Chapter 17

CERION

Her small, bare body curled against mine, our skin burning with shared heat. We were like two flames merging into one, consuming each other with our passion.

The ceremony was over, and dawn seeped through the entrance, bathing our bodies in soft light. It felt like both an ending and a beginning— a finite moment that sealed our bond forever.

The last step was for Kira to watch me shift into my dragon. I took a deep breath, running my fingers through her hair, feeling her body relax at my touch.

She wasn’t afraid of me anymore, which I was grateful for. But I worried her fear might return when she came face-to-face with my dragon.

Celen wasn’t exactly a cuddly creature. With rough black scales and unforgiving crimson eyes, he was a sight to behold— and not always in a good way.

He was massive, temperamental, and fiercely protective. I knew he’d try to behave for Kira’s sake, but still, I was anxious about her reaction.

I’d never shown a woman my dragon before, except my mother. ~What if Kira runs away~? The thought made my stomach churn.

I lifted Kira’s chin, searching her eyes. “It’s time to meet my dragon, Kira,” I said, trying to sound confident.

Her blue eyes widened, her lip trembling for a moment before she forced a smile. ~She’s terrified~, I realized, my heart sinking.

“Stay calm. He’s protective of you. Remember, he’s part of me.” I tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, hoping to reassure her.

She nodded, then surprised me by caressing my cheek. Her gentle touch sent warmth flooding through me, easing some of my worry.

I moved to the other side of the room, giving her space. She looked uncomfortable, wrapping her arms around her chest as she watched me.

“His name is Celen!” I called out, hoping the name would make him seem less scary.

“Celen,” she repeated softly, her voice barely audible.

I focused on the floor, feeling the familiar rush of transformation. In seconds, Celen stood before Kira, his massive form dwarfing her tiny frame.

Kira’s eyes were wide as saucers as she stared up at Celen. He took a step forward, bringing his front claw within inches of her feet.

I could see her chest rising and falling rapidly, but she didn’t back away. ~She’s braver than I thought~, I marveled.

Slowly, hesitantly, she reached out her hand. Her fingers hovered in the air for a moment before gently touching Celen’s warm scales.

“Celen,” she whispered, her voice filled with awe. “You’re…beautiful.”

Celen was clearly thrilled by the compliment. He lowered his head, nuzzling against her gently.

Kira trembled but stood her ground, allowing Celen to show his affection. A smile spread across her face as she stroked his snout.

Celen pulled back reluctantly, gazing at Kira with the same wonder I felt. He was as captivated by her as I was.

Finally, Celen released control, and I shifted back to my human form. Kira’s eyes lit up as she watched the transformation.

“Incredible!” she exclaimed, her smile brighter than the morning sun.

“I’m glad you think so, my queen,” I replied, unable to keep the grin off my face.

She walked toward me, and I couldn’t help but admire her body as she moved. She pressed herself against me, nuzzling into my neck.

“I have some matters to take care of, but give me a few hours and I’ll be back.” I pressed my lips to the top of her head.

“What matters?” She pressed her body further into my chest.

“Your father.”

“Cerion…,” she began, but I interrupted.

“My queen, nothing you say will make me change my mind about punishing your father for the pain he inflicted on you. It’s in my nature, and he’s deserving.”

She scowled at my comment.

“No, Kira. He will pay.”

“Just allow Raya to stay here and send him back home,” she argued.

“He will not die, but he will suffer as you have. That’s all. It’s only fair.” I tore myself away from her grasp. She was unreasonable, too kind, too forgiving, but unreasonable.

She turned her gaze toward her feet, not responding to my final reply—then she walked to the bed and buried herself in the blankets.

I turned on my heels toward the doorway, not offering her a second glance. It infuriated me that she was willing to forgive that man, even after what he did to her.

I needed to protect her from herself.

KIRA

With a heavy heart, I walked to the bed and buried myself in the blankets.

I heard Cerion’s footsteps as he left through the open archway of the dragon’s entrance. He didn’t offer me a second glance, and I felt a pang in my chest.

I couldn’t help but wonder if Cerion was trying to protect me from myself—or if he was the one I needed protection from.

~It’s like he doesn’t understand me at all~, I thought, pulling the blankets tighter around me.

~Why can’t he see that forgiveness is a strength, not a weakness~?

Was it sad that a part of me didn’t want my father to be hurt? That I didn’t want Cerion to punish him for his abuse? For the way he tormented me?

