Page 45 of Queen of the Cursed Egg
“Your mother was Layla? She is our aunt. We didn’t know what happened to her.” He laughs a little to himself, the sound rich with disbelief vibrating in the air between us. “I’m Njall, and that’s my brother Ty.” We bend our heads and let the tips of our horns touch ingreeting, the gentle click and the familiar pressure a comforting ritual of the iron dragons. The contact sends a tingle of connection down my spine like an electric current. There’s a deep recognition of blood and kin that makes my skin prickle with goosebumps.
Ty joins us, his boots scuffing the dirt as he approaches, the sound rhythmic and grounding, and smiles. “Who knew we’d find our cousin is the Queen of the continent? Or that we had a cousin.” He’s playful, the way his eyes crinkle in the corners, his smile full of joy and it reaches his eyes, warming them to a molten silver that reminds me of sunlight on a blade. We bend our heads and allow our horns to touch, the resonance of family blood humming between us like a forgotten melody suddenly remembered.
My heart is so full of joy at the moment it feels like it might burst from my chest, each beat sending waves of warmth through my body. I have family left outside of the family I created for myself; the realization making my throat tight with emotion. “Guys, come meet my cousins,” I call, my voice carrying across the training yard as I motion to my mates to join us. The air stirs with their approach, bringing their familiar scents—Thauglor’s mountain stone and smoke like a forest fire, Balor’s leather and steel with undertones of pine.
I immediately make introductions, watching as they size each other up with curious eyes, the tension in the air palpable like the moment before a storm breaks. Both of my cousins are over a hundred years old and are concerned about what they’ve been hearing about the older dragons being hunted and killed, their voices dropping lower, edged with worry that makes the hair on my arms stand up.
“The mages killed off all the iron females. Your mom being stolen by your dad was the only thing that saved her,” Ty says as he rubs the back of his neck, his calloused fingers rasping against the stubble there, the sound like sandpaper on wood.
“Why would they kill off the iron dragon females?” Balor asks as he takes me in his arms, his embrace solid and protective, his heartbeat a steady drumming against my back that anchors me as the world seems to tilt.
“They were worried about several of the cursed eggs being released by the female of their greatest enemy,” Njall says, his voice carrying an edge of old fear that makes my stomach clench. “You’re a green and iron hybrid. The combination of most of dragon kind’s greatest enemies.”
“Klauth and I hatched for you,” Thauglor says as he flares his wings, the membranous structures snapping open with a sound like sails catching wind, casting a shadow over us all, the temperature dropping several degrees in their shade.
“Wait! You’re the Thauglor Mrithun,” Njall says as he takes a step back, boots scraping on the packed earth, his eyes widening in recognition, the scent of his awe and fear mingling in the air.
“That I am,” Thauglor replies, flaring his wings again, standing a little taller, his presence seeming to fill the air around us, pushing against the skin like a physical force, the very atmosphere becoming heavier with his power.
“I guess the mages didn’t succeed,” Ty says as he looks between the four of us, his gaze lingering on our joined hands, the intertwining of fingers and fates. “They’ve been trying to keep the eggs from hatching for years.”
“How do you know this?” I ask my cousin, reaching out and taking hold of his biceps, feeling the muscle tense under my fingers like steel cable as I look into his eyes, searching for truth in their silvery depths that reflect my face back to me.
“We were little when they came through the first time trying to kill off all the iron females,” Njall says as he looks at his brother, his voice dropping to a near whisper that forces us all to lean in, our breathmingling in the small space between us. “We were given several eggs that were going to be female and told to go hide in one of the azure caves. Your mom’s egg was one of them. We climbed in as far as we could and found a small cavern to hide in.”
“We hid for hours with the eggs, the darkness was nearly complete except for the faint bioluminescent moss that painted everything in ghostly blue light,” Ty adds, his eyes distant with memory, his voice taking on a hollow quality that echoes with past terror. “It wasn’t until our dad called for us that we brought the eggs back out. He was wounded but for the most part was alright. Mom didn’t make it.” Ty looks back at Njall, grief briefly shadowing his features before he masters it, the muscle in his jaw jumping with tension.
“Dad told us he heard the mages hunting for the females to kill them off,” Njall says as he looks down and away, his shoulders hunching slightly, the scent of old sorrow clinging to him like a shroud.
