The Selection: Bride Of The Dark Dragon

MIRA

Days go fast but nothing changes. Dereck told me that the gerdian hasn’t tried to get in touch with him. And to my own surprise that made me sad. He said that he would come back for me. And yet he didn’t. What if Tristan caught him or killed him? And why exactly it makes my heart clench with pain? I don’t even remember who he is. All I remember about him really are his eyes. And sparks of magic in them. At least now I think that it was magic. Dark magic. Oh, gods, even thinking of this makes me guilty… A gerdian who is also a dragon. I never even thought that something like that is possible. Dragons left our world many years ago. And yet somehow I am connected to one.

Tristan keeps bothering me, he gives me orders that are hidden as wishes and I have to obey whatever he says to make him believe that I am still drugged enough to his liking. And he keeps pressuring me into giving myself to him. Luckily, I can still pretend I feel unwell every time he is near me. And now he believes that it’s because of the elixir he gives me. So now the dosage is lowered and since before that I have even been reminding him myself that it’s time to take it – he stopped watching and controlling it. And so did the maids. Which gives me a perfect opportunity to feed it to the plants around me. It now has been three full days as not a single drop reached my body and I feel better and more like myself. But still do not remember much about the time at the Selection… or about that gerdian. He said that his name was Killian. But I know now that it’s not his real name. Killian was his alias in the kingdom. The king recently announced Killian Krauten a traitor and said that he is dead. It wasn’t big news because Count Krauten was not really famous. But Dereck has heard of it and informed me. The funeral never happened which gives us hope that he is still alive. They probably just burned bridges for him so he can’t appear in the Kingdom again.

Maybe that’s why he hasn’t come for me. Or maybe he has just forgotten all about me… Maybe it wasn’t big love after all… I don’t know… But every time I think about him I feel this painful longing for something…

“Here you go,” Dereck gets out a bottle which is an exact replica of the one with the “elixir” that clouds my mind. Yesterday he informed me that the said elixir was heavily based on Sideria, a rare and dangerous plant that helps to manipulate minds.

“Thanks!” I smile handing him the real bottle, which I emptied prior. Not a drop of Sideria should be inside of me if I want to restore my memories and find out what really happened at the Selection. My new medication carefully created by my Academy friends should detoxify my b***d within the next few days. And the best thing, I can take it just in front of Tristan and his people now. Hopefully, it would work.

“Don’t mention it,” my friend winks at me, hiding the real bottle in the bag with swords and other training equipment. And, luckily, he did it in time as the door bursts open and Tristan storms in.

“Mira!” he smiles at me but that smile fades when he notices Dereck, “Ashterton.”

“Your Highness,” my partner in crime bows respectfully, “We were about to go to today’s training. ”

“Yes,” I smile at my fiancé, “I just wanted to take my medicine first.”

I pour a small glass and drink it quickly, noticing Tristan’s frown.

“How responsible of you,” he forces a smile, “The healer said that you would be able to stop taking it right after the wedding, though.”

“Really?” I look at him with hesitation, “I think it really helps me. Would it be all right to stop taking it so soon?”

“Of course,” he says, “The healer says that right after the wedding you will be feeling much better.”

Yeah, right. Right when I will become yours with no chance of going back. How convenient.

“Anyway, what brings you here?” I try to sound careless, “As Der said, we were going to practice a bit.”

“I think you can postpone it a little, there are some people that you should meet,” Tristan says and then looks at me with heavy eyes, “And I would need you to help me.”

Oh, another order then.

“Here you go,” Dereck gets out a bottle which is an exact replica of the one with the “elixir” that clouds my mind. Yesterday he informed me that the said elixir was heavily based on Sideria, a rare and dangerous plant that helps to manipulate minds.

“Of course, anything,” I smile as I know very well that I have no choice. Dereck looks concerned behind Tristan’s back. He has now been a witness to his manipulations multiple times. And knowing his temper, he is furious on the inside even though he doesn’t show it on the outside.

“Great,” the Crown Prince of Akyrian Kingdom brushes his palm over my cheek, “I want you to meet a group of girls. They are special, just like you are.”

“In what way?” I raise my brows.

“They have b***d that can accept dark magic, Mira. Just like yours. Some of those girls were with you at the Selection.”

I gulp.

“Really? Why do you want me to meet them?”

“Because, Mira, you need to inspire them!” he smiles but that was an order right now. Sideria should make me agree. Part of me still wants to agree and I have to fight the urge to obey for real. Even though I have to pretend to anyway. But inside of me, there is a real struggle.

“I am not good at inspiring people,” I shake my shoulders.

“You just need to say a little speech about how terrible gerdians are and how they all owe it to the Kingdom for saving their lives to help us fight against them. They need to accept dark magic and then share it with others willingly. It would lead us to victory,” Tristan finishes with that smug look on his face and I swallow again. This is serious. Too serious. And also it feels like a trap. Does he really need me to inspire anyone when all he needs to do is just give them some Sideria like he gives me and manipulate them into doing whatever the chaos he wants? I don’t think so… So why?

“Let’s not waste any more time, my love,” he pulls me by my hand somewhere and Dereck follows behind with a tense face.

“Of course, Tristan,” I say carefully, “But I am so terrible with speeches. You know that, right?”

“Don’t worry, the speech is already written for you. Just read it with passion and everything would be great!” he smiles and my heart sinks. It’s some kind of trap and I walk into it willingly…