Chapter 4 #2
I never foresaw a dragon lying in wait, watching.
She wanted to fall to her knees and cry into her hands until her chest felt like it’d stopped bleeding, but she refused to show him that weakness. He was someone who would do nothing but sneer in disgust or boredom.
“Is she your mate?” Carwyn asked, wondering if that was why he was so dedicated to this, to the point of entrusting it to her.
A horrible sound came from behind her, like a mangled noise of a dry heave and a shudder all together.
“Heavens, no,” he grated out. “She is the only sibling I have left.”
Carwyn noted her features, wondering how much of them they shared. Were her eyes ruby as well, but perhaps held more warmth? Obviously his hair was as black as hers, considering his scales. If they looked anything alike, then she imagined he might just be as beautiful as her.
Not that she wanted to see him as a human.
Focusing on the woman stilled her tears and offered her something else to focus on so she could deal with her bruised heart at a better time.
“That explains why you covered her,” Carwyn murmured, sniffling.
“I covered her because I worried she was cold in her human form.”
She placed her hands on the edge of the altar to gain a better look, only to retract them when he gave her an awful snarl.
“Why didn’t you ask your fellow dragons for aid? Why seek the help of witches anyway?”
“She is a proud dragoness,” he admitted. “She wouldn’t have wanted her shame to be shared with our kind. Death would’ve been preferable to her. Most are also incapable of dealing with such witchcraft, so she wouldn’t have wanted to be poked and prodded by those who likely couldn’t remove the hex.”
His voice and tone had softened into something remarkably pleasant. There was kindness and love in it, such things Carwyn had experienced from her own siblings. From how he’d been speaking to her thus far, she didn’t think he was capable of such gentleness.
“There wasn’t even one who could be trusted to at least try?”
“The only dragon I know of is the Sorcerer, as he studies your kind’s magic and words, but he has since disappeared in an attempt to run away from the courtship of our princess.
If I knew his whereabouts, I might have turned to him, as he is private in his words.
He’s also a friend, and the only one she may have approved to know the truth. ”
Her brow furrowed. “The truth?” She turned to give him her attention once more.
The air felt noticeably less hostile now that they were speaking rather than arguing. Now that he wasn’t being an awful jerk, she was able to truly take in his magnificence.
His black scales were pointed in a slimline fashion that made him appear smooth.
His ruby eyes really were like the prettiest crystals she’d ever seen, glinting and sparkling even in the low light provided.
Their slitted pupils were serpent-like, and they widened into near circles when he peered at his sister before shifting into tight, hateful slits at her.
His snout was broad and well-padded, rather than narrow and slim.
Two rows of spikes protruded from behind his nose holes, increasing in size up to his forehead and giving him the appearance of brows.
He had a crown of straight spikes around his head, and then two rows going down his long, thick back. His wings, like most dragons she’d read about, were bat-like. His tail was long, and the end tapered off into a sharp arrowhead.
His middle was longer than that of the WitchSlayer, a dragon she and her family had watched through scrying, and he didn’t appear as thick with muscle. His body had a more serpentine shape.
His scales shimmered with an oil-slick iridescence. She hated how pretty she found it – simply because he’d been a complete arse to her thus far.
His eyes narrowed at her. “Her truth is none of your concern,” he bit out, the depth of hate and mistrust in it clutching her to her very bones. “Heal her without prying.”
Carwyn tried to think. But why would they put a sleep curse on her? To extract the pieces from her at their leisure?
Usually dark witches would just tie down a dragon and take from them while they were still awake, uncaring for their pain or the way they whimpered in agony as scales were plucked and blood was drawn until there was none left.
Then they’d take their ruined flesh, their bones, their claws, and even their eyes.
They even shrank them so they could steal their wings.
Every part was used for something horribly vile for their own gain.
The dragon spun around abruptly. “Come, I will show you to your new permanent lodging.”
“Permanent lodging?” Carwyn repeated, chasing after him when he didn’t wait for confirmation. “You’re not going to lock me away?”
He peeked down at her over his shoulder.
“You will never be able to escape this place without falling to your death. I’ll ensure you die if you harm her, and you’d have to be a fool to try.
You’ll die if you try to harm me. Considering you aren’t a dark witch, I see no reason to fear you walking about my home like some snivelling weakling.
I have a library of witchcraft books that you may study, as I can’t understand the language.
You will work better if you are well-fed and well-rested. ”
“Seriously?” Was he honestly so arrogant that he thought her harmless?
“My only concern is my sister’s well-being.
I’ll give you freedom within my lair if it aids her.
” He stopped to ensure he could speak to her face to face.
“However, I also see no issue in locking you away, so be careful of your actions, temperament, and words. My patience is normally vast, but with you, it is the thinness of a hair.”
Carwyn gave a puzzled head tilt. I was sure he’d be unreasonable, all things considered. Perhaps he wasn’t as bad as she first thought. Unless this is a test? Which it very might well be.
He lifted a large paw to continue walking, and she sprinted to follow.
Oh! I just remembered something! Something that could see her walking away from this.
“I’ll show you where you may make food. Understand that none of the ingredients will be useful for witchcraft, and I’ll be able to scent and see leftover spell work if you attempt such a thing. That won’t be forgiven if it doesn’t aid her.”