Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

T his male is seriously unhinged. The last thing we want to do is anger him further, but I am getting annoyed with the repetitive question. One I have answered several times already.

“I told you, I opened a portal here by accident, and I don’t understand how because I never knew this place existed.”

He breathes deeply through his nose, yanks the blade out of his desk, and slowly sits back down. “Have you dreamt of Pyrrhus before?”

I furrow my brows. “Pyrrhus?”

He leans forward and stretches his arms out wide. “My Kingdom.”

Pyrrhus… How have I not heard this name before? The image of the dragon from my dreams flashes to the forefront of my mind. Its large red eyes, staring down at me.

I swallow hard and side-eye Grazen.

I don’t want these males knowing about my dream. It’s private, and I highly doubt it holds any significance as to why I portalled us here. It’s mere coincidence.

But even as I think it, deep down, I know it’s more than just coincidence.

“Not that I can think of,” I lie.

Drakon narrows his eyes at me and runs a hand over his clipped beard, as if deciding whether he believes me or not. It’s silent in this room, aside from the crackle of wood from the open fire. As if it isn’t hot enough in this damn place. He pushes his chair back, the wood scraping along the marble flooring, and crosses the room to a gold tray sitting atop a small table, where he takes a crystal glass and pours himself a drink.

He holds the glass up, raising his brows in question.

“Not for me, thanks,” I say.

“I’ll take one,” Grazen says.

Drakon pours a second glass then strides over and hands it to Grazen. He takes the glass and drinks the contents down in one go, and I can only imagine the burn in his throat. I wouldn’t be able to drink that and keep a straight face, but Grazen seems to have mastered the art of drinking strong drinks and makes no fuss of it. He slams his glass down on the desk, and Drakon throws his drink back before doing the same and taking his seat.

“Although I do not know of any angels who can open portals, I do know that in order to do so, one must be familiar with the destination. Or so I’ve heard.” Drakon leans back in his seat and places both feet up on the desk, crossing them at the ankle.

I bite my bottom lip. “That’s not true. I have portalled places I have not been familiar with, including this one.”

“Unless you didn’t portal here at all, and you’re lying about how you got into my Kingdom.”

Grazen snorts, and Drakon glares at him.

“I am not lying,” I bite out, grinding my teeth.

Drakon smirks. “Then prove it. Open a portal, right here, right now.”

I frown at the male and glance over at Grazen. “How am I to do that when you’re preventing me from using my powers?”

Drakon closes his eyes and quietly chants something I can’t understand. His eyes snap open, and I feel an almost immediate release, as if some invisible hold he had over me is now gone. I look at my hands and will my powers to the surface, and sure enough, they are there. I can sense them. Drakon gestures for me to do as he has asked, so I get to my feet and prepare myself.

“Oh, and Zarla? Do not try to escape because I will find you. And your friend here won’t live long enough to join you.”

Pursing my lips, I refocus on the task at hand. A portal to Silanthia is out of the question. I can’t risk Amaros seeing me. A portal into Zarquon would be my first choice, but I don’t want to put those I love in danger, and if I saw Kyle, there would be nothing stopping me from running right to him, ignoring Drakon’s threat and risking Grazen’s life.

No, I need to open a portal somewhere else. A portal to another part of Pyrrhus. Perhaps where Drakon found us.

I squeeze my eyes closed and focus everything I have as I reach for the familiar cool sensation deep within me. Grabbing hold of it, I aim my hands out in front of me and open a portal there. It’s working. I can feel the pull of its energy, the strain on my body against the pressure required to open it.

“Unbelievable…” Drakon whispers.

I slowly open my eyes to see I’ve done it.

Drakon is staring at the portal in amazement before his gaze settles on me. “So it’s true. You can open portals.”

I swallow, unsure I like the way he’s looking at me, as if I could be his personal pet. This power is dangerous, especially in the wrong hands. The last person I want to have control over it, over me, is Drakon. Actually, scratch that. Amaros would be that person, although he already possesses this power.

But Drakon would be a close second. I do not trust this male.

I quickly allow the portal to snap shut and take my seat next to Grazen, who reaches out and curls his hand around mine.

Drakon’s gaze burns with intensity as he stares at me.

He stands and walks around the desk before me. “You are our saviour, Zarla. You would make a great Queen.”

Grazen squeezes my hand, seeming to read the emotions overwhelming me by Drakon’s reaction to my ability. I give Drakon a tight-lipped smile, but I don’t respond.

All of the male guards watch me with piqued interest, and I don’t particularly like that these strangers now know of my ability, not to mention Drakon himself. What if he tries to keep me here and forces me to use it at his will? For his own personal gain?

Drakon spreads his arms wide. “Well. I can understand now how you entered my Kingdom. You have quite the gift, Zarla. And I do not doubt it is merely one of many. You are both welcome to stay in my castle.”

