Page 36 of Curse of the Midnight Dragon (The Moonlight Dragon #2)

Celestina

Knowing how volatile Amaya could be whenever we were in a room together, I tried to push everyone out of Soren’s chambers before she killed Cullen or anyone else. Also, I wanted to talk with her alone, woman to woman. I wanted to convince her that I was happy and that she should go back to the clan and explain to the other dragons that I belonged here.

But before I could do any of that, I needed to pry Patty’s clinging arms from around Amaya’s middle. It took a little doing, but I managed to free Amaya from Patty’s sweet show of affection. I shoved Patty over to Gray’s care. Patty squealed with delight.

“Gray, escort Patty back to her home,” I said with what I hoped sounded like a regal command. Not that I had practice with issuing regal commands. I figured it involved holding my chin up and speaking in rich, round tones. “Everyone else, leave us. We need to speak with Amaya in private.” I tossed in the royal “we” for emphasis.

No one moved.

Amaya snorted.

Raya stepped toward me and asked quietly, “What are you doing?”

“Issuing a royal decree,” I snapped, frustrated that my first real attempt at wielding my princess powers wasn’t working. “You have to do what I say because I’m a princess.” And yes, I did realize how pretentious that sounded as soon as the words left my mouth.

Raya glanced over my shoulder to look to Soren for guidance. Neither Gray nor Raya took orders from me when it came to watching out for his safety.

I spun to face Soren. “I want you to leave, too. I want everyone to leave so I can have a private word with Amaya.”

Soren tilted his head to one side. “That’s not going to happen.”

“You told me I could issue royal decrees, and that they had to be followed. Was that a lie?”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “As crown prince, I can outrank you, Princess.”

“As prince and the younger son of the king, I outrank you as well,” Cullen added.

Ooohhh! They were making up these rules of royalty to fit their needs!

Fire stirred in my chest as my rage lit up. I hadn’t realized the power was still there. But it must have been. A wisp of smoke curled from my nose. I swiftly waved it away, hoping no one had noticed.

Soren shot me a look of surprise. When it came to me, that man of mine noticed everything.

“I could use my growly voice and force you to leave,” I threatened.

“Your dragon powers of persuasion don’t work on non-magical creatures like me,” Gray reminded me.

“That’s not helping,” Raya sang.

“Now, Sky Girl.” Soren sounded amused even though I suspected he knew I wasn’t kidding. I would use compulsion if they forced my hand. “We just made a point of how we don’t use compulsion to force others to do our bidding. Is that a rule that should apply to everyone but you?”

Dammit . I closed my eyes and drew in a steadying breath. Ever since last night’s explosion, my emotions had tilted from one extreme to the other. I needed to pull myself together. “Then, I’m asking as a friend since I hold no power in this room. Or am I not allowed to do that because I’m nothing more than a tool for your kingdom?”

Soren sighed. “Leave us,” he said.

Both Gray and Raya protested. Soren cut them off with a shake of his head.

“Come on, Patty,” Gray said as he plucked handfuls of the sweetest treats from the tray. “Let’s share this feast with your family.”

Raya squeezed my shoulder before she left.

“Would you like me to take Amaya with me?” Cullen asked. He moved toward the midnight dragon who was giving Cullen a look that suggested that if he got any closer, she would slay him.

“No,” Soren said softly. “Sky Girl wants to talk with her.”

“Then I wish to stay.” Cullen glanced over to where Amaya was still glaring at him. “If Amaya and Princess Celestina are agreeable, of course.” Amaya bared a mouth filled with sharp dragon teeth at Cullen. He smiled as if pleased by her reaction. “I know what Amaya wants, and I believe I can help her find a solution.”

“You’re offering your own head on a platter?” Amaya purred in a low, seductive voice. “Splendid.”

“Depends on which head—”

“Cull!” Soren snapped. “You’re not helping.”

“Please.” I put myself between Cullen and Amaya. “Give me a moment.”

“Very well.” Cullen winked at Amaya. She snarled. And he laughed as he left Soren’s chambers.

Once the door was closed, Soren suggested we sit down to talk. Amaya sat at the edge of the sofa. I pulled a chair over from the small dining table and placed it across from her.

Soren stepped back and, after picking up a book from the small bookshelf in the chamber, chose a chair at the dining table. “Pretend I’m not here.” He opened the book and started to read.

“He can be overly protective,” I said.

