Page 61 of Scaled Hearts

“And I love you, silly human girl,” he nuzzles into me, breathing in my scent. He says it’s a dragon thing, though I think he just likes any excuse to be close.

Without another word, he scoops me up in his arms and carries me off to his bedroom, the largest room in the manor with plenty of warm furs to wrap ourselves in during the cold winter, or just when we feel like giving into our most primal selves.

“Shall I show you just how I polish my treasure?” he asks as he deposits me onto the furs, arching an eyebrow. He knows exactly what he’s doing, recreating our first time together, back in his cave.

“Yes, you must take good care of your treasure,” I insist, spreading my thighs. “It’s been simply ages since I’ve had a good cleaning. Maybe two whole days!”

“We must remedy this one at once,” Angurus’ eyes darken and he looks over me, lips curling into that predatory smirk that sends a coil of desire through my belly.

He ducks down under my skirts and gives me a very,verythorough polishing.

Afterwards, he helps me sit up and straighten my clothing just as a servant starts knocking on the door with loud, quick knocks.

“Come in,” I order, slipping off the bed like we hadn’t just had an afternoon romp. The servant enters, eyes wide.

“Lady Kelly, it’s your sister.”

I know as soon as the servant says it’s Kara what’s happening and I fly past them, hurrying towards the entrance of the manor.

Kara has been getting sicker again. The cure we administered was temporary – we knew this at the time but we hoped it would last longer than a few months. Unfortunately, she’s been having her episodes.

And it seems like she’s having one now, I observe as I rush to the hut she’s been sharing with Agatha’s apprentice, Amelia.

Things are tense when I arrive. Amelia is clutching her nose, which is bleeding profusely. Kara is hissing and scratching at Agatha’s other apprentice, who is trying to hold her back. It’s worse than I’ve ever seen Kara.

“Hold her down!” Agatha screeches from the corner. “I’m going to administer this potion but you have to hold her down!”

“I’m trying!” Desdemona shouts back. “She’s scratched my face up!”

“She broke my nose!” Amelia holds a handkerchief to her face.

“I can help!” I jump into action, pulling Kara away from Desdemona and holding her arms behind her back. “I’ve got her!”

Agatha approaches but Kara is still snarling and hissing, snapping her jaw at the healer. Agatha nods to Desdemona who holds Kara’s jaw open and Agatha quickly shoves a spoonful of herbal medicine into Kara’s mouth.

My stomach rolls at the sight, watching my sister forcefully administered medication that will sedate her for a few hours.

“What happened?” I ask, hugging Kara to me as she begins to slump down.

Angurus was hot on my heels and appears inside the hut as well, pulling Kara away from me as she goes limp so he can lay her body on the cot. “Is everything alright?” he asks.

“She was fine! She was working in the mines when she started to seize,” Desdemona says, wringing her hands. “One of the workers brought her here and we were going to check her over when she came to and started attacking Amelia.”

“I’m sorry,” I wince, looking at poor, beat-up Amelia. “I was hoping that the cure was going to last longer than this.”

“It seems not,” Agatha shakes her head. “I fear that the disease is progressing more rapidly now than ever.”

“I don’t know what we’re going to do,” I move towards Kara’s unconscious body and brush her hair out of her face. “Can’t we administer more of the Paradise Lotus?”

“I don’t think it will help,” Angurus looks over Kara’s form, brow knit together. “I was worried about this. After all that cross pollination, it’s not as effective as it might have once been.”

I sigh and rub a hand over my face. “Keep an eye on her,” I ask Agatha. “I’ll come by later to check and make sure she’s okay. We’re just going to have to keep her unconscious for now.”

It isn’t a solution I like—it isn’t a solution at all, really, but what can we do? There’s no other option. It’s best for her safety and for the safety of our villagers. As the Lord and Lady of the land, our duty was to protectallour people now.

I can’t put Kara’s life ahead of the other villagers. The orcs were concerned only with themselves and that made them selfish, greedy monsters. I am determined to be nothing like them.

Following Angurus back to the manor, I grab him before we head inside. “Are you certain we can’t get more of the Paradise Lotus?”

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