Page 6 of Dragon Unleashed
Her gaze narrows, and she points a finger at me. “You are going to be the destruction of this kingdom,” she accuses. “All because you cling to some foolish notion that dragons must prevail. Your mother is not a dragon. She is a fae, is she not?”
“She is, but she was my father’s true mate.” I keep my voice calm, my tone steady, even as the beast inside of me surges to the surface as a direct result to my anger.
“Your brother can continue the line. Your job is to take a queen so she may help protect these lands from the hoard.”
“You are vastly overstepping, Madame Oleander,” I warn. “And should you continue, I will have you escorted from these grounds. What might your family think then, I wonder?”
She growls—actually growls at me. It’s almost impressive really. Especially for a flamingo. “You cannot—”
“Good day,” I interrupt then turn on my heel and march out of the gardens. My mother is waiting just outside, inspecting some roses and pretending to have not been eavesdropping.
“Please see to it that Miss Oleander gets home safely,” I tell my mother, who, to my surprise, smiles knowingly.
“Of course, son.”
“I’m off to check the borders.” Without waiting for her to argue, I lean forward and kiss her cheek. “I promise, I will find the one I am destined for.”
In a rare show of emotion, my mother sniffles. “I only want what’s best for you.”
“I know you do.” I smile then leave her behind and let my beast free. The moment I’m clear of the arena, my dragon bursts from me, obsidian scales covering my flesh as I grow larger than any other shifter in existence, and two massive, leathery wings spread out on either side of my body.
I shake, the beast within beyond thrilled to be free of the confines of my mortal form. Turning to my mother, I drop my head and snort, my way of letting her know I will be home soon.
Beside her, Miss Oleander stares at me in awe, her eyes so wide they’re nearly completely white. Unable to help myself, I shake my head at her then push up from the ground and take to the sky.
Wind whips at my scales, a welcome chill that thrills me beyond measure. Before I’d been bogged down by responsibilities, I’d fly just like this each morning.
Now, I’m lucky to break away twice a week. Since the moment my father left this world for the next, my every waking moment has been packed full of new responsibilities.
Until I find my mate, the throne eludes me. And Esma was right about one thing. My motherissimply a figurehead at this point. Our kingdom doesn’t recognize a single ruler; only mated pairs. It’s a tradition that has existed for centuries because it spreads power rather than consolidating it to one single ruler. The hoards don’t care about that so much as exploiting a weakness. My mother’s precarious position as a lone queen is all that stands in the way of an all-out invasion.
It was dragons who’d sent the horde running from these lands centuries ago, and without a dragon on the throne, we’re mere moments from total catastrophe.
Swooping low, I fly over our traps, checking to ensure they are empty. I hadn’t lied about the disturbing security reports. According to our scouts, there’s been zero movement detected in a region where the attacks used to come weekly. The horde has been uncharacteristically quiet as of late, something that makes me even more uneasy with each passing day.
Our borders are at least three days’ ride from the castle grounds, but up here, with massive wings propelling me, the trip takes barely more than a couple of hours. Gliding over rocky mountains tipped with snow, I drop down beside a waterfall. Droplets of spray from the falls coat my scales as my talons dig into the soft dirt.
I shift back into human form, using this time alone to get my head right. Choosing a mate is more than a desire; it’s my royal responsibility.
I just haven’t been lucky enough to find her.Yet.
I dive into the water, the coolness enveloping me. Swimming to the bottom, I hold my breath and allow the quiet to calm my racing mind. One day, I will find her. One day, I will be the king my people deserve.
Chapter3
Paige
Somehow, I make it through the rest of the week without incident. Well, unless you count Bingo—our predatory hellhound—taking a bite out of a visitor Thursday morning. But I wasn’t involved in that particular chaos-party, thank the gods. Friday evening, I breathe an audible sigh of relief when the clock strikes quitting time.
Three more weeks.
I square my shoulders, pep-talking myself about my promise to Hoc. In three weeks, I’ll have successfully completed my internship and become a keeper. After that, my tenure here is all but guaranteed. I ignore the little voice whispering in my head that I’m going to hate every minute of it. I’m sure I’ll learn to love it, especially considering the alternative is never seeing Hoc again. Rounding the corner toward the exit, I nearly slam into a body and let out a yelp.
“Mag,” I hiss, putting a hand over my heart and breathing deeply, “You scared the shit out of me.”
The gargoyle grins at me, and I scowl. Mag is strikingly handsome with his tousled sandy-blond hair and light stubble. He wears a fitted black tee that accentuates his clearly defined muscles. All in all, an attractive package. Problem is he knows it.
At my scowl, his grin only widens, which proves my case.
