Dragon Tamer
Chapter 5

After I left the royal dinner, I went downstairs to where Prince Eli had taken me to see what he thought I’d like so much about it; I only hoped it wasn’t a secret brothel they had under the castle. I needed air--to get away from this place, really--and down here seemed particularly drafty. I soon found out why.

I turned into the room the princes had piled out of earlier. It was actually a cave. Near the door I came through, straw mats lay over the floor as a protective layer for those who hit the floor too hard when sparring. Well, that explained why they were all shirtless; they had been sparring for practice. On the right side against the cave walls, were dummies with scorch marks etched into them; the left wall was entirely filled with all kinds of weapons. I could smell the steel from here. . . and a familiar scent I didn’t expect down here. Dragon.

The cave was much bigger than the matts lain out. It was too dark deeper into the cave to see what else filled the room, but there was another exit--a much bigger one. The roaring waves of the ocean came through the opening and if I angled my head right, I saw the moon’s reflection off the calmer waves further away from shore. Drawn to the light--the smell, the air, too--I went to the end of the cave and sat down on the ledge. There was an easy hundred foot drop below me, waves crashing against the cliffside, threatening to splash me if I angered it enough. I breathed in deeply, discovering my love for the smell of the ocean. It was so unique and grounding. Listening to the waves brought a sense of ease over me I didn’t expect. And then I heard another sound behind me.

I turned my head to replace Marco slipping out of the darkness. He laid down behind me and curled his tail around me in case the harsh wind gripped me and pulled me over the edge. “Hey, Marco. We’re a long way from home, huh?”

He lowered his head beside me and nudged me to pet him, no doubt sensing my distress. I brushed my fingers over his scales, just above his eye, a spot he couldn’t scratch properly without hurting himself.

“Thanks, buddy. I don’t know what I’d do if I was by myself. How did Kaden and Giles do it, survive here? I know it’s only for a night and they’re super friendly people, but. . . they’re so different from everyone back home. They don’t understand me. I saw it in their eyes. They were mocking me for being friends with a dragon. I thought they would understand. Most of them in the room are Bonded to dragons for Gods’ sake. Do they all feel like dragons are mindless creatures? Why would my family affiliate themselves with such people?”

He rubbed his face against me gently, shutting his eyes with a soft groan rumbling out of his lips. It was all he could do to comfort me and give me strength to remain here until tomorrow. It would be stupid to head home, anyway. Nighttime was far too dangerous to travel, let alone cross the continent.

Other dragons breathed heavily not too far behind us. A black dragon I barely recognised as Balthazar came to my other side. His red eyes watched me carefully.

“You’re not going to tell Prince Liam where I am, are you? Please? I want to be alone for a little bit--at least, not around humans,” I quickly amended to Marco’s snort.

The dragon looked back to the others then to me and nodded.

“Thank you. If they’re worried, just let him know I’m safe, okay?”

He nodded again then got more comfortable, resting his head on my other side. I stroked his nose between his nostrils.

“Do you like being here?” I asked him. He looked healthy, much bigger than when he’d left us to be with Prince Liam, but he also had a scar across his chest that hadn’t been there before. “Are they treating you all right?”

He opened his eyes and grunted. Slowly, as to not startle me, he rose to his full height, which this cave was tall enough to accommodate, I realised, and stretched, to prove further how big this cave they slept in was. He knelt down, pulling his wing back to expose the joints between his wings.

I peered down at my dress then up to his back; he wanted me to ride him, but I wasn’t sure the dress would survive his scales and Aunt Patrica would kill me if I destroyed it.

Then again, she was a fine seamstress. She could fix it.

Lifting my skirts, I climbed up the large dragon’s leg and settled side-saddle between his wings. “Okay, Balthazar, show me what you want to show me.”

He flapped his wings a couple times to make sure I was on securely. I held onto one of the spikes running down his spine and patted his side to let him know I was ready. He stepped off the edge and spread his wings wide, catching the gentle breeze brushing against the cliff. We rose slowly, soaring higher than the castle spires. The other dragons in the cave--six altogether--joined us in our flight. They flew much faster and twirled and looped around each other. They were free to do what they wanted. The sky was their domain. They didn’t fear the dangers of the night or whatever punishment the Ackers might have for them for leaving the castle.

Balthazar dove for the ocean. The air rapidly cooled as we got closer and I squealed, pressing into his body for warmth. He brought his wings out and flew parallel over the calm ocean.

