Cassius felt rage boiling in his veins. It was not what he expected. Rebels became a bunch of cowards. They were sitting in a vast cave with a massive wooden table in the middle and at least a dozen chairs around it. The Council. The Dragon Prince fought hard to remain calm and not crush a few heads belonging to surrounding his fools. He was exhausted as the meeting had lasted a few hours, and they still decided nothing. Every man here tried to sound smart, like a true politician, even if only a couple had any experience in that field. - Why should we risk our lives and safety and fight against the King? - Vladimir, one of the oldest members of the council, roared as the cave was filled with excited voices. His question cut all the murmurs short, and all present men looked at him. Cassius noticed they watched an older man with respect, which was funny, as he remembered him from the times when his parents ruled the kingdom. As little boys, Cassius and Lucius liked to hide themselves
Claud trembled, approaching the door with a small window equipped with bars. His previous confidence was gone. Why the Dragon Princess was here? They had all settled before, and this visit was unnecessary. Claud needed the time to think about how to warn the people who trusted him for so long. Business or not, he was always honest with them. And now? He was forced to participate in a massa*re. Painful and long, according to the girl's words. Did she come to offer him some more details about defeating rebels? He heard enough for a lifetime. Claud raised his eyes and wondered how such an innocent face could hide such a dark heart. Now, he had to admit, she looked familiar. How come he could not notice that in the first place? Right, it has been years since he saw Queen Kaitlyn last time. She looked exactly like the girl before him. Those were different times, and he was a different person back then. A long time ago, he was a talented tailor. Royals often hired him on any occasion that
Is everything ready for tomorrow? - Lucius asked, entering Callista's lab. The woman's cheeks flushed as always when she saw him. This man's aura was enough for her knees to feel weakened. This feeling intensified since the Dargon King had recently given her a cold shoulder. No matter how much Callista tried, she was always dismissed whenever she got closer to her beloved man. There was no denying that she loved him. This man was like every woman's living dream. Strong and robust, Lucius acted like he owned the place wherever he appeared. Callista hoped that he would own her in every aspect as it had happened before. She was aware of the distress she put him through by the unproved information she gave him with Kylan. Callista blamed her for this mistake. She could check whether the boy's words were actually true before sharing them with her King, yet she acted out of excitement and is now paying the price for it. Tomorrow's mission could be her chance to fix everything, but first,
Demetria paced around her room, wringing her fingers out of nervousness. Tomorrow was the day when her ~great~ plan would be brought to life, but now she was sure it was a huge mistake, especially since the moment when her dear Father informed her that Callista would be a part of a team. Demetria was sure she had taken the witch out of the picture, but this woman found a way to crawl back to the Dragon King's side. The girl cursed under her breath. She underestimated her opponent. ~ Calm down.~ Elena spoke softly in her mind. - I am trying, but she turned my whole plan upside down. How am I going to liaise with rebels with her breathing into my neck?- Demetria replied, gritting her teeth. She was sure that fooling guards was not such a big thing. They would never go against her out of fear they felt toward her title. But that would not work with Callista. The only thing she was afraid of was the Dragon King himself. Nothing else mattered to her. Besides, she knew the witch hated her
Kylan leaned against the door frame, watching two women approach him quickly. Demetria ignored him entirely while Callista shot him a cold glance. When she was passing him, Kylan grabbed her arm, stopping the witch in her tracks. - Don't you even dare. - She warned him, but the man was unfazed by her words. - Let me guess. Your plan failed?- Kylan asked with a smirk. - Why am I even talking to you? I am starting to have doubts. Are you on our side at all? - Callista answered, pulling her arm out of his grip. She started walking again, aware of Kylan following her. The witch entered her room, not bothering to look at the man who stood behind her until his hand landed on her shoulder, making her turn. His brows were knitted, and his eyes were cold. - That was a serious accusation. Have I not proven my loyalty enough?Callista pushed his hand away, and the tips of her palms shone red. - I think you forget who you are talking to. - The witch came closer, and Kylan took a step back fo
Devin looked again at the small note he held before crushing it in his fist. - Is this some kind of joke?- He yelled at his men, even if they were not at fault here. His blood was boiling with rage when he stood, scanning the boxes his people had brought in. They were full of food, which could not be used because, according to the note, it was poisoned. Whoever did this could not choose the worst time to strike. Their food warehouse emptied quickly, and everyone excitedly awaited this fresh delivery. Claud's people were late this time, and now everything was wasted. -What are we going to do now?- Devin hit his desk with his fist, making a dent in the surface. That cooled him down. Furniture was a rarity here. He could not allow himself to destroy them in a blind rage. Sam, one of his most trusted men, approached him carefully. - Maybe it is not true. It smells like some trick to me. - He spoke softly, trying to calm Devin down. The young man rarely loses his temper, but the conseq
