Chapter 8 #2
Attempting to make conversation, I cleared my throat and asked Aurelius, “So, you are immortal, can wield fire, ride dragons, and heal. Am I missing anything? Can you read my thoughts?”
More scathing chuckles stirred from across the table.
Aurelius grinned, his expression kind. “Not to worry. Your thoughts are safe. I cannot hear or read your thoughts, and no one here can. That is something only some royal bloodlines of Shadow Fae can do,” he explained.
I nodded, and everyone’s attention returned to their plates. Until Rexius spoke.
“There is another way…”
Everyone’s attention shifted to the young heir. “The mate bond? Is it not true that after the blood-binding ceremony, mates will share thoughts and feelings?”
The High Lord’s sister nodded proudly at him in a motherly way, offering him a loving smile.
Before I could fully process what he had said, that Titus and I would eventually share thoughts and feelings, Titus finally spoke.
“So, have you given any thought to my offer?” His deep voice rolled
straight through me.
My stomach tightened. Images of Jared filled my mind.
His tired eyes. The way his hand had felt in mine that morning.
The quiet promise in his voice when he said everything would be okay.
The idea of agreeing to this felt like betrayal, even if death had already torn us apart.
Even if logic told me I had no real choice.
I looked down at my hands, at the empty space where my wedding ring should have been. If I said yes, I would be stepping even farther away from the life I had lost. If I said no, I would never see that life again at all.
My chest ached as I swallowed. This was not bravery. This was desperation.
“I don’t want this,” I said quietly. Then I lifted my eyes to his. “But I want to go home more.”
I took a slow, steadying breath. “I accept your terms, Lord Titus.”
A slow, wicked grin took shape on his face.
“Are we supposed to be honored that the human has agreed to be your whore, brother?” the female spat.
“Prisca, do you always have to be such a miserable bitch?” Titus snapped. “I agreed to let you and your son move in so that Rexius could train to become the next High Lord, but I have no problem ridding myself of you and feeding you to the fucking dragons.” Fire rolled off his shoulders.
Ah, Prisca must be Rexius’s mother.
She stood abruptly, threw her napkin onto the table, and narrowed her eyes at her brother. Her expression darkened as she stormed out of the dining room.
After a few moments of silence and feeling completely awkward, I tried to change the subject. “So what do I need to do first? Where is the dagger?” I asked.
Aurelius spoke. “All our ancient texts claim the Dagger of Destiny resides in an enchanted chamber inside Mount Orid.”
“It does. I have seen it, though the chamber’s enchantments do not allow me access,” Titus confirmed.
I looked at them both. “Okay, so just fly me up to the mountain and I will walk in there and get it,” I suggested.
Rexius scoffed. “Mount Orid is an active volcano and the deadliest one in all of Nevaehun.” His tone toward me mirrored his mother’s.
Great, he hates me too.
Rage simmered beneath my skin. They had tricked me into agreeing to die. “A volcano?! How exactly did you expect me to survive that?”
The High Lord held my gaze with effortless arrogance, his confidence bordering on mockery, evident in his stupid grin. “How could I bed you if you were dead? Sorry, human. Not my kink.”
Aurelius seemed to flinch in disgust at his words.
Titus continued. “I have been practicing projecting my fire resistance onto other objects, using it as a shield. It's called shield projection magic.”
“Practicing? Oh. That is comforting,” I scoffed sarcastically. Rexius rose from his seat. He drew his sword and shouted,
“Do you doubt the abilities of your High Lord?”
Just then, a burst of flaming energy flung the heir backward. He slammed into the wall behind him and collapsed to the floor. I felt the heat from the blast nip at my face.
Titus turned his attention to his nephew as he rose from the floor and spoke.
“Do try to remember, young Rexius, we only have one human and therefore one shot at this.”
Then the High Lord turned his head toward the other side of the room, looking directly at Aurelius, and continued. “So please refrain from pointing your sword at her.” His eyes narrowed in warning as he addressed the Dragon Master.
The tension in the room was thick, and the High Lord’s words seemed to carry a different weight when directed at the Master of Dragons.
Wait. Were we still talking about swords?
I felt slightly better knowing that even though they all hated me, they needed me. That meant I would be safe. Protected.
The heir left the room, rubbing his head. Aurelius broke the harsh eye contact with Titus and lowered his gaze to his plate.
I let out the breath I had been holding. After a brief pause, I spoke. “So, the plan is you fly me into the volcano, and hopefully your power shields me from burning alive. Then I grab the dagger and we leave?”
He leaned back in his chair with arrogance and the effortless grace of a Fae High Lord and replied, “Unfortunately, the chamber’s enchantments are rather particular.
It seems only one person at a time is allowed within its proximity.
” He added, “Meaning you will need to learn to ride, and I will protect you from the sky.”
“A dragon?” I asked. “You want me to learn how to ride a dragon...by myself?” My disbelief was impossible to hide.
Aurelius looked at the High Lord, his brows furrowed, as if he had not been aware of this part of the plan and did not like it one bit.
“My Lord,” he interjected, “there are no accounts of a mortal being able to wield a dragon. It is common knowledge that a certain level of magical ability is required to ride. We only accept High Fae males into the program. She will likely die.”
He replied, “Like you said, there are no accounts. Her success is unknown. She has to try. It is the only way.” He spoke with such finality that there would be no more arguments from anyone.
There was no other option. No way out of this.
I thought about running away, but I would probably be eaten by something if they did not catch me first. And then where would I even go?
Certainly not back to the forest. So, my only real, logical option was to stay here and do everything I could for the small chance that I would be with my husband again.
Even if that meant possibly burning to death in a volcano.
“Okay. When do I start?” I asked.
The High Lord’s gaze swept over me, his nose wrinkling in disapproval.
Then he replied, “First, you will need to gain some weight and build muscle. Physical strength is essential for flying. You can start training tomorrow. After a month, you can begin selecting a dragon and working on the basics. When you are strong enough, you will start training with my second in command.” He gestured toward Aurelius.
When my eyes met Aurelius’s, they seemed to shine. He smiled at me, and I smiled back warmly. It was nice to have a friend in this strange world.
“Ahem,” the High Lord said in annoyance, breaking my attention from the Dragon Master. He continued, “For the rest of the day, I want you to go to the library and read the stack of books I selected for you. You can read, can’t you?” he asked cruelly.
I glared at the High Lord. “Of course I can read.”
“Good,” he continued. “I will be sending some homework to your quarters as well.” There was a hint of wickedness in his tone that sent a chill straight up my spine.
“I will be leaving soon for a couple of days to oversee a political matter. My servants will bring you your meals. You are to report to General Cercies for training tomorrow morning. And Aurelius, be sure our third in command is on his best behavior.”
Aurelius nodded curtly in response. Then Lord Titus stood and left without the slightest goodbye, though I was not sure why that surprised me.