Page 58 of Dragon King's Cursed Mate

Is our bond going to save me or destroy me?he asked as he fell asleep once more.

A week later, Dain felt well enough to get up. He tried to exercise to regain his strength, and he was frustrated because it was so slow going.

Dain and the brotherhood met in the temple. He slumped in the chair, rubbing his head. The ache throbbed in his ears, and he struggled to focus.

Lucian tapped the map laid out on the table. “We managed to get Blackthorne Keep. It’s a start.”

“Lord Garren has managed to shore up its defenses and, although it’s small, it’s closer to Wyrmhaven and closer to Malakar. He’s got to be feeling a little bit of heat, especially after Xander destroyed the bloodstone,” Kade said.

“I feel like we’re getting nowhere fast,” Dain growled.

Kael looked at Dain sympathetically. “I know it’s frustrating, but you have to be patient. This war has just begun, and you knew it wouldn’t be easy. Malakar isn’t the kind, loving uncle who’s just going to hand over the kingdom, let alone the realm.”

Valon nodded. “We are making progress. He had someone sneaking around in the dark to try to kill you. Before that, he sent an enforcer as bait to ambush you, because he thought you were stupid enough to come alone. That tells us that he’s scared of you.”

“The Oracle’s prophecy ignited that fear,” Dain said.

“We also know he’s not going to play fair,” Valon continued. “He’s going to use all the dark magic he possibly can.”

Dain exhaled sharply. “It’s hard to fight dark magic. It’s tempting to use a little of our own.”

Valon’s eyes widened and then gasped loudly. “Don’t even joke about that. Once you start down that path, it’s extremely hard, if not impossible, to get off.”

“The darkness has already started. Even if we win this war and I regain my throne, will there be any part of my soul left?”

23

Seraphina

Seraphina lay beside Dain in the stillness of his tent, her body pressed against his hard one. She knew he’d told her that it was a bad idea for them to sleep together, but she hoped laying with him would provide comfort and strength, since they were connected. There was no way that she could heal him like Valon, but maybe sharing her love and positive energy with him would help.

Her hand rested over his heart. She’d almost lost him and it reassured her to feel his heart beating.

Dain moaned loudly and he frowned. She could hear a deep rumbling from deep inside of him. There was something, besides his dragon, that shifted inside of him.

There was something else. It wasn’t the darkness. This was an ancient energy.

She closed her eyes and let her senses stretch toward him. Their connection allowed her to see his dreams. They were like snapshots of scenes from a movie played out on one of the old-fashioned, eight-millimeter movie reels or a film strip.

Her heart pounded as she tried to make sense of what she saw—a crown made of fire, broken wings stretched over a world,and a huge shadow that seemed to be watching everything. Then a bright, blinding light exploded, shattering the darkness.

The dream ended, leaving Seraphina breathless. She didn’t understand what it all meant, but she knew that she would very soon. The storm that the fates and goddess had told her about would explode around them soon.

She pressed tighter against Dain. Victory over Malakar or even the storm, whatever it was, wouldn’t be enough. There had to be a way for Dain to beat the darkness.

Seraphina had an idea of how he would win. Some passages of the scroll started to make sense, especially about the First King’s bloodline. It wasn’t anything she could share with Dain or the others. It was like a special secret revealed to her, and if she shared it with someone, more harm than good would come of it.

Finally, she was able to fall asleep. She saw Dain fighting Malakar. This time, though, Dain shifted between himself and a dark beast more powerful than any dragon she’d ever seen—even Cassion, an iron dragon, or Valon, a golden dragon.

The beast that was trying to take over Dain was pure evil and came from the deepest abyss of hell.

Seraphina’s eyes flew open, and she gasped for air. She slipped out of the tent and went to the courtyard, trying to calm the fluttering in her chest and stomach by breathing the sweet night air.

Time was running out for Dain, and Seraphina couldn’t shake the feeling that darkness was about to descend upon them all.

The following morning,Seraphina found herself at the clearing. She’d walked there on automatic pilot and was surprised when she realized where she was.

Her stomach twisted and she bent over into the grass and vomited. Groaning, she wiped her mouth and rinsed it out with some water.

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