Chapter 35

“Do you really not fear what could happen here?” Ginger asked, her eyes mirroring her worry. She was sitting across from me at the round table. It was the morning after, and I had joined her, Umira, and Sky for a post-breakfast chat in the courtyard.

The day was warm—so warm that the shade of the tree next to us felt like a relief. They had invited me over, which wasn’t surprising. The topic of our conversation wasn’t surprising either, especially once they were sure Dominick was distracted.

He had left right after breakfast, telling us to keep ourselves busy while he attended to something important. I had a hunch he was checking on Navine and the others. But that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. It gave me a chance to have a private conversation with the three concubines.

“I won’t lie. I am apprehensive. But I refuse to let it control me,” I clarified.

Umira frowned at me. “You do realize that such attitudes can cause problems here. Lord Dominick doesn’t tolerate defiance in his territory,” she warned.

“Maybe,” I conceded, “but I don’t belong to Dominick or this place. I am Navine’s wife, and nothing he does can change that.”

Sky chimed in. “She has a point. Just like other men shouldn’t interfere with us, Lord Dominick shouldn’t interfere with Lord Navine’s life.”

“No, he shouldn’t,” Ginger agreed. She leaned back in her chair, her fiery red wings shimmering in the dappled sunlight. She sighed. “But what can we really do? We’re already walking a tightrope with Lord Dominick. We have to watch our words and actions. We know the consequences if we don’t.”

“We have no choice. We need to keep him happy,” Umira reminded her.

“But you shouldn’t have to sacrifice anything to make him happy. That’s not how relationships work. And it’s definitely not okay for him to hurt you if he’s upset,” I told them.

Sky nodded solemnly. “No, it’s not. And we need to remember that when things come to a head.”

“We will,” Ginger said, changing the subject. She smiled at me, her hands clasped in front of her. “But there’s no point dwelling on this now. Let’s talk about you, Raelina. We don’t know much about the other Dragon’s women. This is a good opportunity.”

“Yes, it is!” Umira agreed, her hands clasped to her cheek. “You’re from Lord Navine’s palace too. What’s he like?”

“Shh! You know what happens if Lord Dominick hears you talking about Lord Navine!” Ginger scolded her.

Sky leaned in closer to me, lowering her voice. “Lord Navine’s name is kind of a taboo here. I’m sure you understand why.”

“I do,” I confirmed. I decided to take a risk and speak softly about him. “If you really want to know, he’s been nothing but kind to me since we met a few months ago. He’s noble and usually calm. If it weren’t for his manipulative and mean side, I’d say Dominick could be a lot like him.”

“Really? That’s interesting. I heard before I met him that Lord Dominick is considered one of the top alphas of these lands, just like Lord Navine,” Umira remembered.

“That’s true,” I confirmed. “From what I’ve learned, he’s just below Lord Jekia and his sons. Dominick is right under him and Niles.”

“You refer to them by their first names. I didn’t think that was allowed given their status,” Sky observed.

“Why wouldn’t it be? I’m Navine’s wife, and he’s told me I don’t need to defer to anyone. Although I still do with Lord Jekia, but it wouldn’t feel right otherwise,” I explained.

Ginger nodded. “I wouldn’t either. We owe a lot to these leading alphas, especially Lord Jekia. Without them, these lands would still be lawless.”

She had a point. We had all known mostly peace in our lives. Even my experiences weren’t as bad as things used to be before the rulers took their places.

Umira turned to me, her eyes questioning. “Did the lycans really wipe out all the Sun Fae when you were just a kid?”

Ginger quickly interjected. “That’s a bit personal, don’t you think, Umira?”

I waved her off. “It’s okay. It’s been so long; I’ve made peace with it. I believe I survived for a reason,” I reassured them.

Dominick chimed in. “You think you survived to meet Navine, right?”

His sudden voice made us all jump. He had a knack for sneaking up on us, and this time was no different. He was standing next to me before any of us realized he was there. It was unnerving, to say the least.

But I wasn’t about to let him see me rattled. “Why question it if you already know the answer?” I shot back.

“Why indeed?” Dominick’s gaze swept over the three women. “Why don’t you ladies take a break? I need to have a word with Raelina.”

They hesitated but eventually stood up to leave. “We’ll catch up later, Raelina. Excuse us,” Ginger said, her voice trembling slightly.

As they retreated into the palace, I felt a knot of apprehension in my stomach. Being alone with Dominick was the last thing I wanted. But with the barrier up, he held all the cards.

I swallowed hard, standing up to face him. For the first time, I noticed how tall and muscular he was, just like Navine. He could easily overpower us if he wanted to.

