Page 29 of Progeny of the Cursed Egg
I release the breath I didn’t realize I was holding and let my forehead rest against his broad chest. The faint scent of incense tickles my nose, mingling with the slightly metallic tang lingering on his shirt—a stark reminder of the tension in the air. We stand in a dim, vaulted chamber, the echo of our breathing somehow louder than the crackling torches lining the walls.
Across the room, the elder priestess shuffles through a stack of yellowed papers, her gnarled fingers tracing each line of text with meticulous care. “From what I can see, the bonds are firmly in place,” she says, setting the pages aside. Her keen gaze shifts to Abraxis. “You show signs of stress, of feeling unsure about your place in this bond.”
At her gesture, I step forward. She gently brushes my hair from my shoulder, exposing Abraxis’s fresh marks. The sudden touch sends a jolt along my spine, the delicate scales at my nape prickling in response. She tuts softly. “This is what a threatened male does to prove he’s in control—or, as the young ones say, ‘I was here first.’”
I glance from Abraxis to Klauth, my heart thudding in my chest. Abraxis began biting more often once I received Klauth’s egg, long before Klauth was physically in the picture. My bottom lip stings under the pressure of my teeth, but I keep quiet, waiting for the priestess to continue.
“We have verified all the bonds. We have also started the process of restoring the lands and title that belong by right to King Ragnar—especially now that he has a viable mate to carry on his bloodline.” Her gaze locks on me, and the scales along my spine rise in instinctive defense. A chill seeps into my bones; I still have three known enemies out there, and this is no time to be carrying or laying eggs.
“Thank you.” Klauth’s voice rumbles softly as he steps beside me, his arm draping over my shoulders.
“We’ll need you to return so we can complete everything,” the priestess says, consulting a scroll with faded ornate lettering. “We plan to announce your sovereignty over what was once known as the Marzana Empire during the winter formal. The coronation for you and your queen will happen then.”
My throat tightens. How in the world did I go from being an assassin in training and the unwanted daughter … to now a queen of a long-forgotten empire? My pulse thrums in my ears, and internally, I’m screaming. If I didn’t have a massive target on my back before, I certainly do now.
Klauth presses his lips gently to my temple, and a soft purr of reassurance vibrates through him. “We’ll talk as a nest when we get home,” he murmurs. “Certain things are already in motion. We can’t stop them now.”
He turns and nods at Ziggy, who steps forward with his easy, lopsided grin. “Come on, Mina,” Ziggy says, looping his arm through mine. The movement makes me aware of every taut muscle in my body, as if bracing for a fight. “Let’s go home.”
In the space of a single heartbeat, we leave the hush of the priestess’s hall behind. The breath of cool air that hits my face feels like a promise of momentary peace. Hopefully, once we’re all together in the suite, we can make sense of this madness—and the new crown looming over my head.
CHAPTER 16
Mina
The days blur together,and tonight is the night of our nest meeting. Part of me dreads it, even though I know it’s necessary. These last few days, I’ve been meeting with Cerce to discuss everything that’s happened. Abraxis has never felt that he was enough—even when he was my only drake. Now that I have multiple mates only heightens his anxiety. The others can give me more of their time and attention, while his duties to the King in the north constantly pull him away. That should change once Klauth is crowned at the winter formal in a month. I already know my first question for tonight’s meeting.
I walk home with Balor after his last-period poisons class, and the silence between us feels heavy, like a humid fog that clings to my skin. The distant clang of closing gates and the low buzz of evening conversation around the Arcanum campus drift in and out of my awareness. A cool breeze carries the tang of burnt herbs—probably from the lab—and prickles across my arms.
“You seem to be in deep thought,” Balor says gently, bumping myshoulder with his. His voice is a low rumble, warm enough to cut through the evening chill.
“That’s the understatement of my existence.” I sigh, wrapping my arm around his before sliding my hand down to lace our fingers together. His warmth grounds me for a moment, and I give his hand a reassuring squeeze.
