Chapter 9 #2
Kier shuddered in disgust before sticking his tongue out, because blergh. “Of course not!” He glanced at the witch, only for his face to grow so warm he feared he’d combust with flames when he met her wide-eyed stare. “I could think of nothing worse.”
Her lips parted in surprise, then she folded her arms and turned her face away from him, muttering, “I could say the same thing.”
How dare she utter such petulant words when she has no idea of what she speaks! Only dragons knew of what had happened between the WitchSlayer and his witch mate. She would be lucky if a dragon chose to bed her.
She should consider it an honour that they’d stoop so low.
Two male dragons had already done so, and many were repulsed by it. Two brothers, no less. The eldest brother of the three had found himself a dragon mate promptly to thwart any potential rumours that he might be just as unstable.
Kier would never, even if he found this female to have a rather spellbinding appearance. He didn’t know if her body was similarly appealing, as it was always hidden beneath clothing.
“No, only the Witchlayer would do something so foul.” He stepped forward, hoping to usher them out of the tunnel. “Show me your hunt, Aysu.”
Aysu backed up, as she often struggled to turn in such a narrow space without bending her spine too much. “I hope you enjoy my offering as much as he does,” she said to the witch.
“What is it?”
“Fish, obviously,” he snapped down at her.
She cut him a scowl and snubbed him, turning up her nose haughtily. He didn’t know why he found that rather cute, but he thought it might be because she was so damn small in comparison to him. For such a diminutive creature, she sure liked to verbally spar with something hundreds of times her size.
Brave, stupid, adorable.
She practically sprinted to get in front of him, as if walking beside him was unpleasant. She even directed her steps so the only way to get past was to go over her, which he’d rather not do.
She did it on purpose and even slowed down just to be annoying.
He looked at her feet and gave in to the sudden urge to swipe a claw forward until she tripped.
The witch turned with lips agape as she staggered to the side and out of his way, and he rumbled a mean laugh. There, take that. She gritted out a frustrated scream as he passed her, forcing her to walk behind him like a lower lifeform.
Humour tickled his chest when she muttered in anger.
When he rotated his neck to look behind him, she curled an upper lip and kicked the end of his tail.
So he flicked it, tripping her again. However, this time she truly stumbled, and he instinctively darted his tail to the side so she fell onto it instead of the hard ground.
“If I had fangs, I’d bite you,” she said when she lifted her head from where it had landed against him.
I might like that. Although he didn’t like how it was his first thought. Biting was fun between dragons and often a sign of affection or play.
He didn’t wish to be affectionate with her, and it was only then that he realised he’d been playing with her. Why? He didn’t know, but the moment had struck him, and he’d found humour in it.
He grunted, gave her a surly look, and exited the tunnel to where the sea dragoness waited for them in the entry area.
A net of seaweed and other rope had been fastened into a bag and contained an assorted variety of fish. A large yellow-and-brown spotty fin sticking out from the middle was evidence of a small shark.
“I have nothing to give you in return,” he said, coming closer to open the net bag. “I haven’t hunted.”
“This isn’t a trade,” Aysu answered, peering at the witch who had joined them. “I know you don’t have the time or will for such things, but the idea of you not eating leaves me unwell.”
“And it doesn’t suit me that I have nothing to offer.”
Aysu lifted a paw to wave it up and down dismissively. “Then do so later. Dear child, you must eat, and there is nothing better than a good meal of fish.”
I would disagree, he thought as she lifted the bag and trundled off to the side. I’m also not a child.
But since his mother was killed, this dragoness had decided to take him under her many wings, so to speak. Not that he needed nor wanted it.
It’d been that way for a little over a century.
It was why she approached a carved hole in the wall, sucked in a large breath in preparation, and blew ice from her maw.
It filled the hole with large, jagged pieces that she stomped down on to crush, then she emptied the contents of the net bag on top of it.
She swiped crushed ice over the pile of assorted fish, ensuring they’d stay fresher for longer.
“They really breathe ice,” the witch rasped at his side with awe.
Well, she wasn’t quite at his side; she’d put a decent amount of space between them, as if she found him abhorrent to be near. With her hands cupped near her chest, she stared at Aysu intently.
“She’s beautiful,” she whispered so softly that he barely heard it.
He tried to see it from her point of view.
To see a dragon was to court one’s death, and now she was in the presence of two. Seafolk were even rarer to be found, often frolicking below the ocean waves, safe and sound from her kind. So they stayed there, hidden in the depths, praying witches never obtained the ability to breathe underwater.
Yes, she’s quite beautiful, Kier thought, staring at Aysu. And she is very kind.
Also a little na?ve about dark witches and the land. She lacked the anger and hatred that came from hardship.
Aysu came over to them, and Kier stepped closer.
“There,” she said with a smile. “Now I will leave you to your peace, as I’m sure you are rather busy.”
He nodded. “Thank you, as always.”
She turned to the witch and pointed a claw at her. “I’d like to speak with you at length in the future. I have many questions.”
The witch offered her a sincere smile that made her face light up. “And I’d be happy to answer them. I have my own as well.”
“Yes! We shall trade in words.”
“That would be unwise,” Kier pointed out, as if he were the only one in the area that had any sense. “Such information can be given to others of her kind.”
Both their features fell, making him feel as though he were the ruiner of fun for stating the obvious truth. For a split second, the witch’s eyes reddened and turned glassy, but she quickly blinked away any potential tears.
“I would never do that,” she said up to Aysu. “But you’re welcome to share only what you are comfortable with. I’ll withhold nothing from you.”
Aysu, now rather disgruntled, cast Kier a strange, wary glance before she nodded. Then she left, flopping over the edge of his cave entrance to climb down the cliff, using her wings to lighten her weight.
They both stared at the space she last occupied, probably for differing reasons. Why did Aysu look at me like that? Nothing of what he said was untrue, and she truly should proceed with caution should she speak to the witch.
At least he was allowing it.
Then again, telling Aysu no was like talking to a cave wall and expecting it to obey.
The scuffing of rocks against the ground caused him to look to his side, just as the witch walked off.
“Where are you going?”
She has no comments about Aysu? No desire to pester him with questions about why she was here or their relationship? No curiosity whatsoever?
“To cook a new meal,” she answered curtly.
He spun. “Take some of the fish. My sister likes it.”
Her shoulders tightened with tension as she turned back around and lifted her head higher, which actually made it easier to gaze upon it, then stormed past him. “Fine.”
Her tone was overly curt and sharp, and he didn’t wish to tolerate it. If I remain, she will cast all her ire on me. The scent of blood had not faded from her. Perhaps I shouldn’t bully her when she is fragile.
He could’ve been... gentler, less abrasive.
His gut twisted at how he could so quickly forget such a thing, even in his strange desire to play. Perhaps he also spoke more coarsely than she’d proven she deserved, but protecting Aysu and seafolk took precedence.
However, he didn’t think he’d said anything too offensive. All of it was true, usually.
Yet he was aware he’d annoyed both of them, and surely Aysu would bother him about it at a later time. She’d only been quick this day to attend to her task, knowing he wouldn’t want her to linger.
Great, more issues to contend with. After staring at the back of the witch for too long as she went through the pile of fish, he left. Females... no, they don’t differ much in the whims of their moods.
He wasn’t looking forward to Selene’s when she woke to discover this witch had been assisting them.
My life is dictated by females of all kinds.
Other male dragons would pity him.