Page 26 of Progeny of the Cursed Egg
“I love you,” I whisper, holding his hand for a moment. The soft brush of his thumb over my knuckles reassures me.
“I love you too, Mina.” He nods to me and offers a polite bow of the head to Klauth before turning to leave.
A quiet shiver races down my spine as I watch him go. Everything about that exchange felt … strained. Though I know it’s for our own good. My scales prickle beneath my skin in protest.
“Good girl, my treasure,” Klauth murmurs, pressing his lips against my temple again. There’s a faint hint of sulfur, a reminder of his ancient dragonic heritage. My pen scratches against the paper onelast time as I sign the invitation I’d been drafting:Willamina Ragnar …The name sits on the page, and I can practically hear the unspoken possibilities echo in the quiet hush of the auditorium.
CHAPTER 14
Leander
I inhale the thick,briny air blowing in from the Sea of Whispers, the salt tang clinging to my lips and the back of my throat. Despite the darkness of the hour, the moonlight glitters across the water, illuminating our path along the damp sand. It’s been five days since Abraxis went to the temple of Bahamut to declare our nest, and I haven’t been able to shake the lingering sense of dread. The thought of stepping into a dragon god’s temple is enough to make the hairs on the back of my neck prickle.
We leave Malivore’s torch lit perimeter and walk along the shoreline toward the bridge that leads to the temple. Each of us moves in tense silence, our footsteps muffled by the cool, packed sand. Wind ruffles my hair, carrying the distant crash of waves and the faint scent of kelp washed up on the shore. It’s comforting in one sense, but also eerie. With the moonless sky above and the hush of night wrapped around us, I feel like we’re walking into some ancient, forgotten ritual.
As we pass the instructors’ housing—an imposing three-level structure with windows shimmering faintly from within—Mina looks ateach of us, puzzled. The ocean breeze tousles her hair, and I catch the slight furrow of her brow by the pale glow of the floating orbs that line the path.
“I don’t think any of you lived in there. Or am I wrong?” Mina motions toward the night-dark house perched on the shore.
“You’re correct,” I reply, my voice low. “We either stayed in our rooms at Shadowcarve, or when new students arrived, we used to babysit in the northern dorms. Young dragons are temperamental.” My words echo in the stillness as we near the footbridge to the temple.
“I’m glad to see the old bridge has been maintained all these years,” Klauth remarks. He runs his hand over the weathered stones, and I hear the soft scrape of his palm against the coarse surface.
“It had to be partially rebuilt about ten years ago after a horrible storm,” Abraxis points out, showing the newer section where the stones are much lighter than the original masonry. I can almost imagine the fierce winds and pounding surf that must have torn through here, the chaos that left part of this bridge in ruins.
We cross under an ancient arch that leads us onto the bridge proper. It’s several hours after sunset, and we have everyone in the nest with us. Vaughn stands slightly apart, gazing warily at the structure stretching out over the dark water. I sense the ripple of unease in the group; non-dragon shifters aren’t usually allowed in the temple. There’s a collective tension in the air—like a coil wound too tight.
We ascend the gleaming white marble steps, which reflect the faint starlight and cast strange shapes along the ground. The chill of the stone seeps through my shoes, and a shiver traces up my spine. Finally, we reach a broad landing marked by ornate golden doors. Abraxis knocks three times, each rap echoing in the silence. I catch the faint smell of incense drifting from within, a sweet, smoky scent that mixes oddly with the brine in the air.
“Why do I feel like we’re about to be put on trial?” I whisper, my voice hushed, as though something in this sacred place demands quiet. My shift moves uneasily under my skin, muscles tightening in response to the unknown.
“Because we are,” Klauth answers. His voice sounds heavier here, absorbed by the thick marble walls. “Mina will be separated from us once we prove our bloodlines. While she’s separated, she’ll be asked to summon a mate at their request. As long as she can do that, most of the bond is proven.”
“Most of the bond?” My brow furrows, and I look between the three dragons. My heart thuds in my chest, sending adrenaline coursing through my veins.
“Beyond who I am, they will ask to test my connection to Mina.” Abraxis’s gaze flickers to her, and she nods in confirmation. There’s a heaviness in their shared glance, like some unspoken fear.
“What else?” My stomach churns, the tension drawing tighter.
“They will ask who the dragoness set as the dominant drake.” Mina pales, stepping back into Ziggy’s arms. The subtle scent of her anxiety—something faintly electric—reaches my heightened senses. “You cannot escape the process,” Klauth continues. “If you do, they will not validate the bonds.”
I study Mina’s face, noticing the flicker of indecision before she speaks. “Abraxis and I talked about it.” She sighs and drops her gaze. “We’re still working on our issues, and if they test us, we’ll fail. So Klauth will be named the dominant drake in the nest.” She bites her bottom lip so hard I see a bead of blood bloom there, and the metallic tang wafts faintly through the air.
“I know that was a tough decision, Mina. I am proud of you for doing it logically,” Callan says, his reassuring smile a brief balm on her nerves.
I watch Mina’s reaction. She’s clearly torn about disappointing both Abraxis and Klauth. Before any of us can say more, the golden doors swing open with a creak that seems to reverberate through the night. A priestess in long white robes stands before us, torchlight glinting off the polished marble corridor behind her.
“Follow me, please,” she whispers, then turns and strides inside. The echo of her shoes on marble clicks like a metronome, punctuating each step deeper into the temple.
Mina clings to Ziggy’s side, her tongue flicking out to taste the blood on her lip. Five sets of footsteps echo through the corridor, though Mina, Balor, and Ziggy move so silently that only the faint rustle of cloth betrays their presence. The priestess glances over her shoulder, ensuring we’re all still following, then leads us into a grand chamber.
Solid onyx pillars rise on either side, holding up a ceiling lost in shadows. Torches set in ornate sconces cast flickering orange light across black marble walls. Each pillar is engraved with intricate carvings of ancient dragons, their snaking forms frozen in stone. The carvings shimmer with faint flecks of gold, and I catch the distinct smell of old incense mingled with a hint of burned wax.
I notice the depiction of the Goddess Tiamat, her dragon form eerily similar to Mina’s. Klauth, walking beside me, also stops, glancing back at our mate, his features set in a mask of concern and curiosity. Nine priestesses stand on a set of stairs leading up to the massive statue of Bahamut, their white robes stark against the darkness.
“The dragoness needs to step forward,” the elder priestess says, her voice echoing around the cavernous space. She takes a measured step down from the line, the other priestesses parting to let her through.
Mina moves without hesitation, raising her chin defiantly. Klauth follows, gently removing the shawl that had covered her shoulders. The summer dress she chose reveals the shimmering scales acrossher skin—ridges of pearlescent color that catch the torchlight. They trail from her shoulders up into her hairline, an unmistakable sign of the strength of her dragoness. If needed, they can pull down the back of the sundress to show how far the scales extend.
