Dragon Tamer

Prince Camden fell to his knees, cupping himself.

Shock silenced everyone and stopped my heart.

I was in deep now, I might as well keep going. “I know my place, you spoiled brat. It wouldn’t kill you to learn a little humility.”

Maybe, just maybe, I was treating him a little too much like a dragon and shouldn’t have assaulted the prince or even suggested he was beneath me--but he pissed me off! Don’t mess with fire unless you’re prepared to get burned.

“All rightie,” Prince Eli was saying, the first one of the brothers to snap out of his awe-induced daze. He plucked me away from his brother, pushing me behind him--in case the brat thought about attacking me. Bring it on. “I think we need to have a family meeting before dinner. Kali, dear, why don’t you go with Jessie and get cleaned up for dinner? We’ll see you then.”

In my simmering rage, I was about to ask him who Jessie was, but a tiny blonde appeared out of nowhere and took my hand. “This way, please, miss.”

Prince Camden got to his feet and would have probably hit me if it weren’t for his brothers holding him back. His face was red with fury; if he was a dragon, black smoke would have filled the space between us. He was definitely baring his teeth like a dragon.

I looked him straight in the eyes before I flipped my hair over my shoulder sassily and spun on my heel to follow Jessie down the hall with a disgruntled ”hmph!" that would have made Elesor proud.

Camden yelled after me, calling me words I didn’t think princes were allowed to use. I flipped him off and continued after Jessie who released a relieved breath once we were out of the princes’ sights. We went back up the stairs.

“You’re crazy, you know that?” she hissed, glancing over her shoulder as if Prince Camden would be chasing after us. ”No one mouths off to Prince Camden like that.”

“Maybe they should. He clearly doesn’t have any manners. I like his brothers. I wish I was guiding one of them.”

“So, it’s true?” she asked, flitting her large blue eyes up to me. “You really are guiding Prince Camden through the Rite of Passage?”

“Well, that entirely depends on if he wants a woman to guide him,” I mocked, already fed up with him. Gods, I hoped he didn’t want to do it anymore. Let Dad be angry with him for declining my offer. “If he doesn’t, he won’t be going through with it.”

“I’ve never heard of a woman being a guide before,” she said as if I hadn’t said he might not be doing it. “Are you that good, or is your family that desperate?”

“I’m that good. I’m the only member of my village who’s allowed to enter the Dragon Lands, you know.”

“I don’t know what that is, miss,” Jessie admitted, becoming more relaxed with every step we took away from the bratty prince.

“It’s where the wild dragons live, just west of my village, on the other side of the Randala Valley. No human has stepped foot inside. They don’t trust them, not after dragon scavengers became a thing and picked them apart for parts.” Dragons were almost as rare as Dragon Vain, so dragon scavengers started hunting them and selling their scales, bones, blood, claws, horns--anything, really. Every part of a dragon was valuable to someone.

She blinked at me, surprised. “Why’d they let you in, then?”

“I understand their language.”

“Dragons don’t speak, only to Dragon Princes,” she dismissed, then came to a stop in front of a double door entry. “This is where you’ll be staying for the night. Do you need assistance with anything?”

I bit my lip, trying to remember how to do my hair the way Aunt Patrica had taught me. I figured after how sour things went downstairs I was going to have to make up for it at dinner with looks and decorum. “Do you know much about hair and makeup? I think I’m going to have to get more dolled up than I’m prepared for so the Ackers don’t think I’m a savage.”

She giggled into her hands. “I don’t think the princes will mind that at all. I will help you, miss.”

“You can call me, Kal or Kali, you know,” I told her, slipping into the room.

To keep up my cool façade, I didn’t drop my jaw or do a double take, but man, it was hard. The room was massive! The four-poster bed alone took up half of it, filled to the edge with pillows and blankets. My clothes were already tidied away in the dresser, my gown for tonight hanging on the bathroom door. The bathroom held a glorious copper tub I definitely planned on using in a little bit; it sure beat the dinky tub I had to share with my brothers, who always wanted to use it whenever I tried to enjoy a bath. Couldn’t a girl enjoy a bath without being rushed?

