Chapter 20
Chapter
Twenty
Elias gaped. Fuck me.
The dragons crashed in the sky. Claws tore and gripped at scales. Roars vibrated through the air. Necks and tails swung. Wings beat.
Gerard drove Lord Amsel back, claws scratching at his torso. Lord Amsel bellowed.
Of course, Elias had seen dragons fighting before.
Many times. But all those times, he or his allies had been the focus of the dragon attacks.
He’d been too focused on not dying and instead bringing down the dragons to appreciate the majesty and strength of the powerful beasts flying above.
And he’d never seen a dragon fighting another dragon before.
Lord Amsel bit at Gerard’s shoulder. Gerard swung his thick neck, smashing it into the side of Lord Amsel’s head, dislodging him.
Then Gerard stretched his claws and dug them into Lord Amsel’s white, scaly stomach. Lord Amsel bit his neck. The two locked together, spinning through the air towards the ground. But before they hit the earth, they both released their holds on the other, pushing back and flying into the sky.
Elias didn’t blink. He didn’t draw breath. He just watched, hands clasped in front of him, nails digging into the backs of his hands.
The two flew, mighty wings flapping, as they watched each other. Muscles tightened and moved beneath gleaming scales. Gerard roared, and the sound sent a shiver down Elias’s spine.
As he fought, Gerard kept angling his head to keep the other dragon in view of his left eye. In human form, Gerard always wore an eye patch. In dragon form, the right eye appeared glassy and white. And the fern-like scars from Elias’s attack looked even more like lightning against the green scales.
Gerard lunged, smashing into the purple dragon. He gripped one wing in his claws and wrenched, tearing the membrane. Blood spilled. Elias gasped.
Already Gerard had pulled back, flying up and above, directly above the other dragon. Lord Amsel tried to right himself. His wing that had just been released struggled to flap.
Gerard dove straight down. His claws drove into Lord Amsel’s back and injured wing. He pushed him down with brutal strength and speed.
Lord Amsel struggled, trying to break free. Gerard leaned down and bit his neck. Lord Amsel cried out a moment before he hit the ground. The thud resonated through the earth, and Elias felt it deep in his bones.
Elias jumped and applauded.
Gerard released the grip of his teeth and claws. He flew upwards, circling the field high above. He opened his jaw. He lit up the sky with orange-and-gold dragonfire.
I’m going to marry him! I’m going to marry that magnificent dragon!
He felt light-headed. He yelled until he ran out of air. Around him, the crowd chanted, “Dragon Warrior! Dragon Warrior!”
Elias joined in, shouting with them, “Dragon Warrior! Dragon Warrior!”
After several victory laps, during which Lord Amsel had shifted and left the field, Prince Gerard landed. Still in dragon form, he looked out over the stands.
Elias clapped and hollered and screamed. Then Gerard walked towards the grandstand on all fours.
He’s so strong! So glorious!
Elias continued to applaud as the dragon paused. His thick neck stretched long. Gerard’s working green eye swept over the crowd. It settled on Elias. Elias’s breath caught as the force of that gaze rested on him.
Once before he’d seen this very dragon above him. But back then, two green eyes had fixated on him as the dragon had opened his mouth and planned to kill Elias.
Now he will be my husband. He will be mine. My dragon warrior prince.
Electricity skittered along his skin. His heart raced. Elias lifted his head. He set his jaw. He clapped harder.
I will make him like me! I will make him want me. Whatever it takes.
Then the dragon pulled in. He shuddered. His body transformed. Long limbs grew shorter. Scales turned to dark skin. Suddenly, Gerard in human form stood before Elias and the crowd.
Elias hummed, eyes tracing that gorgeous, muscular body, and those thick thighs. Gerard’s cock, even flaccid, was rather impressive. Elias’s throat dried, and his gut tightened.
Perhaps I’ll try to win him over with seduction.
The servant who’d carried Gerard’s robe ran forward. Gerard paced forward to meet him. He took the robe and turned away from the crowd so Elias could see his glorious, rounded arse.
Elias almost whimpered. Could this man be any more perfectly built? He didn’t bother hiding his pout as the robe covered that glorious body.