Balor stops us beneath a drooping willow tree. The branches trail against the ground like silent sentinels, shielding us from the bustle of campus. He tilts my chin up. “Talk to me, Mina. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.” When he kisses me softly, the faint taste of mint on his lips mingles with the crisp air. Then he rests his forehead against mine, as if trying to absorb all of my stress.
“I don’t know what to do anymore.” I close my eyes, letting out another shaky breath as I focus on the rhythmic sound of Balor’s breathing. “Vox has been trying to reason with Abraxis. Abraxis doesn’t feel Klauth should be head drake of the nest—he wants that role for himself. But a head or dominant drake is supposed to put the good of the nest, or flight, before his own desires.” My words come out in a rush, and I pull away to hug myself, feeling a chill that has nothing to do with the weather.
Balor’s arm encircles me again, drawing me back in. “What do you want, Mina?” He cups my cheek and makes me meet his gaze. “What do you feel is best for the nest?” His lips brush the tip of my nose in a tender gesture, and he offers a small, encouraging smile.
“Klauth is a great wyrm—his drake is over a hundred and thirty feet long. He can protect the nest and me in ways Abraxis’s dragon can’t.” My eyes drop to the ground, and a swirl of brittle leaves crackles under my feet. “Abraxis is nine years older than me, so I feel closer to him in that sense. But that doesn’t mean we’ll be safe from our enemies if he’s the one in charge.” I nibble on my bottom lip and let out a shaky breath. “I love them both equally, no matter what Abraxis tries to convince himself.”
“Have you told him that?” Balor asks, tucking me under his arm. The warmth of his body and the steady thrum of his heartbeat soothe some of my anxiety as we continue walking.
“Many times. He doesn’t want to believe it, and I don’t know why.” My eyes flick ahead, noticing the looming silhouette of Malivore. Its darkened windows and stone arches always give me a strange sense of foreboding. My stomach twists in knots.
“He’s been in love with the idea of you since he was nine,” Balor says, his tone thoughtful. “He’s spent twenty-three—almost twenty-four—years living with the fantasy of his mate. Maybe reality isn’t lining up with the dream he created in his head.”
His words sink in, resonating with my own suspicions. “Yet another male’s expectations I don’t live up to,” I murmur. That old pit of grief yawns wide inside me, and the icy breath of depression wraps itself around my chest. It always comes back at the worst times.
“It’s not like that, Mina…” Balor’s protest is gentle as we enter our suite. The stale, slightly musty smell of the hallway mingles with the faint scent of dust and old furniture.
I just look at him, offering a sad smile before perching myself on the arm of the couch, bracing for whatever torture this nest meeting might bring. My pulse pounds in my ears. Tonight feels like a crossroads—one where all our hopes, fears, and rivalries collide in a storm. I’m not sure any of us can fully control.
I stand against the wall,letting the cool stone at my back anchor me, while Leander moves front and center of the room. The low glow of the overhead lights casts long shadows across the floor, making the space feel both intimate and tense. I’ve deliberately placedmyself a few steps away from both drakes, making sure neither feels I’m favoring the other. My pulse thrums in my ears, and the faint scent of candle wax and old parchment lingers in the air—remnants of tonight’s studying and earlier gatherings.
“I’ve been doing a lot of reading on managing a large nest,” Leander begins, his gaze drifting over everyone. His voice carries a certain measured calm, but I sense an undercurrent of nerves. “It’s suggested we have check-ins regularly. So that’s what this is. Mina, I’ve had the guys all put anonymous concerns on slips of paper.”
He lifts what looks like a plain pillowcase, its corners darkened by shadows. The shifting of paper within makes a faint crinkling sound that seems unnaturally loud. “I’m going to shake it up, then have you draw out the questions. If you want to read them aloud, that’s fine. If not, I can do it.”
