Dragon Born

The little dog in front of me whined helplessly. His floppy ears were pointed backward, flat against his head. He had been a good boy for me so far, resisting the urge to bite me or pull his paw away. He undoubtedly smelt the treats in my bag and knew if he bit me he wouldn't be getting any. One of the weapons in my arsenal to combat ornery animals. Grizzly was no exception.

I couldn't say I blamed him. I'd be ornery, too, if I ran through a rose bush and came out with more thorns in my hide than I had fur. I'd be furious if I hadn't gotten the ball I had been chasing--which he hadn't.

“Last one, boy,” I promised him, poising my tweezers for the right angle.

He looked at me through his long hairy eyebrows, those deep chocolate brown eyes longing for the moment he didn't have to feel thorns tugging at his flesh.

I lifted his paw and gently rotated it so I could see the thorn through his long hair. I grasped it between two prongs then plucked. He gave a small yelp and yanked his paw away. I let him then tentatively patted him down, checking for any thorns I might have missed. Nothing caught my fingers or palms.

I ruffled the top of his head then fished out a well deserved treat.

“Oh! Good boy, Grizzly!” Lady Margaery cheered. She swept past me with her silken skirts and scooped the dog into her arms, planting kisses all over his face. “Well done, Lyla! I knew you were the right woman to call. Ryland wanted to hire any old healer. The fool! Not ‘just anybody’ is good enough to be near my Grizzly. You should feel honoured.”

I curtsied to her respectfully. My stained cotton skirt and leather apron were an eye sore when compared to her lavish dress. “I'm very grateful for your praise, my lady.” It was her praise that gave me more higher end clients. Not that I wasn't appreciative of my clients, high or low born; I was grateful for anyone who took a chance on me. But her friends tended to pay me more and far more frequently. They called me to their fabulous homes because of a sneeze, and because of this, I was allowed to offer lower prices to the less fortunate citizens of Histero.

Lord Ryland Abbott peeked through the door to their living room. “The whining has stopped, does that mean you've finished, Lyla?”

“That's Miss Feyton to you, Ryland,” Lady Margaery corrected him sternly. She set Grizzly down to waggle her finger scornfully at her husband.

Lord Ryland dabbed his bald head and the back of his neck with a handkerchief.

“Are you all right, sir?”

He swallowed thickly and waved it off. “Yes, of course, Miss. It's the bloody summer heat, you see.”

That didn't explain the extremely pale nature of his skin, but I let it slide. Not all of my clients could watch me while I worked on their pets, Lady Margaery was a rare occurrence.

“Come, my darling. Pay Miss Feyton her dues then get ready. We cannot be fashionably late tonight, if the rumours are worth their salt.”

Lady Margaery pouted childishly then collected Grizzly in her arms, swaying from side to side. “I don't want to go tonight. I want to stay with my Grizzie Grizz Bear.”

He blew out a puff of air. “Dear, you don't want to miss tonight. Prince Camden is returning to Histero, and I've heard it will be a reveal party you won't forget.”

Her bottom lip jutted out. “Grizzly almost died today, Ryland. I won't leave his side. Take Lyla if you want to go so badly.”

Grizzly hadn't almost died. Didn't come close to it, in fact.

Lord Ryland dabbed the sweat off his forehead, blinking the remnants out of his eyes. “You'll allow me to bring Miss Feyton?”

“Of course, darling.”

He looked at me through his lashes, heat simmering within his dark eyes. “Aren't you concerned what might happen if we are left alone?”

Lady Margaery burst into a fit of mirth, which quickly devolved into cackling. Grizzly jumped out of her arms and ran straight for his bed by the unlit fireplace.

“Heavens! Hah! Ryland, Lyla is far too beautiful and smart for you. You can attend as many parties as you wish with her, because I know nothing will become of it.” She fanned herself, finally calming down. “Lyla, you may go in my stead tonight.”

Heat crept up my face. I had only come here to heal a dog, not to step on any toes. “Oh, um, thank you, but I-”

“Nonsense,” she cut me off. “You must go. It's supposed to be a party no one will forget--right Ryland?”

