Chapter 3

VALKYRIE

From the moment he ushered me into his palace, I knew my destiny was set in stone. It’s terrifying, the realization that this creature could snuff out my life in an instant.

At first glance, they could pass for ordinary humans, if not for their godlike bodies. They’re tall and muscular, with eyes that shimmer in colors you won’t find in any human.

I woke up alone, nestled in a bed of fur. Damian, the dragon, came to fetch me early in the morning, while the servants helped me dress.

The other one, whose name escapes me, was nowhere to be found. As I sit at the palace’s dining table, I can feel the weight of everyone’s curiosity.

I fiddle with the fork in my hands, wishing I could just vanish under their scrutiny.

“Quit gawking at her!” Damian’s growl echoes through the room, and everyone quickly averts their eyes. “Sorry about that, they’re just curious. I am too,” Damian admits, leaning on the table and taking a bite of his apple.

“W-what do you want to know?” I manage to ask.

“It’s your eyes,” Damian says, flashing a smile that makes his white teeth sparkle in the sunlight.

“They’re not that special,” I mumble.

“Are you kidding? You have two different colored eyes. One is blue like the morning sky after a rainstorm, and the other is hazel with a hint of gold. It’s like it’s alive,” Damian says, his excitement palpable.

I’ve never heard anyone describe my eyes with such detail. I blush and look away, whispering a thank you.

“So, where did you get those eyes?” Damian asks, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

Damian sits at the head of the table. No one else seems to find this odd, but it piques my curiosity, knowing that the other dragon is the king.

“I…I…” I stutter, but before I can answer, the dining room doors swing open, and he walks in.

He’s wearing black combat boots and black pants that hang low on his waist, revealing a perfect V line and bare chest. His eyes lock onto mine.

I catch my breath when he looks at me. I can see he has the same reaction. Then, breaking eye contact, he strides over, and Damian rises to bow.

“Everyone stay seated,” the king commands as he takes a seat. “How’s everything?” he asks, his gaze landing on me.

“G-good,” I mumble, looking down at my half-eaten plate.

Being around strangers makes me uncomfortable. All I know about them is that they’re dragons. Beasts that could crush me in a heartbeat.

I bite my lip and gaze out the open windows at the mountains and forests beyond.

The dining room, or the feast hall as they call it, is a massive dome-like structure, similar to the king’s chambers, but much larger.

Huge golden pillars and golden swirls adorn the walls. At the very top, a gigantic chandelier hangs, its prism rocks glowing as they catch the sunlight.

The floor is made of pure volcanic rock, and the table we’re sitting at is solid gold.

I notice that gold is a common theme in this place. I know very little about dragons, so all of this is new to me.

“I’ll give you a tour of the palace, dear mate,” the king says, prompting me to turn and look at him.

I nod and continue eating. Once I’m done, the dragon king takes my hand and leads me through the various parts of the palace.

I’m still taken aback by the fact that my touch doesn’t hurt him. It’s the first time I’ve felt any sort of relief.

“This place is huge, so try to remember your way around,” the king advises.

“Can I ask something?” I ask, my voice shaky.

The king stops and turns to look at me, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“Go ahead,” he encourages.

“Your name,” I mumble, biting my lip. “What’s your name?”

The king is silent for a moment, studying me with a small crease on his forehead.

“Dimitri,” he finally whispers. I lift my head and repeat his name. It rolls off my tongue perfectly.

“Say it!” Dimitri commands, pulling me closer to him.

“W-what?” I stutter.

“Say my name,” Dimitri insists.

“Dimitri?” I say, our eyes locked.

There it is again. That pull. Why does it feel so strange?

The slight attraction I feel for this man is something I crave. My body yearns for it, like a beacon of hope. I clutch my chest, trying to steady my breathing.

“Valkyrie?” Dimitri murmurs.

I glance at him through my lashes, realizing he’s much too close. Swallowing hard, I push him away. Dimitri’s expression turns serious. He turns and motions for me to follow him.

A few hours later, after showing me around the palace, my feet are aching and my thigh throbs slightly.

“Come,” Dimitri says, suddenly lifting me into his arms.

“Put me down!” I protest, squirming in his grasp.

“Stay still, or I’ll drop you,” Dimitri warns, causing me to freeze. “Your thigh needs rest. I’ll take you back.”

I nod obediently and let him carry me. Once we reach his chambers, he lays me on the bed and starts to leave, but pauses at the door.

“Don’t go anywhere; I’ll come get you for dinner,” Dimitri says, then closes the door.

I’m left alone in the enormous chamber, feeling small and insignificant. Deciding to rest, I lie down and gaze at the open balcony.

The curtains sway gently as a cool breeze wafts into the room. Slowly, I drift off to sleep, the exhaustion and stress finally catching up with me.