Summoning up the courage to do the idiotic thing and loosen my grip while already bareback, I leaned over the edge of his body to take in the water below us. It was so calm the sky was a clear reflection above us. The moon and stars dazzled above and below; I could almost see myself there was enough light surrounding us.

Balthazar dipped a claw into the water, breaking the surface. Water sprayed me. I almost lost my grip, I was so surprised by the coolness. The dragon chuckled then angled his wings to catch more air. We slowed down and increased our altitude again.

The other dragons flew into formation behind us and bellowed as loud as they wanted. They were met by barks of seals and mermaids trying to sleep. I laughed, holding onto his horn tighter so as to not lose my balance.

“Is this what you wanted to show me? You’re free? You’re happy here?”

He grunted in agreement, fluttering his wings lightly, despite the wind fighting against them. Dragons could only perform such a delicate movement when they were content. The Ackers had been treating these dragons with the respect they deserve. It looked like they were given all the food they wanted too.

“Do you like the Ackers? Do you regret Bonding with Liam?”

The dragon shook his body head to toe. If I was on a saddle, I wouldn’t have minded, but with barely anything to hold onto enough as it was, I slipped from his neck and stumbled down his back until I caught a horn at the top of his tail. Marco swept underneath us and growled a noise of warning. I let go of Balthazar and landed safely in Marco’s claws. He swung his head around to make sure I was all right before turning back for the castle. He dropped me first before landing beside me in the cave and curled his tail around me so I was close to him while the other dragons flew in.

I was so busy nuzzling the dragons, I didn’t notice there was another person in the cave with us.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing with our dragons?” an outraged Prince Camden demanded, marching in from the door. He wasn’t wearing his tailored suit anymore; instead he wore workout gear and a sword at his hip. His hair looked white in the moonlight and whipped around fiercely.

Jezabel stood between him and me, growling in his face.

Prince Camden came to a halt, reaching for his sword, and glared at the dragon then at me. “What have you done to them? Are you a witch?”

“I’ve done nothing to them,” I told him, stepping around Marco’s tail and Jezabel’s wing. “They were showing me how happy they were here, that your family looks after them.”

He curled his lip at me. “They can’t tell you that. You’ve done something to them. When I replace out, I’ll have you arrested for hurting our dragons.”

Balthazar hissed at him, digging his claws into the floor as easily as mud. I put a hand on his leg to calm him. As much as it would entertain me to watch Prince Camden dance around a dragon’s jaws, it wouldn’t be a good start to our Rite of Passage.

“It’s all right, guys. This I don’t mind if you tell Prince Alaric about,” I told Jezabel.

“Get away from them.” He grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the dragons. “I’m taking you to your room so you don’t cause any more trouble.”

"You’re the one causing trouble,” I sassed, then ripped my arm out of his grasp, which seemed to surprise him, as he blinked, mouth dropping open for a split second. Yeah, that’s right, I’m stronger than I look. Get used to it, buddy. “I’ll take myself to my room.”

He caught the back of my dress, which I could not break free from, and hustled me into the hallway.

“Let me go.” It was a half-hearted demand. If I really didn’t want him manhandling me, he’d be on the floor by now.

“No.”

I sighed. Do I want to ruin this dress further? Actually, a better question: Do I want to risk running around this castle naked?

Not really, no. I didn’t mind seeing the princes half-naked--and if one of them walked in front of us butt naked, I would not complain--but I didn’t feel like giving into their savage fantasies and run around like a wild thing in my birthday suit because the man behind me was an asshole.

“I swear I wasn’t doing anything untoward to your brothers’ dragons.”

“I don’t care. My family might trust you and think you’re as cute as a button--” he must be paraphrasing someone, there was no way he’d ever describe me like that “--but you’re up to something.”

“You’re right, I am--I’m helping you replace a dragon! I don’t know why, though, you don’t deserve the honour of being Bound.”

He shoved me up the stairs. I tripped on my skirt, smacking my chin on a step.

“Ow,” I growled as he hauled me up with great strength. I expected no less after seeing his heavily muscled arms. “You’re such an asshole. Do you get off on being bigger than me? Is that it? You need to push a woman around to feel like a man?”

“You don’t know shit about me, wrench.” He continued to hustle me around like a sack of potatoes, yanking me this way and that around corners. If we weren’t in his home, I’d show him what I thought about his hospitality.

“Cam!” Prince Alaric came around the corner behind us.