Grazen stands, pulling me up by my arm as he does. “I think it’s best if we get going. As you can see, we did not mean to enter your Kingdom, and we both wish to leave it.”

Drakon’s focus shifts between us before settling on me. “You are to remain here for now, until I feel it is time for you to leave.” He snaps his fingers, and Baz moves to his side. “Show them around the castle.”

Grazen takes a step forward. “It is time. We’re leaving.”

Drakon stares at him, and his eyes change from brown to red. “No, you are not. Baz, please escort my guests around the castle.”

A low growl rumbles in Grazen’s chest. “I think we can manage on our own.”

The two males have a stare-off, and I clear my throat.

“Very well, then,” Drakon says, maintaining eye contact with Grazen before shifting his gaze to me. “So which of the five Kingdoms is your favourite, Zarla?”

I pull my brows together in confusion. “Five Kingdoms? This is the fourth one I have visited.”

He chuckles low under his breath then reaches up and strokes my cheek. “Much to learn. Can one assume you have not stepped foot in Gallerria, then?”

“Gallerria?”

He lets out a deep, throaty laugh as he takes a few slow steps back, and some of the other males in the room join in on his amusement. What the heck is he talking about?

“The Kingdom of the Gods.”

My mouth gapes open, and I glance at Grazen, who’s staring at Drakon with furrowed brows.

Drakon steps closer and takes a lock of my hair, twirling it in his fingers. I do not like him touching me like this, but something tells me not to voice it.

“I must say, I am surprised you have not heard of it, considering who your parents are.”

I gasp, unsure if this is a test or if he’s somehow figured it out.

He smirks. “I knew Serona and Atticus well, Zarla. And you are a spitting image of your mother.”

I tense my jaw and glare at the male. “I don’t like what you are insinuating.”

He drops my lock of hair. “Oh yeah? What am I insinuating, hmm?”

“That my parents kept things from me. If they did, there would be good reason for it.”

“I’m sure there is,” he says and heads for the door. He stops before passing through it and gazes back at me. “If one wanted to visit such a place, one would look for a white light over the ocean. One could then pass through the invisible barrier and into Gallerria. But be warned—only descendants of gods, or gods themselves, can pass through it. Anyone else will be incinerated.”

He doesn’t wait around for my response and disappears through the doorway. But only a few seconds later, he returns.

“Silly me. There’s something I forgot,” he says, then closes his eyes and chants low under his breath.

Once the words have left his lips, I know what he’s done. He’s put that barrier on my powers again. Preventing me from using them.

Shit.

“Enjoy your time in my castle,” he says with a grin, then disappears, this time for good.

“What a load of bullshit,” Grazen says under his breath.

Baz clears his throat, and it’s apparent these dragon shifters have good hearing.

“Let’s go,” I say and head for the door.

Once we’re out of earshot, I glance at Grazen, who takes long strides beside me. “You have to be careful what you say. He’s their King.”

He snorts. “So what? That doesn’t mean he can go around making shit up.”

We pass through the communal eating room where several males still sit around the tables, eating their breakfast. They glance up at us, and we carry on through and down the corridor. When we round the next corner, I’m glad to find we’re still alone.

I stop walking and face Grazen. “What if it is true?”

He rakes a hand through his messy blond hair. “There’s no way there’s an entire hidden Kingdom we don’t know about, okay?”

I raise my arms, gesturing to the very place we have found ourselves. “No, there couldn’t possibly be a hidden Kingdom somewhere. That’s just madness.”

He narrows his eyes at my sarcasm. “Shit. Okay, you have a point. We can figure it out later, but for now, we need to leave this fucking place. Back to Silanthia. I don’t trust these dragon shifters. Especially Drakon. Amaros will come for you. He can open portals as well, remember?”

I ball my fists and pace the corridor. “No. I’m not going back there. I refuse to allow that male to control me.”

He gently takes my hand. “If we stay here, we could be killed.”

I stare into his deep blue eyes, and I see his concern for the both of us in their depths. “Even if I wanted to leave, I can’t. My powers won’t work.”

He lets out a long breath and laces his fingers through mine, and we carry on down the corridor. “Who else knows about this Kingdom?”

Mulling over his rhetorical question, Amaros shifts to the forefront of my mind. That male knows. I can feel him in my mind, even now, just lingering, always. No matter how hard I try to shut him out, I can’t. He is going to come for me. He knows where I am. I can feel it.

“Amaros does.”

I sense Grazen’s gaze on me, but I don’t look at him. We keep winding our way through the corridors of the castle. I’m surprised Drakon allowed us to explore it on our own, and I’m thankful Baz didn’t join us. After all, what trouble could we possibly cause anyway? Anywhere that’s out of bounds wouldn’t be accessible to us, especially when I can’t even access my own powers.

If only I could understand their language, just maybe I could memorise the chant he used to block my powers from me. Although there’s no guarantee I could speak the words and have the same result.

