Chapter 81 Dangerous Game
Dex had a protective arm around Reiya as he stared at the two men. He didn’t like the way they were looking at her. What could they do, though? These men were no match for them. Weston could easily take both of them out at the same time.
These men were not from his kingdom. What was odd was that he couldn’t tell which kingdom they were from.
He could smell the stench of demons on them, but he knew they were dragons.
Dragons from where? They didn’t have the aura of their king’s claim.
Nothing to say which kingdom they belonged to, which meant one thing …
rogue dragons. Rogue dragons that used the mating party as an opportunity to infiltrate without being noticed.
This was why these men weren’t afraid. They had no clue that the two men in front of them were royalty.
Dragon royalty was unmatched in strength.
There was a reason they were royals. Their lines were granted royalty status because of their superior strength and magic.
Instead, these men were completely focused on Reiya.
Dex heard the sound of twigs crunching in the woods behind where the hydra and wyverns had been.
The poor creatures had slunk away in fear when they had the chance.
The group looked over and saw about a dozen men approaching them out of the cover of the woods. All their eyes were fixated on Reiya. Brody and Chelsie each took protective stances around her. There was no mistaking their intention. They were here for Reiya.
“How exactly do you think this is going to work?” Weston asked smugly. “You really think your small group is going to be able to take a prize away from me … ME? First Prince of the Southern Kingdom? You men are fools.”
The men’s eyes widened, hearing the man’s declaration of being the prince. While there might have been some minor hesitation, there was no going back now. Not after their cover had been blown.
Brody shifted into his bear and roared loudly at the men. His loud, bellowing growl would be heard throughout the kingdom, something Brody had planned on. They might be enough to take out this group, but what if there were more? He didn’t want to risk it with Reiya.
Reiya, what’s going on?! Xander’s panicked voice rang in her head the moment he heard Brody.
I’m not sure … but these dragons smell like demons, and it looks like they want—
Reiya was unable to finish her thought as the men attacked.
A surge of fire came hurling toward them.
Reiya immediately raised a tidal wave of water in front of them.
The fire might not bother Weston and Dex, but it would have Chelsie and Brody.
She flung her hand violently and sent the water forcefully toward the men.
This moment of surprise allowed for Dex and Weston to shift into their dragon forms. They were so much bigger than Reese was.
She had seen Xander’s dragon, but not this close before.
The two large dragons screeched angrily at the men, who also shifted and took to the sky.
After seeing the two dragons, the men knew for sure they were dealing with two royals.
Dex’s yellow dragon effortlessly flew after them, followed by Weston’s brown one.
Dex and Weston were very large and formidable, but there were over a dozen enemies they were fighting.
Reiya shot water daggers into the sky at a rogue dragon.
The dragon turned and dove down toward her, which was exactly what she wanted.
She concentrated on her water, creating a large sword.
When the dragon was almost upon them, she shot the water sword toward it, plunging it into his chest. Blood splattered around the wound and began staining the ground.
The loud screech of the dragon could be heard across the entire area as his body hurled into the earth just in front of Reiya.
His green eyes darted around wildly as the red liquid gushed in pools onto the ground.
The shine in his eyes began to fade, until the life was drained from his body.
Meanwhile, other bodies had begun to fall to the ground as Dex and Weston began clearing the skies.
The differences between the rogue dragons and the royals were clear, even with their numbers.
A shadow began to fall over Reiya, and she looked up at the sky. A new group of dragons soared in the air. At the front was a dark red dragon … Xander. They collided with the remaining rogue dragons, not taking any prisoners. There were no second chances, not when it came to Reiya’s safety.
Suddenly, another group of dragons flew toward them.
This group came from beyond the kingdom’s boundary.
In seconds, the sky was peppered with more dragons joining in the fray.
The rogue dragons had decided to go all-in on the battle, no longer willing to hide in the shadows.
It was as if someone had commanded them that this was their moment, but who?
“Reiya, we need to get away from here. This isn’t safe.” Chelsie gripped her arm, and Brody rumbled in agreement. As he looked behind them, he let out another vicious roar. The two girls spun around to see what had him so upset.
Standing there was the disgusting man in purple, but he wasn’t alone.
At his side was a familiar old man whose face carried the weight of years.
He was one of the past kings of the Southern Kingdom.
The man with the two granddaughters. His dark orbs glared at Reiya, while Clovis smirked at his side.
“The demons have promised us positions of power … yes, all we have to do is deliver you to them,” Clovis hissed out with a smug air.
“You really think those demons will give you what you want? You’re just a pawn they can use.
Nothing more than a tool for them,” Reiya spat out bitterly.
She wasn’t afraid of Clovis. Him she could handle.
It was the old man she was leery of. He would be a very powerful opponent … arguably too powerful.
Xander is close enough to link with, so we won’t be burned, right? Or is he close enough? I’d love to come out and remove that man’s head from his body, but this one is your showdown. Still, you know how to shift if you need me. I can heal you too, Reiya, Lumi reminded her from her subconscious.
