Chapter 13 #3
Most just thought it was a losing battle and there was no hope. Or that it would bring on worse tidings for them. There was too much fear, rejection, and hatred. And so much uncertainty.
Their population was dwindling, and now two mighty dragons with grand titles had chosen witches. Two less to bring more dragonkind into the world; instead, they would create something other. If more of his kind chose to do this, they were sure to go extinct.
“The ShadowHunter?” Carwyn asked with a puzzled tone, tilting her head.
“Yes, him as well.” Kier waved his hand dismissively, no longer wishing to speak of this with her. “With some fabled Faerydae.”
Footsteps pattered after him in quick succession as he walked off, then she grabbed the side of his back leg, as if to turn him. Which was ridiculous.
“What did you say?” she rasped. “Did you say a Faerydae?”
He twisted his head towards her. “Yes. It was confirmed by the Elders. Apparently that bloodline still lives somehow.”
A family coven of white witches Strolguil the Vast had never gotten his hands on. Kier was sure he would have destroyed them had he known of them or their whereabouts. Destroyed or used them.
“Who?” she asked, her eyes wide with exhilaration.
“I don’t know.” He frowned before taking a step. “Why should it matter?”
She grabbed his leg again, and he hesitated, as she’d never had the gall to willingly touch him before.
“Please, Kier, stop,” she pleaded breathlessly, and he found himself stilling. “Is her name Valerie? Do you know her description?”
He tilted his head when he realised her heartbeat was fast and erratic. Yet a sniff at the air told him nothing. There was no fear.
“I’m sorry, Carwyn, but I truly don’t know.
All I know is that her stare is cold, and that she offered herself to be burned in dragon fire to atone for using dark magic.
” Then he lifted a paw to shrug. “But the ShadowHunter was given his name because he hunts in the shadows of human nobility, luring witches to his hunting grounds.”
“L-like in the court of a king?” she rasped. “Say... King Bradwick?”
He licked the inside of his maw in agitation, wiggling his head. “I don’t like that it’s known by witches where one of our kind’s hunting grounds may be.”
His ears rang when she gave a horrendous squeal. He grunted as he scratched the side of his head to ease the ringing.
“What was that infernal noise for?!” he roared.
Does she seek to deafen me in punishment?!
It was forgotten the moment he opened his wincing eyes to find the little female jumping around, throwing her hands up in excitement and joy.
“I knew it! Well, not knew with a dragon, but I knew she bonded with the man who gave her a love bite!” She ran on the spot as she giggled and squealed again. “Yay, Valerie!”
Somehow, her joy was infectious, even if it was wildly confusing. Even more so when she skipped around, causing her braid to bounce and sway, then it slapped her in the face when she turned to him with the biggest smile he’d ever seen on anyone’s face.
She saw his puzzled frown and laughed.
“I’m a Faerydae, Kier,” she exclaimed, patting her chest. “Valerie the Heartless is my eldest sister, the one that I said left.” She turned her face down to look at her palms as she opened and closed them.
“I’ve been so worried about her happiness.
I’m so glad I was right, and that she found love.
She needed it. She was so lonely inside, even though she never showed it. ”
He didn’t know how to interrupt her with his truths; that he didn’t find it all that grand and fabulous. Geryon, even though he’d killed many witches rather ruthlessly, wasn’t looked upon too fondly for his hunting style.
The male lived with humans and used their armies to kill. He wasn’t the first, but he had made himself infamous for it.
Kier was glad he’d kept silent when a droplet splashed against her palm before a sob broke from her. He took a wary step away from her, unsure of what had brought her to tears.
“Valerie,” she cried softly. “I wish I could touch you and feel how you’ve changed.”
Something finally slipped into his mind, and he made a strangled noise as he stumbled back. “Wait. You’re a wretched Faerydae?!”
Carwyn snapped a teary glare back at him. “Say that again,” she practically growled. “I dare you to offend my bloodline, dragon. You’ll sorely learn why our ancestor was called the Destroyer.”
He snapped his fangs shut at her fierce, unwavering glower.
Somehow, he believed such a tiny, innocent-looking creature could be destructive. If I don’t watch myself, she might make short work of me like she did with those who cornered her in the forest.
She even had a dragon such as him shutting his maw.
Had I thought that bloodline to be corrupt and vile?
Staring at one who had been pushing him around in his own home, he couldn’t help finding that he’d been incorrect.
No wonder Faerydae had a change of heart if his human mate was anything like this female.
Kier was beginning to see a pattern as to how a dragon could stray from their path. And it came in the form of pretty things that held strong yet kind hearts.
To his dismay, he rather liked that.