Taking his eye patch from the servant, Gerard fixed it over his eye. But unlike all the other dragons who had won their battles, he strode away towards the tents, not acknowledging the cheering onlookers when in human form.
Why did he not wave at the crowds? Why did he not linger in his glory?
And why did he not seek me out?
Elias’s throat tightened. Princess Senta had constantly glanced at Lady Juniper before the two had departed together. Prince Luther had made his way to the sectioned-off group, crowing his winning as he’d thrown his arms around Warden Onyx.
As a dragon, Gerard had looked at Elias. And he’d thrown a few glances Elias’s way before the battle. But he’d clearly not relished Elias’s presence. Or his support.
Elias took a slow breath and straightened his shoulders.
This is not a love marriage. Don’t act all hurt just because he doesn’t care about you now.
But Elias admired Gerard. A lot. He admired his ferocity and power as a dragon. He respected him as the dragon warrior. He even desired Gerard.
Meanwhile, all Elias got from Gerard was civil politeness and cold respect. Elias pressed his lips together.
It’s just a challenge. Getting him to like me is a challenge. I can handle challenges.
Elias watched the final battle of round one between Lord Morton and Lady Adrian. Lord Morton roared.
Elias’s hair stood on end. “I am glad we have made peace with the dragons.”
Beside him, Prince Ash Rosewood nodded. But his attention remained completely on his husband battling above. “Come on, Barrett! Come on!”
With a swing of his tail, Lord Morton knocked the other dragon. She floundered, rolling and exposing her belly to him. Lord Morton took the opportunity, driving his claws into her stomach. He flapped his wings and bore her to the ground.
Elias clapped and cheered alongside Prince Ash and the crowd.
After celebrating in the sky, Lord Morton landed, shifted, and approached Ash. He smiled gently down at the smaller man.
Ash gazed up at Lord Morton, arms going around his shoulders. “You were amazing!”
Lord Morton leaned down. He gripped Ash’s face with his hands and kissed him. Ash melted. Elias looked away.
The rounds continued. Duke Albert won his next fight. Beau applauded and blew kisses. Duke Albert smiled and pretended to catch the thrown kisses.
Elias had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Or vomiting.
Gerard fought and won his next fight. Elias clapped and smiled at his betrothed, wanting to show how proud he was. But Gerard only looked and inclined his head at Elias once.
Elias kept his face blank as he continued to applaud. He noticed a few of the others in the reserved area glance his way. Clearly they, too, had noted that Gerard did not seem to relish interacting with Elias. Still, Elias kept applauding and cheering.
Princess Senta beat Crown Prince Konrad in their battle. But if the dragon crown prince stung from the loss, he didn’t act like it.
He smiled and clapped his younger sister on the back. “Well, that’s what I get for spending hours on my arse in meetings instead of training.”
She shoved him. “You’ve gotten rusty! You should join me and Gerard for our early morning flights. We can practice fighting to help you improve.”
He laughed.
Princess Senta then looked to Lady Juniper, who ducked out and ran to join her betrothed. Prince Konrad glanced at the grandstand, face neutral. He did not yet have a betrothed.
The three then kept walking in the direction of the tents.
In the next round, Prince Luther smashed Lord Morton into the ground. Prince Ash gasped. When Lord Morton shifted, he walked unsteadily off.
Prince Ash ran to Lord Morton when he reached the edge of the field. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I promise.” Lord Morton stroked Prince Ash’s hair. Then he pulled the man against him.
Meanwhile, Prince Luther flew through the sky, roaring. Warden Onyx cheered and whooped. When Prince Luther landed and shifted, a servant ran out, handing him his cane and robe.
When Prince Luther was close enough, he yelled at Lord Morton, “That’s to make up for you beating me in the contest.”
“Pfff. I was just going easy on you because of your injury!” Lord Morton said.
“Fuck off! You were trying your best, and I beat you fair and fucking square even with my injury. You’re just a sore loser.”
Lord Morton laughed. Ash leaned against him, tucked beneath his arm.
Chuckling, Warden Onyx stepped over the rope and approached the group. Together, they all headed towards the tents.
It seemed common practice now for the spouses and the betrothed of the competing dragons to leave the reserved area to accompany their partners to their tents.
Well, almost all partners. All except Elias.