Chapter 14

DIMITRI

I call everyone together, laying out a plan. King Gabriel’s son is on his way here, according to our guards. He’s coming from the south side of the mountains.

I instruct them to keep an eye on the situation and update me if anything changes.

It’s odd for them to venture here without a reason. This is the first time they’ve dared to step foot here since the last war. So, I’m guessing they’re after something.

While the guards are on the lookout, I have Leo and the others prepare for an ambush, just in case King Gabriel’s son has an attack in mind.

Damian will stay back at the palace with Prince Cian and Michael, safeguarding Valkyrie and everyone else. I’ll head down to confront them. I need to know why they’re here. It’s all very strange.

I glance down and mind-link with Leo.

~“Are you guys set?”~ I ask.

~“Yes, we’re in position. We’ve spread out into four groups, ready to ambush them,”~ Leo replies.

Using my dragon sight, I catch a glimpse of them. It’s strange. They’re heading this way, but at a leisurely pace. They’re moving like travelers, not invaders.

~“Damian, any updates from the guards?”~ I ask, intrigued.

~“Nothing yet, but we need to be patient, Dimitri,”~ Damian advises as he pulls on a shirt.

I sigh, telling Damian I’ll be back soon. But first, I need to ensure Valkyrie is safe.

I head to her chambers, opening the door to find Mia tidying up the room.

“Where’s Valkyrie?” I ask, scanning the room.

“She went for a walk. Why?” Mia responds, pausing her cleaning.

“What? Where did she go?” I ask, concern creeping into my voice.

“She’s in the garden near the cliff,” Mia informs me.

I rush out, heading for the garden. It’s risky for her to be there. What if the men spot her? Valkyrie’s existence is a secret, and I can’t risk her being captured.

I sprint around the garden, searching for her. Valkyrie is nowhere to be seen. Worried, I ask some guards if they’ve seen her.

“Where are you?” I mutter, my heart pounding.

I continue my frantic search. The garden is large enough for someone to easily hide. I curse under my breath, frustrated with the obstructive trees. This is both annoying and dangerous.

Suddenly, I spot a figure on the ground. My eyes widen in fear, and I sprint towards them. It’s Valkyrie.

“Valkyrie!” I call out, my voice almost a shout. I pull her into a hug, my heart threatening to burst from my chest.

“What are you doing?” Valkyrie asks, trying to push me away.

“You had me worried,” I admit.

Valkyrie frowns, then sighs in resignation.

“I just came for a walk and fell asleep. Is everything okay?” she asks, standing up.

I reach for her hand to help her up and explain the situation. Valkyrie just stares at me, then nods. She obediently follows me back inside, my grip on her hand tightening.

~“Dimitri, we need you,”~ Damian mind-links me.

Once we reach the queen’s chambers, I ask Valkyrie to stay inside.

“Is everything okay?” Valkyrie asks as I usher her inside.

“Yes, just stay inside, okay? And wait for me,” I reassure her, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles.

I turn and leave, leaving her standing in the doorway, stunned.

~“Update me, Damian. What’s happening?”~ I ask.

~“Leo is with them. He said you need to go down there. You need to be present,”~ Damian informs me.

Without wasting any more time, I strip down and leap, completely naked, from a window.

~“Leo?”~ I call out, ~“where are they?”~

~“South, near the lake,”~ Leo replies, his voice strained.

I head in that direction, hovering above the small group of men. Out of the corner of my eye, I see my other guards ready to back me up. I let out a loud growl and land with a thud, startling everyone.

~“You’re trespassing, prince,”~ I mind-link everyone.

We dragons can communicate with anyone, as long as we grant them permission. So, talking with this group is easy. There’s no need to transform into our human forms just to assert our dominance.

~“Speak. Why are you here?”~ I demand, my voice a low growl, a warning.

King Gabriel’s son just stares at me, unfazed.

“We’ve come to discuss a trade,” the prince announces. “I’m Prince Zar, son of King Gabriel.”

I frown, glaring at the group. Prince Zar? He’s one of King Gabriel’s illegitimate sons, but he’s also recognized by his father.

Still, it’s surprising to see him here. King Gabriel rarely involves him in his schemes.

~“Tell me, why are you here? You know you’re in dangerous and forbidden territory,”~ I challenge.

