Epilogue II
LARELLIN
“It looks exactly the same.” I peer down between Vander’s talons at Raingreen. My life here seems like it happened a thousand years ago instead of only one. “So when you said before I could never return to the mortal lands—”
“The Bargain means you had to stay with me. That’s the Bargain. I don’t make the rules.”
“Did the Bargain specifically say I could never come back, though?”
He makes a hmm sound.
“So you lied.”
I can feel him trying to find a way out of admitting that to me. “The Arbiter did say the Bargain was binding, so I assumed that meant—”
“Save it.” I smack his hide. “Duplicitous dragon!”
“I’d tell a thousand lies to keep you in my grasp, my treasure.”
“I know. Typical dragon. You’re greedy.”
“For you, my treasure? Always.” He breathes a burst of golden flame, lighting up the clouds. “But I still don’t like returning here. Not after what they made you suffer.”
“You promised me we could do anything, remember?”
“Yes,” he agrees grudgingly.
“Well, I’m holding you to it.”
“That doesn’t mean you don’t owe me in return.”
“Is that so? You want to make a bargain, dragon king?”
“The bargain is that when we return home, you’ll ride my face while I eat your cunt until you pass out from all the orgasms.”
“Hmmm. You are terrible at making deals. Did you know that? Done!” I giggle.
The priory bell rings out, and I can’t help but grin as the townspeople run screaming, panicking at the sight of a golden dragon flying above their heads.
“You’re enjoying this a little too much,” he says, though I know he’s enjoying it too.
“It’s sort of … what’s that word? There’s a word Brin would use …”
I catch a glimpse of the Widow’s Tower, the spot where I was chained and left for the DragonKin. The place I was left to die.
“I’m going to guess ‘nostalgic’ or ‘cathartic’ given the feelings I’m sensing from you.” He swoops lower over town. “Which one is your home?”
“Go left.”
He banks.
“Your other left.” I laugh.
He snorts sparks and turns.
“Up ahead. See the one with the black patch on the roof?” I’d helped my mother patch the hole two winters ago when the snow crashed through.
It’s tiny. I knew we didn’t live in luxury, but looking at the town now, I realize we were barely surviving.
The memory of tending the nobles’ gardens while being forbidden from eating their food sends a spike of pure anger through me.
Maybe the diadem is giving me more dragon emotions, because I could swear my temper runs far hotter than it used to.
“Shall I burn their houses down?” Vander looks over his shoulder toward the ‘nicer’ area of town, though it seems only a slightly bit less shabby than my home.
“No.” I shrug. “Well, maybe later.”
He shakes, chuckling as he widens his wings and slows.
My nerves try to get the better of me. “What if she says no?”
“She won’t.” He maneuvers lower. “There’s not enough room to land. We’ll have to do it the fun way—”
I jolt upright. “You mean the scary—” I scream as he shifts into his human form in midair.
Falling, I flail against the wind, then stop as he catches me and lowers me to the ground, his smaller wings slowing our descent with ease.
“I hate when you do that!” I smack his shoulder.
He laughs and kisses me despite my violence. “You know I’ll never let you fall.”
“I was falling!”
He doesn’t give up, his mouth claiming mine.
I finally stop fussing and kiss him back. But then he pauses.
“What is that smell?” He pulls back and stares around us at the small houses, the doors shut tight and the village utterly silent. Everyone is hunkered down and hoping the danger will pass them by.
I guess I never really noticed, but Raingreen does have a certain odor. And it’s … not pleasant, to say the least.
“Let’s just get her and go.” I kick my legs, signaling him to put me down.
He doesn’t. Instead, he steps off the mucky lane and onto my house’s stoop, then puts me on my feet. “Go ahead, my treasure.” He turns, his gaze scanning the buildings, the street, the sky. “I’ll keep watch.”
I don’t bother telling him that no one would dare step out of their house, much less accost him. He’s easily twice the size of the biggest male in the whole town. They’d piss themselves the moment he looked at them.
Running a nervous hand down my dress. I raise the other and knock at the door. How strange to knock at this door that I used to walk through with ease. Am I truly a stranger now?
I wait. Nothing happens. My mother doesn’t answer. Of course she doesn’t. She’s terrified, too.
“Um, Mama?” I knock again. “It’s me. Larellin.”
Scuffling sounds. “Larellin?” Her voice, more brittle than I remember.
“Yes. It’s me.” Tears prick at my eyes. Gods, just knowing she’s here is like a balm on my heart.
The door opens, and she’s there throwing her arms around me. “Larellin!” she wails. “It’s really you?”
“Mama!” I hug her back, suddenly realizing how small she is. Have I grown? “It’s me. It’s me!” Now my tears are falling. I can’t stop them, can’t stop hugging her.
She sobs, her embrace tight. “Gods, how I’ve prayed for this day. I can’t believe it. I can’t—” Her voice breaks.
“I’m here.” I hold her. “I’m here for you.”
We stand there for a long time, both of us crying, until she leans back and looks up at me, her eyes bright with tears. She puts her gnarled hand to my cheek, the calluses rough against my skin. “I can’t believe it.” Her gaze flickers up to the diadem. “It’s like a dream. You’re a dream.”
“I’m real, Mama.”
“Someone’s coming.” Vander tenses.
My mother’s eyes go wide as she looks at Vander, specifically at his wings. “What …” She doesn’t seem to be able to form an actual question.
“Who goes there?” A shrill voice, one I recognize. One that sends bile rising in my throat.
Vander watches Kanelden approach, his steps unwieldly in his too-big armor. A cadre of soldiers march behind him.
“I said identify yourself, Oblivion beast!” Kanelden’s voice cracks on the last word.
Vander doesn’t even draw his sword. I can feel his derision, his amusement at the mortals in their useless armor with their pathetic weapons.
“It’s Lord Rayid.” My mother’s voice trembles. “The new one. His father died. Or was killed, more like. By him.”
“The lord’s son? Is this the one who struck you before I came for you?” Vander’s tone is cold as death.
“We should go.” I turn to my mother. “You’re coming with me.”
“So it is this one.” Vander steps into the street, meeting Kanelden head on.
Kanelden stops abruptly and brandishes his sword. “What do you want, filthy abomination?”
“Your entrails, for starters. Then your head. I’ll feed it to the garthook.”
Kanelden’s mouth drops open behind his helmet. “Wh-what?”
“You touched my mate.” Vander steps forward, a lethal grace in his movements.
I don’t think I could stop him, and I truly have no desire to try. His bloodlust is up, the rage in him barely leashed.
“I touched wh-what?” Kanelden holds his sword out, his hands shaking.
“My mate. My treasure,” Vander growls, a golden glow dancing along his skin. “You dared touch what’s mine. You dared harm what’s mine.”
I hear when Kanelden’s bladder releases.
And then I hear his agonized screams, right along with the screams of any who were foolish enough to follow him when he decided to challenge a DragonKin king.
My mother clutches me as part of a leg flies past us and lands in the street. “Is that … Is he a … What is he?”
“He’s mine.” I can’t keep the pride from my voice, from my heart. “And I’m his.”