The Selection: Bride Of The Dark Dragon

DEMIR

It was such a long day already and I still had to listen to a few more reports until I was done. Usually, Ryker was helping me with those things but unfortunately, he would be out of the game for a few more days.

Yet something just was not sitting right with me. Something was wrong…

My mind kept coming back to tears in Lara’s eyes and my dragon was unsettled inside of me. He felt something too.

I had to ask one of my ministers to speed up with his speech and dismissed everyone as soon as he was done, claiming that we all needed rest now after the latest events. When in fact we only needed to work more.

Primrose looked grim at the Council meeting. As far as my guard informed me, she did not go to see Ryker again. Silly girl. The look in her eyes yesterday when he called her name while being unconscious, already gave her away.

However, I knew why she was doing it and couldn’t blame her. None of us wanted our prophecies to come true…

Remembering the prophecy, I shoved the pile of the papers I had in front of me inside of the desk and summoned dark fire so that it transported me to Lara’s room. I was surprised to find it dark and empty. Clicking my fingers and lighting all the candles, I looked around one more time – Lara was not there.

I transported myself to the library but she was not there as well. Back to her room, I went to the balcony to have a better look at the garden. Also empty, just a few ladies walking peacefully there. But not her… She was nowhere near and it bothered me. Closing my eyes, I tried to find her with my senses… But my senses only proved what I was already suspecting – Lara was not in the palace.

It was a nightmare! How was in possible?! Just this morning we were here and closer than ever…

Then my memory helpfully brought up the gift I gave her and I went to her wardrobe room on wobbly legs. The wings were gone but I found two letters on her dressing table. One was for her brother. And the other one was for me…

I walked out of the room with two envelopes and sat on the bed that still smelled like her to read what she had to say to me. But I already knew that I was not going to like it.

Dear Demir,

It will be so hard for you to understand me. But, please, know that what I do, I do because you are important to me.

I know about your prophecy and I know that you can’t be with a woman that has a hair colour like mine. I could of course change the colour and pretend but you and I both know that this is not how magic works. You can never lie to this greater power or it will only crush upon your head twice as hard.

I wish I could say that all that doesn’t matter but unfortunately, latest events and all my previous life as an outcast of the White Archipelago prove otherwise. I would hate it if something was to happen to you because of me. Or to anyone else. Enough is enough.

I am so sorry to leave like that. But something tells me that if I told you all this in the face, you’d never let me go.

But at the end of the day, it’s for the best. Because I need you to live and be happy. I want you to have a future. Even if it’s not with me.

Please, don’t look for me, Demir. I’ll be fine. That I can promise to you.

However, I have one last thing to ask from you. Could you please help me deliver the other letter to my brother at the White Archipelago? It would mean a lot to me.

Remember what’s important, Demir – your family, your empire, your people. Take care of them and of yourself.

I’ll never forget you. Every night when I’ll see the moon in the sky I will be thinking of you. Forever.

Love,

Lara.

I wanted to crumple that piece of paper but it was too precious to destroy. She ran away and left me alone. And she even dared to tell me to forget about her!

Oh, Lara, you are too naïve for your own good!

Because even if I have to turn the whole world upside down, I’ll find you!

LARA

It took me a few days to get to the border of the Gerdian Empire this time since Akyria was technically farther from the capital than the White Archipelago. I was taking breaks in small towns next to forests, landing in the woods and hiding my wings at the tops of bushy trees I could find. Then I was pretending to be a regular traveler and usually was finding a bed and breakfast with an available room to spend a night in and hot food to fill my hungry stomach.

In the first town I stopped I sold one of the rings I had and bought a map and some other necessities for the road.

But today I wasn’t lucky, as the only bed and breakfast in the town I found myself in had nothing available and the night was already approaching fast. I ended up in the nearest tavern and picked the most secure place in the corner of the room. After ordering my food, I gave a golden coin to the maid who served me and started studying the map in hopes of finding some village or town nearby where I could get before dawn.

Just then a huge dirty looking hairy man sat on a chair opposite of mine with a grin that definitely missed a few teeth.

“What a little dove like yourself is doing all alone at a place like this?” he asked me in a voice that was probably meant to be husky but seemed simply croaked instead.

Damn, so much for trying to look like a boy. I read about a trick like that in a book a long time ago but it just didn’t seem to work! And instead, I was approached a lot unless I was putting an illusion on my face. But that was consuming a lot of my energy, so I tried to avoid it and just tried to stay invisible while it was possible. However, today was not a lucky day for me.

“Excuse me,” I muttered, “I am waiting here for my husband.”

“A husband?!” he cackled, “Who are you lying to, sweetie?! No one would let an honest woman to walk into a place like this alone! Which only tells me exactly what kind of girl you are! So, drop the act! I have money and want to have some fun tonight!”

“The last time I checked this was a tavern, not a brothel!” I rolled my eyes. He was trouble and I knew I’d have to deal with him. Shame I didn’t get to have my food first. If I use magic now, I would not be able to stay. And judging by the size of him, simply beating him up would be too hard for me.

“Stop playing with me, wench!” he stood up and wanted to grab my hair when a strong hand caught his literal inches away from mine. The cracking of bones and the ugly block screamed from the pain.

“I thought my wife told you that she was waiting for me!” said the last person I expected to see…