The Selection: Bride Of The Dark Dragon

LARA

He looked exhausted and there was still cinder on his face and hair when he stepped into the light. I put the book away and threw myself into his arms, breathing in his scent.

For a few minutes, none of us was saying anything but when we looked at each other again, he just slammed his lips into mine, making me lose breath and sense of reality. My fingers entwined into his hair and his hands pulled my nightdress down. I hectically tried to unbutton his coat and he just growled at that, his eyes full of sparks of dark magic. Dark flames burned his clothes down and within seconds he lifted me in his arms and took me to bed.

I blushed knowing far too well this time what is about to happen and feeling this immense need for him. The scare of losing him today was too much. I almost couldn’t handle it, so feeling now his lips all over my body was refreshing. With every k**s he was bringing me back to life, proving that we were together, alive and everything was great. Even now I could feel that he was holding himself back with me as he entered me slowly while looking for my reaction. And only when I arched my back, moaning from all the pleasure, he let himself go and I felt all the heat that a dragon has inside. He loved me passionately as if it was our last night in this world… The scare of losing each other from earlier definitely made everything heightened and sharper… My nails were digging into his flesh and he grasped my hair, pulling me into another mad k**s. We were climaxing in each other’s arms again and again until we fell onto the bed together, exhausted and breathless.

“Demir,” I whispered right before my eyes started to close and felt him flinch under me, “I love you so much…”

“I love you too, Lara,” he kissed the top of my head, “More than anything…”

His hands-on me became heavier and his breathing got slower. He fell asleep within seconds and I let myself relax next to him as well.

But when I opened my eyes, he was gone, and it was the middle of the day already. I felt sorry that he didn’t say goodbye but found a jasmine flower on the pillow next to mine and just knew that he was the one who got it for me. Jasmine was growing all over the White Archipelago and it reminded me of home. Demir always was telling me that it was a part of my scent along with the sea breeze and I loved that.

Lisa arrived out of nowhere in a cloud of dark smoke as always and started tending to me.

“Where is the emperor?” I asked her and her face became sad in an instant.

“He is gathering the new Council,” she said quietly, “Half of the members of the old one are dead, so…”

“He is probably going to be very busy,” I sighed, “I think I’ll go to the library and…”

“No, my lady,” Lisa became pale and I just knew that something was wrong, “You can’t.”

“What do you mean?” I looked at her, startled.

“The emperor ordered for you to stay in the royal wing of the palace, my lady,” the girl mumbled, “You can’t leave…”

“Did he say why?” I asked her bluntly.

“No, my lady, he didn’t. The emperor never explains his decisions,” she informed but softened after she saw my tense expression, “I am sure he is just worried for you.”

“Yes,” I forced a smile as she helped me with my dress, “This must be it.”

Then an idea came to my mind, “Lisa, where is the princess?”

“She is in her chambers,” the maid replied again, “She spent the night at the healers’ wing helping the wounded and only came back recently.”

“Is she asleep?” I wondered.

“I don’t think so,” Lisa shook her head, “She just requested her tea.”

“Can I go and see her?” I bit my l*p and the maid nodded.

“I’ll go and ask for permission,” she smiled and disappeared in the cloud of dark smoke. She came back a minute later and announced that the princess wanted to see me too.

She led me into a room not far from mine and I saw that Primrose was sitting at a small table on her own balcony. She still had a dress from yesterday on yet somehow managed to look as perfect as always. Only the small dark circles under her eyes were giving away her sleepless night.

“Your Highness,” I curtsied.

“No need for this,” she waved her hand lazily, “Come. Sit, Lara.”

She pointed at a chair in front of her and I landed there, not taking my eyes off her.

“How is Ryker?” I managed to ask her when her servants placed teacups in front of both of us.

“He will be fine,” she said, not looking at me and then added, “For now.”

“Was it an attack by red dragons?” I shot another question at her.

“It was,” she sighed.

“But how did they get here?” I started to think out loud, “The palace is protected and…”

“We got unlucky,” the princess gritted through her teeth quietly and I tried to study her face.

“Prim, is there something you are not telling me?” I put my teacup down without even taking one sip, “About what happened yesterday?”

“There is nothing to tell, Lara,” the princess furrowed her brows, “The reds attacked us and…”

“Prim,” I stopped her, “I know you don’t like me much but you can at least be honest with me…”

“Oh, Lara,” she stood up and went to the balcony rails, “Everything is more complicated than that!”

She obviously had a lot to say and I decided not to pressure her. She was looking at the setting sun and the wind was blowing her beautiful ginger locks when she turned to face me.

“I like you, Lara,” she confessed, and I felt like a heavy stone was lifted off my heart, “I like you a lot. I like how Demir is with you, how he looks at you and how happy he is… But…”

“But what?”

“It’s your hair!” she snapped, and my lips parted.

“My hair?” I gasped and touched the golden locks that were falling in waves over my chest. Please, not this again… All my life I was listening whispers behind my back because of its colour…

“It’s golden, Lara! Golden!” Prim closed her face with her hands and I did not see what was the tragedy here.

“So what?” I shuddered slightly, suddenly my surroundings felt so much colder.

“Remember I told you about the Seer’s prophecy about me never being able to be with the man I love?” she glared at me and I nodded quietly, “Well, Demir has a prophecy of his own, Lara. And his prophecy says that he will be the greatest emperor, the strongest dragon… but his end will come from a girl with golden hair.”

And I forgot how to breathe…

Surely, she wasn’t serious. She couldn’t be serious!

“I’d never hurt Demir,” I forced myself to say out loud and was surprised at how broken and hoarse my voice sounded.

“I know,” Prim turned around, “And yet the day he met you, he was betrayed and almost killed. Your brother almost started a war for you and now this explosion…”

“I have nothing to do with all this,” I felt tears in my eyes.

“Lara, I am not saying that… But the prophecy is already working against us. I can feel it just like… Just like when the men I loved died.”

I clenched my fists so hard that my nails dig into my own flesh, hurting me. This wasn’t real… It was a joke… It had to be.

“You love him, don’t you?” Primrose came closer to me and cupped my chin, making me look at her, “What would you feel if he dies in the next explosion?”

Her words stabbed me deeper than any dagger could.

“I would die,” I replied honestly and she smiled sadly.

“Well, then you need to know that his chances of survival are higher without you around, Lara. I am sorry, but that’s just how it is…”

“I see,” I stood up and curtsied awkwardly since my legs were hardly holding me in place, “I have to leave you, Your Highness. I am afraid I am not feeling too well…”

She didn’t say anything else and I saw myself out. I didn’t remember how I got to my room but luckily I was alone there and could cry to my heart’s content. Catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I came closer.

And took a knife for fruits on my way there…