Page 2 of Dragon King's Cursed Mate

He was six-three, with blond hair that looked white. His blue eyes were almost transparent sometimes and deep stormy blue others. Seraphina’s heart skipped a beat when she pictured him, standing in the forest, as he was about to shift. The man was muscular, and Seraphina’s fingers itched to touch his hard, muscular chest and to feel his powerful arms wrapped around her.

It had been made clear to her by the gods and fates that he was her fated mate. She was already half in love with him. Her visions had shown that he was a good, kind, gentle man whoprotected the people who relied on him but could be a vicious opponent.

Soon. You’ve bided your time for the last two and a half years.

Suddenly, Seraphina sat up straight. Her back stiffened and she clenched her jaw. She smelled him before she heard or saw him. A metallic tang of blood and sulfur filled the air, making her stomach knot up. His heavy footsteps pounded against the dirt floor with the thudding of the sculptor he always carried echoed after them.

Don’t let him see your hatred. He’ll use it.

Seraphina forced a calm look on her face.

“Oracle. Stand in the presence of your king,” King Malakar demanded.

Seraphina remained sitting. “You are not my king.”

He growled at her but reined in his temper. “You must tell me how and when you see my defeat.”

“The dragon’s fang, once dulled by trust, shall rise up and strike, as it must, the blood of your blood but not your own, shall once again claim his throne. The violence you brought and the bond you broke, shall rise again in fire and smoke.”

“What is this nonsense,” King Malakar roared. “I did not ask to be entertained by a fanciful poem or fairy tale.”

“Your answer lies within those words. It matters not how much you fight. In the end, Dain Stormrider will sit upon the throne as is his right. You can give up now, throw yourself upon his mercy, and perhaps save your own neck or you can keep fighting. Either way, you will lose.”

“You speak in riddles and nonsense, Oracle. You shall die in the morning.”

“If the fates decree, then so shall it be,” she said lightly.

He turned around and stormed off, angrily muttering to himself. Seraphina chuckled. She might be the oracle, but shewas human and took great delight in annoying the king. He couldn’t do anything more than he already had—ordered her death. No one would tolerate her torture as that would be too terrifying to them and would fear the vengeance the fates would take on them.

Most of the time, she delivered her prophecies in a straight forward manner. She didn’t play the games that the legendary Oracle of Apollo, the Oracle of Dodona, Tiresias, or the Sibyls did. Seraphina always believed that a prophecy was no good if no one could understand them. The majority of the people who came to her really needed her help and insight.

However, she was rather gifted with poetry so she enjoyed making up cryptic messages for those who annoyed her. She also tended to be more formal with people she didn’t like.

Sighing heavily, she ran her fingers through her hair. He, like many people with evil hearts, didn’t understand that he had brought his troubles and sorrows upon himself. He alone was responsible for his fate. Had Malakar not betrayed his nephew, Dain would have likely gifted him with a small kingdom to rule.

Seraphina stayed awake all night meditating. Although she was sure no one would bother her if she did sleep, it was still safer for her to remain on alert. Her visions had shown her that she wouldn’t lose her head in the morning, but again, she was still human and a little bit of fear haunted her. She’d heard about what happened when the executioner missed the neck with his axe. Seraphina shuddered at the image. Regardless, she’d never show fear to King Malakar. Never, in a million years, would she give any sign that he had any control over her or her emotions.

She thought about the events that had led her here. Seraphina was in the temple where she’d lived since she was a young child when the last oracle, Elaris, had told her parents they must deliver her to the temple. Elaris had trained her and then when she moved on to the next plain, as she called it,Seraphina took her spot. Elaris had been more than a thousand years old.

People came from many kingdoms to receive Seraphina’s prophecies. What she knew but other people didn’t was that prophecies were often self-fulfilled. The words Seraphina spoke only came true because those involved made them come true. If people reacted logically instead of out of fear, most prophecies wouldn’t happen.

She thought about the legend of Oedipus. The only reason the prophecy of him killing his father and marrying his mother came true was because King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes were afraid, so they cast him aside, thinking he was dead. He was adopted by the king and queen of Corinth, but didn’t know they weren’t his real parents. When Oedipus heard the prophecy, he fled and ended up killing his birth father and marrying his birth mother, without knowing their true identity. This wouldn’t have happened if people had simply used logic.

The prophecy about King Malakar losing his throne would come true, in part, due to his own fear. In essence, he would help Dain without even knowing it. Seraphina acknowledged that some prophecies happened because the fates decreed, such as the vision she had for the young woman and of what would happen when the sun rose. She didn’t pretend to understand it all. She could only know what she was shown.

She wasn’t surprised to smell his foul stench early the next morning.

“Good morning, Oracle. I trust you slept well.” His words were polite, but the tone of his voice indicated that he didn’t care

She didn’t speak and she didn’t rise.

“Tell me what you’ve seen in your visions,” he demanded.

“I have spoken.”

“You know more,” he roared. “You know how it happens.”

“I have not seen that glorious moment. I’ve only seen Dain sitting upon his throne once again, and you were destroyed.” Her voice was calm, and her gaze on the odious man never wavered.

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