Page 14 of Bound by Fire and Scales (The Dragons of Earis #1)

The next morning, I entered the library for my training, the familiar scent of parchment and ink grounding me, even as my heart raced with apprehension. Loryr stood there, her eyebrow arched in surprise.

“I heard that you’ve been poisoning your body with suppressants. How do you expect to give a healthy heir to the fire dragons like that?”

I rolled my eyes, trying to calm my nerves. This woman had a talent for targeting my insecurities even when I tried my best to hide them from her. I opened my mouth to give her a piece of my mind, but the words caught in my throat. I couldn’t respond the way I wanted to—not to her.

Loryr’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction when she saw I had kept quiet, her lips curling into a smirk. “Omegas should never take suppressants. Why would you hide what the Gods gave you?” I shut my eyes, counting up to ten to calm myself down.

Of course, she would shame me for taking suppressants. She thrived on making me feel uncomfortable. It was all a game to her, and she was determined to provoke a reaction, to see me unravel in front of her. A woman like her would never understand my choices, what I had to do to keep myself safe out in the world. I clenched my fists at my sides, drawing in a deep breath. I would not give her the satisfaction of seeing me break. Not today.

Instead, I straightened my back and lifted my chin up, facing her. “The healer already gave me the whole lecture, Loryr.”

She frowned, her smirk falling as she inspected me with disgust. “Today, we’re going to work on connecting with the fire inside you. You need to harness that anger, that frustration, and turn it into something powerful.”

I nodded, glad that we were not talking about my incident anymore. Perhaps channeling my emotions into training was the way to go. Loryr gestured toward a small area in the library where sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the space like a spotlight. “Stand there. Close your eyes and focus on the fire within you. Imagine it, feel it. It’s not an enemy. It’s a part of you. Let it grow.”

I stepped into the sunlit spot and closed my eyes, the warmth washing over me. I took a deep breath, feeling the air fill my lungs, and I began to visualize the flames. At first, it flickered like a candle, hesitant and weak. But I concentrated harder, trying to recall the moments of warmth and light I had experienced in my life. Zephyr’s face popped up in my mind, and the thoughts started from there. The peaceful warmth of his body when we woke up in our bed in the morning, the fire of his touch, the wildness of his scent, the glow of the sunset as we left the village.

As I focused on these memories, I felt it growing inside of me, a pulse of energy flickering in my core. The flicker swelled, transforming into a roaring blaze. I imagined the fire as a living entity, breathing and shifting, reflecting my spirit.

“Good,” Loryr encouraged, her voice cutting through the haze of my concentration. “Now let it rise. Feel the heat, feel the energy coursing through you.”

With every breath, I fed the flames in my mind, letting them grow. I could feel warmth radiating from within, like sunlight breaking through a storm. I embraced the fire, letting it merge with my emotions—the anger, the frustration, and the strength. They all flowed together, amplifying the flames, turning them into a force that was no longer chaotic, but powerful and focused.

“Open your eyes,” Loryr instructed.

I did, and the world around me felt different. The colors were brighter; the air charged with energy. The fire inside me flickered like a living flame, and I could almost see it, a vibrant aura of warmth surrounding me.

“You’ve made progress so far, but I’m not interested in progress. I’m interested in results.”

I met her eyes, refusing to flinch under her scrutiny. This was another test, just like all the others, but she could keep testing me. I wouldn’t give up that easily. Loryr raised her hand, and with a flick of her wrist, the mat in front of us burst into flames. The fire spread quickly, dancing along the surface, crackling with energy that felt almost alive. Heat rushed toward me, and I instinctively stepped back.

“Walk across it,” she said, her eyes narrowing.

I stared at the flames, my mind racing. Fire, in all its raw, untamed power, stood between me and the next step. My feet tingled with the memory of burns that hadn’t yet happened. The flames beckoned, threatening and seductive all at once.