Prince Camden swore and released me, bowing his head, avoiding eye contact with his brother.

“What are you doing?” the older brother demanded, switching looks of concern and anger between us.

“I’m taking our guest to her room,” he replied thinly, thrusting his chin up in defiance.

Prince Alaric narrowed his eyes on him suspiciously. “Does our guest want to be taken to her room?” He moved his green eyes to me for protest.

“Of course she does,” the asshole lied, waggling his wannabe sexy eyebrows. “What woman doesn’t want to go to bed with me?”

Prince Alaric tapped his chin mockingly in thought. “Um, I’m going out on a whim here, but I’m going to say that one.” He pointed at me and my bloody chin. “What did you do to her? Jezabel said you were going to hurt her.”

“She tripped."

“You pushed me into the stairs,” I snarled. “And I would like to go to my room--but not with him.”

I stepped in the direction of my room, but he grabbed me and pushed me into the wall between the two princes. The older brother gaped, taken aghast by his brother’s actions.

“Cam, Kali is our guest--and your guide--treat her with some respect.”

“She was down with the dragons. She made Balthazar attack me.”

“He didn’t attack you,” I barked. “Trust me, if he did, you wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Prince Alaric sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead. “She was with the dragons because she feels safer with them than she does with us, since some asshole is making all of us look bad! At least there was one true thing in your sorry-ass apology: beautiful women do turn you into a complete idiot. Come on, Kali, I’ll make sure this dick doesn’t follow you to your room.”

After a quick glare in Prince Camden’s direction, I turned for my room. It was only a couple hallways away and I felt a weight lift off my shoulders once my hand rested in the door handle.

“Thank you.” I smiled at Prince Alaric. “You didn’t have to interfere, I would have handled him.”

His light green eyes danced amusingly in the torchlight. “I’m sure you would have, but I am a gentleman before anything else and I could not stand by and let him treat you like that. Don’t let my brother push you around while he’s with you, hmm? It would be a shame to see such a wild spirit broken.”

My face scrunched up in discontent, remembering my family’s reaction when we found out I was to guide Prince Camden. “My brothers are placing bets on how quickly he can make me cry. Now I understand why they would think that. But I won’t let him win. He’s all talk and no bite, like most of the dragons I tame.”

He cracked a laugh. “Little Kali, if my baby brother comes back as tamed as your dragons, I’ll fulfill any wish you desire.”

I grinned at him. “I better start thinking about what I want, then. Have a good night, Prince Alaric.”

He bowed and kissed my knuckles. “Sleep well, m’lady.”

I had breakfast with the Acker family--minus Prince Camden. It was a little earlier than they were used to waking up; they didn’t say much aside from a warm greeting and an apology for their youngest’s tardiness. Sleep was particularly heavy in Prince Quinton’s eyes. However, the servants were lively and Jessie filled my plate with everything on the table again, winking when my eyes landed on the juicy sausages. Prince Liam woke up enough to make a smutty remark about how much I liked sausages--especially big ones--but Queen Bethany quickly berated him for his lack of manners in front of ladies. I waved it off, very used to boys’ banter. I actually preferred it more than the way women talked, but I wasn’t about to say that in front of the queen.

With all my things packed, I double checked everything was secured properly on Marco’s saddle. It was unnecessary; these servants were clearly used to packing for the Dragon Princes, as everything was properly secured, even Prince Camden’s things. . . who still wasn’t here.

Prince Eli had left to replace him, while I stood awkwardly with the other three princes and King Krona and Queen Bethany. She was quite good at making the best of an awkward situation and asked me all sorts of questions that I had to think about before answering. It made the time go by much faster. . . which was coming up for two hours. If he took any longer, we were going to have to rest overnight in a village since it wouldn’t be safe for us to fly in the valley after dusk. Marco and I could probably make it without too much trouble, but with two people and with one of them as an inexperienced flyer. . . too dangerous.

I shifted my weight, looking up at the impatient Marco. His breathing was getting heavier, eyes snapping to every movement he heard in the cave; his tail flickered back and forth like a rattlesnake. I patted his thick neck with a few soothing words.

Finally Prince Eli came back, dragging his brother behind him. He was dressed in leather riding pants and a black dragon-scale jacket; in the sunlight it shimmered all the colours of the dragons who’d shedded their scales for it. He would have been attractive if it weren’t for the slow look in his eyes. As he got closer, the smell of alcohol was prominent on his breath. He draped an arm on my shoulder and leaned in, his ashen hair tickling my forehead. “You’re much easier to withstand after a couple drinks, my pretty.”

