Sol
I stood near the entrance of one of the many gazebos dotted throughout the garden and listened as my parents voiced their concerns over Soaré. It was always her they fretted over. Her and her abysmal weakness. Especially August, he was the worst. Even now, he sat silently at their table, eyes staring blankly into space with worry creasing his handsome face. My resentment for them grew by leaps and bounds as the transition approached. If they weren’t so hung up on my sister, they’d realize and acknowledge that Sumar belonged to me. I’d be able to handle it, control it, better than she ever could.
“Falcon, if this doesn’t work I don’t know what I’ll do,” my mother fussed, her hands wringing in her lap.
&nbs
“This all looks absolutely amazing, Helen. You’ve truly outdone yourself.” I barely managed to contain my eye roll. Two hours of mingling and all of it has consisted of these simpering suck ups. Yes, the ballroom is gorgeous, but why wouldn’t it be? It’s filled with my ideas. My mother may have implemented it all, but I was the visionary behind it. And I didn’t need praise from the likes of this wide mouthed idiot disgustingly stuffed into a gown two sizes too small. My mother smiled and thanked her before the next one popped up and offered her condolences. “Phil and I wanted to let you know that we’re praying for the full recovery of Soaré. I hate that she suffers so much. You’d think with modern medicine she would be able to live a better life.” 
“Please don’t make me do this again. You know how it’ll end. I feel nothing for him,” I pleaded. The woman who birthed me, The Queen—no one dared use her real name—didn’t even spare me a glance. She just crinkled her nose, as if smelling something rotten, and continued to fiddle with the tray of food set on the table in the center of the opulent room. I’d only had minimal input on the décor, but I liked it. From the mound of decorative pillows on the couches to the heavy drapes covering the windows, shades of purple from soft lavender to dark eggplant were sprinkled everywhere the eye touched. I waited, anxiety ridden, wondering if she would respond. Her, my father, my entire clan, all expected me to join with one of the coveted Glacier Warriors and reach the full potential
As the guards exited behind her and the doors closed, I looked at Lily, shocked to see her shoulders shaking. "What is it? Are you okay?" I asked in concern. "Girl, had started singing mother knows best I would have lost it!" She choked out, shoulders shaking harder as she leaned against my vanity. A giggle escaped me as I pictured my mother breaking out into a classic Disney song and dance. Soon we were both laughing as quietly as we could, tears streaming down our faces as we held onto each other. Sighing Lily stood up and wiped the last of the tears from off her face. She knelt at my side and took my hands. "Listen, you know I’d never lie to you. This is going to be hard and it’s going to be sad and it's going to make you angry. But you can and you will get through this. You’re so much stronger than your mother knows. Than even you know. It will be okay." She held my gaze with hers waiting while I took a deep breath and nodded.
“No!” The word spewed vehemently from my lips. If they thought I would allow this then they knew nothing about me. I knew they would do whatever it took to ensure my ascension to the throne and if I were to think logically, I would see their reasoning behind choosing Kormen. He was the strongest amongst our warriors. The fiercest. Unparalleled in his resilience. If anyone stood a chance against balancing my power, it was surely Kormen. However, I was not in a logically thinking frame of mind. They would not make me do this. They could not. I loved Kormen. Just as much as I loved my real brother, Dallon. It was not an intimate kind of love, but that of the closest friend possible. My feelings toward him were and would always be nothing more than platonic. In spite of his strength, I would kill him. They had to know this. They had to understand that this was a sacrifice not worth making. He wouldn’t survive this. I wouldn’t survive this.