“I suppose that’s a good thing.” Amaya watched him lick his finger before turning a page. “The clan needs you safe.”

I leaned forward. “I am safe. I might not be sure of everything that’s happening. And I still need to clear up some matters with Soren. You may have heard about that.”

“About how you conjured your fire? I witnessed it. Impressive. If any of them had raised a weapon against you, I would have killed them.” She glanced over at Soren again. “Their reaction confuses me. The man in Tiburnia—my abductor—was never so…” She shook her head. “But that doesn’t mean the vampires aren’t using you.”

“I know,” I hated to admit. “I—” I’d wanted to tell her that I felt more at home, safer, more loved here in a kingdom that might love me only for what I could do for their people than I ever would feel living with the clan. But I didn’t think she’d accept that. “This is where I’m meant to be. I feel it”—I touched a finger to my heart—“here.”

Amaya rolled her large silver eyes. “Look, Celestina. I get it. You’re a princess here. Back at the clan, you’re simply the chosen one, the promised savior of our kind. If I had to choose between the two, I’d pick princess, too. Well, only if wearing fancy dresses all the time wasn’t a requirement.” Amaya shuddered. “I didn’t follow you here because I wanted to ruin your fantasy life. I’m here because I’m trying to save lives. Dragon lives. Vampire lives. Even some human lives, apparently.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you really think the clan will peacefully let their damned savior go live with the enemy? And more to the point, do you think the clan imagines you went with the vampires willingly? They think he stole you!”

I glanced over at Soren. He set down his book. “I could talk with the council, make them understand that no one is forcing me to be here.”

“Celestina, they all believe you’ve been mesmerized, brainwashed. And even if you do convince them that you’ve not been tricked into falling for a vampire, you’ve been living as a captive your entire life. No one is going to believe you’re capable of making any decisions on your own. That’s why they’ve already decided where you’ll live and have already picked your mate, heck, they’ve even picked out your clothes.”

“Hold up.” Soren leaned forward. “Picked her mate?”

“Yes, she’s been promised to the green dragon who has been watching over Celestina her entire life. When I returned her to the clan, they set her up in his home.”

The chair scraped on the stone floor as Soren abruptly stood up. His gaze flashed to me. “You said they didn’t hurt you.”

“They didn’t. He’s been…patient with me.”

A muscle in his jaw worked furiously. His fists at his sides opened and closed several times. I could tell he wanted to know more and break open a few dozen heads. But he didn’t force me to talk about what happened between Trace and me. “I’m not going to let you steal her from me.”

“And I’m not here to kidnap her.” She stood. “Celestina, I’ve watched you search the plateau for an escape route enough times to know that tactic won’t work.”

“If you’re not here to force her to go back with you to the clan, why are you here?” Soren demanded.

“I already told you! I’m here to stop a war. The clan is coming. And they plan to ride in on the currents provided by the ever- hungry Goddess Perth. They mean to bring death to your land. And Celestina, you’re the only one with the power to stop it.” Amaya dissolved into nothingness after delivering what felt like a death blow.

In the silence that followed, I folded over my legs and buried my face in my hands. I should have known this fairytale I was trying to create with Soren couldn’t last.

Soren crossed the room and placed his hand on my back. “We’ll figure this out, Sky Girl. Together. We’ll find a way I can keep you.”

“Keep me?” Lowered my hands from my face, I sat up. “How do I know you aren’t manipulating me?” He’d explained last night how he’d both loved me and wanted to use me. And while I believed him, that still didn’t sit right.

He crouched in front of the chair and took both of my hands in his. “Celestina, my feelings for you are bigger than this kingdom. I wish they weren’t.” He shook his head. “I—There’s a reason why I must put the kingdom first, and I am sorry for it. It’s…”

Was he trying to tell me about the prophecy? “Princess Priscilla told me about your eye color and what it means.”

His grip on my hands tightened. “There is that. Plus, I have a duty as general, as crown prince, as a son to follow my king. And still, part of me wants to throw all of that away and run away with you to a place where we can start fresh, where we can be a team and not enemies—not a warrior with his weapon—just two lovers forging their own path, creating their own kingdom.” He lightly brushed his lips over mine. “I loved you even before I bonded with you. But I bonded with you, because of my love for you, but also because I knew you were a dragon. I knew what that could mean for Fein’s defenses.”

I tried to pull away from him. But he wouldn’t let me go.

