Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

D rakon looks at Baz, as if considering what to do next, then loosens his grip on my neck.

I drop to the floor. My throat burns as I cough, and I rub the skin there, sucking in gasps of air.

“I do not wish to harm you, Zarla. But you must understand, we do not have outsiders enter our Kingdom, so I need to know how you got in.”

I shuffle back and lean up against the wall. “We already told you. We portalled here by accident.”

He frowns at me.

“I can open portals. Well, I usually can. You’ve done something to prevent me from being able to.”

He stretches his hand out to me. I take it, and he pulls me to my feet. “It’s a safety precaution. We cannot simply allow you to leave.”

I study the male’s face and decide I believe him. He isn’t going to hurt me.

“So you are the King?”

A wide grin spreads across his lips. “I am. My name is Drakon.”

I fold my arms over my chest. Grazen is still causing a ruckus outside, and I nod to the door. “Can you let him in now?”

He looks at Baz, who crosses the room and opens the door, and Grazen bursts inside, glancing around before hurrying to my side.

“Are you all right?” he asks me, then turns on Drakon. “What the fuck was that?”

Drakon laughs, and it does little to help the situation. Grazen punches him hard, but he doesn’t fall down.

Drakon’s eyes shift from brown to red again, and his jaw tenses. “Touch me again and it will be the last thing you do, watcher.”

I take Grazen’s hand and drag him back to my side. “I’m fine. This is Drakon.”

Grazen shoots me a confused look. “What? He’s the King? You’re the King?”

Drakon stares at Grazen, and then his eyes shift back to brown. “Yes. I am.”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Grazen makes a fair point.

Drakon cracks his neck and flexes his wide shoulders back. “I have my reasons. Now, get some rest, and we can continue this tomorrow.”

He heads for the door with Baz close behind him.

“Hang on,” Grazen says. “If you’re here, why can’t we just talk now? You can’t keep us here as prisoners. We wish to go back to Silanthia.”

Actually, that’s not entirely true. That’s probably the last place I want to go.

I grab Grazen’s arm. “No, I am not going back there.”

Drakon chuckles. “It would seem your female wishes to stay. I will leave the two of you to discuss that in private. Get some rest.”

Although it sounds like a kind gesture, it’s not. We have no choice in the matter. This is our prison cell for the night, no matter how fancy it may be. And it is fancy.

The door clicks shut, and Grazen pulls me into his chest. “I’m sorry. There was nothing I could do. They blocked the door.”

I squeeze him back. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”

He releases me and glances around the room, a smirk spreading over his lips.

I narrow my eyes in suspicion. “What is it?”

He points to a large bed positioned in the middle of the room, and I realise I haven’t even looked around yet. My mouth gapes open as I stare in awe at the enormous and beautifully decorated room. The gold walls shimmer in the last rays of the afternoon sun. I cross the room to the bed, glancing at the streaks of gold in the polished grey marble.

There’s only one bed, hence Grazen’s smirk, no doubt. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bed so big.

I sink down on the cover and run my fingers over the soft white fabric. “One bed. That’s what’s so funny?”

A cheeky grin spreads across his face, and he shrugs. “I mean, I’m not complaining.”

I roll my eyes. There is enough room for us to sleep comfortably on opposite sides with plenty of space in between us, but even so, it still doesn’t feel right. Kyle would kill any male who tried to share a bed with me.

I stand and look around the open space. Scratching my head, I eye the couch in the living room to the right. “It’s okay. I can take the couch.”

Grazen laughs. “There is no way I am making you take the couch. That bed’s big enough for an entire family, and you know you can trust me. But if it makes you uncomfortable sharing it with me, I’ll take the couch.”

“Thank you,” I tell him, my lips curling into a smile. He’s a decent male. I mean, I always knew that, but he proves it time and time again.

I pad over to the windows lining the far side of the room and look out at the volcano walls encasing this castle within this foreign Kingdom. Where the hell are we? An icy chill brushes over me at the unknown, and I huddle into myself. What if these dragon shifters never let us leave? I should be able to use my powers, no matter where I am. How can they hold such control over me when I’m a goddess?

Grazen walks to my side, and I jump. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”

I laugh. “It’s all right. I guess I’m just a little on edge here. What are we going to do?”

He rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t think we have much of a choice, unfortunately. We just have to wait and see what Drakon says tomorrow.”

I bite my bottom lip and glance down at the floor. There’s a chip in the marble, and I wonder what could have caused it.

“I won’t let them harm you. I’ll protect you. Always.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry I got us into this mess.” By the gods, I am glad Grazen is here with me, though.