“You want me to burn myself?” I asked, though I knew that wasn’t the point. Loryr’s tests were never about pain alone; they were about control, mastery.

“No, I want you to connect with it. To become one with the fire, not fight it. Only then will you pass through it unscathed.”

I swallowed, feeling the dryness in my throat. Loryr thought I might be ready for the Soulfire Ritual next moon, and this was part of that—proving I could endure, proving I could survive. I stepped forward onto the mat, the heat of the flames licked at my face, and I closed my eyes, centering myself. I had to reach out to the fire, not let it burn me.

My breath slowed as I focused on the image of fire in my mind, the way it moved, the way it felt. I imagined myself as part of it, not separate. I felt a flicker of warmth growing within me, different from the heat of the flames in front of me. It was a connection, a spark of understanding.

“Stop wasting time girl,” Loryr urged, her voice sharp but distant. “Do it before the fire consumes the mat entirely.”

With a deep breath, I stepped forward, placing my foot on the burning mat. The heat seared through me instantly, a surge of pain shooting up my leg. My instinct screamed to pull back, to run, but I forced myself to stay still. I couldn’t let the fire dominate me. I had to embrace it.

I took another step, then another. The flames crawled up the edges of my feet, biting at my skin, but I pushed the sensation down, focusing on the image of fire in my mind. It wasn’t my enemy. It was part of me. The pain dulled, replaced by a strange warmth that coursed through me, as if someone was giving me a warm hug. I walked further across the mat. My feet felt raw, but I didn’t stop. The fire crackled, and for a moment, I thought I saw the flames part beneath me, as if they recognized something in me. It was fleeting, but it was enough.

I reached the other side and exhaled shakily. My heart was pounding, but my feet were whole. I looked down at my body, my gown was intact, I felt no burning across my skin. I had done it and was left intact. I could still feel the warmth of the heat coursing inside of me like a current. Reminding me that it was still there. I turned to face Loryr, waiting for her to say something.

She watched me with an unreadable expression. I couldn’t tell if she was disappointed that I hadn’t burned to death in front of her or not.

“You’re stronger than I thought,” she said after a long silence. “Next new moon, you’ll face the real thing. The Soulfire Ritual.”

???

“Oh god,” I moaned out loud as his teeth grazed down the sensitive skin of my neck, making me shiver.

I was coming off the suppressant pills, and one of the side effects of quitting, after taking them for so long, was turning into a hormone-fueled mess. It felt as if fire was burning me from the inside out. My whole body felt hyper-sensitive to the minimum touch.

Sometimes I didn’t even need Zephyr to touch me. Just his scent was enough to make a gush of wetness stream thighs. It was embarrassing that Zephyr knew that my body was reacting in this way to his mere presence. I moaned again when his tongue licked its way up the pulse on my neck, the sensation sending another wave of wetness to my core making me pulse with need. Damn it. I was a mess.

We were scenting, like we usually did before dinner. This part was always fun, but now that I was a hormonal mess, I could barely stand this. I couldn’t stop craving for more. Wanting him to just cross that invisible line and take me hard and rough right here on the floor of our room while everyone waited for us down in the dinner hall.

“Zephyr.” My voice came out in a sultry whisper as I circled my arms around his neck, shamelessly pulling him closer. “Do we really have to go to this dinner? I was thinking we could stay here a little longer… maybe get to know each other a little better?” I asked, arching my eyebrows suggestively.

His green eyes stared down at me, his hands still firmly placed on my waist. He looked conflicted for a second before he finally spoke. “You know I can’t do that, Sabrina,” he said slowly, stepping away from me, while I stood frozen on my spot, not knowing what to feel. “Ready?” he asked, already by the door, waiting for me. His casual tone made me feel even worse. He had just rejected me and was acting as if nothing had happened. I nodded and followed him, swallowing the humiliation and my tears for later.