His head bobbed up and down. “Yes. The rumours say that Prince Camden can turn into a dragon.”

My mind came to an abrupt halt--and then it was swarming with thoughts.

How was that possible?

The Dragon Prince was supposed to find his dragon partner during his Rite of Passage in Plum. The Dracinos were supposed to help him understand the telepathic link between dragon and man. He wasn't supposed to turn into one.

“Where did this source come from?” I inquired eagerly. Maybe a little too eagerly given that they were paying clients and didn't owe me anything.

“The servants, of course,” Ryland gave freely. “His letter came in last night and has been circulating the castle since.”

“That's a little far-fetched, isn't it?” I had read of people turning into animals--but to have our very own prince, whose family had no previous history of this phenomenon turn into a dragon?

I had to see it for myself.

“I would like to attend the party with you, Lord Ryland.”

His lips curled up at the corners of his round cheeks. “Marvelous, Lyla--Miss Feyton. I shall have a carriage pick you up from your home this evening. Margaery, dear, pay the girl so she may be on her way.”

Lady Margaery, who had been kneeling and petting Grizzly, waved her hand in the general direction of her coin purse, which sat alone on the table. Tight lipped, Lord Ryland collected a few coins from the purse and placed them gently in my palm, hands lingering just a little too long.

I pulled my hand back and offered a quick curtsey. “Until tonight, my lord.”

He beamed. “Until tonight.”

As promised, Lord Ryland picked me up in a carriage. We rode up the long windy road to the castle sitting at the peak of the hill. Its back butted up against the Hister Sea, waves crashing into the rigid cliffs far below. Even on a busy night full of gossip and music, I could still hear the waves.

I had never set foot in the castle before, never went past the portcullis. Despite the enormity of the castle and its shadow stretching across Histero every day, it still managed to appear bigger on the inside than on the outside.

The courtyard brimmed with gardens of colorful flowers--of which I had to look at. Most of the flowers here couldn't be found on this side of the continent; they were cared for daily, attentively, meticulously, so that the academics could study them freely without fearing of crossing the kingdom.

Lord Ryland urged me away from my botanical curiosities and ushered me inside with the rest of the crowd filing into the main ballroom.

Everyone’s outfits were colourful, elaborate, to the point of being obnoxious. It was all a big show of who could spend the most money on tonight’s event. A typical noble thing to do, I suppose. Only Histero's most important people were invited to Prince Camden's reveal party. I felt woefully out of place with my dress and hair, which I had thought were sufficient when I had appraised myself in front of the mirror--before I had anyone to compare to.

My red curls didn't feel curly enough when put beside a lady's perfect ringlets. My dress, while a very fine cotton that not everyone could afford, felt like the cheapest tweed when up against silk and velvet. Still, I didn't let it deter me. I wasn't here to impress anybody. I wanted to know if the rumours were true. This was an excursion of curiosity, not a hunt for clients.

Amongst all the chatter and excitement, I managed to lose Lord Ryland in the crowd. I found a nice corner to tuck into where I could observe in peace and nurse my wine.

The party itself wasn’t bad. They went all out for the buffet and made sure there was plenty of space to dance to the small orchestra in the corner. My favourite was the red and gold decorations hanging from the elaborate chandeliers and sconces. No detail was left untouched.

I wouldn’t mind living in a place as beautiful as Acker Castle. Of course, who wouldn’t want to live in a castle? There was so much history within these walls, murals depicting generations of Dragon Princes and their valiant deeds to keep their people safe. The stone these walls were built upon, I heard, had come from the mountains in the west. And the gardens! People say that there were hundreds of gardens, some hidden, others out in the open for the fortunate inhabitants inside to see, all over the castle.

I was pulled away from my thoughts of mystical castles when a servant announced the Acker family's arrival. The music dipped into a low melody and the whole hall stilled as the entry doors opened wide. The princes strutted in with the women they escorted, though, their escorts seemed more thrilled to be with them than they did. Tradition was such a fickle thing.

Prince Eli, the oldest and my future king, took the lead, followed by Princes Liam, Alaric, Quinnton, and Camden. This was the first time I’d seen them in person. Many people had talked about them, how handsome they were, how tall they were, but also how brave and passionate they were.

