Page 19 of Dragon King's Cursed Mate

A tall human stepped forward and bowed his head again. “My King. My name is Lachlan. We’re here to pledge our loyalty to you, the true king of Wyrmhaven.” He looked at Dain pleadingly. “Gideon was my friend, and he told us where to find you before he was… before he was taken. Malakar’s grip is tightening. People are starving and are terrified. There are many others who are loyal to you.” He gestured to the people in the group. “We, like many others, heard the Oracle’s prophecy and hoped we could join you.”

A middle-aged woman stepped up and also bowed her head. “I’m Ellie. Gideon never told Malakar anything about where you were, no matter how much he was tortured. The guards talked about it. The only thing Gideon ever said was that Malakar could go to the devil where the hellhounds would rip him into shreds.”

Kael let out a slow breath. “Damn. He was a good man and didn’t deserve that.”

“No, he didn’t.” Dain studied the group.

If Gideon trusted them enough, then he couldn’t turn them away.

Dain fixed Lachlan with a hard stare. “There are severe consequences for treachery, but I will not turn away anyone who truly wishes to take a stand against Malakar. Gideon trusted you so I will give you a chance.”

“Kael, please find Jasmine and Lily and bring them to the courtyard.” Dain turned to the group and gestured. “Follow me.”

Jasmine and Lily soon joined them. They were in charge of taking care of those who sought refuge but weren’t necessarily warriors. Although Jasmine and Lily were humans, Dain trusted them explicitly. He knew they would keep a close watch on the newcomers.

“Please find a place for them. I suspect they are hungry and thirsty.”

Jasmine and Lily nodded, understanding exactly what their duties were.

Kael and Dain watched the group follow the two women.

“Do you think we’ll have more refugees, now that everyone’s heard Seraphina’s prophecy and Malakar seems to be harder?”

Dain pressed his lips together tightly. “Maybe.” He looked toward the forest as though he expected another group to pop out seeking sanctuary. “I don’t think Malakar is losing his grip, at least not yet. According to the prophecy, we have many battles ahead of us before that happens.”

“You sound sure.”

“I am,” Dain replied. “There are plenty of examples of tyrants who ruled their kingdoms with a heavy fist and people did their best to escape. They stayed in power for eons because they instilled so much fear in the people who stayed.”

Dain sighed and rolled his shoulders and neck. “That doesn’t mean that Malakar isn’t invincible. There might be some tiny cracks in his walls, and if we chip away at them enough, we will succeed. It’s not going to happen overnight, though.”

“We’ll find those cracks and destroy him,” Kael said forcefully. “Not only do we believe it, but the oracle has foretold it, and she was willing to die to stand by her prophecy.”

They walked in silence for a moment and then Kael cleared his throat. “You know what the prophecy says about the oracle and dragon shifters.”

Dain bowed his head and clenched his jaw. He didn’t need Kael or anyone else to remind him. The words had been echoing in his mind since he first set eyes on Seraphina.

“I do. But I can’t believe that the fates would join two souls only to destroy them. There has to be a way around this curse.”

An image of Seraphina rose into his mind. She wasn’t just the oracle. She belonged to him. Every instinct in his body told him that she was his fated mate.

Kael grimaced. “I hope you’re right. I truly do, for all of our sakes.”

Later that night, Dain stretched out on his cot, exhausted, yet unable to sleep. For ten years, while he bided his time, the days seemed endless with nothing to do but simply survive. Now that the time had come for him to reclaim his throne, it seemed like every day was filled with one chaotic event after the other.

He stared at the canvas ceiling of his tent, thinking about Gideon, Seraphina, and the newcomers.

Suddenly, Dain sat straight up in bed and prepared to shift as soft whispers brushed past his ear. There was no one in his tent and it was silent outside. No one was waiting to attack.

The whisper came again. It wasn’t threatening or evil. “Look deeper inside of yourself.”

Dain’s heart pounded in his chest and he stood up, pacing in a circle inside his tent.

“Was this the curse? Is this the first bit of madness worming into my brain?”

The whisper circled around him again like a gentle, warm breeze. “Look deeper inside of yourself. You will find what you are looking for.”

He shook his head. “What does that mean? I know myself—my strengths, weaknesses, temperament, and loyalties.”

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