Chapter 1

Chapter One

Runa

“Go away.”

It’d been a week since the incident, and still, the dragon hovered. He said it was because he owed me, but I knew the truth. I could see the fear. He was afraid of me. It was something I would’ve hoped for when I first arrived. To have him fear me enough to let me go.

Now… Now he had nothing to be afraid of.

“You are unwell,” he said simply in response.

“I don’t see how that’s relevant. Or your problem.”

He sighed, and the look on his face was pained. Almost like he regretted how he treated me before. As much as he pretended I wasn’t a captive here, we both knew if I left, he’d go after me. He didn’t trust me on my own.

“Runa…”

“Go, Aiden. And don’t come back. I’m not interested in visitors. Go be with your mate.”

Bringing up Andrew was the easiest way to get the dragon to leave. After almost losing him, the dragon was possessive and hovered a lot. Andrew didn’t seem to mind the attention. I minded, though. I didn’t need him to take care of me. I didn’t need anyone.

He studied me for another moment before dipping his chin once to acknowledge me. “Fine. I will have Christian check in–”

“You will do no such thing,” I growled. If I had the energy, I would get up to face him. But ever since the stunt I pulled, I was weak beyond all measure. It was a miracle I could make it to the bathroom on my own, and I needed to use the furniture to support myself to make it there. I couldn’t face the dragon without giving him more proof of how weak I was. So I stayed in my chair, my eyes locked on the unlit hearth, hoping my dismissiveness would be enough to get him to leave.

“Runa–”

“I said no. No more visitors. Go away.”

I felt his irritation, the way the air vibrated around me. As much as he was attempting to change, at least with me, he couldn’t completely ignore his nature. His dragon was temperamental and didn't like me arguing with him. You’d think he would be used to it at this point.

“As you wish,” the dragon finally conceded. I knew that wouldn’t be his last visit. He was irritatingly attentive since I was hurt. It’d mean more if he didn’t vehemently hate me before I saved his mate’s life. Healing was what I was born for. It was what I excelled at. Yet he treated me like a monster for months because of something his own flesh and blood forced me to do. He was singing another tune now.

Once he left, I let my rigid posture relax, my muscles trembling from the effort of keeping myself upright the entire time he was here. I couldn’t allow him to think of me as weak. I couldn’t afford for anyone to see me that way. It was too dangerous.

Picking up the spell book beside me, I rested it on my lap, putting my palm on top of it. I never thought I’d lose my abilities. I didn't regret my choice. To lose one’s mate was to lose your soul. Even if the winds hadn’t spoken to me and told me to save the mountain’s protector, I would’ve made the same choice. I just never expected it to steal my magic in the process.

I had no idea how long I sat there, staring at the book that held every ounce of knowledge my family had accumulated over hundreds of years. It was lucky that the stasis spells attached to it were tied to the book itself instead of any living thing, otherwise it would no longer be protected. A lot like my wards. They fell when my magic left me, and I couldn’t bring them back. I felt exposed in my own home. Even knowing the dragon was a stone’s throw away didn’t make me feel any better. I had to lie to everyone and say they were still there just to protect myself.

It shouldn’t have come as a shock anymore that the things important to me were ripped away so violently. My family, my home, my magic, and the feeling of safety that I’d finally managed to achieve after years of hiding. I should’ve been used to it by now.

The door creaked open, and a shadow stood just inside the door. I didn’t need magic to know who it was. There were only two people brave enough to face me anymore. And Calvin didn’t know how to be quiet.

“What do you want, Kiara?”

“I wanna know how long you’re going to hide in here.”

I fought back a scowl, glaring at the empty hearth. “I’m not going to dignify that with a response. Go away.”

“Nah, I don’t think I will,” she said cooly, slinking into the room like a cat. The lioness made sense with her. They both were experts in sneaking around.

Since there was only one chair, she leaned against the wall next to the hearth, looking completely at ease with violating my space. I kept the furniture minimal on purpose to discourage visitors. Kiara didn’t care in the slightest.

“I heard Aiden came to visit.”

“I didn’t invite him here,” I replied with a scowl.

She scoffed. “I know that. I’m pretty sure you’d rather peel off strips of your skin. I’m guessing you didn’t tell him?”

I set my jaw stubbornly and looked away. “There’s nothing to tell.”

“Runa…”

Whipping my head around, I glared at her. “What do you want, Kiara? Whatever it is, I have nothing to offer anymore. You, out of everyone, should know that. So why won’t you leave me be?”

If it had been anyone else, they might have given me the solitude I asked for. Kiara was more stubborn than most and unafraid of anything, aside from losing her own mate. She pushed off the wall and moved to kneel in front of me, her eyes narrowed and suspicious.

“Give me your hand.”

“No.”

“I’m not going anywhere until I check on you, Runa. You want me to go away, then stop being so stubborn. Give me your hand.”

I knew what she was looking for, and I hated showing even her. She and Calvin were the only ones who knew just how weak I was. They took care of me when I couldn’t get out of bed on my own. But I didn’t have the energy to keep arguing with her. So I lifted my hand off the armrest and held it out to her, ignoring the tremble as my muscles protested.

She took my hand in hers, steadying the shake and supporting my fatigued muscles. Setting my hand back on the armrest, she gripped my chin and forced me to look at her, studying my face. I wanted to push her away, but I didn’t have the strength.

“I know you feel awful right now, but you’re on the mend. A few days ago, you couldn’t lift your hand that easily. Even holding your head up was hard.”

True. It was hard to see lifting my hand as an accomplishment, though. After years of relying only on myself, it went against my nature to let others see me as weak.

“Are you moving around okay?”

I nodded once. “As well as can be expected, I suppose. Why are you here?”

She gave me a flat look. “Other than to check on you, you mean?”

“You checked on me yesterday. You’re hovering. Why?”

She sighed, flipping my hands over to check the scars. I could’ve healed those injuries had I had my magic. Instead, I would be left with those scars for the rest of my life. “I’m leaving soon. Aiden asked me to go look for the other victims. The number of dragons is so low, he’s worried they’re close to going extinct. With Jasper’s stunt, he’s concerned that the few dragons that were left would choose to fade instead of living without their mates.”

“What does he hope to accomplish by finding them? He may only make them angry by flaunting the fact that his mate is still alive.”

She nodded, unfazed. “That’s why he’s sending me instead. He wants to offer support, a place to go if they need it, anything he can, really. And he’s going after the dragon council. They shunned him for being gay. He blames them for letting Jasper get that out of control.”

I hummed. I knew dragon numbers were low. Aiden explained everything to me after the incident. He felt I deserved to know why it happened. I wasn’t sure how many would accept his help. His mate survived. It was kind of him to offer, though, and if they could get their revenge by going after the council and ending their regime, it might help ease their souls a little.

“What do you need from me?” I didn’t have any magic, and even if I did, my seeking spells were shit. And I couldn’t heal a broken heart. As much as I wished otherwise.

“Nothing big. I just want you to let someone come check on you while I’m gone. I’m worried about you out here by yourself.”

“No one aside from the dragon is brave enough to see me, Kiara. You know this. I am not asking them to help me when they flinch from me.”

I could tell it bothered her. The shifters in these mountains were already wary of me since I arrived. Only a few had been brave enough to face me for the first few months. Now that they saw how much I was holding back, they avoided me at all costs.

“What about Ethan? He’s not afraid of you.”

“He’s also not stable. No, Kiara. I’m well enough to survive on my own.”

I’d been on my own all my life. Now was no different.