The balcony viewed the ocean. Water spanned from the beach to the horizon, no islands or continents to be seen. I knew there was more, there had to be, some of the dragons I’d seen in the Dragon Lands had different markings and horns than the ones born in my valley--they had to have come from somewhere. I had so many questions I wanted to ask them, but the language I’d learned from them could only take me so far. They couldn’t tell me about the world they’d seen and everything they’d experienced over the hundreds of years they lived. It was something I’d always envy of Dragon Princes, of the blood coursing through their veins that allowed them to communicate with a dragon the way I could talk to Jessie.

She came up to my side and shrugged at the view. “I’m sure you’ve seen better views on your dragon.”

“Not better,” I told her, “but different. I’ve never seen the ocean before. It’s beautiful. You’re lucky to work beside this everyday.”

"I’m lucky?” She looked at me like I was crazy. “Girl, you live with dragons! I don’t care what everyone else says, that’s so badass.”

I frowned. “What does everyone else say? Who is everyone else?”

“The other villages,” she said, gesturing for me to follow her inside. She sat me down in front of a vanity mirror and examined my dress, biting her lip. “People who don’t get to see dragons every day are out of touch, so don’t take offence, all right? People say your village is full of dragon fuckers.”

The words didn’t hurt, they confused me. “How stupid can people get? Do they know how impossible it would be? Like, seriously, my best friend is a small dragon and she’s twenty-five feet long. And just. . . ew.”

She shrugged and went back to looking at my dress, seeing that I wasn’t overly insulted by what other people thought about my village. “This is cute, did you make this?”

“Gods no, my aunt did. This is the first dress I’ve ever worn. I hope it’s okay for tonight? I didn’t want to insult them by wearing pants.”

She nodded thoughtfully, playing with the dark blue cotton. The skirt was ruffled and would be difficult not to play with and the bust was held together by a lacy corset that had thick silk ribbon tied at the back. The sleeves were tight until they reached the elbow then they would drape around my forearms. The V-shaped neckline was a little deeper than I expected from my aunt, but she said it was about time men knew I had breasts, which were basically invisible in the loose, baggy shirts I usually wore.

“This’ll look lovely on you. It’ll bring out the blue in your eyes. Your aunt is an amazing seamstress.”

“I’ll pass it along. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it coming from someone who sees fine gowns all the time.”

Jessie smiled at me. “All right, I think I know what I want to do with your hair. . . it’s going to take a while. Is that okay?”

I spun my butt on the chair and faced the mirror, twirling the long brown hair in my fingers. Even after my aunt trimmed it, it still fell past my breasts; I imagine she could do a lot with it. “As long as I’m not late, I don’t care what you do to it.”

“Oh, honey, I’m going to make you look amazing.”

It took Jessie an hour to curl my dark hair then pull the top half into a braid which flowed seamlessly into the rest of my big curls. It was the first time it didn’t look like the mane of a manticore, and with the silver eyeshadow to highlight my blue eyes and maroon lipstick, I might have been mistaken for a siren. And then when I put my dress on. . . it was a good thing my brothers weren’t here. Who knew I could look as beautiful as the other women in my village? I might even rival the beauty of the groomed, wealthy women here.

“Wow,” I breathed, taking back any doubts I’d had in her confidence in her ability to make me look amazing. “Thank you so much, Jessie. . . I didn’t think this was possible.”

She snorted, waving it off; it didn’t quite hide her blush. “You’re naturally beautiful, Kali, you made it easy. Now, I’ll be right back. I’ll see who your escort is.”

“Escort?” I twisted in my chair to look at her while she backed away for the door; we’d talked enough in the past hour and a half that she knew me well enough to know I already didn’t like the sound of this.

“Every lady needs an escort to dinner.”

Rolling my eyes, I stood up and joined her at the door. “It’s a bloody dinner. Someone going to jump me in the hallways? I’ve fought off dragon scavengers scarier than anyone in this town.”