Dark colors blurred for a moment then they were there before me. The three strangers. I hadn’t thought it was possible for them to look even more menacing, and yet they did. Backs straight, no longer slouched carelessly, and bulging muscles poised to either attack or defend, they were a sight to behold. But their leader; the one front and center, a few steps ahead of the two flanking him? He was glorious. His dark hair grazed his wide shoulders. Golden amber eyes glared at me; his full lips pulled into a tight slash across his handsome face.. Black clothing head to toe, made a valiant attempt at concealing his powerfully built physique. Broad shouldered, wide chested, he was truly a feast for the eyes and Vetur definitely took notice. Hands as big as dinner plates remained loose, palms open and facing me, at his sides. Loose and empty.He’d chosen to face me without a weapon, but his e
Muted light graced my closed eyelids and a soft surface pillowed my body. My aching body. I tried to recall if anything I had done warranted such an ache. I wanted to slip back into sleep, but I could smell him. Feel him. The sweet, smoky scent of burning wood and the warmth of a roaring fire. I felt relaxed and as though I had slept long enough to be well-rested, but I was still exhausted. “You will feel that way until we complete our bond. Or join, as your people call it.” Again, I could hear him. Could practically feel his voice caress my mind, but I knew what I was hearing was only in my head. “It is the way of dragons. We can communicate with our mates without actually speaking. I can feel your emotions, hear most of your thoughts, see some of
Well, shit. It was me. I was blocking our bond and I didn’t even know how I was doing it. “How do I stop?” His eyes searched mine. What he looked for I didn’t know, but finally a hint of cockiness enter those beautiful amber orbs. Cupping my cheek he leaned forward, slowly, as if giving me time to stop him. His lips brushed mine, soft and teasing, before his tongue swept forward to caress the seam of my lips. I opened for him, my eyes closing. His hand slipped to the back of my head, pulling me in closer, melding his mouth to mine. Our tongues danced a sultry tango, pushing and pulling, twisting and twining. Pulling back slightly he nibbled my bottom lip before sucking it between his. I moaned deep in my throat as his kisses moved down to my neck. “What do you f
I floated in and out of consciousness. Sometimes, when I awoke, only Kormen would be there. Other times Celeste appeared. Each time I surfaced, I called out for Valen hoping he would answer. He didn’t. For the first time in my life, I was bothered by the cold. It was no longer welcoming and comforting to me. After being wrapped in his warmth, I doubted my body would ever get used to my normally chilly state. When I woke again, Dallon sat beside my bed. Christmas lights and decorations covered every visible surface. A massive tree took up one corner of the room, silver tinsel and purple ornaments creating an alluring display. The smell of pine flowed heavily in the air. Had I not been tied to the bed I laid upon and realizing I wore nothing but a thin t-shirt beneath this blanket, I would have been intrigued by the sight. It’d been years since I’d seen Christmas décor, but tied to the freaking bed! I
“This all looks absolutely amazing, Helen. You’ve truly outdone yourself.” I barely managed to contain my eye roll. Two hours of mingling and all of it has consisted of these simpering suck ups. Yes, the ballroom is gorgeous, but why wouldn’t it be? It’s filled with my ideas. My mother may have implemented it all, but I was the visionary behind it. And I didn’t need praise from the likes of this wide mouthed idiot disgustingly stuffed into a gown two sizes too small. My mother smiled and thanked her before the next one popped up and offered her condolences. “Phil and I wanted to let you know that we’re praying for the full recovery of Soaré. I hate that she suffers so much. You’d think with modern medicine she would be able to live a better life.” 
Sol I stood near the entrance of one of the many gazebos dotted throughout the garden and listened as my parents voiced their concerns over Soaré. It was always her they fretted over. Her and her abysmal weakness. Especially August, he was the worst. Even now, he sat silently at their table, eyes staring blankly into space with worry creasing his handsome face. My resentment for them grew by leaps and bounds as the transition approached. If they weren’t so hung up on my sister, they’d realize and acknowledge that Sumar belonged to me. I’d be able to handle it, control it, better than she ever could. “Falcon, if this doesn’t work I don’t know what I’ll do,” my mother fussed, her hands wringing in her lap.&nbs
SoaréFor the first time since she appeared I took in her outfit. I’d been so busy comparing our physical similarities, I hadn’t realized that she not only wore those ridiculous heels, but also a shimmering burnt orange cocktail dress with golden yellow accents. I gripped my fists tighter and forced myself not to glance down at my skinny jeans and t-shirt. I also lamented the fact that the dress was the sexier cocktail version—the exact same color, shimmering, opalescent material and all—of the evening gown I’d chosen to wear for the transition. I’d spent weeks picking the material, designing the dresses, and having it made just for me by a designer that I’d had to travel to meet with. All that time and effort for nothing and I knew Sol had done it just to spite me. The vitriol that I wanted to spew at her was sour as I swallowed it back down.“Of course, Sol. Whatever you’ve picked