I felt weak. But I knew my kindness was not weakness. It was my greatest strength and had always been.

I saw the good beneath Cerion, even when he didn’t want to see it himself.

And there was good beneath my father too, even if it was deep down.

But Cerion would stop at nothing to hurt him. It was in his nature, and I’m sure it was the way he showed his love.

Still, I didn’t want him to be punished, but it seemed there was nothing I could do about it.

The only good that came out of this was that Raya would be able to stay with me now, and I’d be able to protect her.

My thoughts were interrupted by an unearthly feeling coursing through my body.

It was a completely unfamiliar sensation, almost like an out-of-body feeling.

My body coursed with something. Something indescribable. It was foreign to my body.

What came with the feeling was something horrible.

The pain came next.

And it wasn’t like the pain from the first time of sex, or the pain when my father whipped me. It was an unimaginable pain that radiated through every inch of my body. The pain pulsated through my core, ruining me with screams. It wouldn’t lessen; it wouldn’t let up. It kept piercing through my body, controlling me. I couldn’t control myself because the pain had a hold over me.

Then I heard a faint voice through my mind, trying to make contact with me, but I couldn’t make out the words.

I was going crazy, officially. I couldn’t believe it. Everything was finally perfect in my life, and here I was going insane.

I tried to scream, but the screams came out quiet. I began to lose my voice from the pain, too.

I rolled over onto the stone, pressing the front of my bare body against the cold material. The pain began to ease up from being on the stone. ~Gods, thank gods!~ I thought. I shifted my body to try to sit in an upright position, but when I did, my body tensed again, and the pain returned.

I groaned harshly, falling against the stone, my back hitting the ground first, and I felt pain course through me again. It felt as if something was trying to break free from inside me. Tear free from inside me.

Then I heard the voice in my mind again. “~Closer.~” It kept repeating that, over and over again until I repeated it back in my mind. ~Closer, what does that mean?~ The pain forced its way through my insides, tearing apart me from my very core. I found myself curling further into a ball.

“~Closer, Kira,~” the voice demanded again.

I dragged my nails across the stone, pushing myself back toward the bed when the voice sounded. “~No.~”

“No?” I cried, trying to understand the foreign voice. “~Closer,~” I heard again. I began to drag my nails the opposite way, forcing myself toward the edge of the Dragon’s Entrance. The pain still persisted, but the voice had stopped now.

I was ten feet away from the edge of the Dragon’s Entrance when I felt the rippling against my back. It was tormenting, refusing to desist. Then I felt the crack of my bones. I winced and softly screamed, still unable to find my voice.

My bones continued cracking, forcing my body onto my knees and forcing me to throw my head back from the internal damage. The damage became external now as I saw my body shifting from itself.

I screamed throughout my mind, “~What is happening to me?~”

I heard the voice respond, “~Kira, it’s all right~!”

“~Who are you?~” I responded internally in a loud cry.

“~Kalathe,~” the voice responded.

I rolled over again, onto my stomach now, feeling the rest of my bones crack, and then the pain stopped, but I had passed out.

When I awoke, I looked down to see what damage had been done, and instead I saw a large paw covered in blue scales.

I screamed in response, shocked by the sight, but the scream came out in a bellowing roar.

“~Kira, it’s all right. We have shifted. The transformation is complete. There won’t be as much pain the next time,~” the voice sounded throughout my mind.

“~What? What are you? What did you do to me?~” I screamed back in my mind.

I examined my other hand, but it was the same blue scaly paw as my other hand.

“~I’m your dragon, Kalathe,~” the voice responded, and I backed up, terrified. I ran into the wall, causing fragments of the wall to crumble from my strength, and that’s when I knew I wasn’t crazy.

I had a dragon too. The trait had passed down to me.

“~Kalathe, please~…~let me shift back,~” I demanded weakly.

Kalathe obeyed and let me shift back into my human form. My bones cracked, and my body fell onto the cold stone floor.

My eyes fluttered closed. The loud stomp of boots on the stone reached my ears, and for a moment, I felt relieved that Cerion was here now to hold and comfort me. Rough, calloused hands wrapped around my bare skin, and the touch felt unfamiliar. Even their scent was wrong.

This wasn’t Cerion.

I was blindfolded, unable to control or force my dragon forward as a cloth was placed over my nose and mouth. It reeked of chemicals. My body weakened and almost became frail. I felt myself drifting into a forced sleep as my wrists were bound.