Page 55 of Progeny of the Cursed Egg
“Klauth is going to check the borders before we head home. I’m going to take a seat on his head, so settle in and enjoy the ride,” Mina announces, her voice carrying both authority and excitement. She flashes a warm, enigmatic smile and plants soft kisses on both of us before ascending along Klauth’s broad back toward his head.
Balor whistles low, his tone a hushed murmur of awe as he surveys the ancient creature. “He’s well over a hundred and thirty feet long. I see why Mina hopped on his offer for a ride,” he says, clearly impressed as he traces the sinuous ridges of Klauth’s back with his gaze.
“It’s terrifying how massive dragons can become,” I remark, my eyes sliding from his formidable back down to the undulating tail that follows.
Before I can process my thoughts further, Mina races down Klauth’s back and grabs Balor by the shoulders. “Shift and coil around several spines and protect Leander,” she commands, her eyes burning with a fierce, dragonic intensity as she shoves Balor toward the center of Klauth’s back.
“What’s happening?” I ask, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and awe as the glow in Mina’s eyes intensifies like molten gold.
“Wyvern … I’ve already called for Abraxis and Vox to bring any males without nests to defend,” she replies. In that moment, she leans in and kisses me—a kiss that nearly steals my breath. Her hand lingers on Thauglor’s egg, its cool surface contrasting with the heat of her touch. She leans forward again to kiss the side of Balor’s basilisk face. I step into the protective coils, clutching the egg carrier tightly to my chest. Its worn leather is a tangible reminder of the precious cargo within.
I watch in awe as our mate dashes off Klauth’s back and leaps into free fall, shifting seamlessly in the air. The atmosphere changes instantly; the sharp tang of ozone mingles with the acrid scent of brimstone wafting from Klauth’s breath. Overhead, the sky ignites in a brilliant flash as Mina exhales a bolt of lightning shrouded in a mysterious, hazy aura.
“Are you seeing that?” I shout, craning my neck to witness the spectacle. I glance to Balor’s basilisk, which coils tighter around me protectively, its sinuous body a living shield. Its serpent-like head nods in silent affirmation as we watch Mina strike down attackers one after another with relentless ferocity.
I feel the burning anger radiating through our bond—a fierce, almost tangible heat that promises it will be a long time before she finds calm again. Her inner dragon is unleashed in full force as she protects the egg I hold so dearly. Questions churn in my mind. Why are wyverns so close to our border? Are they testing us? What is their motive? And the one question that haunts me—could her father be behind this attack?
CHAPTER 30
Mina
It had to be wyvern…
I can’t even enjoy a relaxing flight home tonight. For once, I just want an evening free of chaos. After I secure Leander in Balor’s coils with firm precision, I let my fury loose. Sometimes it feels as if nothing in this cursed world wants me to be happy—even though everything I desire is within my grasp. I have wonderful mates, and a nest I can call my own. Still, a deep, raw roar tears from my dragon lips as I bank hard, pursuing the next wyvern lurking near the tree line.
Rage burns through me like wildfire, and my blood feels as if it’s on fire with every powerful beat of my wings. Each time I unleash my breath weapon, I sense it striking with even more devastating force than before. The headmaster—and my father—stand as obstacles between me and the fragile peace I crave.
I just want to go home and see my friend with her clutch—Cora. I worry about her over breeding; too many hatchlings cramped together can be as damaging as a clutch laid too large. I strike downthe wyvern I was chasing, its last cry lost in the rush of wind, and then shoot upward into the night sky just as Abraxis and Warwick appear on the scene. Pumping my wings harder, I slice through the cool air, my eyes scanning the darkened landscape for any further threats.
‘Mate? How are you moving so fast?’Klauth’s voice echoes inside my head. I hover in place, the wind buffeting against my scales, and scan the area—I don’t see the others. Then it hits me: I’m less than a mile from my nest.
‘How did I get to the border of my territory?’I wonder aloud, my eyes darting over rustling trees and the dim outlines of distant hills.
‘You’re at the border?’Klauth’s tone is laced with shock.‘Some iron dragonesses can bend time with their swift movement—a gift lost around the time of my birth. I never witnessed it in my youth.’With that, I land in a soft clearing at the edge of my territory, waiting for them as the night air settles around me.
I have no idea what I did or how I did it, yet here I am—almost home—confounded by the mystery. My eyes keep flitting between the swaying trees and the star-flecked sky, searching for answers. Klauth’s booming roar cuts through my thoughts, and I launch back into the sky. The question:How did I get here?Echoing in my mind.
We circle the compound several times before Abraxis and Warwick land first, their heavy steps stirring dust from the rocky ground. Klauth touches down next, his presence enough to send a shudder through most of the population. I complete one final circuit before shifting just as I’m about to land. When my feet finally meet the cool, rough rocks, I sprint across the courtyard, following the familiar, comforting scent of Cora. But I skid to a halt when I see Cerce’s dragoness form lying before the den.
She lifts her head slowly, eyes meeting mine, and I feel my inner dragon stir uncontrollably at the look in her gaze. “I would like topass, Cerce,” I breathe. The last thing I want is to shift and attack my mate’s mother.
“Mina, we can come back later,” Abraxis offers, his tone laced with concern. I shake my head firmly.
“No, this is my territory. My mountain.” A low, rumbling growl vibrates deep in my chest as I fix Cerce with a steely stare. “You don’t want me shifting right now, Mom … My dragoness is angry and not in the mood to be gentle.” I watch as her scales prick and stand on edge, glistening in the faint light.
“Cerce, step away from Cora,” Vox commands from over my shoulder. His tone is cold, and she bares her teeth at her mate—a silent alarm that something is terribly wrong.
“Fuck, something is wrong,” I mutter. I shift on the spot, raising my frill and flaring my scales to appear even larger. I swing my head from side to side, sizing her up. I know I’m bigger than Cerce—it’s plain to see. Lowering my head, I roar a challenge. She may lead her flight, but here, she’s merely a guest. I feel a charge of static, like lightning rolling over my scales, as I struggle to suppress the urge to strike.
“Mom, Mina is in a foul mood. We fought wyvern on the way here—please move…” Abraxis begs, his voice trembling with worry.
The sound of his pleading makes my temper spike. I pivot sharply and snap my jaws near him, and he tumbles to the ground with a thud. Before I can fully process my actions, I turn back to see that Cerce has already shifted back to her human form, now cradled in Vox’s arms. My inner dragon softens; I croon in a low, soothing timbre, letting my song wash over Cora to calm her. After several long, tense minutes, Cora rises and drifts away from the nest.
I settle near the opening of the den and snake my head inside. As I tilt my head, I quickly assess the situation. Four eggs lie before me—two are soft-shelled and lifeless, one has a hardened shell but holds no promise of life. Only one egg is viable, though its shell is slightly malformed. Carefully, I extend a taloned finger, plucking the three dead eggs away and nudging the good one to the center.
As I remove the lifeless eggs, Cora shifts back to her human form and breaks into tears in Warwick’s arms. I glance over at Klauth.‘Offer her the egg chamber off of the main hall for her egg,’I instruct silently.
I watch as Klauth moves forward, resting a hand on Warwick’s shoulder. “Mina is offering the egg chamber off of the main hall,” he announces, and both men turn to me for confirmation.
