The Selection: Bride Of The Dark Dragon

LARA

“Seize her!” the ambassador shouted and two brutes grabbed me, almost throwing me to the dirty ground, “She tried to assassinate His Majesty!”

A loud growl emerged from Demir. Earthshattering and primal. It did not sound human at all! And I looked at him in shock!

“Protect the Emperor!” someone of the newly arrived gerdians ordered and they separated us from each other within seconds.

The Emperor?! Did I just mishear them?

“Stop it!” Demir’s voice sounded again and it made me shudder, bringing me back to reality, “Whoever touches her is going to lose a hand! Or two!”

“But Your Majesty,” one of the men who held me stumbled.

“Demir!” the ambassador that visited the White Archipelago turned in shock, “I saw her attacking you! She…”

“We were playing!” the gerdian stood up and glared at his… I didn’t even know what they were for each other anymore, “She is my future fiancée!”

A lump formed in my throat and I couldn’t say anything.

Was he the Emperor? The ancient one? The one that insisted on marrying me? And it was HIM all this time?

“I said let her go!” he growled and his eyes flashed dark magic. His voice sounded like thunder and echoed through the Bronze Forest, making the men around me step away and bow respectfully.

“What happened to you?” the ambassador was the only brave one there, “You disappeared and Primrose could only locate you now! Almost a day later!”

“Long story,” Demir brushed him off as he was walking towards me. Before I could say anything, before I could give him the look that could kill, he pulled me into his arms and dark flames surrounded us.

We appeared in an unfamiliar room. I knew far too well that it wasn’t mine as it looked more like a spacious reception room. Dark tones of it made me completely sure that we were back at the Gerdian Palace. There was a huge fireplace, sofas, tables with expensive decorations, bookshelves, a huge desk, pictures in golden frames… But I didn’t care for any of that.

“Lara,” Demir touched my chin with his warm fingers to make me look at him and I pushed him away as hard as I could.

“You!” I hissed and didn’t even recognize my own voice, “How dare you!”

“Lara, it was a…”, he wanted to say something but I interjected.

“I know very well what it was!” I looked him straight in the eye, “One of your sick gerdian games! Well, I hope you had fun making a fool out of me all this time, Your Majesty!”

His facial expression changed at once when he heard the title. And I wanted to hurt him more.

“Just in case you were thinking that as soon as I find out who you really are it’ll change my desire to marry into the Gerdian Royal Family, you thought wrong!”

His whole body tensed and I knew I somehow hit the right spot.

So, I continued, “Now that I know that you are the Emperor of this…awful Empire, I know for sure that I don’t want anything to do with you! I hate you and your games! I am sick of it and I would never be able to live here!”

“Lara,” Demir tried to touch me again but I managed to wriggle out of his arms, “I understand that you are angry. I wanted to tell you…”

“No,” I shook my head, “You wanted to have fun with the silly girl from the White Archipelago! I can’t believe I almost bought into your lies! I’ll tell you this just once and I hope that you will be able to hear me loud and clear! I hate you! I hate you so much! I will do everything to not marry you and leave this place as soon as possible!”

His eyes started glowing the cold purple colour of the dark magic and I knew that now he was angry too.

“Oh, really?!” he chuckled darkly, “Are you ready to marry your precious brother then?”

He looked at me with a challenge and I held his gaze, narrowing my eyes at him.

“You don’t get Gideon into this!” I gritted my teeth, “He is one thousand times nobler than you’ll ever be!”

“Just a thousand?” he snorted, “Considering how low you think of me that doesn’t seem much, does it?! If you are so sick as to marry your own sibling then go for it!”

“Stop that nonsense!” I shouted, “Gideon only said that to protect me! After YOU pressured him! He’ll do everything for me.”

“That he will,” the gerdian seemed properly furious by now, “He’ll do everything to have you for himself! To put you in his bed and…”

I didn’t let him finish as my hand connected to his cheek again. I was probably the only person in the world who managed to hit the Emperor of the Gerdian Empire twice. As well as insult him and stay alive.

When he looked back, his eyes were empty and I gulped without even realizing it. I was crazy to offend him like that. He could throw me out of the window that very moment and no one would object to him. If anything, everyone here would be happy.

However, I faced him with dignity and raised my chin.

“I will not let you manipulate me anymore,” I announced proudly, “I will not believe in your lies about my own brother! Just so that you know, it was just me and him for years! And we were happy! So, yeah, I’d gladly leave this place and spend the rest of my life living exactly as we used to at the White Archipelago.”

“Careful, Lara,” he said coldly, “You might awaken the beast you had no idea about. And who knows if your precious White Archipelago would be still standing when I am done with it. A bunch of islands! I can ruin it within a day.”