Thanks, Lumi. I might need your healing after this, Reiya thought as she looked at the old man again. Why would he do this? He was in a position of power.
“Don’t worry, princess. I don’t want you dead. Your friends here, though … I don’t need them alive.” Clovis stared at them icily as he shifted into his gray dragon. He blew fire from his mouth at Brody, who stood unwavering in front of Reiya and Chelsie.
Reiya quickly brought up a shield of water in front of Brody and sent the blast hurling toward the man in purple.
It was the old man who made the next move.
With a glance at the water, it disappeared.
A gaze of fire that sizzled the water instantly.
He turned and gave her a sinister smile.
“Is that the extent of your power … ‘fairy’?” his old voice hissed out mockingly.
Reiya furrowed her brows at Clovis. “Why?”
Clovis laughed. “You wondered why I always wore purple. It’s because purple is the color of royalty. Yes, princess. I am royalty. I am his illegitimate great grandson. I should have acquired the throne. It shouldn’t be Weston. It should have been me.”
“I’m confused. You don’t look like the other royal dragons … in size.” Reiya could not feel any power radiating from him.
“You see, I had two sons. My firstborn son should have been my rightful heir, but alas, it wasn’t with my mate.
It was from a female who visited during a mating party.
My son grew up here, and through the generations, the family was pulled under this kingdom’s rule.
If he had grown up in my kingdom, he could have retained his power.
It’s just a way the dragons keep order. So, I decided that this time …
this time, I would back my firstborn son’s legacy.
Our interests align as well. Dragons should never take anything but a dragon as a mate. ” The old man sneered at Reiya.
“So, you are giving up your position of power to be a subject of the demons for your great grandson?” Reiya folded her arms and stared the old man down confidently.
She was, after all, his deity’s mate. He just didn’t know it.
The loud screeching in the sky caused Reiya to look up momentarily at the battle above them.
The rogue dragons were losing, but it was still a mighty fight.
The old man seized this moment, this split second of distraction, to thrust a powerful gust toward the group in front of him. The wind hit the three, sending them sliding backward. Brody quickly regained his footing and tried to take most of the brunt of the wind in order to shield the girls.
It didn’t feel like getting hit by wind at all, though.
It felt like being hit by a scorching metal bat.
The force of it left a scalding red mark on both her and Chelsie.
Reiya spat blood out of her mouth and used the back of her hand to wipe it away.
She looked up, feeling anxious for Brody, knowing he was shielding them.
Reiya jumped forward and sprinted in front of Brody. He was there to protect her, but he was her brother, and they wouldn’t kill her, unlike him. She took the next wave head-on and crashed back into Brody’s fur.
So much for being impervious to magic, Reiya thought wryly as the pain rippled over her body.
Lumi answered Reiya’s thought. Xander has moved farther away in the fight. He isn’t close enough.
Reiya forced herself on trembling feet and stood upright defiantly.
Brody and Chelsie also took their stances at her side.
They weren’t weaklings. They were strong.
This was just the difference in strength.
It showed how important the dragons really were in battle.
The strength in the dragon royalty was far superior and was one of the reasons they never needed to rely on others.
Still, they were not about to go down without a fight.
Reiya concentrated on the energy around her.
She blocked out the sounds above her, letting them fade into the background.
Instead, she focused on the colors of energy around her.
She searched for the one that made the old man unique.
Reaching her hand out and grabbing onto the light forcefully, she brought the old man to his knees, and he grunted in pain.
“Grandpa!” Clovis shouted as he reached for the older man.
The old man held up his hand and glowered at Reiya as he struggled to his feet.
“That’s an evil game you’re playing … Little.
Pure. Fairy.” He emphasized the last three words with sarcasm.
“Messing around with life energy ... and you think you’re different from demons?
” The old man smirked as he made his point.
“I didn’t cut your life thread. I simply bid it to listen to me.
To bring its wielder to their knees. I’m not playing a game, old man.
You want to face off against the fairy princess, fine …
then you will face off with her. I might be a fairy, but you will find that I am not as weak as you dragons like to think.
” Reiya squeezed her fists together as she watched the threads of energy in front of her, waiting for one to fluctuate.
She wasn’t very experienced, not having trained with her magic that much.
Still, she had learned some things from breaking curses.
She had learned about the different energies, and which one was their life force.
If she could control the surges, she had a chance at controlling his power . .. she hoped.
The old man straightened up and sneered at Reiya.
“I promised I wouldn’t kill you, but I am going to teach you a very valuable lesson, na?ve child.
You are way too young to have mastered the skills you’re playing with.
I’m going to show you what happens when you get in over your head.
This will be my gift to you … a life lesson for the future. ”
Reiya watched his lifeline surge, the light expanding.
The glowing surged in and out as the light began to swell.
The color began to darken as a power was being pulled through it.
This was the moment she grabbed onto the light forcefully, trying her best to strangle out the power. Please … let this work.