He gives me a crooked smile. “We’re good. Let’s get some sleep and figure the rest out tomorrow.”

“Deal.” I look for the bathroom and find one along the left side of the room with a large walk-in wardrobe next to that.

I slip inside the bathroom and undress before stepping under the hot spray of the shower. Pressing my forehead against the charcoal tiles, I let the water run over my body. It soothes my tense muscles, providing some much-needed relief.

We will be all right. I know we will. Drakon seems reasonable enough. Tomorrow we can come up with a plan and maybe convince him to let me portal us out of here.

I lean my head back and allow the water to pour over my hair and down my back. I can’t even remember the last time I could take a shower and actually enjoy it.

An image passes through my mind of Kyle between my legs in his shower. It causes an ache in my heart. A longing to be with him. My mate. But he’s not my mate anymore, is he?

What has Amaros done to me?

My lip quivers, and I allow the tears to run down my cheeks, masked by the spray of the shower. I hate that male, and I’m going to break this bond, no matter what it takes. I am not his. I will never be his.

There’s a gentle knock on the door, and I realise I’ve probably been in here longer than I should’ve. I turn the faucet off and step out into the steamy room, reaching for a towel hanging on a heated rail. I wrap it around myself and open the door.

Grazen’s frame takes up the entire space, and his expression shows concern. “Everything all right?”

I force a smile. “I’m okay.”

He leans against the doorframe and crosses his arms. “Not buying it.”

I tug the towel higher up my chest, and his focus drops to the movement.

“I heard you…crying.”

I glance down and fiddle with my fingers. “Sorry, you weren’t meant to.”

He tucks a finger beneath my chin and tilts up my head. “Don’t apologise for that. Ever.”

“It’s everything, but mostly what Amaros has done to me. To my bond with Kyle.” I glance down, and he drops his hand away from my face.

“I won’t pretend to understand how you’re feeling because I don’t. But I am here for you. You don’t have to cry alone.” He tugs me against his chest and wraps his arms around me.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

He lets me go and steps around me into the bathroom. “My turn.”

He closes the door, and I soon hear the spray of the shower. It gives me time to dress in a long black T-shirt I find hanging in the wardrobe, and I wonder whose clothes these are. I yawn and climb under the covers, and it’s not long before the bathroom door opens and Grazen steps out, his towel wrapped around his waist.

I roll onto my side to give him privacy as he steps into the wardrobe. He reappears moments later wearing grey sweatpants and nothing covering his chest, carrying a blanket under one arm and a pillow under the other. He arranges them on the couch, then he lies down, spreading the blanket over himself. Guilt tugs at my chest at not offering to share the bed, but I can’t do it. Kyle would be furious.

“I am perfectly fine over here, so you can stop worrying,” he says.

How did he know I was worrying?

I roll back over, position my hand under my cheek, and look at him.

“What happened? After Amaros killed Zalore?”

His question catches me off guard, but I realise I haven’t seen him since all that happened. Not counting the disastrous dinner with Amaros. I haven’t had a chance to fill him in on any of it.

“Gosh, where to begin. I opened a portal in Galespo and sent all of the lost ones back to the Realm of Lost Souls. Finlay, a good friend of mine, was killed.” My voice cracks, and I pause to gather my thoughts and to keep the tears at bay. “I opened a portal into Zarquon and got him through it before Amaros caught me. But I was lucky enough to escape him and make it through a portal into Zarquon.”

He repositions himself on the couch, his focus locked on me. “Shit. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

I swallow hard. “Don’t be. I was okay, in the end.”

His brows furrow. “How did you end up back in Silanthia, then?”

I roll onto my back and stare up at the ceiling. “Em drugged me and somehow helped Amaros get into Zarquon. He took me through a portal and back into Silanthia.”

“Fuck, I hate that male. And Em… Was she the redhead?”

“Yes, but not the curly-haired one. That’s Lacinda, and she’s my best friend.”

The rustling of a blanket makes me look over to find he’s sitting forward on the couch.

“I meant the other one. I knew she was trouble.”

I sit up and lean back against the headboard. “Yep, you and me both.”

He stares at me for a while without saying a word. “I missed you, after you left Galespo. That day we first met. And then after I helped you and your friends, I was worried about you. I should have stayed with you. Maybe then none of this would have happened.”

I pull at the covers. “Don’t do that. We can’t know that would have made a difference, and you can’t beat yourself up about what you think could have happened or what you could have prevented. What happened, happened. We can’t change it, no matter how much I want to.”

He rakes his hands down his face and lies back on the couch. The leather creaks beneath his weight as he gets comfortable. “I suppose so.”

