Chapter 21

CIAN

I’m fascinated by the memories I find in Valkyrie’s mind. They’re not hers. Someone else planted them there. It must have been a powerful mage or sorcerer.

I’m itching to know more.

I glance at Valkyrie’s still form on the bed. I’m tempted to delve into her mind again, despite the king’s orders. I don’t care about his rules.

He can’t touch me. I’m beyond his reach.

The more I look at her, the more I want to do it. My hand twitches, eager to explore the uncharted territories of her mind.

My powers are not to be taken lightly. Being a hybrid is serious business, and being half-dragon, half-sorcerer is no joke.

I smirk at the golden double doors. The king can’t enter these chambers without permission, thanks to a spell.

Michael tried to help the king modify it, but he only made it worse. Initially, Dimitri could stay inside for three hours. Now, the spell only allows him half that time.

I chuckle, glancing between Valkyrie and the doors.

“To hell with it,” I mutter, sitting next to her. Valkyrie is stunning. Her pale, porcelain face makes you wonder about the rest of her body.

Her hair is a fiery red, and her body is enticing. She has every curve a man could want. I lick my lips, smiling. I’m a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

She may be my cousin, but who says we can’t have a relationship? We’re dragons. Beasts, not humans.

I brush some hair away from her beautiful face, and a purple glow dances at the tip of my finger.

“Let’s see what we can find,” I murmur, closing my eyes and placing my finger on her left temple. I focus as I navigate her mind.

“What was that?” I groan, opening my eyes. Something is blocking my access to certain areas. The memories that aren’t Valkyrie’s are hard to see.

They’re blurry, but I catch a glimpse. I hear a voice. A man’s voice. But who is he? Is he the mage who implanted these memories?

Hearing footsteps outside the room, I quickly sit on a wooden chair. The double doors open, and my brother Michael walks in.

“How is she?” Michael asks, looking at her.

“The same,” I reply, pretending nothing’s happened.

“Can I check her?” Michael asks. I nod, and he sits and takes her hand.

“Strange, isn’t it?” I say, noticing Michael’s curiosity.

“What’s strange?” Michael asks, stopping to look at me.

“That the king hasn’t marked Valkyrie,” I say, causing Michael to frown.

I was right. When I first met Valkyrie and learned she was Dimitri’s supposed mate, I wondered why she wasn’t marked.

As dragons, we can’t suppress our desires for long—especially when we find our mates. The craving to possess them is unbearable. So how is King Dimitri holding back?

“Is he waiting out of respect for her?” Michael suggests, making me laugh.

“Waiting? For what? The apocalypse?” I retort sarcastically. “Don’t you find it odd?”

Michael frowns and looks at Valkyrie.

“Maybe he…can’t?” Michael suggests, sounding unsure.

“Yes, brother,” I say, leaning forward. “I suspect he hasn’t been able to make the mark.”

“You’re not suggesting…,” Michael whispers, glancing at the door. “Are you out of your mind?”

“Out of my mind? Perhaps,” I say, crossing my arms and leaning back in the chair. “But I’m not a fool. I can tell when someone might be with the wrong mate,” I say, my lips thinning.

I’ve considered asking King Dimitri about Valkyrie and the mark, but so far, I’ve respected his privacy.

“Cian, you could be wrong. You shouldn’t even be talking about this. You could get in trouble,” Michael warns.

I scoff at him. Sometimes, I wonder how he’s managed to survive.

“Cian, I’ve been meaning to ask. Were you serious about looking for me and taking me home?” Michael asks, changing the subject.

“Yes?” I reply, confused.

“You know I said I’d never go back, right?” Michael says with a sigh.

“And?” I ask. “You have to come, Michael. It’s not like we won’t welcome you,” I say, annoyed.

“But I won’t,” Michael suddenly says, surprising me.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“I mean, I don’t care if my mother or anyone else dies or something happens to them. I don’t care,” Michael snaps. “You can all die for all I care.”

***

As I walk down the hallway toward the library, I keep replaying my last conversation with Michael. It’s unsettling. What made Michael react like that?

I rub my chin, standing in front of the library door. After a few minutes of thought, I groan in frustration.

“You might go gray, Prince Cian,” a voice says. I turn to see a woman with silver eyes leaning against a pillar in the hallway.

“Nice to meet you,” the woman says, sauntering toward me. She places her hand on my chest and leans in to kiss my cheek, causing me to frown.

I hate women like her.

“Let go,” I say, grabbing her wrists and pushing her away.

