3
Belinda
No one likes to admit they were behind on the times or feel outdated, but as an ancient, sometimes that was all we felt. This time was worse.
Much worse.
Technology had progressed drastically, and I looked at Maple as if I’d never seen her before when she wanted me to use that small brick mobile phone… Thing. I politely declined and continued trying to get acclimated.
I really needed to stop going so remote and living under a rock. I hadn’t thought I’d been this bad, especially with the summers Sagan had spent with me, but it was clear I’d lived like a backwater mountain woman.
Or whatever the appropriate reference this generation would call me.
So it was going to take me a while to catch up and there was so much else going on that I was beyond frustrated. I wasn’t doing enough and the girl I loved like a daughter was suffering more and more every day.
I was missing too much. Huge things like her attack. I’d almost missed that and—it was unforgivable.
The only answer was to contact help. To let Sagan live in the light and be the beacon Thovudin needed while letting others battle the darkness that people had allowed to fester because too many of us had hidden to protect ourselves.
“I should have expected this when I saw you on the news,” Otto sighed when I appeared in his living room. “I’m not coming to work for the queen. I don’t care how much I owe you or—”
“I want you to get the rats of Nerthus in line and help me help her from the shadows,” I interrupted. “Your specialty as a shadow dragon.”
He blinked at what he was reading and then slowly looked up at me. “You’re condoning me being bad? You’re the one who found me and set me on the path of behaving.”
I snorted. “You were out of control, and your rage—you wanted the world to burn, Otto. I have no delusions I turned you into an angel. There are no angels; only liars.”
He snickered and closed his book. “So what are you plotting?”
“I’m going to use my power to bind the information to your mind.”
The dry look he gave me was amusing. “You mean you already have and it’s juicy enough you don’t want me to fry my brain thinking I might be stupid enough to tell someone.”
My lips twitched. “You were always one of my favorite protégés. Yes.”
He sighed and waved me to go ahead. “I also know I won’t have a choice in this so okay, down the rabbit hole we go.”
I chuckled. “Don’t pout, darling. You’ll make money and I know you need it. Plus, you’ll get to misbehave, which you also need from what I’ve observed.”
Something too dark danced in his eyes. “There were valid reasons you found me so out of control, Belinda. I wasn’t burning kittens like a psychopath, but we both know my life hasn’t been fucking sunshine and rainbows.”
“No, you were valid, Otto,” I whispered, moving towards him.
He acted a bit like a kitten as he leaned into my touch.
“I need your help to save one who is like a child to me. I want to help you too. I stayed away too long to heal my own broken heart. I’m sorry I abandoned you also. Let me make it right and help you now.”
He swallowed loudly and looked away. He always wanted to be my favorite—and tried to be my lover once—but he was more like a nephew to me and I truly did care for him. “Enough dancing. Tell me what you want.”
The book he was holding slipped out of his hand and thunked to the floor loudly when I did. He was always so amusing.
It took Otto several minutes to finally make his mouth work for something resembling words to come out and then he only had one question. “Do I get to keep the money?”
I laughed. I laughed in relief because he was my best—and really only—option. If that was what he was asking, he was in and wanted to help, not just my forcing him or out of loyalty. “No, you will be paying taxes eventually and a lot to help our people.”
He frowned but then sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. “Fine, your other protégé seems more competent than the last ruler.”
“First, she wasn’t my protégé like you were. She was a student I didn’t get enough time with. I’m fixing that,” I clarified. “Second, she’s so different from that idiot Rhys that I would question if she was really his child if she didn’t look almost exactly like an ancestor of hers.”
He shrugged it off and asked me what came next, knowing that I already had a plan.
Of course I did. I gave him the instructions and a few days to handle his life where he was, rolling my eyes when he grumbled about that. He barely had a life there. It was… I was disappointed. I had lived remotely, but it was peaceful and lovely.
This was a shithole of cheap rent and even cheaper people around him, and I didn’t mean they were poor.
I arrived back to the castle without anyone knowing I’d been gone and helped before and during the Alpha meetings. Keeping those fools in line was obnoxious, and honestly I foresaw Sagan needing to break one of them permanently to really change their attitudes.