She smiled faintly, patting my arm. “I wish I could be as bold as you. If you don’t want an escort, I guess I can’t stop you from following me in the hallways--where I will happen to pass the dining room in search of an escort for you.”

I grinned to hide my nerves. I’ll wear a dress for these people, but I wouldn’t have them telling me I needed a man to get by in the world. My brothers were all I needed. They weren’t here right now to have my back or give me words of encouragement, so it was time I made them proud and show the Ackers what the Dricino family stood for.

Jessie squeezed my hand outside the dining room door. “Good luck,” she whispered, then hurried away.

The guards on either side of the door gave me a dubious look. “Where’s your escort, miss?”

“I don’t need one. Now, open up, I’m starving.”

The one on the right bit his lip, unsure, but the one on the left shrugged. “She doesn’t look like she needs an escort, Bryan, I think it’ll be okay.” He winked at me then opened his side of the door for me; Bryan quickly followed suit, still a little nervous when he stepped into the room with me.

King Krona and Queen Bethany sat at the very end of the rectangular table. They were a handsome couple; the queen with her long, golden hair flowing freely around her shoulders, as shimmery as the mineral itself, and the king with his steely green eyes and square jaw. They both wore dark red, King Krona’s suit hugging his robust body tightly, and Queen Bethany’s gown pooling at her feet in endless waves of ruffles.

Their sons sat along the sides, Princes Eli, Liam, and Alaric on one side, while Prince Quinnton got stuck sharing a side with Prince Camden. There was an empty seat beside him, which must be meant for me. It must be part of some plot, because I was sure Prince Eli wouldn’t have forgotten to tell his parents I’d sacked their youngest. Or maybe he did and he wanted to see how things played out if we were forced together. Giles would do something like that.

“Your Majesties,” Bryan announced, “may I introduce Miss Kali Dricino?”

King Krona muttered something about my lack of escort to his queen and she smacked his chest, smiling brightly at me. “Welcome, Kali. Please, have a seat.”

I bit back a remark about wanting to sit anywhere but next to the man I will forever more reference as the bratty prince. Remembering my manners, I offered a little curtsy, hoping the hour of practice I’d put into it was worth it, then sat down when Bryan pulled out the seat for me. Camden chose to ignore my very existence, while the rest of his brothers welcomed me very warmly, and perhaps a little mischievously as well. Their eyes twinkled. If having five brothers taught me anything, it was that something was up between these princes--and Camden was supposedly the victim.

“I read your father’s letter,” King Krona told me dully, not interested in his sons’ shenanigans, “it is a shame young Tallinn has strayed from your father’s teachings. I heard he’s a very talented rider.”

Yeah, so what, Tallinn could maneuver in the air with his eyes closed and navigate his way through the valley better than anyone in Plum? I tamed wild ones.

I held back my bitterness. “Yes, he is, Your Majesty. He’s a natural.”

“All your brothers are quite extraordinary,” the king went on.

I inwardly sighed. Here we go. They were going to send me back and demand one of them guide Prince Camden. It didn’t matter how good I told people I was, no one believed me. They all thought I was crazy because I talked to dragons. . . and some people didn’t believe a woman could tame a dragon as well as a man.

My eyes slid over to Prince Camden. The bastard. Spoiled brat got his way again.

“Yes, they are, Your Majesty. My father is an amazing teacher,” I agreed remorsefully, “but I think my brothers are talented without my father’s guidance. We’ve tamed more dragons than my ancestors have with less casualties.”

A twinkle lit up in King Krona’s eyes, amused by my melancholy. “Your father says you are his best tamer, and that, not only is Prince Camden lucky he has you as his guide, but you will help him find a powerful partner, one that will suppress any dragon we’ve welcomed in these walls.”

Okay, I didn’t care if it was rude, I gaped. “He-he did? Are you sure you didn’t misread it, Your Majesty?” Dad had faith in me, I knew that, if he didn’t, he wouldn’t have given me this task, but I never realised he’d thought that highly of me. I was only joking-- partly--when I bragged about being the best in the family. I honestly thought Casper was more worthy of that title.