“Let’s get some rest. Who knows what challenges tomorrow will bring.”

He nods in agreement, and I shuffle back down under the covers. He claps his hands, and the lights turn off, giving me a fright.

“How’d you know that would turn them off?”

He laughs. “Just a hunch. Goodnight, Zarla.”

“Goodnight, Grazen.”

The following morning, I wake to find myself alone in the room. Panic immediately floods my body as I leap out of bed in search of Grazen.

Has he gone for a walk? Did the dragon shifters take him during the night? Endless concerns pass through my mind before the bathroom door swings open and he strides out wearing the same grey sweatpants from the night before. I breathe a sigh of relief.

“You all right?” he asks.

I press my hand against my chest. “I didn’t know where you were.”

He chuckles, crosses the room to the bed, and sits up against the headboard, folding his arms across his chest. “Sorry. Would you prefer next time I wake you to alert you I require the bathroom?”

I roll my eyes at the male, stretch my arms above my head, and yawn. “Very funny.”

A knock sounds on the door, and Grazen is on his feet in an instant, striding over to open it. It’s Baz and the three other dragon shifters.

“Morning. Did you manage to get some sleep?” he asks with a cheeky glint in his eyes.

Grazen glances over his shoulder at me then casually closes the door a bit to prevent them from seeing me. Good male.

“We did. Thanks for asking,” he responds matter-of-factly.

There’s a pause. “Get dressed. Drakon will see you now.”

Grazen closes the door, and it clicks shut. He crosses the room into the walk-in wardrobe and returns moments later, tugging a black sweatshirt over his head.

“We’d better hurry. Something tells me Drakon is an impatient male.”

Raising my brows, I let out a long breath and pad over to where my leathers are laid out on the back of a chair. I snatch them up then disappear into the bathroom to dress. Once I’m done, I find Grazen sitting on the end of the bed, waiting for me.

He gets to his feet. “Ready?”

I tug my hair up into a ponytail. “I guess.”

Although I know he’s trying to mask his concerns, I can still sense them. He’s worried, and to be honest, so am I. Drakon shouldn’t have control of my powers, and it frightens me that he does.

Grazen heads for the door, and I follow close behind him. Baz and the dragon shifters from yesterday are waiting for us.

“Follow me,” Baz says, then he and another male take the lead.

The two other shifters follow behind us.

I swallow hard. Grazen reaches out and takes hold of my hand, and I glance up at him with a forced smile. He shoots me a look as if to say it’ll be all right and that he’s got my back.

The castle corridors are dimly lit, and the stone flooring has streaks of red through it. The longer I stare, I realise its small channels of lava flowing beneath the floor. It’s mesmerising, but I have to tear my eyes off it to focus on where we’re going. I took mental notes last night when we were led to the room in case we needed to escape. I need to do the same now.

Voices echo up ahead as we pass through the wide corridors and eventually into a vast open room at the end. It appears to be some sort of communal eating space. Long tables and wooden benches line the centre of the room, and there must be at least fifty males seated there, eating breakfast. Their chatter quiets down as they glance up at us.

I look away, keeping my focus on Baz in front of me. Unease grows inside me, and it makes me wonder if this Kingdom is the same as Galespo. Lacking females. What is it with these Kingdoms being overrun with males?

We finally reach another corridor at the end of the room and carry on, winding our way through the castle. I spot two double doors at the end and figure that’s where we’re headed.

Baz stops in front of them and spins around to face us. “King Drakon is waiting for you both.”

He opens the doors and waves for us to enter.

I’m curious why they would allow him to be alone in a room with two outsiders, but when we enter, I find that’s not the case. There are male guards spaced around the circular-shaped room, and Drakon sits behind a carved wooden desk near the back. Two armchairs sit in front of the desk, and he gestures at them.

I glance at Grazen, and he takes a seat in one chair. I follow him and sink down into the other one.

Drak on’s lips curl up at the sides, showing off his perfectly white teeth.

“Thank you for coming,” he says, as if we had a choice.

I stare at the male and get that same familiar feeling about him. What in the gods is it about this male that makes me feel this way?

Grazen rubs the back of his neck. “What do you need to discuss with us that you couldn’t have yesterday?”

Drakon narrows his eyes at him then abruptly pushes his chair back and stands. “I want to know how the fuck you got into my Kingdom.”

I open my mouth to respond when he pulls a large dagger from his belt and stabs it into the desk before me.

“I would suggest you think very carefully about the next words to leave your lips. I have many ways to get the truth out of you if you won’t offer it willingly. Ways that I can assure you will not like.”