The Dragon's Bride
Chapter 25

Not long after, Fang informed Rydstorm that they had evaded the threat.

″Catori, can you please stay here?″

“No.″ She shook her head. “I want to come with you. I want to be a part of the meetings.″

″I don’t want you to get hurt,″ Rydstorm told her.

″I won’t be. You are there to protect me. So are Fang and everyone else.″

With a heavy heart, he nodded then led his bride to the war room where many were gathered in anticipation.

They all raised to their feet and bow, then waited for Rydstorm to take his seat before they sat again.

Catori stood to his left with her hand behind her back, feeling awkward and looking all over the room.

After realizing that his mate didn’t have a seat, he got up and offered his to her.

″Please, have my seat.″

Catori smiled at Rydstorm but shook her head, ″I’ll be alright, you are their King.″

″And you are their Queen. Besides, what kind of King or man would I be to have my mate standing?″

When she was about to counter again, Rydstorm lifted her up, then placed her into his throne.

While Rydstorm went over his plans, Catori sat there, suddenly feeling dizzy. All at once, the place began to spin, and his words floated around in her head. Catori gripped the sides of the throne to settle herself. But the place soon became foggy and the only words she could hear were that of a woman.

‘You should be leading a powerful army, rise up and fight for our legacy. Regain the throne!’ The voice ended with a yell.

Catori lost her grip, only to fall out of the seat. There was a loud crack when she fell to the ground and startled voices.

With his face still and eyes blazing, Rydstorm gazed at his mate as she slept fitfully on their bed. He couldn’t tell what was happening to her, but wished he could make everything better. All he could do was lay beside her and try smoothing out the creases between her brows.

Catori could feel herself falling further and further into the darkness of her mind, a part she didn’t know existed until now. And it scared her because there was nothing there. She couldn’t see anything pass her nose. All she knew was that water was on the floor. The place was pitch black and had a sickly smell to it.

″Finally, you have answered to my call. What took you so long, Catori?″ A raspy voice came.

“Who are you?″ Catori looked around, but she doubted she could replace the source of the voice.

″I am you.″

″Me?″

″Don’t worry your head.″

″Honestly, who are you and where am I?″

″I already told you, and as for the where. We are inside your mind. I have waited years for you to wake me up, so many times I thought you came close and would have done so, but I had to remain dormant until today.″

″How do I know what you are saying is true?″

There was a hiss, ″I know that we might be many things, but we aren’t lairs.″

“What do you want? Why can’t I see you?″

″I want to complete our bond. And that’s because I am nothing but an entity. Think of me as a second soul. The part that gives you your powers. I am the side of you that sets you apart from humans and other dragons.″

Catori’s mouth formed an O as she began to understand. She was talking to her dragon.

“What kind of dragon are we?″

″The type that can move mountains, rain fire on our enemies. Drain the deepest oceans and destroy any land. We are as gentle as a butterfly, but still mightier than one hundred thousand dragons. We are the daughters of Nightwing and Catoriana. Their bond is what makes us stronger than anyone of our species.″

“Ok, but that still doesn’t answer the type of dragon we are. Do you breathe fire? Or maybe you can control water.″

There was a laughing sound.

″You will replace out when we bond, but just know that we are a force to be reckoned with.″

″I wish you could explain more to me.″

″Like what?″

″Our parents.″

″Nightwing was and still is the greatest dragon there is. There is yet to be any dragon to defeat him. Many have tried but failed. He is a cunning one, with his abilities to breathe fire, disappear in dark shadows, read minds, and tell the future.″

Catori gasped, knowing that she had at least one of those abilities.

″As for our mother. She is where we got our gentleness from, being part fae. She could control the winds and also had the ability to know when someone spoke the truth or was telling her a lie.″

Catori nodded.

″How do we bond?″

The moment she asked the question, there was a laugh. Black and purple fire engulfed the darkness. Before she knew it, there was an overwhelming feeling, but as quickly as it came, it went.

Catori jumped out of her dream with a gasp. She kicked out with her legs as she came to and realized that she was in her new home, with Rydstorm having a worried expression from where he sat at the edge of the bed.

″Amica mea.″ Rydstorm rushed to her side.

″I- my.″ Catori felt confused. Then everything came back to her, so she recalled her dream to him.

With his finger on his chin, Rydstorm nodded at her every word.

“Does this mean I have to do training?″

“Training? Why would you think that?″

″To fight, don’t you need to train in order to defend yourself?″

Rydstorm tried to hide his smile but failed. “No, because of our abilities, we don’t need to. Our instincts and abilities are all we need.″

Catori nodded before jumping off the bed. With a determined look, she said. ″Well, I want to know what my abilities are.″

″Yes, of course. I can help you with that. But we can’t do it here. The war room would be better.″

″Why is it called the war room if no fighting ever goes on in there?″

Rydstorm chuckled, ″you will see soon enough.″

When they got to the war room, Rydstorm made everyone leave except for Fang and Winona.

″Why can’t I stay?″ Alice asked.

″Because-″

Catori placed a hand on Rydstorm, then said. “You can stay, Alice.″

Rydstorm gave her a look but said nothing.

Alice clapped her hands. ″This is why I like you.″ Alice did a spin then skipped over to where her sister was standing, swinging her sword.

Winona gave her a look, ″this isn’t the place for your childish acts Alice.″

″Lighten up.″ Alice waved her off.

Trying his best to ignore his sisters, Rydstorm took his mate by the shoulders.

″Listen, I don’t want you to be too hard on yourself. Not everyone will get transformed into their beast on the first try. You might not also be able to use your powers for the first time either, but with practice, you will only get better.″

″Unless you are Alice.″ Winona laughed, then ruffled her sister’s hair.

Alice pouted, while trying to smooth her hair back into place.

″Well, I won’t give up,″ Catori said.

″Good, now. In order to transform, you have to concentrate. Imagine that you are one with your dragon, picture what it looks like and when you can grasp a clear picture, imagine yourself becoming your beast.″

″But I don’t know what my dragon looks like.″

″Just imagine a dragon, or what you think it would look like.″

Catori did as Rydstorm said. She closed her eyes and immediately she was back in the dark room.

″Hello?″ She called.

″You don’t have to be so loud.″ The same raspy voice came.

″How do I become my dragon?″

There was a chuckle. ″All you have to do is picture it.″

″I tried. Isn’t there an easier way? Like pinching my hand.″

″If it was that easy, you would transform without wanting to.″

″True, but there must be a way.″

″Just call my name then, but never make it known to anyone else, or they will control you.″

″How?″

″Names have power.″

″Ok, so what is your name?″

″Ehecatl.″

″Wind serpent?″ Catori said.

When she repeated her dragon’s name, she felt a reach of wind.