Leashed by the Dragons Page 10

  Her greatest surprise came when they reached the royal city. It began as a white spot on the horizon and grew with every wing beat into a sprawling metropolis with thousands of buildings and spires made from a white stone that gleamed under the bright dragon sun.

  At the highest point, a palace, which looked like a fairytale’s fever dream, looked out over the rest of it. It was a grand castle, built in multiple levels with towers and more spires and great platforms that jutted out into space and little narrow walkways connecting the parts so that it almost looked as if the palace itself were some creature about to take flight.

  It was the most beautiful and entirely grand sight she had ever seen, and as they came into land, she only wished that she could see it once more from on high, built as it was by those who ranged the skies. Out in the fields they had seen only a few dragons in flight, much smaller than Chak and Valkimer; however, there were a lot more dragons here, soaring over the city. And above the castle, she saw regiments of dragons, blue and gold in color, circling over it and keeping a watchful eye on the proceedings.

  The colors of the dragons were also stunning. Chak was a brutish black with a gold stripe running from the tip of his nose to his tail. Valkimer was of a blue and gold similar to the guards flying around the castle. She wondered if it was a matter of genetics and relationships. The shock of seeing men become great flying beasts would probably never wear off, but she was starting to take it in stride.

  They came into land on a great platform made for the purpose. She remained strapped to Chak as Valkimer flowed from his great dragon shape to his naked walking form. She was glad to see him again; some small part of her had been half afraid that he would remain dragon.

  “Are you well, pet?” He began loosing the many bindings that held her in place against Chak’s chest.

  “That was amazing,” she beamed.

  In spite of the dour mood he had been in since announcing their departure, Valkimer allowed himself a smile. “There is nothing like a long flight,” he agreed, taking hold of her and pulling her gently out of the harness. “I’m glad you were not too frightened.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t decide to eat me for an in-flight snack,” she giggled.

  Valkimer shook his head and pulled her to the side just as Chak flowed back to his human state and the large leather harness flopped to the ground with a heavy fwump.

  “Valkimer! Chak!” A happy voice belonging to a happy man greeted them, a tall man in a guard uniform who seemed very pleased to see the men at least. “To what do we owe the honor?”

  “We need a room,” Valkimer said. “And an urgent audience with Casimer.”

  “Done and done,” the guard replied. “Casimer is in court now, as it happens. You can speak to him immediately.”

  “We will need to prepare,” Valkimer smirked. “Clothe ourselves, settle our mate…”

  “Of course, come with me,” the guard said, still beaming. “You have been missed here, gentlemen, it has not been the same without you…”

  * * *

  “Bow before the king!”

  Dragon roars heralded the official receiving period of the royal court. Valkimer and Chak, both dressed in the finest black velvet stood at the back of a long line of nobles and merchants and others who sought an audience with King Casimer.

  The king himself stood tall before the throne, his hair whiter than snow, his bright blue gaze much like Valkimer’s. They shared blood, which only served to make Valkimer all the more uneasy as they waited their turn.

  Their entire adult lives, Chak and Valkimer had worshiped their king. They had laid their lives in the hands of the fates a hundred times in his name and they had defended him with everything they had. Being back in the royal city, Valkimer felt a return of the loyalty he had defiled.

  Walking into the royal hall used to bring him pride. This time he felt shame. He did not like the sensation one bit. Valkimer did not like his conscience. It made him uncomfortable when he did not want to be.

  For the first time since engineering their plan, he was starting to think that it might not have been a good idea. It had been years in the making and he had believed in it so strongly, seeing such a potential for profit that even Chak had been caught up in the enthusiasm.

  Now they were going before Casimer guilty with sin, and suddenly not even Valkimer could keep up the pretense that all was well. His face was especially pale as he bowed before the king.

  Up close, Casimer was an impressive figure. It was not mere physicality, it was a wisdom and a strength that shined through his handsome, incredibly noble features and was carried on every note of his voice.

  “Valkimer. Chaksley.” He intoned their voices in a regal rumble. “I did not expect to see either of you gentlemen for quite some time. You have served me well and earned every bit of your retirement. What brings you back to the castle?”

  “We beg a private audience, sire,” Valkimer said. “What we have to say may cause concern, and is of a highly sensitive nature.”

  Casimer gave them a long look, then nodded. “Very well.”

  He got up and gestured for them to follow. Valkimer did so reluctantly, wishing that he had not given into Chak’s better instincts. If they had not come here, he would not be feeling this turmoil deep within his soul. It was too late to turn back now. They had the king’s curiosity.

  “What is it that demands your king’s attention in such secret fashion?”

  Valkimer’s closer genealogical connection to the crown made him the spokesman, so Chak was able to remain silent as Valkimer attempted to break the news to the king without giving away their transgressions.

  “Sire, we have discovered that humans have been preparing specially engineered invasion forces, humans who can stand the radiation in our realm.”

  Casimer’s brow flickered ever so slightly, but other than that he made no reaction whatsoever. They may as well have told him that his dinner was going to be slightly late. If he was anything like Valkimer, that may have gotten more of a reaction.

