“Ah, your highness.” Bry greeted him on sight. “Come to destroy half my kitchen again? If so, let me know now so that I can give up on tonight’s meal.”
Desmond grimaced.
At the tender age of thirteen, Desmond thought he could light the stoves in the kitchen for them without so much as any accelerants. Turns out, he could. Desmond just didn’t know how to turn off his fire breathing on his own. It wasn’t until someone dumped a bucket of cold water on him did the fire stop pouring out of his mouth. His throat had burned for a week afterward.
“No, Bry, I’m actually here for the human, Aryn. I was told she spends her time here?” Desmond’s gaze searched the room, his lips turned down in a frown at the lack of the small plump woman’s figure.
“Ah, yes.Her.” Bry rolled his eyes. Seemed she’d made an enemy of the cook as well. “I sent her to get water with one of the others. She should still be there.”
“Wonderful,” Desmond clasped his hands together and hurried himself across the kitchen. Lingering seemed like it would be bad for his health and his stomach. Ignoring the protest of said organ, Desmond walked down the corridors to the entrance of the underwater cavern.
The river ran under the mountain on this side before exiting on the other. The openings of the mountain are too small and narrow for anyone to infiltrate, making it one of the safer area’s so close to the outside world.
Mahani stood at the entrance, watching his charge fill one bucket after another. He glanced my way once before turning back to his duty with a bored expression on his face. Desmond had always liked Mahani, he didn’t put on airs. None of this yes your highness, no your highness. He did his job, and that was that. You either gained his trust and respect or you were dirt beneath his boot.
The drake with Aryn noticed me first. A young male, his horns barely coming in on his citrine head. The little knobs poking up between the tuffs of silvery white hair thrown haphazardly into a braid. He stood at attention dropping his bucket full of water as a result.
“By the gods, you are useless Quil’n.” Aryn scowled down at her soaked skirt. She still hadn’t noticed Desmond standing nearby. “It's no wonder Bry sent you to get water. I’m starting to wonder if your egg was dropped before you were born.”
“Actually,” Desmond interrupted. “We are born like mammals, not like dragons. A bit confusing, I’m sure for those who do not know us personally.”
Aryn’s gaze jerked around to Desmond, her eyes going wide. The bucket in her hand hung there just seconds from spilling its contents. “Uh... your highness. We were just... “
“It’s fine.” Desmond stopped her from rambling on. “I was just looking for you.”
“Whatever for?” The older female’s brows furrowed, her eyes filling with suspicion. This may be harder than Desmond thought.
“I need a favor.”
Chapter 11
Cal
Flesh slapping against flesh filled the air. The stink of sweat and sex clogged his nose in the best of ways.
“Oh, fuck, gods, just like that your highness. Fuck me.” the bitch screamed beneath Cal. Whether her cries of pleasure were real or faked, Cal didn’t particularly care. She was nothing more than a hole for him to find his release.