Su·mar /sumar/ /sʏːmaːr/ Icelandic, Old Norse noun meaning summer Soaré My fingertips grazed lightly over the fresh cut blades of grass. I hadn’t seen the gardeners in weeks, but I knew they’d been working nonstop to get the garden to its current glory. Eyes closed, I tilted my head back against the bench I sat cross-legged in front of and inhaled deeply while letting the sun bathe me in its glow. The fresh bloom of floral fragrances permeated the air, blooms with little to no rhyme or reason outside of the fact that some had bloomed in the spring and others were eagerly making their debut upon the cusp of summer. If I opened my eyes, I’d see the white flowers of the apple blossom trees, scattered with bright pink buds, here and there. I’d see the bright oranges, yellows, and dark pinks of the bird of paradise plants. Directly behind me and shading the bench I perched against stood a
When Valen had said he wanted to take care of me, he really meant it. He’d held me cradled in his arms as we sat atop Brennan’s back, nestled between his huge dragon shoulders. We’d soared through the sky, the view breathtaking and exhilarating. I rode a freaking dragon! “Brennan, take us to the front of the palace,” Valen instructed. I was sure there’d been no way for Brennan to hear Valen’s low murmur, but after another swoop and stream of fire, Brennan landed in the courtyard, in full view of nearly the entire clan. Still cradling me, Valen jumped from the dragon’s back and landed without jarring me. Konah, carrying Dallon, alighted next to him, his burnished wings snapping closed behind him before disappearing completely. The air shimmered behind us and moments later Brennan flanked us. “Your queen,” Valen spoke. He didn’t shout to be heard. He didn’t need to. A cheer went through the crowd before they began to kneel or curtsey, their heads bowed
I could immediately tell when Valen took over. The need to mutilate everyone, but me dissipated, if only slightly. “Little fox, show me now,” he insisted. Just as I opened my memories to him, a hand gripped my jaw. I’d been so focused on speaking to Valen that I hadn’t noticed what had been happening around me. Kormen loomed over me, his eyes burning with outrage. “What were you doing just now?” he demanded, his fingertips digging painfully into my face. “Son, you must gentle yourself. You will hurt her,” his mother spoke. “I do not need her face to produce an heir,” he countered. “She did this. I
My eyes snapped open and I took in my surroundings. I was no longer in the room where I killed Celeste, but I still had no idea where I was. This room had been decked out in Christmas decorations as well, but where the last room had been purple, this room was red. To include the silky sheets that cradled me. Kormen’s sister, Amelia, sat near the picturesque window on my left, a deep scowl on her pixie-like features. Where Kormen was tall and bulky, she was petite and thin. “Tell me, my princess,” she spat my title, nearly as insulted by it as I had been by Celeste’s. “Did you think you were too good for my brother?” Okay, another lunatic. Ignoring her, I tested the bindings on my arms. My shoulders screamed in pain from the prolonged position and lack of circulation. I hadn’t been given as much slack as I had the last time and
“Let’s be frank, Cyan. I spent your entire life molding you into the perfect specimen. It was always my intention to make sure you reached your full potential. And look at you. You’re the Vetur. The most powerful of all of us.” Her nose wrinkled as though she’d smelled something foul. “Well, you were before you met that dragon bastard. Regardless, I never would have let anyone harm you or do anything that would keep you from ascending the throne. You are my daughter and in spite of what you may think, I love you, unconditionally. I will always do what I believe is best for you.” I was barely able to hold back rolling my eyes. “Did it ever occur to you, or anyone else, that maybe what you thought was best for me, actually wasn’t? I mean, come on, you have me tied to a bed!” I raised my arms as high as I could and shook the rest
I floated in and out of consciousness. Sometimes, when I awoke, only Kormen would be there. Other times Celeste appeared. Each time I surfaced, I called out for Valen hoping he would answer. He didn’t. For the first time in my life, I was bothered by the cold. It was no longer welcoming and comforting to me. After being wrapped in his warmth, I doubted my body would ever get used to my normally chilly state. When I woke again, Dallon sat beside my bed. Christmas lights and decorations covered every visible surface. A massive tree took up one corner of the room, silver tinsel and purple ornaments creating an alluring display. The smell of pine flowed heavily in the air. Had I not been tied to the bed I laid upon and realizing I wore nothing but a thin t-shirt beneath this blanket, I would have been intrigued by the sight. It’d been years since I’d seen Christmas décor, but tied to the freaking bed! I