Page 87 of Progeny of the Cursed Egg
Klauth spent the better half of last night trying to convince Thauglor to take over as headmaster. The memory of their voices, deep and resonant, arguing well past midnight, still echoes in my mind. Having three controlling drakes in the nest is enough. Putting another one in a position of power makes my head spin. The scent of chalk dust and cheap disinfectant fills my nostrils as I shake my head and stare at the door to the classroom that I know Kai is behind. I can almost feel him through the wood, a prickling sensation at the base of my neck that makes my scales ripple beneath my skin.
“Why did you pause, mate?” Thauglor whispers before kissing the shell of my ear, his breath warm and carrying the faint scent of coffee from breakfast. The gentle brush of his lips sends a shiver down my spine that I struggle to suppress.
I can’t tell him the real reason; he’ll go on a rampage. The thought of his rage makes my stomach clench with anxiety. “I’m not a fan of this class. I already have mates. Taking a class on pheromones and mate selection is pointless.” I roll my eyes and lean back against him, sighing as his thick arms wrap around me. The solid wall of his chest behind me feels like a fortress, his heartbeat slow and steady against my back.
“You need this class for graduation, so we must attend,” he says softly, his voice a low rumble that vibrates through my body where we touch.
“I know.” I sigh, the sound heavy with resignation, and shove the door open. The hinges squeak in protest, drawing the attention of the few students already seated. My gaze immediately finds Abraxis and Balor sitting in the back rows where I normally sit. The familiar scent of Abraxis’s cologne—sandalwood and something uniquely him—wafts toward me, mingling with Balor’s more earthy aroma. “What’s happening?” My eyes jump between the two of them, taking in Abraxis’s relaxed posture and Balor’s tense alertness.
“Getting ahead of the bullshit. Kai will call you out on being with Thauglor and threaten to tell me about your indiscretions.” Abraxis smiles, the expression not reaching his eyes, which remain cold and calculating. He shakes hands with Thauglor, the sound of their palms connecting sharp in the quiet classroom, before guiding me to sit between them. The wooden seat is hard and uncomfortable beneath me, a stark contrast to the plush furniture I’ve grown accustomed to at the nest.
Until now, I have never been concerned about sitting between my dragon mates. A pair of surly black dragons will not be a fun experience.Their combined body heat envelops me from both sides, almost stifling in the already warm room.
I settle in and feel Balor behind me, the back of my chair shifting slightly as he leans forward. “This is going to be a blast,” he says, his breath tickling the back of my neck. I turn to face him, the movement causing my hair to brush against his chin.
“What do you mean?” Arching a brow, I watch Balor’s grin turn sinister, his teeth startlingly white against his tanned skin.
“Klauth has plans.” He laughs and leans back in the chair behind me, the wood creaking ominously under his weight.
My stomach drops and my heart rate skyrockets, the sudden rush of adrenaline making my fingertips tingle. What have my mates planned? They haven’t let me in on? I realize with the force of a physical blow. I have three of my strongest, deadliest mates with me. Klauth is inbound if what I am sensing is correct, a distant pull in my chest that grows stronger with each passing minute.
I wrap an arm around Thauglor’s, feeling the powerful muscles beneath his sleeve, and just stare down at the stage at the bottom of the lecture hall. The amphitheater-style room seems to stretch and contract in my vision as anxiety builds. Every minute feels like twenty, the ticking of the wall clock painfully slow, until the teachers’ entrance finally opens with a soft swoosh against the carpeted floor.
A deep rumbling laugh escapes Thauglor’s lips as they curve up slowly. The sound vibrates through his arm and into mine, raising goosebumps along my skin. Kai steps out onto the stage and places his book on the stand in the center. The heavy tome lands with a dull thud that echoes in the now-silent room. His tailored suit looks freshly pressed, but I notice a slight tremble in his hands as he adjusts his papers.
“The fourth marking period ends soon, and we are preparing for the final in two weeks.” He doesn’t bother looking up, his voice carrying clearly through the excellent acoustics of the hall. “Those that have mates will be expected to take the final just like everyone else.” It’s now that he looks up and sees I’m flanked by two black dragons with Balor behind us. His face pales visibly, the blood draining away until his skin takes on an ashen hue. His scent changes instantly, fear souring the air between us even from this distance.
“Are you okay, professor? You look like you’ve seen a ghost?” Abraxis says before I can open my mouth, his tone deceptively casual but laced with an underlying threat. I don’t bother looking over at my mate because I already know the look on his face. He wants to melt Kai in a pool of acid like Thauglor did to Lysander. The memory of that incident sends a chill down my spine despite the warmth of the room.