The rage builds in my chest as I think about what my cousins are telling me, a heat that begins in my core and spreads outward, making my skin feel too tight, my blood beginning to boil in my veins. “So my daughter and I are the last females with iron dragon blood in us.” The scales along the back of my neck rise and shift, making a rasping noise like dry leaves being crushed, betraying my agitation, the sensation both painful and satisfying.
“Until either of us have kids. Yes, sadly,” Ty says, his voice gentle but firm, a contrast to the harshness of his words that cut through me like shards of ice.
Ziggy manifests with Klauth and Lily in tow, the air shimmering around them like heat waves rising from sun-baked stone, bringing the scent of brimstone and hatchling. I glance over at Thauglor and I know from the subtle shift in his stance that he caught Klauth up on everything, the silent communication between them almost tangible.
“This is Klauth. My love, these are my cousins Ty and Njall. I’m going to move them into the lower compound.” My heart thunders in my chest, the sound rushing in my ears like a waterfall as I fight to contain the storm brewing inside me, my breath coming a little faster, each inhale burning my lungs.
‘The mages will pay for what they’ve done,’Klauth says in my mind, his mental voice cold with fury, like ice cracking, before shaking hands with my cousins. “You are welcome within our flight. It’s nice that Mina has family left.” His smile doesn’t reach his eyes, which remain hard as flint, reflecting no light. He’s feeling the weight of the millennium he slept on his shoulders. I can tell from the slight droop in his normally perfect posture. I wrap my arms around his waist and hug him tightly, pressing my cheek against his chest, feeling his heart beating steadily beneath my ear, the rhythm calming my rage temporarily.
“Let’s bring everyone inside,” I offer, looking at my cousins. The scent of approaching rain carried on a freshening breeze that tastes of electricity. My eyes drift to the other males standing at attention around the training yard, muscles taut and ready, the metallic scent of their anticipation thick in the air. “We’ll continue later. See if the gardens or any other chores need to be done.” I look at the males from my flight and they nod, bodies tensing in acknowledgment, the soft sound of leather shifting and weapons being adjusted filling the sudden silence. They know what’s expected and I’m sure they will keep the new arrivals in line, their eyes already assessing the newcomers with the scrutiny of established warriors, the tension between them crackling like static in the air.
CHAPTER 31
Zigmander
Mina has family left,and they’ve confirmed our greatest fear. The mages are hunting dragons and weakening bloodlines on purpose. The knowledge sits cold and heavy in my gut like a stone, a constant reminder of the danger lurking beyond our protected walls.
Mina is having the family gather in the neutral part of her private residence. The air here is thick with tension and the mingled scents of various dragons—earthy iron, smoky black, and the burning brimstone of Klauth’s essence. The stone walls feel both protective and confining as we all crowd into the space, our body heat slowly warming the cool air around us.
The two male dragons, Ty and Njall, are cousins of hers, and I can see the resemblance—the same fiery glint in their eyes, matching the metallic sheen of Mina’s when she’s agitated. The same proud tilt to their chins and arches of their horns that catch the light from the crystal fixtures overhead. Their iron dragon scent mingles with Mina’s, a metallic tang that speaks of shared blood.
Leander and Callan have decided to cook while the rest of us get to know her cousins. The rich aromas of searing meat and spices waftfrom the kitchen, making my mouth water despite the gravity of our situation. The sizzle and pop of food cooking provides a comforting background rhythm to our tense conversation.
“How many iron dragons are left?” I ask as my kittens sleep with their heads on my thighs, their small bodies radiating warmth against my legs, their soft purrs vibrating through my muscles. The weight of them ground me as I brace for an answer I already dread.
“Counting us...” Njall looks over at Ty, his voice rough like steel dragged across stone. His fingers curl into a fist on the armrest, knuckles whitening with pressure. “Five.” He looks back over at me and lowers his eyes, the shadows beneath them deepening. “Five counting us.” The words hang in the air like a death knell, each syllable falling hard and final in the suddenly quiet room.
Mina bites her bottom lip as she walks back into the room, the soft padding of her bare feet on the hardwood floor barely audible. I taste copper in the air—she’s bitten her lip hard enough to draw blood. Her daughter rests along her mother’s shoulders as her dragon, tiny claws digging gently into Mina’s shirt fabric for balance. The horns on top of Lily’s head are all iron dragon, gleaming like polished silver daggers under the warm lighting. Her scales are just as hard as her mother’s but possess her father’s black coloring, absorbing the light rather than reflecting it, making her look like a piece of night sky fallen to earth. Lily immediately chirps at the new arrivals, the sound high and musical, sending a ripple of smiles across the tense faces in the room.