“And why am I not surprised that you would say something like that,” I clenched my fists, “I assure you, our people would surprise you!”

We stayed standing and looking at each other for I didn’t know how long. So many thoughts were circling in my head. I felt bitter. I hated that he played with me so easily and I was falling for it every single time. I hated that some of the moments in his games…I liked. The memories of our k**s, our dreams, and lof ast night made my heart beat faster.

“You still have to spend one month here”, he said finally.

“And not a day longer!” I replied, “And you would have to let me go after that.”

“I always keep my word,” Demir turned away and I let out a little laugh. Was he serious?

“Go now,” he sounded spiteful, “Enjoy your stay at the palace!”

“As if!” I rolled my eyes, “And I don’t even know where to go!”

Without any additional words, he waved his hand and dark flames surrounded me. One second and I was back in my room. Alone.

I was fuming. I was angry. I was sure that the lying bastard would make my life in the palace unbearable and would force his company on me.

Yet the next day I didn’t hear from him. And the next. And the day after that.

I wasn’t going to humiliate myself by asking about him and none of my maids mentioned anything. My meals were brought to me on time and I read book after book from what I found on my bookshelf. Most of those were romance stories and somehow they didn’t make me feel better.

Anger was dying down and confusion became my frequent visitor. More days passed and yet Demir wasn’t there.

Not that I wanted to see him. Of course, I didn’t. Why would I?

But it bothered me still. Why was he keeping me here then? What was the plan? I really hoped that he wasn’t planning to destroy the White Archipelago as he claimed. There was no need for that.

“Oh, really?!” he chuckled darkly, “Are you ready to marry your precious brother then?”

I thought about Gideon. I passed a letter to him when we went on that awful trip but since everything went crazy there I wasn’t sure that my letter was ever sent. I could only imagine how my brother felt!

Yet at night, Gideon wasn’t the one I was thinking about. I tried not to sleep. I still didn’t know how our dreams were working but I did not want to see Demir there. It worked. And when I was finally falling, I had no dreams whatsoever. Probably because of how exhausted I was.

On the fifth day, I was sitting on my balcony when an unexpected visitor came. I rose at once when I saw her. Demir’s sister. The beauty with ginger hair looked like she walked out of a painting.

“Your Highness,” I curtsied and she gave out a little laugh.

“Oh, it’s Your Highness now?” she chuckled, “You even not going to hit me with your magic?”

“I am sorry,” I sighed as I rose without receiving her permission to, “Last time I had no idea who you were. But in my defense, you were clearly trying to kill me.”

“Nonsense!” she snorted, “If I wanted to kill you, you’d be already dead. Trust me.”

“I am sorry, Your Highness, but given my history with your brother, it’s really hard for me to put my trust in you,” I tried to smile politely.

“Feisty, aren’t you?” she smirked, “Such a shame you can’t really be with Demir.”

“Well, I’d have to disagree on that,” I sighed, “It personally makes me really happy that I am soon going to be leaving this place.”

She looked at me with her piercing green eyes as if he could see through me, And then the princess smiled.

“Good,” she nodded, “You seem like a nice girl, Lara. But it could never work between you two.”

“I absolutely agree,” I said and she looked pleased with that.

“I was looking for your wings everywhere,” she pretended to examine at one of her beautiful diamond rings, “But it seems like Demir has them. Or he destroyed them.”

I wanted to break things. Those wings were the most beautiful gift I ever received. Yet I had to stay calm. To survive.

“That’s all right,” I shrugged my shoulders, “As long as I get home soon.”

“I’ll personally see to it,” the princess said, “My name is Primrose, by the way. You can call me that. Or Prim.”

“Lara Artes,” I introduced myself as well since we were sharing. I knew that we wouldn’t be friends. But this was better than her trying to kill me.

She nodded.

“Well, I’d better be going,” she informed me and when she was at the door, turned to me and asked, “Is there anything that you need?”

Luckily, I knew one thing I wanted.

“Yes,” I looked at her, “The Emperor promised to grant me one wish. Could you please tell him that I wish to see Smoke?”

“Smoke?” Primrose looked at me surprised.

“He knows who that is,” I smirked and the gerdian left after giving me a polite nod.

In the evening my maid Lisa arrived with a smile on her face.

“We have a surprise for you!” she announced, “Please, follow me to the garden.”

We were walking for a while through the corridors of the palace and finally walked out into its outer grounds. Sweet floral scent was in the air and I admired the diversity of plants they had there. There were statues and structures, summer houses and arches entwined with roses. Yet we didn’t meet a single soul and I was already starting to get worried when I saw him…