Page 34 of The Book of Legends
“His chambers,” Vel interrupts.
He sleeps with more than one Nymph at a time. Shouldn’t be a shock. A male like Kainen has power and obviously stamina. He’s the type that needs more than one body to meet his needs. Not that I give a shit.
He isn’t here, and common sense would have me running for the nearest exit, but where would I go? I have no idea where I am or where to go to get back. At least I have food and shelter. A place to sleep.
The ground shakes for the third time this morning. Tiny pieces of rock fall from the walls. I look up.“What was that?”
“Oh, that would be Malachi,” Angeline says. “It means Kainen is back.”
Shit.
“Get some breakfast,” Vel says. “He’s been training and will meet up with you soon.”
Training? What for?
But before I can ask, they disappear in the opposite direction.
A strong breeze tinged with the scent of sulfur catches my attention. There is an open doorway past the dining room. Stepping closer, I look over my shoulder, finding it odd that none of his beastly guards are to be found.
I find four doors open, leading to some sort of courtyard. The smell of dawn swirls with the wind, baking in twilight with the promise of the rising sun.
The courtyard is before me, where wild grass and weeds claw through mosaic cracked tiles. Statues of knights line the sides with cracked faces and missing limbs. Shadows pool in the corners, but the air reeks of sulfur and a scent I can’t place.
The wind shifts, carrying a low howl. Suddenly, heat blooms on my skin like I’ve entered a furnace burning at a thousand degrees. My eyes sting from the heat, and I ask. The outside walls of the castle are charred as if they were on fire.
I walk deep into the labyrinth of the unkempt courtyard, looking down to avoid tripping over the vines until I reach something long and sharp, like a sword scraping against the stone, creating a cloud of dust.
“What is that?” I mumble, my eyes catching the crimson sheen of what looks like scales flickering in the early morning light.
I look up and let out a screech but freeze, every instinct I possess telling me to run, yet I’m caught by the fire burning in the dragon’s eyes. His gaze locks onto me, making me feel like a mouse caught by a hawk. But this is no hawk. It is a red dragon crouched on the pungent tang of burnt moss.
My heart hammers against my ribs, the beat counting every second. In the light of dawn, the dragon’s scales flare into brilliance as the sun begins to rise.
"Aen’viorr! Aen’viorr!"
“Who’s saying that?” I ask aloud.
“I haven’t said anything,” it says, showing rows of razor-sharp teeth.
I step back in panic. “Holy fuck! It talks!”
“Well, of course I do.” I point to its mouth, my heart about to break out of my chest like it’s a ticking time bomb about to detonate. “My name is Malachi,” it says.
“It has a name,” I blurt.
Malachi grins, punctuating its sharp teeth like swords. Its tongue swipes over its jaws like it’s about to eat, and I’m its lunch.
“Yes, and yours is Selene.”
“How’d you…”
“Because he’s nosy.” My gaze shoots to the left, where a wall is layered with vines. Kainen is leaning casually against it, with one of his knees bent, the sole of his boot flat against the wall, clad in his black armor, ready to fight in some sort of medieval battle. The muscles on his arms bulge as he pops almonds in his mouth. He looks bored, not remotely worried he has a red dragon in his courtyard, most likely the root cause of the destruction.
“Um…” My voice trails off. I swallow thickly, trying to keep my eye on the dragon. “There’s a d-dragon in your courtyard.”
“I’m aware and not surprised you didn’t miss him with how thick your seeing eyeglasses are.” He pops an almond in his mouth. “I hope you weren’t thinking of escaping after I was nice enough to upgrade your accommodations.”
“I wasn’t…” I close my eyes briefly. “I wanted some fresh air. It smells like the place is on fire.”