“Everything is fine, General. I wasn’t expecting to see you today.” Kai’s eyes slide over to Thauglor’s and then lower immediately, his submission almost palpable in the air between them. A bead of sweat trickles down his temple, catching the harsh overhead lights. The tension in the room is thick enough to cut with a talon. I find myself holding my breath, waiting for whatever is about to unfold.
Kai starts his lecture, his eyes glued to the tome before him. The fine scales along the back of my neck raise, a sensation like thousands of tiny needles pushing up beneath my skin. Something doesn’t feel right. The air in the room suddenly feels too thick to breathe, carrying a subtle wrongness that makes my pulse quicken. Before I can say anything, Thauglor pulls me onto his lap and wraps his arms around me, his body a furnace against my back.
“Shh... All will be well...” He kisses my cheek, his lips warm and slightly rough against my skin. The familiar scent of him—earth and acid and something ancient—fills my nostrils, but it doesn’t calm me at all. My muscles remain tense, coiled like springs beneath my skin.
The doors behind us open with a heavy creak that echoes through the now-silent lecture hall. It’s then that Klauth steps in with several royal guards flanking him. Their boots striking the floor in perfect unison, creating a rhythmic sound feels like a war drum. Their polished armor catches the harsh fluorescent lights, throwing dazzling reflections across the walls.When did he get personal guards?I arch a brow, looking up at my mate, confusion twisting in my gut.
He extends his hand to me, the pale skin a stark contrast to the dark suit he wears. I take it, feeling the familiar calluses against my palm. When I stand, he places the diadem that Ziggy gave me on my head just in front of my horns. The metal is cool against my skin for just a moment before warming to my temperature. Its weight is slight but noticeable, a physical reminder of a position I never sought. He threads his fingers with mine, and we walk down the stairs to the front of the classroom, each step resonating through the silent room.
“By the order of me, and my authority as the King and sovereign ruler of the Aurelian Isles, I am placing you under arrest, Kai Martz.” Klauth’s voice fills the room, deep and commanding, vibrating through the floorboards beneath my feet. He moves his hand in a subtle gesture, and his guards move forward to take Kai into custody. The sound of their armor shifts with each movement like metal scales sliding against each other.
“What are the charges?” Kai yells as the guards restrain him, his normally composed voice cracking with panic. The acrid scent of his fear cuts through the air, sharp and unpleasant.
“You assisted in the abduction of a royal and assisted in the plotting of that royal’s attempted murder.” Klauth says, as he presses his lips to my temple. His breath is warm against my skin, carrying the faint scent of mint. That’s when Kai goes pale, the blood draining from his face until his skin appears almost translucent under the harsh lights, his veins visible beneath the surface.
“It was all Lysander and Abaddon. They want to turn her into a dracolich. All I did was supply the phylactery.” Kai says as his eyes lock with mine, almost pleading. Sweat beads on his forehead, catching the light as it trickles down his temple.
The smell of ozone rises around me, sharp and electric, like the air before a storm. I feel the sparks of lightning dancing in my hair, raising each strand until it floats around my head like a living halo. The tiny jolts of electricity tingle against my scalp, a sensation both foreign and exhilarating.
“Is that all?” I ask as I shift my hands, allowing my silver talons to gleam in the harsh lights. The transformation is painless, more like a glove being removed than a change in form. Interestingly enough, sparks of lightning jump effortlessly between my talons, creating tiny arcs of blue-white energy. I stare at the lightning, mesmerized by the dance of electricity, and then focus my gaze on Kai. The world narrows to just him and me, the periphery fading into insignificance.
“Hmm, interesting new development, mate, since you claimed Thauglor.” Klauth says his friend’s name, and Kai goes even paler, if that’s possible, and starts hyperventilating. His chest heaves with each rapid, shallow breath, the sound wet and desperate.
“The black egg hatched?” He pants out between gasping breaths, his words barely audible over the rasp of his breathing.
I feel the way my lips turn up in a feral grin. The muscles pulling tight across my face in an expression that feels more predator than human. I tilt my head to the side, exposing Thauglor’s mate mark on my neck. The air caresses the sensitive skin there, a reminder of the moment his teeth broke my flesh, claiming me as his.
“Yes, and he’s my mate.” My eyes drop to my talons, watching the lightning dance along their lengths. Each spark is a tiny sun, blindingly bright against the silver of my claws. “Seems like I’ve had a bit of an upgrade.” To test the theory, I flick my wrist and send a bolt oflightning to hit the stand beside him. The wood explodes on impact with a deafening crack, splinters flying in all directions, and starts burning. The acrid smell of scorched wood fills the air, mixing with the ozone.I can wield lightning without Iris now.The realization sends a thrill of power through my veins, heady and intoxicating. “Oh, this is going to be fun,” I purr, still staring at my talons and the way the light plays on the scales on my hands and forearms, the iridescent green, and silver catching and refracting the light like living jewels.