  “You have discovered a human plot to invade the realm? How did you make this discovery?”

  “We have a human female,” Chak said. “She came here and did not suffer any ill effects from our atmosphere. We sent an envoy to the human realm and discovered that her parents were part of a program to alter humans for the purposes of invading your territory, sire.”

  Casimer nodded slowly. “You… just happen to have a human female,” he said, his tone impossible to judge.

  Chak and Valkimer exchanged looks. This was the part they had been dreading.

  “Your majesty, we decided to take a human female, train her as a pet, and sell her,” Valkimer admitted in a simple statement of guilt. “Suffice to say, it did not go to plan.”

  “Lawbreaking often doesn’t,” Casimer intoned. “And I imagine you also opened a portal in order for this to take place.”

  “Yes, sire,” they admitted, almost in unison.

  “Well, gentlemen. This is quite a confession.” Casimer leaned back in his chair, his icy gaze running over the pair of them as they stood before the one creature in the realm more powerful than they and awaited whatever fate might befall them.

  * * *

  Left alone in their private suite, Brianna was more sure than ever that she had stumbled into a fairytale. The city had been gorgeous from the air, but even from the window of their room the dragon city was incredibly beautiful, made of white polished stone and filled with stunning people who wore the most expensive-looking fabrics and carried themselves with a dignity rarely seen on Earth.

  The castle was particularly overwhelming. She could step out onto the balcony and look up to see that it too was equally impressive walking as flying. It was a study in spires, built in such a way that the great winged creatures could make a landing, take their human forms, and enter the interior of the building. That meant open spaces practically hanging in space, platforms capable of taking the weight of a dragon and y
et connected to the main castle by narrow walkways that gave her a dizzying sense just looking at them from the interior where she had been told to stay.

  They were being accommodated in a luxury suite, a large bedroom and living area with a bathroom bigger than her entire apartment had been back on Earth. Left to her own devices, Brianna spent her time inspecting every ornate part of it. The white marble style stone was carved beautifully, and inlaid with gold in a way that enhanced the natural beauty of the place, evoking the glow of the sun.

  Dragons knew how to make buildings that were impressive and jewel-filled without being oppressively garish. The great windows that looked out onto a city of spires and beyond that, green valleys and mountains, made for a view she could have gazed at for hours.

  She was doing so when a light tap at the door got her attention. Brianna turned her head toward the sound, and when the knock came again, called out, “Uh, come in, I guess?”

  She wasn’t expecting company, definitely not from people who bothered to knock.

  The door opened and a young woman pretty close to Brianna’s age, perhaps a little older, walked in. Brianna stopped breathing. This woman was draped in the most incredible white silk dress she had ever seen, studded with little ruby gems along the hems and furls of the skirt. The dress, while stunning, was nothing compared to the beauty of the lady wearing it. Brianna blushed in embarrassment, feeling her own attire to be really lacking. For the purposes of travel, she’d managed to get something she was actually comfortable in, a black leather skirt and jacket, similar to what Chak and Valkimer wore. She’d felt pretty bad ass on their way here. Now, in the presence of this vision of opulence, she felt sort of cheap and seedy.

  “Hello, I’m Mika,” the gorgeous blonde said.

  “You mean, Princess Mika,” Brianna said, her tone rougher and less pleasant than she really wanted it to be.

  Chak and Valkimer had told her all about Mika, how she was the granddaughter of the first dragon warrior to ever take a human mate, how her father had done battle with some uber-dragon, her mother had developed the technology that allowed travel between the realms without ripping giant holes in the sky, not to mention a treatment that made it possible for people to survive there—and how she had come to be married to the king of the realm and become crown princess.

  Brianna understood why now. Mika was stunning. She was the sort of girl born to be royal. It wasn’t just a matter of her looks either. She had a bearing, warm and graceful, which made Brianna feel awkward and nervous in comparison. Mika had grown up cosseted and protected by everyone, even the very king. Brianna had grown up unwanted and a burden, tossed from foster carer to foster carer. She wanted to hate Mika for all her privilege and riches, but Mika was too nice to hate. So instead, Brianna simply felt sorry for herself.

  Mika’s cheeks dimpled as she smiled. “You’ve heard of me, then.”

  “I think everyone in this entire universe has,” Brianna said. “You’re like the Beyoncé of this place.”

  Mika let out a laugh. “Now there’s a name I haven’t heard in a while,” she said, her eyes warm with pleasure. “It’s so good to speak to someone from the human world. I miss it.”

  “You’re really not missing much,” Brianna said. “It’s probably the same as when you left. Nothing ever changes there.”

  “Things change all the time there,” Mika exclaimed. “They change fast too. It’s here where things never change. You can live a hundred years and not even notice it because everything is the same.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re bored of being a dragon princess,” Brianna said, her lip curling up in a little sneer of barely veiled contempt at the idea. “I really don’t think I could stand hearing that.”

  “I’m not bored,” Mika laughed again. “But I do miss America. Where are you from?”

  “Just south of Chicago,” Brianna said. “Ironsands, Illinois. It’s a little town you probably never heard of.”

  “Oh, how nice. We lived in New York.”