He smirked. I never thought I’d see the day a king would find me so amusing. “Grant’s handwriting is quite clear, Miss Dricino. I apologise for my son’s behavior earlier. I hope you will still take him under your wing.”

To keep the welling pride and smugness at bay, I cleared my throat. “I will . . . under one condition: Prince Camden has to apologise for calling me a boorish woman.”

Said prince groaned and dumped his head into a hand and muttered something about insufferable women.

Oh yeah, if he wanted to be a Dragon Prince, this guy was gonna have to work on his attitude. He could treat people however he pleased here, but when we were on my turf, he had to follow my rules.

King Krona’s smile grew while his sons exploded into a barrage of snickers that shook the table--all except Prince Camden, anyway. Even Queen Bethany was having a hard time hiding her mirth under her hand.

“Very well,” King Krona managed, “Camden will apologise whole-heartedly for how he treated you upon your arrival.” In case the authority in his tone wasn’t enough, his dark gaze cut into his son.

Pressing his lips together in a tight line, Prince Camden stepped away from his seat and got down on one knee before me, holding a hand over his heart. His ash blonde hair brushed over his eyebrows, not quite able to hide the seething hatred in his green eyes.

You know, if he wasn’t such an asshole, I’d say he was the most attractive prince in the room--and that said something. He looked mighty fine in that suit and underneath was even more to be desired, from what I’d seen anyway, but it was the sharp jaw and straight nose that set off a new kind of butterflies in my stomach; these ones warmed my core and made it hard to breathe. Who knew someone could literally be breath-takingly handsome? I thought women made that up.

“Miss Dricino, please accept my apology,” he forced, plastering a smile, “I did not mean to offend you. I was. . . taken aback by your beauty. It makes a man do and say stupid things.”

His brothers howled, and I did my best to fight the blush creeping up my cheeks. Man, he sure knew how to apologise, even went as far to say I was beautiful. Of course, he didn’t mean it. Why would he find me, a peasant, attractive?

I cleared my throat, suddenly finding it hard to think of words. “Um, thank you. I accept your apology.”

He bowed his head and kissed my knuckles, inducing a rush of heat through my body. When he lifted his gaze, his eyes said “You’re dead to me,” which I wasn’t going to argue with. I deserved it. I’d humiliated him in front of his family, more specifically his brothers, who will undoubtedly never let him forget this night. “Thank you for your leniency.”

Cold as ice, he rose to his feet again and took his seat beside me.

“Wonderful,” King Krona said, silencing his sons. “Now, let us dine.”

On cue, the doors opened and several servants poured in, holding massive trays that looked like it might be too much for some of the smaller women. I recognised Jessie in her black maids outfit. She came around to my side, placing a tray of beef sirloin in front of me with a wink. This girl knew what I liked. She asked me if I wanted her to serve me. Noticing everyone else had someone serving them food from the various trays on the table, I shrugged.

“Sure?”

“What would you like?”

That was a dangerous question, everything looked so good.

“Um, can I say everything?”

Prince Camden’s eyes slid over to me briefly before he snorted then went back to talking to his server.

Jessie smiled fondly at me. “You can have whatever you want. I’ll put a bit of everything on your plate and if you have room for seconds, I’ll pick your favourites.”

I’m in love. I could get used to this whole royal treatment thing.

“You are the best. . . Just make sure you get the sirloin first. The princes are eyeing it a little too much for my liking.”

“Of course.” She then proceeded to go around the table and fill my plate with food. She made small conversations with the royals while she waited her turn, and I noticed Prince Alaric’s eyes falling on her the longest out of anyone in the room. When he caught me looking, he sipped at his wine to hide his rosy cheeks.

Jessie placed the plate in front of me then told me she’d be with the other servants outside if I needed anything. I felt bad that I couldn’t share this meal with her, but made a mental promise to stash some for her if I saw her later.

“So, Kali--can I call you Kali?” Queen Bethany asked after we’d been silent while we enjoyed the best food of my life. Kaden definitely needed to step it up a notch.

I nodded behind my wine glass to help wash the scalloped potatoes down.