At first glance, I saw a band of brothers teasing each other, trying to embarrass one more than the other in front of everyone, but I noticed an edge in their eyes, scanning the crowd for trouble. It was then when I realised there was no security in here, only at the front entrance where we had handed in our invitations. Even on a day of celebration for their brother’s return, they were still working. Their dragons were probably patrolling the skies as I listened to King Krona's speech, thanking Kali Dricino for guiding Prince Camden through his Rite of Passage.

She was the first woman in history to guide a Prince. She must be something incredible. Hopefully, I could get a chance to speak with the dragon tamer before the end of the night. So few people knew anything about dragons in these parts--aside from the Acker family. What was it like to be a female dragon tamer? Being a woman who owns a business here was hard enough, I couldn't imagine what it must be like for a woman in an occupation as dangerous as dragon taming.

Suddenly, the most amazing thing happened. The thing I had endured this night for. Prince Camden transformed into a dragon. Right there on the balcony! It looked incredibly painful, but he didn’t show it as he flaunted his new form. His scales were dark, seemingly black until the firelight hit them and revealed a shimmer of green. The horns on his head were longer than my arms and sharper than a blade. Those wings of his were giant, almost as big as his body, and strong enough to carry him across the kingdom.

Absolutely phenomenal.

I waded my way through the crowd towards him. There were so many questions buzzing through my mind and only he could answer them.

Before I could get close, Kali Dricino bumped into me, murmuring a hasty apology, as she sped out of the ballroom. I had no idea what her problem was, and normally I would have asked if she was all right after seeing the stricken look on her face, but this was my one and only chance to talk to Prince Camden.

I turned for him. He was back in his human form. Butt naked in front of everyone. He didn’t seem to realise it until Lord Ryder threw a coat at him. He glanced down at himself and swore, quickly tying the coat around his waist. He didn’t waste any time with apologies or even bothering to look at anyone else in the party; he ran for the door after Kali.

I swore under my breath. I had been hoping to talk to him about his transformation. If an Acker could turn into a dragon, then maybe the books in my father's library had merit as well.

I would have to try to find another way to ask Prince Camden about the specifics of his transformation, to see how similar he truly was to the shifters in my books, but now wasn’t the time. He clearly had bigger problems and I wouldn’t be the one to step between a dragon and his business.

Biting back an unladylike growl, I found a waiter and snatched a glass of wine off the tray. One more drink before I headed home.

I nursed the drink quietly in the corner, watching the party slip back to normalcy. It was as if their prince hadn’t turned into a dragon then abruptly left. It was fascinating. The courtiers honestly couldn’t care less about the family that had sworn to protect us from the beasts outside of the walls. Except maybe if their daughters could beguile one of them and be a part of something greater than gossip and expensive clothes. It was truly unfortunate such a valiant family was surrounded by hungry sharks just waiting for the right opportunity to tear a chunk out of them. They deserved better.

I was about to take another sip then disappointedly discovered my glass was empty.

Time to go home.

“Can I get you another?”

I turned to the baritone voice to decline his offer, but as soon as I recognised him I forgot how to speak. The crown on his dirty-blonde head was a dead giveaway as to who he was, but it was the ocean eyes, torn between green and blue, that Prince Quinnton was known for that left me a gaping fool.

I glanced behind me on the off-chance he was talking to someone else--even though he was looking directly at me with a sly smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Come now. I thought you would be different.”

“Different, Your Highness?” I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact he had spotted me in this crowd and wanted to talk to me. Now I had to prove to him that I wasn’t an idiot. It shouldn’t be hard. Yet my mind was utterly blank.

He seemed to be enjoying himself, nevertheless. “Yeah. Different. You're the only woman in this room who hasn't tried to throw herself at one of my brothers.” He cocked an eyebrow; I never knew such a small gesture could be so sexy. “Yet.”

I cleared my throat and tried to muddle my thoughts together. “I clearly don't need to throw myself at you. You're doing it for me.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I wished I could take them back. Was I seriously flirting with one of my princes?