They seemed to already have forgotten the beating she’d given some of them that I’d heard about. It was funny how pride could shorten the memories for men with small… Brains.
I went to slip out early the second day so I could meet Otto, but there was one thing I needed to handle first. I cornered the Alpha of Nevelyn, the uncle of Wilder, who had been thrown out of the “competition” for Sagan.
“If you even attempt to approach her about having a new prospective mating candidate from your area for her, I will break you,” I warned him as I let my power crackle around me.
He did a double take as rage filled his eyes. “This is why mystic dragons used to be hunted. You cannot—”
“Stop while you’re behind, boy,” I seethed as I fisted his shirt.
“You are disgusting and the world would be better off without you.
She is not a ride you can just send someone else to enjoy.
She is the queen, and if you were a better man, you would have paid better attention.
You—you are selfish and are owed nothing.
“If you do this, then they all will. It will never end. One more. Just one more. Another cousin. Another—enough. The people will turn on all of you, which is actually good for her, but bad for Thovudin and all the Alpha families. For stability. Why can none of you think about anything besides yourselves?” I shoved him away.
“Throw my kind being hunted in my face again…”
“And what? You’ll kill me?” he mocked. “Go ahead. Explain that and you won’t be here to help her.”
I slowly blinked at him and tried not to laugh in his face.
“You think anyone would ever know it was me? Have any proof of anything other than—oh, I’m insulted, you stupid, stupid boy.
” I smirked as I leaned in closer. “No one would ever know. But you’re right, killing you would be too obvious. Maybe I’ll punish one of your children?
“What about your mate? A sibling? Have any who are depressed? Any who are in bad relationships? A few small pushes and they could have a partner who goes off the rails. A random act of violence when someone’s out at a bar.
That’s all it takes and no one will ever know.
” I patted his cheek when he went pale. “Leave Sagan alone and lick your wounds. Good talk.”
It was clear that was handled and everything else was calm.
Sagan was going to have a private dinner with those close to her like normal instead of dealing with the buffoons who expected too much.
I left the castle in a good mood because a lot had been achieved that made Sagan shine and also benefited a lot of people.
The gods chose well letting her be queen. She will bring dragons to where they should be and repair this fucked up nation’s crumpled reputation.
I nodded to Otto who was waiting outside of the meeting that was absolute chaos. He looked amused but also like he was maybe rethinking getting involved.
I simply winked at him and changed my appearance to be a man before using magic to open the door. Smashing it in might have been more dramatic, but there was no reason to do damage.
I was going to be the owner now and would have to replace it after all.
“Who the fuck are you?” the person in charge demanded.
“The new owner,” I answered, and with a flick of my wrist, snapped his neck.
Everyone went dead quiet and I smiled out at them.
“Now, what that disgusting trash wasn’t telling you is the former owner is dead.
The manager didn’t kill him but was trying to use the situation to become the owner and—it matters not. ”
One of the men studied me. “And you killed the owner? This is a hostile takeover?”
I tapped my nose even if it was a lie. “You’re a sharp one. There’s a new boss of Nerthus, and let me be clear none of you have a chance to take me on. So be smart and choose life.”
Avior, the bookie who had helped Sagan and Myriam on many occasions, glanced from the dead manager back to me. “You didn’t give him a choice. It makes it difficult to even consider working with you.”
“Fair, but we’ve actually met before, Avior,” I purred and then winked. I tapped the dead manager with my foot. “This was personal. He wasn’t just trying to start sex trafficking women, the female mystic dragon fighter, he already did.”
“Is she okay?” he asked, genuine worry in his voice.
“Not her,” I clarified. “And the two I saved will be helped.” I glanced around the room.
“There will be no sex trafficking of women in Nerthus. None. Ever. Spread the word.” I gave a grand wave to the dead body at my feet.
“This is the price one pays for it. Does anyone need another demonstration of my feelings on this?”
Otto snorted when it was clear they didn’t.
“An ancient isn’t coming out of nowhere to take over an underground gambling and fighting den because they ran girls,” one of the security guys mumbled, glancing between the others. “There’s more to this.”