over Klauth’s shoulder and smiles, warmth radiating from her in waves.
“The movie just started. Get cleaned up and join us,” she says, wrapping her arms around Klauth’s neck. There’s something about theway she looks at us, over the back of the couch, that momentarily steals the tension from my muscles.
“Maybe I’ll skip it,” Abraxis mutters, his voice tinged with a low resonance of bitterness. He heads into his room, the slight slam of his door betraying his frustration.
The joy on Mina’s face falters, and she sighs before turning back to watch the movie. Shaking my head, I follow Abraxis and knock on his door. There’s a slight echo in the narrow hallway, and I can hear the muffled drone of the movie through the walls. After several moments, he answers the door in just a towel, steam from a recent shower swirling around him, carrying the faint scent of soap and something spicy—his usual body wash.
“What?” he growls. I notice his shoulders are tense, and the water droplets running down his arms catch the overhead light, making him look even more on edge.
“Before you drive a wedge, you cannot repair in yours and Mina’s relationship, you better get out there and talk to her,” I say, tilting my head. I catch the faint flicker of pain in his eyes.
“What do you know?” Abraxis’s tone is wary—he feels unworthy, and it spills out in each syllable. I catch the subtle clench of his jaw, the tension rolling off him.
“I know that what you’re feeling is how most of us felt every day when you were the center of Mina’s world.” My voice is steady, but I can’t keep all the exasperation out. “I, for one, will be present for our mate while I’m awake.” I turn my back on him, the soft swish of his towel moving across the carpet the only sign he hasn’t already slammed the door.
It isn’t easy to walk away, but I refuse to miss out on time with Mina. When I get back to the living room, the buttery scent of popcorn is even stronger, and the TV’s glow flickers across Mina’s face. I grabMina’s favorite juice from the fridge—apple, spiced with a hint of cinnamon—and some extra popcorn for Ziggy to feed her.
“Here, baby.” I offer her the drink, brushing my fingers lightly against hers. She beams at me, and I swear my chest tightens with a familiar warmth.
“Thanks, Vaughn.” Her smile is bright, and it melts away some of the tension swirling in the room.
“What are we watching?” Abraxis’s voice makes me turn my head. He’s hovering in the doorway now, shoulders still set, but I detect an attempt at calm.
Before anyone can move, Mina jumps up. The couch cushions squeak as she pushes off, launching herself at Abraxis. The impact knocks him on his rear, pinning him to the floor. I can almost feel the vibration in the floorboards at their collision.
Abraxis laughs—a deep, throaty sound—and strokes Mina’s sides as she sits on his chest. My heartbeat quickens because I see the moment her dragonic instincts flare: she goes for his throat. Before she can complete the motion, Klauth’s presence rushes across the room. He grips her tightly, muscles rippling under his shirt as he pulls her off Abraxis and rips her upward. The shock of it makes the hair on the back of my neck prickle.
“I’m starting to see where the issue is.” Klauth’s voice rumbles as he holds Mina suspended, looking down at Abraxis. “You let your female dominate you. She pinned you, and you didn’t even fight back. It’s why her dragoness almost tore you and your father apart last season.” Klauth sets Mina down and offers Abraxis a hand up, but his gaze is stern. “You need to get her dragoness to respect you; otherwise, the next fertile period she is going to rip more than scales off you.” Klauth turns away, going to sit on the couch. The leather groans softly under his weight.
My thoughts flash to that violent memory. I know Balor and Abraxis still bear scars from the last cycle. The crisp smell of ozone floods my memory—and the tang of blood that seemed to cling to the air for days. If Balor hadn’t gotten Mina to pass out, Abraxis or his father might have died.