She looks shocked by my reaction, but I don’t care. I have more important things to worry about right now.

She laughs, folding her arms beneath her ample chest. I can’t help but grimace.

“Let me introduce myself. I’m Lilly,” the silver-eyed woman says, bowing slightly.

“Lilly?” I echo.

Why does her name ring a bell? I give her a once-over and it clicks.

“Oh, you’re the one who was nasty to the queen, right?” I say, my words dripping with disdain.

Lilly looks shocked.

“Did you just call me a bitch?” she asks, sounding offended.

“Is there an issue if I did?” I retort, my gaze hard.

“What did that whore do to you?” Lilly snaps.

Anger flares up in me. I grab her by the neck and slam her against the wall.

“Watch your mouth,” I growl, my face inches from hers. “You’re talking about my cousin.”

She snarls at me and I tighten my grip on her arm.

“Let go!” Lilly snaps.

I squeeze harder, deciding to have a little fun with her. She starts to squirm as my hand tightens around her delicate neck. I’m in the mood to kill.

But killing her would land me in hot water. Annoyed, I release her. Lilly slides down the wall, her body shaking with fear.

“Get lost!” I bark. I watch as Lilly scurries away.

“Nice move,” another voice comments. I recognize it instantly.

“You were watching, Leo?” I ask, sighing.

“Yeah, I was. And I was enjoying the show. It’s about time someone put her in her place,” Leo says, chuckling.

He claps me on the shoulder, motioning for me to follow him. We enter the library and take a seat.

“So, how’s Valkyrie?” Leo asks, pouring some wine.

“Same as always, still asleep,” I reply briefly. “Damian, though, should be waking up soon.”

“Really?” Leo asks, taking a sip of his wine. “Personally, I think that jerk can sleep for as long as he wants.”

I can’t help but laugh. It seems Damian and Leo are good friends.

“I’ve been wondering, Prince Cian. Will Valkyrie be okay?” Leo asks, sounding concerned.

“Don’t worry, my friend,” I say, downing my wine in one go, “she will wake up. We just don’t know when.”

***

Two days have passed since the incident. Sadly, neither Damian nor Valkyrie has woken up. Michael seems stressed about this.

I’ve been trying to find a way to wake Valkyrie up. As I’m flipping through some books, there’s a knock on the door. It’s Dimitri.

“Damian is awake,” Dimitri says, then leaves me alone again.

Ever since our brief chat two days ago, Dimitri has been avoiding me. It’s like I’m some sort of nuisance. But how long can he ignore me?

For the past two days, he’s been staying with Valkyrie. He doesn’t show it much, but he’s worried about her. I watch from a distance.

Sometimes, his face betrays his feelings, even though he usually seems indifferent.

Closing my book, I stand and head to Damian’s chambers. When I get there, Michael is explaining to Damian what happened. Dimitri and I fill in the gaps.

Looking at him, I think he seems fine. It’s like he just overslept.

“You’re serious?” Damian asks Dimitri.

I glance sideways and see Dimitri’s fist clenched in his other hand behind his back. The king is tense, though he’d never admit it. I move closer to Damian and take his hand.

“What are you doing?” Michael asks.

“I need to check something,” I mumble. Damian is naked since he was in his dragon form when he was injured. This doesn’t bother me. We are beasts and nudity is normal for us.

I quickly scan his hand, arm, and entire body.

“Turn,” I instruct. As he does, I stop him. “Found it,” I whisper.

“Found what?” Damian asks, sounding worried.

I look at Michael and ask him to help me. Michael looks puzzled by my request.

“Put your hand here. Once I tell you, use your healing powers to remove this,” I say, pointing at a black bruise.

“Is that poison?” Michael asks.

“Yes,” I mutter. “To heal the bruise, I need to extract the poison and examine it. Now, Damian, this will hurt, but bear with us.”

Damian nods, and Michael looks at me, worried.

“Stop being a chicken. Nothing will happen. Just make sure you don’t spill it on me,” I say, rolling my eyes.

We get to work. I use my powers and so does Michael. Carefully, we remove the poison left on Damian’s waist. He groans as we work.

I make sure to secure the poison in a small bubble, then I move my hand to pull it away from Damian’s skin. The black swirl moves inside the bubble. It looks alive.

Damian huffs, holding his head.

“Lie down,” I tell him.

Michael helps him and gives him some water.

“That’s the poison?” Dimitri asks from behind us.

“Yes. This will help me wake Valkyrie up,” I say, smiling. If I know what’s in the poison, I can wake her up.