Chapter Twelve
–Torsten–
IWAS ONCE again furious with my weaker side on several fronts. Not only did he have the nerve to stop Katana from witnessing us lying together in the Liege’s chamber, which would have allowed me to surface, but he also lay with her instead in another room altogether.
If that wasn’t bad enough, he then managed to repress me when I tried to surface, for the first time showing an inner strength that was worrisome and kept me from being with her despite her dreaming about me in that very moment.
After that, I waited, more desperate than ever to reach her now she was in heat. Fortunately, my weaker half was foolish enough to resist her again, finally giving me the chance to claim her outside of a dream.
And nothing had ever felt so good.
From the sight of her delicate body to the taste of the delicious juices between her thighs to her sweet moans and cries of pleasure, she managed to own me in ways no other female had ever been able to, making me eager to pour my seed into her.
When I finally did, I nearly dropped to my knees because it felt so good, certain her womb would soon quicken with the first of many offspring.
An army of offspring that would someday rule this Keep, carrying on our legacy.
So I felt well satisfied after planting my seed, having truly claimed what my other side never had, nor could now. At least I was satisfied until she ruined it by telling me she loved me.
If I knew nothing else, I knew love was a weakness.
I had seen it time and time again over the years, even from my own father, who rarely let his darker side out for the sake of my mother. So I refused to return Katana’s endearment, and since I was not about to give in to the emotion, I pulled away from her and made myself clear.
“’Tis best you not feel love for me,” I said after chanting us back into our clothes. Shaking my head, I gave her a stern look. “You might be my fated mate, but love is something I cannot offer you or any other woman.”
I knew how much my words wounded her by the flicker of hurt in her eyes, and by the pain I felt deep inside her, where her inner beast dwelled. Yet I could also tell my words were effective, especially regarding other females, whether I meant them or not.
So I elaborated on that to keep things in perspective.
“Surely, you didn’t expect that I would be satisfied with just you?” I said, while pulling several daggers off the wall that seemed suitable for her size.
“The thought had crossed my mind,” she cut back, eyeing me in a way I didn’t much like, saying words I hadn’t expected as she swiftly, if not admirably, set aside her emotions and perked an eyebrow at me. “Should I assume that means I can bring other men to my bed?”
“No, it does not,” I replied sternly, giving her a warning look she’d best heed me, or else.
I handed her one of the daggers, hilt first, holding it a moment longer than necessary when she tried to take it from me.
“If you do, I will make an example of him in front of the entire Realm and cut him down where he stands.” I flared my dragon eyes at her.
“Do not think you would be free of punishment either, mate.”
That would be of another variety entirely, and I pushed the darkly erotic images into her mind so she understood. I would never hurt her, not really, but I would introduce her to things that would ultimately force her to feel such exquisite pleasure she would never want to lie with another.
I was about to continue, aroused again by those very images and ready to take her one last time before we had to join the others, but Blaze interrupted me telepathically, ordering us back to the War Chamber.
Though Katana remained silent as we made our way back, I didn’t get the sense she was angry at me, but curious, again, in a way I didn’t much like.
It was almost as if she hadn’t believed me.
As though she saw through me in ways no one else could, to feelings I refused to feel, unlike my weaker half, who thought nothing of leaving himself vulnerable.
By the time we made it to the War Chamber, everyone was present, including Blaze, Marjorie, áma, Drakkar, and Ragnar. Having figured out my stronger side had surfaced, I could tell no one was all that happy to see me, but I couldn't care less.
Although Blaze had initially been standing, when he realized I was at my strongest now, he sat on what would soon be my throne, making it clear he would not give it up easily.
At least not to me. Meanwhile, I knew by the look Marjorie and Katana exchanged that she wanted my mate to try to repress me again.
“Yet she will not.” I looked at them with dark amusement, understanding what even she did not. “Not until her inner beast knows with certainty that I didn’t just sire offspring with her.”
