Chapter One
I closed my eyes and drew in the sharp morning air. The crisp air in my lungs refreshed me, and as I opened my eyes, I stretched my wings. And immediately dropped them.
With a sigh, I looked over my shoulder at the break in my left wing.
My bruises and cuts were healed, but wing bones took longer.
I knew I had to be patient. It had only been a week since Baha had beaten me and broken my wing.
I lifted my chin and rephrased it in my mind—it had only been a week since I killed him.
Images of what he'd done to me while I was enslaved by silken magic made me tremble, but I kept my chin lifted and my stare on the sky. The man who had helped to free me was gone, sailed to another shore, but he had taken me to the royal palace first. To his friend, the Dragon King.
A knock came at the door of my enormous, luxurious suite, and I turned to leave the balcony. The sound didn't startle me anymore, as it had the first few mornings after my arrival. Now, I expected it. I knew who I'd find standing outside my door.
Pausing at a mirror along the way, I smoothed my hair and frowned at the deep hollows beneath my eyes.
My face bore the evidence of my pain even after the bruises had faded.
I swallowed roughly and moved on. I couldn't stand my reflection for very long.
I used to take pride in it, sitting before the glass to brush my hair or try on jewelry.
Now, I saw my beauty for what it was—a threat.
My pretty face, willowy body, and long, violet hair—the color precious among my people, had been my ruin.
Because of them, Bara fixated on me. He enslaved me with magic and forced me into his bed.
Heat flamed my cheeks as those memories bombarded me again. I knew it wasn't my shame, but knowing that didn't stop the humiliation from rising. I hesitated before the door, wanting to turn away and hide under the heavy covers on my bed. But then the image of the Dragon King's face came to me.
I pulled open the door.
I caught him with his stare lowered, his brow pulled down in thought, and his firm lips pressed together.
It gave me the briefest moment to look upon him freely.
I soaked him in, the very sight of him a balm to my shame and mental wounds.
I don't know why he eased me. I should have feared the breadth of his shoulders and the desire I saw in his eyes.
After what I'd been through with Bara, the thought of lying with another should have terrified me.
I knew that with anyone else, I'd feel only revulsion at the sight of a hardening shaft.
King Raventar always tried to hide his body's reaction to me, and maybe that was what calmed me. But I didn't think so.
There was something about this man. Peace radiated from him.
Kindness. He was massive, just enormous, towering over me, but with every movement he only conveyed concern and respect.
I never felt threatened by him. And that gave me the strength to appreciate his handsome face, strong body, and stunning eyes.
Oh, those eyes. Not quite blue and not quite green—turquoise.
I'd heard that the coastal waters of Tabaa were a similar color.
His tanned skin, tinged with gold and red, brought out the vibrant shade to make his eyes appear as if they glowed even when they didn't.
King Raventar lifted his gaze, and the beauty of those turquoise eyes made me breathe deeply, as if I could take him into me through my breath alone. This happened every morning. He knocked, I answered, and we stared at each other until he spoke.
“Good morning, Eliel,” the Dragon King said, his voice as calming as the rest of him. “Are you hungry?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” I couldn't stop myself from lowering my gaze to his lips. “I'm starving.”