“What’s this about? You suddenly wanting to talk to me alone seems a bit…odd,” I said, trying to sound confident and slightly irritated. I was, after all, enjoying my conversation with Sky, Ginger, and Umira, despite the difficult topics.

Dominick was as calm as ever. “I just wanted to talk. Besides, the others have chores to do. We have plenty of time.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You have your concubines doing chores? Why not hire servants or use dolls?”

He shrugged. “Why bother? They don’t have much else to do here. A little work won’t hurt them.”

I couldn’t argue with that. I did chores at Navine’s palace, even though he said I didn’t have to. We often cooked together, which was a fun way to bond.

“Maybe not,” I conceded. “But it wouldn’t hurt you to help them sometimes. It might even improve your relationship with them.”

Dominick dismissed my suggestion. “I don’t need to do that. They’re here for my entertainment, nothing more.”

I couldn’t hide my shock. “That’s cruel. They’re not objects. They’re living beings, just like us.”

He seemed amused. “You make me sound like a monster. Are you really that upset about my choice of words?”

I glared at him. “You shouldn’t even have to ask. You know my answer.”

He chuckled. “Always the righteous one, huh? You remind me of Rosaline. But this fighting spirit of yours is getting a bit tiresome.”

He held my chin, looking into my eyes. I stood rigid, refusing to back down. “You’re so defiant. I’m not sure I like that.”

“That’s because you’re used to being in control. But life doesn’t work that way.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You think so?”

“I know so,” I retorted, stepping back from him. “I couldn’t control what happened to me or my sect. I couldn’t control not being chosen by the alpha I thought I loved. That’s life. Maybe it’s time you learned that before your bad decisions cost you everything.”

Dominick just smiled, resting his hand on his hip. “Right, I remember you had a thing for Jekia’s eldest son. But you ended up with Navine. That was a surprising twist. Was it because you knew you didn’t stand a chance with him after he picked that half-breed Succubus?”

“Don’t talk about her like that. Luna didn’t choose her birth circumstances, and I’m sure you knew about her father’s attempts to manipulate her and this realm,” I shot back.

“Indeed, I was very much aware of it.”

“Why didn’t you tell Lord Jekia then?”

“Why should I? It didn’t concern me, nor did it affect me. His family problems are his to handle.”

I glared at him. “What about my problems? Why did you command those lycans to murder my sect?” I demanded.

“Do you still think I did that?” Dominick retorted.

“Stop messing with me! You were the only one with a reason to do it, even if you did it indirectly!” I accused.

Dominick chuckled. “You’re sharp in this life too, but I think I like that. A fiery woman is much more appealing than a submissive one.”

I held my ground, refusing to let him see me rattled, even as the truth pierced my heart. My sect was dead because of him. He’d ordered those lycans to kill them all in a twisted plot to murder me.

“I can’t figure you out. What’s your endgame? You’ve killed me repeatedly since my life as Rosaline, and you tormented her at the end of her life by exploiting her and ensuring her death. Is this all because she rejected you for Navine, and now I’ve chosen him too?”

Dominick moved closer, his eyes now icy. “You’re still not seeing the whole picture. I’ve always hated the Ivory Dragon clan. They were so powerful, even among us, and they always had the upper hand over everyone in their territory except a few. Even as a young Dragon, I knew my destiny was to be a superior alpha, and I strived to challenge them at every turn.”

“But it was never enough, even when you became the fourth strongest in the Northern Lands,” I concluded.

He didn’t deny it. “No. Even when I achieved that and only Navine and Temple were left in that line, I never felt satisfied. The only time I felt a hint of that was when I first saw Rosaline. She was the one thing I shared with Navine. I saw her as the most beautiful creature in the world, and before I knew it, she was in my every thought—asleep or awake. I had to have her, but she chose him.”

His voice was filled with bitterness, and his eyes hardened as he went on.

“Do you know how maddening it is for a proud man to be rejected by the only one he could ever give his heart to? The pain is so intense that it turns his heart as black as the darkest night.”

“That’s why you killed her, and you keep killing her reincarnations,” I whispered in realization.

“Exactly. Why would I let the one who rejected me find any happiness—even in eternity?”

A wicked smile spread across Dominick’s face. “It was also quite gratifying to see Navine become a recluse after her death, then to watch his only family leave and never come back. Even if the child he unexpectedly fathered is now a ruler, it doesn’t really matter. He is still far removed. The only problem left is deciding what to do with you.”

A chill ran down my spine as he continued to stare into my eyes. I’d never seen such cold calculation. Even the lycan who almost killed me didn’t seem as dangerous as this Dragon did now.