We arrived together at the dinner grand hall and took our usual seats at the grand table, Zephyr at the head of the table, already busy in conversation with a male council member whose name I didn’t know. I sat on his right, still reeling from his rejection. I couldn’t stand it anymore. The tension between Zephyr and I had been growing every day. There were touches that lingered a heartbeat too long, gazes that seemed to stretch forever. But every time things got heated like today, he pulled back. And I was reaching my breaking point. Or maybe I had imagined all of it?

A flicker of movement to my left caught my attention and my eyes caught Enrik’s stormy grey eyes. I glanced at Zephyr, noting that he was now in deep conversation with Anphyr and the male council member. He hadn’t so much as looked at me since we sat down. I couldn’t do this anymore. If Zephyr was going to keep playing this game of push and pull, maybe it was time to push back. Hard.

I turned toward Enrik, my lips curling into a sly smile. Maybe the first time that I had ever smiled at him. “I never thought you’d be the type to enjoy dinners like this,” I said, my voice soft but teasing, the kind of tone that would catch anyone’s attention. Even Zephyr’s.

Enrik blinked, clearly caught off guard by the sudden change in my demeanor. He wasn’t used to anything from me other than snappy remarks. But flirting? That was something new, and judging by the look on his face, he hadn’t seen it coming at all.

“Dinners like this are a bore,” Enrik replied, recovering quickly as a smirk crept across his handsome face. His gray eyes darkened with mischief, lingering on my lips for just a heartbeat before slowly rising to meet my gaze. “Too much talking, not enough action,” he said, leaning back on his chair and playing with the firewine on his cup. I had his full attention now.

“Well, maybe you’re just sitting next to the wrong person, if that’s what you’re after,” I shot back, lowering my voice just enough to make it sound like a private invitation. What the hells was I doing? His eyes widened slightly, and I could see the gears turning in his head, unsure of what game I was playing. I heard the clink of silverware on the other side of the table, and my heart raced. Zephyr still wasn’t looking, but I knew he could hear.

If he cared enough to listen, that is.

Enrik leaned in, his shoulder brushing against mine as he lowered his voice. “Careful, lil’ tailchaser,” he drawled in my ear, his husky tone sparking an involuntary shiver through my body. “You wouldn’t want to give anyone the wrong impression.”

I glanced around the table, a flicker of worry creeping in as I gauged the reactions of the others. Thankfully, the council elders were too absorbed in their conversation to notice. But Kislav’s eyes were on me, one brow raised in a silent question, clearly wondering what I was up to. Ignoring him, I shifted my focus back to Enrik, letting out a forced laugh that sounded just as fake as it felt. My fingers brushed lightly against his arm. “Or maybe the right one,” I teased.

I could feel Zephyr’s eyes on me now. I didn’t need to look at him to know he was watching, his attention drawn away from whatever boring council discussion was happening. He was an alpha. He was territorial. Protective. And right now, I was challenging him.

Enrik smirked, his gaze flicking from me to Zephyr before settling back on me. “You’re playing a dangerous game.”

I shrugged, keeping my eyes on Enrik but feeling Zephyr’s intense stare burning into the side of my face. “Maybe I like danger.”

The scrape of Zephyr’s chair echoed across the room, and suddenly the conversation around the table quieted down. I finally dared to glance at him. His jaw was tight, his eyes dark and unreadable, but there was something in the way he looked at me, something possessive, rough and raw.

“Enrik.” Zephyr’s voice was low, commanding, as if he’d decided he had enough of the game. “A word.”

Enrik raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the moment, but he stood and gave me a little wink. “Looks like playtime’s over.”

A surge of satisfaction rushed through me, but it quickly faded as Enrik pulled away. The moment his attention shifted, I felt Zephyr’s gaze burn into me. His eyes were locked on mine, making my skin shudder under the intensity of his stare. He didn’t need to say a word. The fury brewing in those green eyes of his was unmistakable. Good . That was exactly what I wanted. I wanted to break through that ironclad self-control of his, to push him to the edge.

This wasn’t over until I said it was.