“Yes,” Prince Zar nods, “I’m aware of that, but I come in peace. I don’t want any trouble.”

I circle the group, sniffing the air. They’re armed, but they don’t have any dragon-taming weapons.

~“I’m listening. Speak,”~ I command him.

His eyes never leave mine. He chooses his words carefully.

“I’ve come to propose a trade. I need dragon scales,” Prince Zar says, his face serious. “Just two bags.”

~“And why do you need them?”~ I ask, stopping near him. I growl softly, baring my teeth. For a moment, I see him flinch.

“We need them for medicinal purposes,” Prince Zar explains, clearing his throat.

“They’re for medicine. We’ve discovered that your scales contain a specific mineral that’s beneficial for healing. It can heal wounds caused by fire, cuts, and swords.”

He continues, “I need them. But this is for my personal use. My father doesn’t know about it,” Prince Zar clarifies.

~“How can I be sure you’re not lying?”~ I challenge.

“Because what I’m about to propose might just change your mind,” Prince Zar replies with confidence.

Intrigued, I mind-link Damian.

~“Get some scales ready,”~ I instruct Damian. After hearing his swift response, I turn my attention back to Prince Zar.

~“What’s the trade you’re proposing?”~ I ask.

“Dragon hearts,” Prince Zar announces, catching me off guard.

~“What?”~ I question him. Is he serious?

“You heard me right, King Dimitri. Dragon hearts. I have eight of them,” Prince Zar confirms, signaling one of his men to reveal a bag and its contents.

I frown, noticing the different colored hearts glowing inside the enchanted bag.

~“Why offer that?”~ I ask, intrigued. ~“You know that’s worth more than scales.”~

“True, but I wouldn’t dare use these. The scales, however, I need them. They’re more useful to us humans. For the less fortunate,” Prince Zar explains with a sigh. “This is my humble offer.”

I’m taken aback, I won’t deny it. But his offer of something we hold so dear in exchange for mere scales makes me suspicious.

~“Why should I trust you?”~ I growl.

I begin to pace around the group again. The horses sense my anger and become restless.

“Because I’m not my father,” Prince Zar retorts, causing me to halt. I consider his words, studying him intently. His gaze doesn’t falter, and I can tell he’s being honest.

Scraping the ground with my long claws, I issue a warning. ~“This should be the first and last time. No more trading and no more trespassing on my territory, understood?”~ I spit.

~“You know what could happen next time. Don’t test my patience.”~

“Thank you, King Dimitri,” Prince Zar responds, bowing his head in respect.

I mind-link Damian, instructing him to prepare four bags so Zar won’t return.

~“My men will deliver the scales. Hand over the dragon hearts and wait for them here,”~ I command.

Zar raises his hand, sending two of his men towards me with the large bag. I growl as they place it in front of me. Both men flinch and retreat to their horses.

~“Wait here. I hope you honor your word,”~ I say, picking up the bag with my snout and taking flight.

Upon landing back in the cave, I place the dragon hearts on the ground and transform.

“Take that to my chambers. I’ll deal with it later. Damian, deliver the scales,” I order.

“On it,” Damian responds as he undresses.

“How’s everything here?” I ask Michael.

“Good. I was surprised that Prince Zar showed up,” Michael admits, looking out of the cave. “Were his intentions genuine?”

“Well, he handed over the bag,” I mumble. “Is Valkyrie in her chambers?”

“Yes, Mia is still with her,” Michael confirms.

Excusing myself, I head to her chambers. I need to ensure she’s safe. I hurry up the stairs. Knocking on the double doors, I hear Mia call out for me to ~wait, please~.

I wait patiently outside the door.

“Mia?” I call again.

She’s taking longer than I expected. Deciding to open the door, I barge into the room. Mia and Valkyrie are nowhere in sight. Calling for Mia, I hear her respond.

She’s in the bathroom. Asking for permission, I enter, careful not to startle Valkyrie or make her uncomfortable.

“Apologies, Your Majesty,” Mia says as she approaches with some clothes. “I was checking on Valkyrie.”

“Where is she?” I ask, scanning the spacious bathroom.

“She’s by the small waterfall. She’s resting, which is why I didn’t come to open the door. Valkyrie dozed off,” Mia explains.