We round another corner and immediately halt. The vastness of this castle has so far amazed me, but this is beyond anything we’ve seen yet. The ceilings have grown so high, you can no longer see them. They disappear above, even with my angel vision, and I cannot make out how high they reach. Maybe there are no ceilings at all, allowing the dragons the ability to fly in and out of the castle with ease when needed.

The walls are much wider here, too, and it has got to be an area the dragon shifters can freely move about in their dragon form. There’s no other explanation for the drastic shift in space. Concrete walls stretch farther than the eye can see, and lava flows beneath the flooring, illuminating the space in a soft, orange glow. It’s breathtaking.

“This is something else,” Grazen whispers.

Enormous weapons of various purposes hang along the walls, from swords to neck breakers, and other ones that I cannot understand, nor have I seen before. Are they just for decoration, or are the dragons able to use them? No angel could use these. They’re twice the size of Grazen, at least, and forged from what looks like a metal I’ve not come across before.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” I say in awe. “It’s magnificent.”

We start walking again, and the moment we do, screeches echo overhead. I glance up at several dragons flying high above us. They appear so small, giving some form of reference to just how high these ceilings actually go.

“You sure we’re allowed down here?” Grazen asks.

I shrug. “No, I’m not sure of anything.”

We carry on through the vast space for what feels like an hour, until I spot a smaller corridor up ahead, similar in size to the rest of the corridors throughout this castle.

Grazen gives my hand a gentle reassuring squeeze. “We really do need to find a way to get out of this place. They can’t keep us here forever.”

He’s right. Surely Drakon wouldn’t try to keep us here. He’ll figure it out eventually that there are males out there who will stop at nothing to get me back.

I sigh. “I know. But I won’t go back to Silanthia.”

“I get that. Once you have your powers back, we’ll go to Zarquon, okay?”

I run my hand along the corridor wall, and the rough surface scrapes against my fingertips. “He’s a monster. I’ve known him my whole life, and I never knew. He hid his true self so well. How is that even possible?”

Grazen tugs me to a stop, and I look up at him. Concern twists his features.

“He is a master manipulator. He can control minds, Zarla. He toyed with yours your whole life. That’s why you were none the wiser. It isn’t your fault.”

I release his hand and rake my fingers through my hair, knowing he’s right. Having Amaros in my mind like some sort of parasite is almost unbearable. There’s got to be a way to break this forced bond.

“Maybe we ought to talk to Drakon about him? If he can prevent you from using your powers, maybe he can stop Amaros from being able to get into Pyrrhus?”

“I’ll think about it,” I tell him. “I’m not entirely sure we can trust Drakon at this point.”

“Maybe not, but one thing I know about him is he won’t want some cocky god coming into his Kingdom uninvited. He wouldn’t…”

Something shiny catches my eye. There’s a room off to the side, and the shiny object is in there.

I wander over and glance through the doorway. Various objects and items fill the room, some of which appear almost ancient, like valuable heirlooms displayed on glass shelves, safely hidden behind glass that I’m sure Drakon wouldn’t want us looking at or touching.

“Zarla, I don’t think we’re meant to be here,” Grazen says from behind me.

I step into the room, totally captivated and drawn in by the shiny object that caught my eye. While I cross the room, it’s as if time has slowed, and nothing else matters. Almost as if the object is calling to me. As I move closer, it becomes clear it’s a golden dragon skull helmet, sitting atop a golden pillar, encased in a glass box.

It screams, Off-limits. Do not touch.

While I know this, something inside of me urges me to do the exact opposite. I reach out to the glass box, and Grazen snaps his hand out and grabs hold of my wrist.

“Absolutely not.”

I stare up at the stubborn male who isn’t messing around. Fear dances behind his blue eyes, despite his efforts to mask it.

“Why not? It’s just a helmet. What could it possibly do?”

He releases my wrist. “You and I both know it’s more than just a helmet. You can sense its power, just as I can.”

I look at the helmet, studying the intricate scales and other details of the dragon skull that make it look almost real, and I know exactly what he means. The power of the heirloom is strong. Even through the glass, I can feel it, like an unwavering pressure pushing down on me. Where in the gods did it come from?

“I can’t explain it, and I know you don’t like this, but it’s like it’s calling to me. It wants me to touch it.”

Grazen folds his arms, narrowing his eyes as he stares at me. “Come on. You don’t expect me to buy that crap, do you?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose and squeeze my eyes closed for a moment. “What reason would I have to make this up?”

He thinks on that for a moment and then throws his arms up in the air. “Fine, then. I doubt anything I say is going to stop you anyway.”

I chuckle to myself, knowing the male’s right, and then lift the glass lid open.

Please be a good idea .

For whatever reason, this thing wants me to touch it. And I know deep down that I must. I can’t explain why. It’s just a feeling, as strong as my need to spread my wings as an angel and take to the skies.

I carefully reach into the glass box, and as soon as I make contact with the surface of the helmet, my mind is transported to another time.

A vision into the past…or the future.