“Celestina, after the bond took hold, my love for you changed. I changed. My priorities shifted away from putting the Fein first and toward putting your wellbeing first. Would I welcome your help in protecting my kingdom? Yes, of course, I would. But only because you’re in this kingdom with me. If you asked me to leave, I would leave. I’d follow you anywhere you wanted to go. My life is yours. And maybe that’s what the prophecy has been warning us about all along. Maybe your egg hatched because my father didn’t kill me. I don’t know. And at this point, I don’t care. I once promised you that I’d free Earst’s slaves, and I still intend to do that. But other than that, I don’t know what will happen or how our relationship plays into some ancient prophecy. All I know is that I will fight to keep you because that’s what my heart is telling me to do.”

Someone knocked on the chamber door. Banged on it so hard, it rattled in the frame.

“But what about your family and the dragons?” My heart ached for him….and for me. The only way out of this mess we’d created involved blood. So. Much. Blood.

Whoever was on the other side of the door started to hit it with their fist.

“ Is there a way to avoid a war ?” I whispered the question, not sure I wanted to know the answer.

He didn’t answer right away. “I’ll need to pull back some of my warriors from the border. With two fronts to contend with and one coming from the air, things will get tricky. We’ll need a strategy that keeps the conflict as brief as possible.”

But would the dragon clan give me up? Ever? That wasn’t a question I dared ask because I already knew the answer. “I think you should see who’s at the door before they knock it down.”

Soren huffed, but he rose to his feet.

“Stop blocking the doorway. I’m here to prepare Princess Celestina for tonight’s ball.” Goldie pushed her way into the chamber.

“We haven’t finished breakfast,” Soren complained. “You can come back later.”

“Beauty takes time, Your Highness. Something you don’t have to worry about since you could show up in your battle leathers and have all the ladies salivating. But the ladies must select the perfect dress, have it altered so it fits just so, wash in just the right oils, paint our nails, paint our faces, and style our hair.”

“We’re not doing any of that today,” Soren growled.

“You’re not doing what?” Goldie went back outside and returned with her rolling wardrobe. “The ball is being held in Princess Celestina’s honor. You must let me make her look perfect.”

“No, I don’t.” He blocked Goldie’s path to me.

“Boy, I’ve been keeping royalty in this palace looking their best since before you were born. I know what must be done and how long it takes to do it.”

“Not today, you don’t.”

They stared at each other for so long that I was certain Soren would be the first to break. He had a soft spot when it came to the older ladies in his life.

“Hand me the gown,” he finally said. “ I’ll get her ready.” When Goldie started to protest, Soren held up a hand. “That’s the best you’re going to get from me today. Hand me the gown.”

“I brought several for Princess Celestina to pick from.”

Soren opened the rolling wardrobe and sorted through the gowns hanging inside. “None of these will do.”

“But-but they were all specially created for—” Goldie sputtered.

“The princess does not want to wear anything with images of dragons stitched on the gown. Bring me something simple, but elegant.” He looked over his shoulder at me. “Silver?”

I nodded. My heart clenched, but in the best way. Soren understood why I didn’t want to be trotted out as the kingdom’s token dragon. And he was standing up for me.

“Silver,” he said. “Like moonlight. And simple. If you bring anything different, Sky Girl will go to the ball dressed in what she’s wearing now. And she’ll start a new fashion trend in the kingdom. The ladies will all start coming to the balls dressed in tunics and black leggings.”

“Your parents will hate this,” Goldie grumbled. “But I’ll bring a simple gown.”

“Good. I’ll call for you when we’re ready for you to return.” He pushed the wardrobe back into the hallway and, despite Goldie’s objections, slammed the door shut. He turned the key in the lock and gave it a toss, sending it flying across the room.

“What if we need to get out?” I asked, looking around for where the key might have landed.

He took my hands in his and lifted me from the chair. “We won’t need to open that door for several hours.” He started to kiss me. And Goddess, I wanted to kiss him back. My body arched into him. We were like two magnets pulling toward each other.

But I forced my lips to peel away from his. “Should—shouldn’t we be spending this time preparing for an aerial attack?”

“We will. And I promise you’ll be involved with every part of the planning. But first, I need to do this.” He lifted me into his arms and carried me into his bedchamber.

As he’d predicted, we didn’t emerge until several hours later.

And when we did, my body ached in the best way.