Chapter 80: Eighty One

“So the Aziza’s never started the war?” Pluto shakes his head, “No, the Helcates and the Dragons did, the Aziza bloodline was collateral damage in a war they knew nothing about till it started, Helcate’s jealousy started the war, Dragon’s were told of Zena’s alleged betrayal and struck a deal with the Helcates, they would kill the Queens mate as warning to back off from the Aziza’s in exchange for the oracle”

“Why did the Dragon’s want the Oracle?”

“Because she could see the future, they wanted her as a tool to be used, why do you think the Dragon empire thrived and was the wealthiest kingdom, it was because of the oracle, she had control over the witches,”

“But in the Dragon history books its says the Aziza’s started the war when Blaire cursed them” I tell him.

Pluto shakes his head, “The war started many years before that, just the Aziza’s were unaware of Helcates scheming”

“How do you know all this?” I ask because this was vastly different from the stories everyone was told.

“My mate was one the Helcates advisors, she never agreed to what they were doing, we planned to run away together, she knew of their plots to take over and told me, I tried to warn the dragon king at the time, but he cast me out as a traitor and then Blaire was killed and the war started and my mate was killed, leaving me stuck in that state”

“Well, that was an interesting story” Matitus says from behind me making me and Pluto jump. I look to him and Pluto puts his head down looking away.

Ignoring Matitus, I get back to the task at hand and what I originally came here for. Matitus taps my shoulder wanting me to hop up before sitting back down and pulling me on his lap.

“So back to the dragon’s, how many of them are in the caves in the mountains”

“I can’t be sure maybe thirty at most it depends, a lot of them are too weak to move desiccated in a paralytic state, unable to move because the mutated form won’t allow it”

“Can you communicate with each other in that form?”

“Kind of, its hard to explain, it like being stuck in two mindsets, human and dragon, more instinctual, a lot of them have gone crazy and I am afraid even if you bring them back, they won’t be able to function.

Only those of us that could get around have managed to keep their marbles sort of”

“What do you mean sort of” Matitus asks.

“For the most part we coexisted together, flocked together. But a lot of them have been driven mad from the loss of our mates, I don’t think it would be advisable to shift for me anymore, my dragon isn’t exactly sane without my mate anymore, I am but I think that side of me is damaged beyond repair lost without her”

I nod trying to understand, “But you can communicate with each other?”

“Sort of on a basic level, to hunt together like a pack, but other than that not much, well not until Lincoln came back, he was in human form returned a few weeks ago, I am assuming that is because of you or the Helcate he spoke of” Pluto asks.

“So this Lincoln told you about us?”

“Yes, he wants to capture you and the Helcate for the Dragons to feed on, bring them back and start his own kingdom, he knows the Helcates are responsible for the war and he wants revenge” Pluto says. Matitus growls but not before we hear a roar from outside that leaves Pluto shaking as Silas storms into the barn, his body barely fit as he shifted, he lunges straight for Pluto, but I throw myself in front of him, Silas talon stopping just before it come down on me.

“Stop that shift back, now Silas” I yell at him. Pluto was hiding behind me terrified.

“I mean her no harm, I can help…. Please my king I would never hurt her, I owe her my life” Pluto begs.

“And your life is what you will pay with, if any harm comes to her” Matitus warns him.

Dragus walks in underneath Silas not all fazed that he was walking under our very pissed of mate. He hands me a tray, before retrieving a wooden box, and placing it next to the fire before taking the tray and putting it on it as makeshift table.

“Settle down Silas, I have been with him all night, all he has done is speak of owing his life to her, he hasn’t once mentioned harming her” Dragus says ignoring him, Silas sticks his head out the door and I hear the cracking of his bones as he shifts back before walking into the barn.

“You left her with him” Silas accuses, “She would be fine, when are you going to realise, Elora can handle herself?” Dragus tells him pouring some tea in cups before handing one to Pluto and myself.

Pluto relaxes sitting on another box and I pat his shoulder letting him know he was safe with me, he looks up at me grateful but Silas growls at him before pulling me away making me sit on his lap.

Matitus was watching Pluto with curiosity.

“Would you pledge to her, to us?” He asks Pluto, making him look up at him.

“Of course I owe her everything, I am now bound to her, I can feel her magic, strengthening me, I don’t know its hard to explain, I don’t think I can ever leave your kingdom, like I am now tied to her”

Now all three of them growl and Pluto puts up his hands in surrender, spilling his tea.

“No, no, not like that, I don’t know its hard to explain. I owe her, sort of like my loyalty can only be hers if that makes sense”

“So what about Lincoln?” I ask.

“Lincoln is not one of the good ones, he was crazy long before he got stuck like that, he killed his mate when he found out she couldn’t bare him children. Didn’t realise he was dooming himself when he did”

Pluto says.

“Then why would they follow him?”

“Because they fear him, he has killed a few of the ones desiccated, we were starving. I refused but the others were to scared too, they ate them” He says scrunching his face up in disgust.

“Like cannibalism?” Silas asks and I could feel his disgust. Pluto nods, ”yes he is the strongest out of us. I was stuck pretty much in a full dragon form, the others not so lucky, he didn’t really mess with me, because I could put up a fight” Pluto says and Dragus nods in understanding.

‘Okay so can Pluto come in the castle now?” I ask looking to Silas, he grips my face before sighing pressing his forehead against mine.

“What about a place in the city” He compromises but Pluto speaks up instead.

“Actually, is it alright if I stay in the stables, I like it here with the horses” He asks looking to the three dragon kings.

“I don’t have problem with it as long as he doesn’t eat my horses” Says Matitus making me look at him.

“What you know how long it took me to get them horses to trust me, they’re my babies” He says as the brown horse leans over nibbling on Matitus’s hair, he reaches up patting its face.

‘No, not that I am shocked they are yours, didn’t picture you for one that liked pets” I tell him.

“Nothing else to do around here, beside I was raised around them” He says looking up the horse, the horses nose nuzzling his face as Matitus kissed.

“Isn’t that right pebbles” He says to the horse.

“Pebbles?”

“It’s her name” He says simply. I shake my head, but Pluto was watching him with the horse in awe.

“I am fine with it, Pluto likes the horses, was brushing them all night so you don’t have to worry about him eating them Matitus” Matitus looks at Pluto giving him a nod and Pluto looks hopeful before we all turn to Silas.

“Fine, don’t make me regret this” He says looking at Pluto, “Never my king” Pluto tells him.

“Are you going to Aldrin about the Helcates” Matitus asks. I shake my head.

“No, what good would come of it right now, maybe later Pluto can tell him, but at the end of the day he is the same as me, blamed for something his ancestors did. We never made the mistakes, I don’t see why we should be punished for something that happened before we were even born” I tell Matitus.

Guilt hits me through the bond making me look at Silas, his arms tightening around my waist.

“I swear I never knew what my father did, Elora”

Author note Let me know what you think.