Their expressions weren't just surprised but also alarmed. They weren’t pleased, and with good reason, given that I would soon be their Liege and they would have to account for supporting my weaker side so often.
“That can’t be true,” Katana exclaimed, going flush not only because of what I had just shared but no doubt because I’d admitted in front of strangers that we'd recently been together.
“Whether ‘tis true or not,” Blaze said, gesturing for everyone to sit, likely another tactic to put himself above me, “let us sit and discuss what should come next. But first, let's make introductions, as Katana is new here and should be welcomed properly.”
“I agree,” I said, taking the reins out of his hand because this was my right, not his, considering she belonged to me.
So I introduced her to the other three, then narrowed my eyes in warning at Drakkar and Ragnar that they best stay away from Katana, lest they deal with me in a fashion they wouldn’t like.
Outside of myself and Blaze, they were the strongest dragons in the Realm, and both were unmated, and she was a lovely female in heat, so they needed to understand she was mine.
Both were well sought after, so I would be foolish to think she wouldn’t find them appealing, from Drakkar, with his dark, primal looks and strong build, to Ragnar, with his obsidian hair and a pale amber piercing gaze that seemed to draw women to him by the dozens.
And then there was áma, our head seer, whom we’d only ever known from afar because, until recently, she was unable to come close to us without draining our energy to the point of death.
Despite our similar ages, her long crimson hair had wisps of white, and her skin was so pale she appeared not only fragile and porcelain-like but also ethereal.
There were several small braids woven into her hair with talismans, and her eyes were large, oval, and a mesmerizing shade of beguiling teal.
Of the three, I trusted her the least, and always had.
Initially, because of her vast power, but more recently due to her connection with Marjorie, who possessed the infuriating ability to pull forth my weaker side. It seemed they were long-lost soul sisters, so áma was bound to be loyal to her and Blaze above all others.
Keeping Katana seated beside me after pleasantries were exchanged between her and the others, I waited for Blaze to speak. I already knew what he was going to focus on after he caught them up, having followed everything my weaker side had witnessed despite being repressed at the time.
And he did, his gaze finally settling on me.
“I want to know why you were in my chamber, confronting the darkness that is now within Skarde even if it was only in a dream.” His eyes narrowed. “How did you know it would be there?”
“I couldn’t say other than to assume ‘tis because I’m part of this Keep in ways that others are not, which is clearly how I knew we were in the Keep when we first traveled back in time,” I returned, speaking plainly. “I’m compelled to protect a chamber and a Realm that will soon be mine.”
“Or Drakkar’s,” Blaze returned without flinching.
“Or Ragnar’s.” Before I could rebuke him, he went on.
“When you were compelled to go to my chamber in that dream, what made you think you could challenge and defeat the darkness, when that was clearly not the case?
Even this side of you must have known that, given you were caught within a dream.
And whilst you should be punished for not being transparent with me about it afterward, ‘tis obvious this side of you would find that foolish, given your desire to be the conquering hero, proving to all you should be the rightful ruler of the Realm.”
Never were truer words spoken, so I didn’t bother denying them. Instead, I answered his question, having assumed it would be obvious.
“I am no less courageous asleep than awake,” I said.
“That I was compelled to go there when the darkness appeared made it clear to me the Keep and Realm were trying to protect their inhabitants and tasked me with the responsibility, wouldn't you agree?” I shrugged.
“So I thought nothing of defending those under my watch.”
“Your arrogance knows no bounds,” Ragnar muttered, shaking his head, never a supporter of this side of me.
“Arrogant or not,” Drakkar said, defending me more often than the others, “he was still willing to forfeit his life to protect what matters most.”
“Which some might say are his own ambitions,” áma said softly, eyeing me with distrust.
“Ambitious or not, the end result is still the same,” Marjorie said, looking at Drakkar a little oddly, as if perhaps she saw the ethereal axe strapped to his back again. “Katana, Torsten, and Skarde are now connected in a way that is truly troubling.”