“Follow it…,” a voice whispers. I shift in bed, clutching a soft pillow. “Follow it…,” the voice repeats. Am I hearing things? Confused, I try to wake up, but my body refuses to cooperate.

“Valkyrie, follow it…,” the voice repeats, this time with a hint of anger. I feel two icy hands on my neck and bolt upright in bed.

I look around frantically, but I’m alone. The chamber is shrouded in darkness. I clutch my chest, panting heavily.

I woke up from a nightmare, which was a first for me. Despite all the horrors I’d seen, all the pain I’d endured, I’d never had a nightmare before. So why now?

I slid to the edge of the bed and sat up. The floor was chilly beneath my bare feet. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and took a deep breath of fresh air.

I walked over to the balcony, pushing the drapes aside. There was someone standing there, a goblet of wine in hand. He was perched on the railing, gazing up at the sky. I froze, not daring to interrupt.

I felt like an intruder, and it made me uneasy. Sensing my presence, he turned his head and looked back at me. I stood there, hidden behind the sheer white drapes.

A comfortable silence stretched out between us. The moonlight illuminated his face. Dimitri looked sad, and a small knot of unease formed in my chest.

I decided to leave him alone and started to turn away, but he caught my wrist. Surprised by his quick movement, I looked at him. His golden eyes sparkled in the moonlight, captivating me.

Something stirred within me. I reached up and touched his face. I couldn’t resist the urge to be closer to him. Dimitri leaned into my touch, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

I wanted him.

I needed to feel his warmth, to have my arms around him. So I moved closer until our bodies were touching.

He didn’t say anything, but his eyes were filled with a mix of emotions. He seemed to be wrestling with himself. I felt like I’d crossed a line and started to pull away, but Dimitri held onto my hand.

“Please don’t,” he whispered.

I did as he asked and moved closer. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me even closer. Confused by these feelings, I looked down at his chest. A faint scar on his left pectoral caught my eye.

“A scar?” I murmured.

“That? Yes,” Dimitri replied, looking down at my hand on his chest. “Valkyrie?” he said softly.

“Yes?” I responded, my eyes still on his body.

“We need to talk,” Dimitri said, causing me to look up at him.

“There’s something I need to clarify. And you need to understand what we are because I can tell you’re in the dark about everything,” Dimitri said, making me blush.

He was right; I didn’t know anything about dragons. I’d never expected to meet one in my life.

“Okay,” I agreed, letting go of him.

I turned and walked back to the bed, already missing Dimitri’s touch. Confused, I shook my head. What was happening to me?

I lit the lamp and sat on the bed. Dimitri sat down next to me. Unable to find the words, I fiddled with my fingers, a habit I’d picked up when I was expecting punishment.

“Do you know what we are?” Dimitri asked.

“Yes,” I mumbled, “you’re dragons.”

“Correct. And do you know what this place is?” Dimitri asked, looking at me. His gaze made me uncomfortable.

“Um, your home?” I guessed nervously.

“This is my home, but it’s also a dragon’s den. This is Mount Errigal, where the dragons of Errigal reside,” Dimitri explained, causing me to turn to him in shock.

“How many dragons live here?” I asked, curiosity piqued.

“Hmm,” Dimitri pondered, his hand on his chin, “280?”

My eyes widened, and I scooted back. There were 280 dragons living here, and I was all alone?

“But there are also mages, sorcerers, and some humans living here,” Dimitri added, noticing my fear.

“Listen, this is now your home. You belong with us, with me. I know it’s a lot to take in, and it’s confusing, but I’ve been waiting for you,” Dimitri said, reaching out to touch my face.

I pulled away from his touch and stood up, backing away. My body was shaking.

“You said I was your m-mate, right?” I stammered, clutching the hem of my dress.

“Yes, my mate and my queen,” Dimitri confirmed, looking at me. He seemed puzzled. “You’re not just that, but you’re also the person who will rule beside me. So don’t be afraid of me.”

How could I not be afraid of him? He was a monster, capable of killing me at any moment. I was conflicted. At times, I felt drawn to him, and at others, I was terrified of him.

“Will you hurt me?” I blurted out, a hint of anger in my voice.

“Hurt you?” Dimitri asked, taken aback. “Why would I?”

“Because you said you’re a dragon, and I’m a slave,” I replied quickly, my back against the wall. I looked down at my hands and noticed my knuckles were white.

“Valkyrie, I would never hurt you,” Dimitri whispered, surprising me. “How could I when you’re my mate?”

I lifted my head, holding my breath as I looked at him.

“What do you mean by mate? You keep saying that, and it’s confusing,” I said, trying to clear my head, but my thoughts were a jumble.

Dimitri slowly stood up and walked over to me. He lifted my chin and looked down at me, his hair falling over his face.

“It means you’re my woman, the one I will fuck to create an heir,” Dimitri said bluntly, causing my cheeks to burn with embarrassment.