Page 84 of Progeny of the Cursed Egg
“This week. Klauth and I are going to go out alone. That way, if I fall, Mina doesn’t have to see it.” My eyes drift over the lands below us, the forests and fields stretching to the horizon, painted in hues of green and gold by the afternoon sun. The vastness that once represented freedom now looms as a challenge I’m not sure I can overcome.
“Where are you going to try?” Dad tilts his head, watching me, the wind ruffling his silver-streaked hair.
“Over the ocean, so if I fall, the water may be more forgiving than land.” Shrugging my shoulders, I tilt my head back, drawing in a deep breath. The taste of salt is faint but present, a reminder of the crashing waves that await. My stomach clenches at the thought of plummeting into those depths, but I keep my expression neutral.
“Are you sure Klauth will save you?” Dad asks as he rests a hand on my shoulder, his palm warm and heavy through my leather vest.
“If he doesn’t, Mina will kill him.” I arch a brow and smile at my dad, the expression feeling forced on my face. The thought of Mina’s rage is almost amusing—her lightning crackling around her, her eyes glowing with fury. The image is both terrifying and oddly comforting.
“That’s true.” Dad nods and looks back towards the entrance to our den, the massive wooden doors carved with ancient symbols that seem to shift in the changing light. “Where’s Mina?”
Smirking, I look at my father, noting the way his expression softens at the mention of her name—everyone falls under her spell, eventually. “Trying to get Thauglor drunk. Don’t worry, Klauth is in there to make sure she doesn’t.” I laugh, the sound genuine this time, bubbling up from my chest as I think about how she’s going to react to him ruining her plans. I can already hear her indignant huffs, see the dangerous flash in her eyes that makes even the ancients pause. The thought warms me more than the sun on my wings.
CHAPTER 48
Mina
I walk backinto the main bathroom with the red wine in hand. The crystal glasses gently clink against each other with every movement, the sound echoing off the marble tiles that line the walls. Steam rises from the enormous sunken tub, creating a misty haze that catches the amber light from the sconces. Thauglor is soaking in the deep end, his obsidian wings spread wide open, droplets cascading down the glossy membrane like liquid onyx. His bronze skin glistens wet, making his muscles seem more defined in the warm light, each contour casting subtle shadows across his torso.
“I have the wine,” I call out, my voice reverberating slightly in the cavernous space. He turns around to face me, water rippling around his powerful form, and smiles at me. There’s something about those sapphire eyes that makes me weak in the knees, a gravitational pull I can’t explain. Walking slowly around the outside of the massive tub, the cool stone floor beneath my bare feet. I set the bottle and glasses down on a little marble table, the condensation from the chilled wine already beading on the dark glass.
“Are you going to join me, mate?” He flexes his wings, the movement sending a gentle wave across the water’s surface. My eyes lock on the powerful muscles that span from his neck to his shoulders, taut and defined like carved bronze.
“Enjoy the bath for a bit. I’m not the one that’s been imprisoned for a thousand years. We have forever to get to know each other.” I climb onto the cushioned chair and cross my legs under me, the soft velvet upholstery warm against my skin as I settle in to watch him. The rich aroma of the wine mingles with the steam and the subtle scent of cedar from the bath oils.
The next thing we know, Klauth comes barreling into the main bathroom, the door banging against the wall as he enters. He skids to a stop on the slick floor, his breathing heavy and quick. We both turn and stare at him like he’s a hydra that’s sprouted an extra head. The sudden tension in the room is thick enough to cut with a talon.
“Are you okay, old friend?” Thauglor asks as he swims closer to us, the water lapping gently against the sides of the tub with his movement. His voice carries concern, deep and resonant in the steamy air.
“Yeah, I just thought...” Klauth’s eyes dart from me to the wine, then back over to Thauglor, his normally composed features twisted with worry. A bead of sweat trickles down his temple, whether from his rush to get here or from the humid air. I can’t tell.
“Thought what?” I smile like the cat that swallowed the canary, feeling the curve of my lips and the heat rising to my cheeks. I know exactly why he’s in here. He thinks I am going to get Thauglor drunk, then make him submit. It’s a forbidden ancient tradition among our kind that would shift the power dynamics significantly.
Klauth looks absolutely flustered as I lean forward and grab my glass of wine, the cool crystal a stark contrast to my warm fingers. I sip at it innocently, the rich flavor blooming on my tongue—notes of blackberry and oak with a hint of vanilla.
“You know exactly what I was thinking.” He waggles a finger at me. His brow furrows deeply, creating lines across his forehead that betray his age despite his otherwise youthful appearance.
I sit the glass down before I stand up. The chair creaking softly beneath me, and walk slowly towards him, exaggerating the way my hips sway. The soft fabric of my clothing whispers against my skin with each deliberate step. His eyes are locked on every movement, his pupils dilating slightly in the dim light.
“You were thinking,” I step into his space, close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body, and walk my fingers up his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart through the thin material of his shirt. “I was going to get Thauglor drunk.” I reach up and kiss the underside of his jaw, my lips tracing a path all the way to his ear, breathing in his scent of smoke and cloves. “Then get him to submit to me.” I bite his earlobe gently and smile against his skin, feeling the slight roughness of stubble against my lips.
Slowly I turn and press my back against his front, feeling the solid warmth of him behind me. Reaching back, I grab his hands, the skin rough and calloused from centuries of battles. I lock eyes with Thauglor across the room and run Klauth’s hands over the curves of my hips and up to my chest. I throw my head back, exposing the vulnerable length of my throat, the ultimate gesture of trust among our kind.
“It’s so much more fun to surrender and just feel everything,” I whisper, my voice husky and low. The tension between the three of us crackles like lightning before a storm. Each of us is acutely aware of the ancient power dynamics at play.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, mate,” Thauglor rumbles as he steps out of the water. The sound reverberates through the tiled room, deep and commanding. My eyes trace the path the water droplets take down his chest and between his defined muscles. Each droplet catching the amber light like liquid gold. The surrounding airseems to shimmer with heat, steam rising from his bronze skin in the cool bathroom air.
“Not dangerous.” I tilt my head, exposing his mate mark to him, feeling the stretch in my neck muscles and the coolness of the air against the sensitive skin there. “I know what I want and what we need.” I cross my arms behind my back, then press them back into Klauth’s stomach, feeling the firmness beneath my touch. He inhales sharply, the sudden rush of air audible in the quiet room.
“Are you sure about that, mate? It’s been forever since I’ve felt the touch of a female,” Thauglor purrs dangerously low as he lowers his lips to my throat.
Waves of heat roll off Thauglor’s body as he moves closer, the temperature in the room seeming to rise with each step he takes. His hands caress my shoulders, his touch gentle yet possessive, leaving trails of warmth that spread across my skin like wildfire. The connection between us pulses with ancient energy, a bond that transcends the physical.
My inner dragoness stirs, restless and powerful, urging me to take control. But I resist, curious to see what happens when two ancient dragons align. The tension in the room is palpable, hanging in the steamy air like an unspoken promise.
Unexpectedly, Klauth turns me when Thauglor steps back. It’s now that I know Thauglor sees the scales that span the width of my shoulders, up my neck and down my spine to my hips, where they fan out again. The scales shimmer in the dim light, iridescent and otherworldly against my human form. His lips press against my scales, and it sends a jolt of energy straight through me, like lightning dancing across my skin.
“You honor us, mate.” His lips caress the width of scales on my right shoulder, his voice filled with reverence and awe. The vibration of hiswords against my scales creates a sensation unlike anything I’ve ever felt.