“Alright, you can go,” I dismiss her. Mia nods and leaves with a smirk on her face.

Approaching the waterfall, I see Valkyrie with her back to me. Her arms are resting on a rock and her head is on pillows that I assume Mia provided for her comfort.

“Valkyrie?” I call out softly.

Approaching her from the side, I see her eyes are closed. Smiling, I remove my shirt and sit at the edge of the rocky pool. Steam causes Valkyrie’s hair to cling to her back.

Careful not to disturb her, I gently move her hair to the side. She’s sleeping peacefully. Her lips are slightly parted, and her body is slumped against the rock.

I wonder if she’s comfortable. Deciding it’s best to move her to the bed, I step into the pool and gently lift her. Half her body is covered with a piece of cloth.

She mumbles in her sleep. I ensure her arms are around my neck before lifting her completely.

Humming, she clings to me tightly. I smile softly. She looks so beautiful asleep.

Carrying her to her bed, I find some dry clothes nearby. Deciding not to invade her privacy, I lay her on the bed and cover her with the fur.

I carefully dry her hair. Once I’m sure she’s almost dry, I discard my pants. It seems Mia thought ahead and brought me an extra pair.

After putting them on, I notice Valkyrie hasn’t woken up.

“Mia?” Valkyrie calls, half asleep.

Turning, I see her yawning.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” I ask as she focuses on me.

“Why are you here?” Valkyrie asks, sitting up.

Lowering my gaze, I bite my lip. Valkyrie sits up in bed, and the fur that covers her slides down, revealing her bare breast.

She’s oblivious to her exposure. Clearing my throat, I turn away.

“Mia had to attend to some things, so I stayed and helped you out of the pool. Don’t worry, I didn’t look,” I explain hastily.

Valkyrie tilts her head, looking puzzled. I clear my throat, trying to shake off the awkwardness.

“Oh!” she exclaims, finally realizing her bare state. She blushes, pulling the fur up to her neck and avoiding my gaze, waiting for me to speak.

“Um, you’ve seen me naked, right?” she suddenly asks.

“What?” I respond, taken aback.

“I mean, I’m supposed to be your queen, so we’re lovers, right?” she asks, causing me to blush.

Why is this conversation making me feel so awkward?

“Uh, yeah, I guess,” I respond, sounding like a complete fool.

“I see…” Valkyrie murmurs.

We both fall silent. The quietness only adds to the discomfort.

“I think I should get dressed,” she mumbles, scrambling off the bed.

“Wait!” I call out, but it’s too late. Valkyrie’s legs get tangled in the sheets and she tumbles, hitting her head on the way down.

“Shit!” I curse, reaching out for her.

Valkyrie winces in pain, clutching her head. Blood trickles down her forehead.

“Damn it, Valkyrie,” I growl, causing her to flinch. “Can’t you be more careful? You’re such a pain in the ass sometimes!” I snap, immediately regretting my harsh words.

I hold onto her arms but don’t dare move her. Valkyrie is panting heavily. Realizing I may have messed up, I swallow hard.

“Sorry,” I mumble, releasing her and standing up.

“C-could you hand me some clothes?” Valkyrie stammers, causing me to glance down at her. But, of course, I’m being an ass and haven’t even checked if she’s okay.

Silently, I grab the clothes and hand them to her. Her hands shake as she takes them. I frown, wondering why she’s so nervous.

“Valkyrie?” I ask, my tone serious. Her slender body tenses up immediately. I take a deep breath and kneel down.

“Hey, look at me,” I command, lifting her chin to meet my gaze. Her eyes are wide and filled with tears.

“P-please don’t be mad,” Valkyrie whispers, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Valkyrie?” I ask again.

She lowers her gaze and mumbles a soft yes.

“You know who I am?” I ask, my voice filled with hope.

“Huh?” she responds, looking at me with confusion.

“Do you know who I am?” I repeat, gripping her arm.

“Y-yes, I know, please let go,” Valkyrie responds.

A wide smile spreads across my face. I call her name and pull her into a hug.

“You remember me. It’s about damn time,” I mutter, holding her close.

Valkyrie has regained her memories, and my heart flutters with unfamiliar emotions. I can’t help but wonder if I’m falling for her.