Amanda's summons came unexpectedly. She wished to see them in two days. One thing was certain: It was important for her to see all the leaders in person. The older witch was very secretive and did not like others to visit her precious coven. It was too risky to gather so many powerful women in one place. Who knows what ideas and plans they could have in mind?But now, she suddenly changed her mind. No one dared to question this decision, as it could have unpleasant consequences.Now, all of them were waiting for Amanda, as requested. All nine leaders were in one room. The atmosphere was tense since they could hardly be called friends. They were sisters, but that was just a meaningless title that witches had used for years. The last time they worked together was, in fact, Amanda's order regarding Kaitlyn, the infamous witch who became a mate of the Dragon King.All leaders waited with anticipation of what she could need for now. The room was heavily guarded, but no one seemed surprise
- Do you really think this is going to work? - Devin looked doubtfully at the men gathered in the room. There were only four of them. - It may sound wild, but that is what Demetria wants us to do. And I trust her.- Cassius replied without hesitation. Nickolas, standing next to the Dragon Prince, nodded with enthusiasm. Devin glanced at the last man in the room, Peter, who only shrugged his arms. - It doesn't sound wild, it is wild!- The young man pointed out, sitting in his chair. His frustration was growing with every passing day. This Demetria, who was she? The mysterious woman was helping them, but he could not shake off the feeling she had some hidden agenda. After all, she was the daughter of the Dragon King, the most enormous monster known. Who knew what sat inside of her heart? Of course, thanks to her, they still could use the food safely, but maybe one day, she will change her mind and decide to side with her father. What was worst was that Cassius made them all trust her
Kaitlyn and Cassius watched Demetria with concern. It had been hours since the fight was over, and the girl was still shaken. The Dragon Prince joined both women as soon as the battle was over, and Luciu's warriors were defeated. Some of them sadly died, but those who surrounded themselves were spared. Rebels tried to avoid killing, but it was not always possible. The royals who lived in the castle were captured and locked. Their future depended on their decisions. Kaitlyn wished for them to make a Blood Promise to the new ruler. Prisoners from dungeons who disobeyed Luciu's will were now released and could reunite with their families. Messengers were sent to spread the information about the Dragon King's death. The days of his tyranny were over. - Demetria, child, say something.- Cassius came closer and put his hand on the girl's arm, but she only shook her head. Kaitlyn pulled herself a chair and sat in front of her daughter. - Tell us what is going on, and we will try to help
Demetria's body was shaking as her magic was flowing through her veins. Her wings were flapping gently behind her back. She checked on her shield, and the barrier was stable. That was a good thing, as she doubted she could defeat her father and Callista at the same time. ~Believe in yourself. We are strong, and we can finish it all.~ Elena spoke calmly in her mind. - There is no coming back anyway.- The girl replied, not taking her eyes off her father. Callista was shouting behind the barrier, but the sound was muffled. ~ No, there is no coming back. The rebels are here. They followed you, even without knowing you. We cannot disappoint them.~ Her dragon said with confidence. - They followed freedom. And I want to offer it to them. I want to give freedom to the whole land.- Demetria replied, balling her fists. The flames on them shone with a new power. - It looks like you fooled all of us.- The girl shivered when she heard Luciu's voice. - I did not listen to what Callista was sa
Lucius stood in the middle of a coronation room. For ages, kings and queens were officially presented to their people here at the beginning of their reign. He closed his eyes, remembering his celebration. People were cheering while his parents were beaming with pride. He was supposed to be a great king—the greatest of them all. And he fulfilled that. There was no one above him. His people loved him. The one who did not- learned to fear him instead. - What are you doing here?- Lucius asked, not taking his eyes off the massive throne under the wall. As children, he and Cassius loved to watch their father sitting there during his meetings. - I was worried about you.- Demetria said, coming closer. She was here, before him, but Lucius decided to ignore her presence. - Were you? Is there a reason to be worried about me?- The Dragon King finally looked at his daughter. She looked exactly like her mother. Kaitlyn was the only woman who managed to warm up his cold heart—a woman who betra