This is why I'm an animal healer, not a people healer.

“Not that you're throwing yourself at me, Your Highness,” I added hastily, stupidly. “You don't need to throw yourself at anyone. Just look at you.” Because I apparently wanted to dig myself deeper into this embarrassing hole, I gestured to his tall, lithe frame and handsome set features.

To my relief--or perhaps my horror, only time would tell--he grinned then took a sip from his drink. He held his hand out to me. “Quinn Acker.”

Surprised by his casualness, I took his hand; he lifted my knuckles to his lips. “Lyla Feyton.”

His eyebrows shot into his hair. “Only members of my father’s court are invited to this party. How did you manage an invitation?”

“I’m Lord Ryland’s plus one.” Despite my best intentions, it sounded like a brag. I was used to my friends making my connections with noble folk a big deal. The prince looked less than impressed.

He peered around for said lord and scowled when he found him on the other side of the room, speaking with other lords. “I'm surprised his wife let you come with him.”

I bit back a laugh. “Lady Margaery is quite confident I will not succumb to his charming personality.”

The news put a smile on his face. “Is she now?”

“Yes. She even gave me her blessing.”

“Well then, we better not put her blessing to waste.” He stepped closer, the heat of his body wrapping around me. The princes were known to run at a hotter temperature once they Bonded with their dragon, but I had thought it was an exaggeration when people had also said they were so hot they could melt ice. It was not. I was beginning to sweat just by standing beside him.

I had to clear my throat to calm my nerves. He’s just a man. Think of him as a client. “What did you have in mind?” I squeaked.

“A dance. Or two.”

“What about the woman you came with?” Because she was marching this way and did not look happy.

Quinn scowled at the mention of his date. “Who--Mia? My parents mean well, but they have terrible taste when it comes to women. For once, I'd just like to have a conversation with a beautiful woman without her mentioning my money, my title, or my family.”

I blinked at his blatant honesty.

“Prince Quinnton!” Mia called. He flinched then swore under his breath. “Quinn, I've been looking all over for you.” The young lady clung to him at the first chance she got then sneered at me. “Who are you?”

I took one look at her, the big pompous dress, hair taller than the castle's spires, and caked-on makeup, then decided whatever drama she was ready to start wasn’t worth sharing a few charming words with the prince. “No one. I was just about to go home.”

The sneer melted into a lusty smile when she turned to Prince Quinnton. “Good. Come on, Prince, I want to introduce you to my friends.”

She tried pulling him away, but he resisted, giving me a hopeful, quirky smile. “Stay a little longer?”

I felt bad for leaving him with someone he clearly didn’t want to be stuck with; he seemed nice and deserved better. “Sorry, I have an early start tomorrow. I should have been home a while ago. Enjoy the rest of your night.” I truly meant it, but the sour look he gave me told me he thought otherwise.

Pretending I hadn’t seen that look, I awkwardly handed him my empty glass--what else was I supposed to do, walk out with it?--and slipped past him for the exit.

The entire walk home I beat myself up over how I had handled my interaction with Prince Quinnton. The air was cool but I didn’t mind a little bite. Being one of the only animal healers willing to travel outside of the walls, my practice was quite successful and gave me the luxury of having my practice in the center of town, my home sitting on top. It was a short walk down the hill from the castle, through a park where I took dogs for a walk while they recuperated with me.

As soon as I entered my apartment, I plucked the pins from my auburn hair one at a time and finally relaxed as it all cascaded down my back in big waves. Light from the streetlamp outside my apartment filtered through my sheer drapes and illuminated the narrow path I'd carved out of the sea of books filling my living room. Even after all these years, I still hadn't found a proper place to put them. As far as apartments in Histero went, mine was large, but it still didn't compare to the enormity of the library my father had left me. Half of the room was dedicated to books I had read, while the other side was for books I had yet to explore.

I'd walked through this maze so many times by now, all I needed was the gentle flamelight outside to find my bedroom, which was as equally stacked with books, a collection of my favourite works. I slipped out of my dress, leaving it on the floor, and tucked under the blankets. After two deep breaths, I fell asleep.