I had to muster all my strength to hide my fear from him. I knew things would get much worse if I didn’t.

“You’ve dug yourself a deep hole. It’s not just Navine who’s going to come after you for taking me,” I warned him.

“I’m fully aware, but I don’t care. I’ve lived long enough.” Dominick’s voice dropped as he leaned in closer. “But don’t worry. I’ll make sure to leave a lasting impression on your and his souls for all eternity.”

A shiver ran down my spine as he took a step back.

“What’s your game plan?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Dominick said, his gaze drifting toward the palace. “But for now, come with me. I have something to show you.”

I didn’t want to follow him, but I felt cornered. If going along with him kept him at a distance, then I could remain unharmed.

Dominick guided me upstairs, his stride as steady as ever. His face was a mask, giving away nothing about his intentions.

He finally halted at a door near the end of the hallway. He opened it to reveal an opulent bedroom. My body was rigid with tension as I trailed behind him, my mind a whirlwind of fear as the door shut behind us.

“Oh, lighten up. Do you really think I’m going to repeat past mistakes?” Dominick teased.

“How am I supposed to know? You did abduct me,” I shot back.

“I did, didn’t I?”

His movements were swift, and before I knew it, I was flat on my back on the bed, staring up at him as he held my wrists above my head. Panic surged through me as I writhed against his grip, but he wouldn’t budge.

“L-let me go!” I managed to stammer.

A wicked smile spread across the Dragon’s face, his prism-colored eyes gleaming with sinister pleasure.

“You remember this, don’t you? The day I lured her in here and ensured I would be her first,” he murmured.

His words triggered horrific images in my mind, memories I knew belonged to Rosaline. She’d been led up here too, enticed by him with the promise of returning a necklace she’d lost during a visit. It was a family heirloom, and she’d dropped it accidentally.

But Dominick’s true intentions were far more sinister. He’d lured her into his room and then violated her, leaving her emotionally shattered and blaming herself more than him.

I fought harder against him, the primal need to escape consuming me.

“No! Let me go! Don’t touch me!” I begged.

Dominick’s grip on my wrists tightened as he leaned over me, his body pressing down on mine.

“Do you really think I’ll heed your pleas? It would be the ultimate affront to him if I defiled you here,” he gloated.

My heart pounded in my chest, fear clouding my mind even as I continued to struggle.

~Help me! Please, someone! I don’t want this! Navine!~

“Please, don’t!” Umira’s voice suddenly rang out.

Dominick paused, slowly turning to look over his shoulder. For the first time, I noticed that Umira had burst into the room. She looked terrified, but she stood her ground, facing him.

“What do you think you’re doing?! Were you eavesdropping on me again?!” he barked.

“P-please! Leave her alone! If you want something, ask me!” Umira stammered.

A tense silence fell before Dominick slowly released me and moved toward Umira. I quickly scrambled up, clutching my chest as I gasped for breath, my heart still racing.

Dominick’s fury was palpable as he advanced on Umira, causing her to retreat until she bumped into a dresser. She reached behind her, her hand fumbling for something as he grabbed her by the throat.

“You think you can dictate my actions?! Didn’t I teach you your place?!” Dominick spat at her.

“I didn’t mean to!” Umira choked out. Her fingers closed around a red velvet pouch, which she hurled in a desperate attempt to distract him. “I was just looking for a key and heard shouting, and it scared me!”

The pouch landed near me, and I instinctively picked it up, hiding it behind my back while Dominick was preoccupied with Umira. He was too engrossed in his anger to notice.

“I’ve warned you about spying on me!” he growled. He then turned to me. “Get out! I’ve had enough of you for now!”

I had no choice. I couldn’t fight him, no matter how much I wanted to help Umira. All I could do was flee the room.

I kept going, my feet pounding the ground until I reached the safety of my assigned room. I slammed the door shut behind me, making sure to lock it before collapsing against it. My chest ached with the effort of my sobs, tears streaming down my face as memories flooded my mind.

I’m not sure how long I sat there, my back against the door, crying my heart out. As I slowly regained my composure, I noticed the pouch Umira had tossed to me still clutched in my hand.

It felt like it contained something long and hard. I wiped my tear-streaked face with the back of my hand before opening the pouch and reaching inside. My eyes widened in surprise when I pulled out a large silver key.

“All I needed was a key!” I thought to myself.

I choked back another sob as the reality of the situation hit me. Umira was braver than anyone had ever given her credit for. She hadn’t just saved my life—she’d also made sure I had the one thing that could put an end to all this.

The key to the lock guarding the stones.