A few hours earlier.Clara stood in front of Cassius, Kaitlyn, and Nickolas, looking at them in confusion. - Do not be scared, child. - The witch gave her a reassuring smile. - We would like to know how you got to the mountains unnoticed. This information may be essential and crucial for all of us. - We came through a tunnel, my lady. - The girl replied, shrugging her arms. - Your daughter told us what to do and where to go. I followed her directions. - Tunnel? What tunnel?- Nickolas gave Cassius a puzzled look, but the Dragon Prince only shook his head. He had no idea what this girl was talking about. If there was some sort of secret passage to the mountains, he was not aware of that. - Can you show us where exactly you came in here?- Kaitlyn glanced at Clara again, and the girl nodded. - It was in the cave where the warriors found us. I did not dare to move any further. The witch looked at her companions. They had only one choice. They needed to go back to this cave and invest
Callista entered Amanda's coven and rushed through the corridors, expecting to find its leader in her office. The witch was filled with a newfound energy. Her dream was about to come true. Lucius forgave her her past mistakes and was willing to make her his Queen. In fact, there was more than her dream. They shared a bed, but until now, she was nothing more than his mistress. But that was about to change, as Lucius promised to reject Kaitlyn once and for all. For many years, Callista wondered why he had not taken this step, but she did not dare question his actions. She tried to convince herself that he kept their bond to torment his mate through this. Kaitlyn had to be fully aware when they were intimate, which made Callista enjoy those moments even more. Since they were children, Callista envied Kaitlyn mainly because she could not be like her. There was always a gap between them, and no matter how much Callista tried, she could never be like her old friend. Finding that Kaitlyn w
Cynthia chuckled while Kylan watched her dumbfounded. Why was she after him? What was her problem? They barely knew each other, and she already seemed to despise him. - You are holding a grudge against me, and I cannot see a reason.- The young man spoke with confusion. - Is there anything that could make me dislike you?- The witch replied with her question, tilting her head. - I have no idea. Is there? Since we have met, you have treated me like your enemy, not openly, but your intentions are clear.- Kylan retorted in an offended tone. Of course, he knew people who were not his biggest fans, and recently, this list extended by a few more names, but they usually had a reason for that. But this girl just hated him for nothing. He indeed had a bit of bad luck with witches. Cynthia giggled to some joke only she knew, and Kylan shot her another puzzled look. There was something seriously wrong with her. - Don't get me wrong. It is not like I do not like you personally; I don't like yo
Kane was lying on the ground, panting, while blood dripped from his many wounds. His wings were tattered, his scales were ripped off in a few places, and his leg was severely burnt. The dragon's healing ability was not fast enough to help him regain strength. General's beast growled weakly, glaring at Cassiu's dragon hovering over him like a walking death. The black beast was watching him calmly, with smoke coming out of his nostrils. Kane understood he had lost this battle before it even began. In his ridiculous pride, he had forgotten who his opponent was. Cassius was the Dragon Prince, and royal blood ran in his veins. Even the years he spent in the dungeon did not break his spirit. They fought for an hour, and none of the general's attempts to harm the Prince were successful. Cassius was in total control during the battle, playing with Kane like a toy. What was worse was that the general knew that the Prince had at least a few chances to end his life, but for some unknown
Lucius was fuming. His generals were gone for a while, and there was no sign of them coming back from their successful mission. Dragon King ordered his warriors to keep an eye on the sky and inform him as soon as they would see anything. Their prolonged absence was unsettling, and Lucius could not shake the feeling that things had gone differently from what he had planned. The Dragon King summoned his daughter and Callista as if their presence could help him ease his stress.Not long later, both women entered his office, shooting him concerned looks. - Is everything okay, Father?- Demetria was the first to speak. She could already suspect what was the reason for Luciu's request. It was hard to miss all those warriors glancing at the sky with hope. Generals left the castle a few hours ago, and none of them returned by now. Demetria suspected they had met a strong resistance from rebels. She silently hoped they were all captured. - My King, how can I assist you? Is there anything I
Kylan reached the rogue's camp together with his captors. They did not tie him, which was odd. After all, he could try to attack the leader. He would probably be dead shortly after, but still, leaving him free was a bit risky. The young man turned around at the sound of the chuckle. It was the woman whom he had met not long before. She was a witch. Kylan wondered if the gods cursed him. Why did he always have to encounter women who possessed magical powers? First Callista, now this young woman. He glanced again at the girl who was walking nearby. She looked serious, but then another smirk escaped her lips. It was frustrating, and Kylan thought maybe she was mentally unstable since she was acting so weird. Luckily, he had no more time to think about that as they reached the camp. There was no better term to describe this place, as wherever he looked were tents. There was no single building here, and it was as if those people lived without staying anywhere longer. - How do you find