  “Cool,” Brianna said, deadpan. “I’ve heard of it.”

  There was a moment where she wondered if she’d been too rude. Mika cocked her head to the side, her stunning blonde locks falling in a cascade that would have made a shampoo model jealous.

  “You’re kind of a smartass,” Mika noted. “I bet that gets you in trouble with your mate.”

  “Mates,” Brianna corrected. “And not even really mates. They’re just guys who want to sell me.”

  “Two dragon males,” Mika said, her eyes widening. “You poor thing. I can’t imagine being taken by two of them.”

  “I bet there’s a lot you can’t imagine, princess,” Brianna said, her voice inescapably bitter on the word princess.

  “You’re mad at me, huh?” Mika shrugged. “I’d like to help you if I can. It’s not your fault you got caught up in this.”

  “Well, maybe I don’t need your help. Maybe I don’t need anyone’s help,” Brianna said, crossing her arms over her chest. She didn’t trust this Princess Mika. Nobody who looked as good or as nice as her had ever done anything good or nice for Brianna in her life. Mika had probably just come to see what she looked like so she could laugh at her for being some poor prisoner, not even good enough to be married.

  Mika’s smile started to thin a little. Brianna watched the expression in her eyes change too. This was where she said something nasty, Brianna could feel it.

  “You’re going to need help,” Mika said. “It’s not easy here, in the dragon realm. Not for dragons, and certainly not for young human women.”

  “And not for my owners, once your king has them beheaded or whatever medieval punishment he has in mind. You’re right about one thing. This place is a time warp.”

  “How long have you been here?”

  “I don’t know,” Brianna shrugged. “Weeks, I guess. I lost track of time.”

  “You must be missing home.”

  “Not even a little bit,” Brianna replied. “I wasn’t a rich kid, and I didn’t have dragons for parents. I was abandoned and left to grow up in and out of foster care. Home never did me any favors. Neither does this place, I guess, but at least I get fed here.”

  She saw the worst possible expression on Mika’s face: pity.

  “You deserve more than just food,” Mika said. “You deserve to be loved and taken care of and…”

  “Spare me the speeches, princess,” Brianna said scornfully. “There’s no such thing as deserve. There’s what you get and what you don’t get and nothing in between.”

  Mika nodded, as if she were trying to understand. “And your masters… they do treat you well?”

  “They tie me up and fuck me and use every hole I have in the process.”

  She’d hoped to shock Mika with her crudeness, but the princess barely batted an eye. “Of course they do, they’re dragons. But are they kind to you? Do they take care of your needs? Do they make you feel wanted?”

  “They were going to sell me,” Brianna reminded her. “This isn’t some grand romance that ends up living happily ever after with a king in his castle. This is my life, and my life is always fucked up. It’s nice of you to drop by, but I don’t need to be made a charity case. I’d rather be kicked out into the streets to fend for myself than be fawned over by someone who needs to make herself feel better by pitying me.”

  Her words were harsh and biting, calculated to drive an emotional response. She didn’t get one.

  “I’ll let you settle in,” Mika said patiently with a warm smile that held a kindness Brianna was not at all accustomed to. “Maybe you’ll be in a better mood later on.”

  “Don’t count on it,” Brianna grunted as the princess departed with an air of grace and dignity Brianna could only dream of.

  It was several hours before she saw anyone else. She was starting to get very nervous on her own, wondering what had happened to the two men who had become the most consistent figures in her life. She wondered if Mika had reported back to the king, if
her words had gotten them into more trouble, or less.

  Brianna was used to feeling powerless, but she was not used to having anything emotional at stake. Chak and Valkimer were putting themselves on the line by confessing to the king. She had advised against it repeatedly on their way to the royal city, but of course they hadn’t listened. In Brianna’s experience, any kind of interaction with authority generally ended very badly. She’d learned to stay well clear of those who wielded power of any kind.

  Valkimer and Chak returned as the sun was beginning to set, both looking drained and grave.

  “What happened? Are you in trouble?” Brianna asked the questions anxiously.

  “Dragons do not get ‘in trouble,’” Valkimer growled, showing his irritability. “The king is not pleased with us and will see us again tomorrow. You will have an audience with him too.”

  “Okay,” Brianna nodded.

  “And you will be on your best behavior for it,” Valkimer added. “You will tell the king that you are grateful to be our pet, and…”

  “Uh… I don’t think he’s going to buy that,” Brianna pointed out. “You want me to stand in front of the king and tell him that I’m super happy you kidnapped me and it’s been nothing but a joy being whipped and having things stuck in my butt and wearing a harness that makes it impossible to be away from you…”

  Valkimer strode across the room, Brianna backing up until she met the wall. His palms landed either side of her body as he leaned forward, trapping her between his arms as he leaned in, his stunning gaze locking on hers with an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat. “Do you want to be taken away? Do you want to go back to that little town where you were starving for everything?”

  Brianna bit her lower lip. The answer was no. Had always been no. She had been living in a special kind of hell, and though Valkimer and Chak had done unspeakably erotic things to her in taking her as their pet… she did not want to lose them.