“Camden!” Queen Benthany was taken aghast. “I raised you better than this, you insolent child! Can he even fly?” she asked me.

Grabbing a fistful of hair, I tilted his head back and looked him in the eyes. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

Scowling, he slapped my hand away and stood straighter. He took one look at my hand then snapped his head away from me defiantly. “Three. I’m not that drunk, Mother. Shall we go? We’re losing daylight.”

I growled at him instead of calling him an idiotic pompous ass in front of his family for being the reason why we were losing daylight. Gritting my teeth--I had a feeling I was going to be doing a lot of that--I climbed up Marco’s leg to get into the saddle. Prince Camden followed my movements, stepping on Marco’s claw then hooking his foot into the dragon’s elbow then hoisting himself up into the saddle behind me. He placed his hands loosely on my hips, which, despite everything--and I’ll never understand it--sent a hot flush through my body and made the new butterflies flutter around in my stomach.

“If you don’t want to fall off, you’re going to have to hold onto me a lot tighter than that,” I remarked to him, ignoring the fact that I knew how thrilling it’d feel once he did.

His face scrunched up in disgust, as if holding me was the last thing he’d ever do in this world--even if it was to save him from falling off a dragon.

“I’ll be just fine, thank you,” he replied curtly, turning his head away from me.

Princes Eli and Quinnton snickered, while Prince Liam wore a shit-eating grin.

Ignoring them, I inclined my head to the king and queen. “Thank you for having me. I look forward to seeing you all again when I drop this brat off.” Oops. Was that my outside voice?

“Safe travels,” King Krona said then he glowered at his son. “Remember who you represent outside of these walls.”

Prince Camden gave him a two fingered salute. “Do not fret, Father, our family will be rightly represented.”

The King didn’t look convinced.

“Let’s go, Marco.”

The dragon grunted, dug his claws into the ground, then leapt out the cave. Prince Camden swore in my ear and wrapped his arms around me and set his heels into the second pair of stirrups. He was a lot heavier when the wind tugged on him, and I had to tighten my grip on the handles attached to the saddle.

Once Marco was sure we were secure, he flapped his wings harder, aware of the time crunch, jostling me into the prince’s chest. He squeezed me tighter, burying his face in the crook of my neck.

“Can’t we slow down a bit?” he shouted in my ear, even still it was hard to hear him over the wind whistling in my ear.

“No,” I shot back, “we lost our window to take a leisure flight when you were two hours late! If you can’t hold on, I’ll tie you to me.”

“I can hold on just fine,” he snapped, “I was merely concerned you can’t keep both of us on your dragon for that long.”

He was right. This was my first time flying with someone inexperienced and he had to be almost twice my weight. I didn’t know how long I could hold on for. Was I going to admit that to him? Gods no. I would rather die than admit that to him--which is exactly what will happen if I can’t hold on.

“We’re fine,” I grunted, leaning against the saddle so there would be less wind resistance fighting me. However, I didn’t take into account that meant the prince would also lean forward, which basically had him laying overtop me, pinning me to Marco’s back.

Marco groaned in agreement and pushed himself even faster. The prince squeezed me so tight, I could barely breathe and I felt his heart hammering against my back.

This is going to be a long ride.

The sun was about to set when the mountains of the Randala Valley came into view. I’d made the call an hour ago to continue past the last village. It was cutting it close. Maybe a little too close, but damn it my pride was on the line and I wasn’t about to spend a night alone with the jackass behind me, though he had been pleasantly quiet the entire ride.

The mountains’ shadows grew longer over the plains, looming ominously over us, ready to swallow us whole because I couldn’t take the idea of sharing a room with Prince Camden. Marco slipped between two mountains, folding his wings against his body for two beats, a risky shortcut we desperately needed, before we entered the valley. The oranges and yellows sprinkling the mountains with colours soon became blues and purples--and then we were thrust into darkness. Marco released a low growl, scales bristling head to toe.

“I know, boy,” I agreed, also hating myself for putting us at risk like this. Now he was the only one who could see. My eyes would adjust soon, but they still couldn’t be compared to the sight of a dragon. If Prince Camden was already Bound, he would be able to see just as clearly and give us a slight advantage. “Maybe nothing will notice us.”

Wishful thinking.

The famous screech of harpy sliced through the valley.