“Tell me something about yourself. A young woman such as yourself must be very interesting. Growing up with five brothers must have been difficult.”

I shrugged, dabbing my mouth clean of crumbs. “It can’t be any worse than raising five sons. I love my brothers and I wouldn’t change them for anyone else.”

“Come on,” Prince Quinnton teased, “don’t tell me you don’t wish Giles was a little less. . . fanatic?”

“Please, he wouldn’t be Giles if he wasn’t trying to blow something up. Just last week, he almost got us and my best friend killed--so I abandoned him on the side of a mountain.” I peered at Prince Camden, hoping he realised I wasn’t beyond leaving him on a mountain if the need arose.

The queen covered her mouth in surprise that I’d do such a thing to my brother.

“Don’t worry,” I told her, amused, “he called for a dragon and came home before dark. It’s not the first time I’ve done it and it won’t be the last.”

She smiled faintly. “Tell me about this best friend of yours.”

“Oh, Elesor? She’s a dragon. We’ve been joined to the hip since I was two. She hatched in my lap back when Dad was trying to turn me into a Hatcher. She was the first dragon I ever tamed.”

Queen Bethany gave it some thought while Prince Liam leaned on the table towards me with a dubious look. “Your best friend is a dragon?”

“Of course. You met her. She was the small green dragon that followed me everywhere because she didn’t trust you with me.”

He frowned, tapping his chin. “Is that what she was doing? I thought you were training her.”

“No. She has trust issues. I’m the closest thing she’s ever had to a mother since her’s was killed by dragon scavengers. I was the first person she saw when she hatched and she imprinted on me. I think of her more like a sister, though. The thought of being a mother at the age of two makes me uncomfortable, especially since I didn’t raise her much like how a female dragon would raise her young. I’m much nicer. I think that’s why she’s developed a sassy complex.”

Prince Eli joined his brother’s frown. “Dragons can be sassy? I didn’t find that when I went to Plum--nor is Ajax very sassy.”

“Well, it’s just like how not all people are sassy,” I explained to him, “of course Ajax isn’t sassy. He’s more quiet and reserved.”

“He is,” he agreed. “How did you know that?”

“I met him,” I replied simply. “It doesn’t take much to learn about a dragon’s personality. Actually, all of yours have similar traits to you. Prince Camden will probably find a grumpy dragon partner.”

“This is ridiculous,” Prince Camden snapped, dropping his cutlery on his plate angrily. “You make it sound like dragons are exactly like people. They’re not. They’re giant lizards with wings. Animals. You are a fool if you think you can understand them. Farewell family, I’ll never return home to you if you force me to be guided by this woman.” With that, he stood up and stormed out of the dining room.

I bit back a groan. If that was his view on dragons, then yes, we would be spending a very long time together. No dragon would accept him, let alone respect him, if he thought they were mindless creatures.

“Forgive him,” Queen Bethany beseeched me, “he’s had a hard time. It’s difficult being the youngest. All of his brothers have already passed their Rite of Passage and can do all these amazing things while he’s stuck on the ground, magicless. It’s frustrating.”

The brothers she spoke of were silent, speaking volumes of how frustrating it must be for him. From the day they were born they were expected to learn of their magic and then undergo the Rite of Passage so they could protect their people. While his brothers were defending their lands, he was left behind, a part of the people who needed defending.

Yeah, well, that was no excuse for his actions. He wasn’t the only one who had it rough.

I stood up. “I understand. Being frustrated leads to dangerous waters. I find it incredibly frustrating when no one will take me seriously because I’m young or a woman or because I understand something people don’t bother to understand. You don’t see me throwing fits and insulting someone who only wants to help him.”

“So you will guide him?” the king pressed, disregarding my clear dislike toward his son.

“Yes.”

Not for him, though. I wanted to prove to the world and myself that I could do this. I could do anything I put my mind to, whether it was a man’s job or a woman’s, dangerous or safe at home. Most of all, I wanted to make my father proud. He’d talked me up to the king, so I better make damn sure I could deliver.