Page 5 of Dragon Chosen (The Dragon Lady #1)

Auren

My daughter, you are one of the few dragon queens left in Nevermere , my father had said to me that morning.

I know! To shriek at one’s father like a seagull was unforgiveable. Hadrian jerked back then, as if I’d raked my claws across his face. I hadn’t, just dreamed of it every time he came to me with this proposal. By the gods of air and sea, don’t you think I know?

Then you must come to the keep with your sisters.

Father’s tone was tight, making clear what effort it took to remain in control. Except he never slipped. Never raised a claw in anger towards my sisters and me. Never even chided us when we were stupid hatchlings seemingly bent on killing ourselves with our recklessness.

And that was the problem.

Father had raised us away from grasping humans and equally avaricious male dragons, gifting me an idyllic childhood where it felt like the entire world was mine for the claiming. Whatever path I wished to take, whichever territory I decided to settle in, that was for me to determine.

Then I grew up and learned what a lie that was.

I know some of your pain, Fern. The human looked up at that, her forehead wrinkling.

Empathy, that’s what I picked up down our psychic link.

My father, he… I left the family cave this morning to escape him.

She waited for me to continue, not butting in with questions, and I liked that.

He expects me to take mates, and soon. I waved a claw through the air, able to conjure Father’s pompous manner in my mind. For the benefit of dragonkind.

He wants to marry you off? She shook her head. I assumed that was something only humans did.

It was just something humans did. Unlike Fern, I knew my history.

When I was born, I was laid in a nest of dragon stone.

Every time a dragon died, their memories, their experiences, their wisdom went into the stones.

When we were still in the shell, we absorbed that wisdom, using it to inform our decisions.

So I knew that queen dragons flew free, did what they wished.

I knew my own mother had once ruled over a dragon-run city. That she only took my father as a mate, though she bore children to other males that proved themselves worthy of the honour. That she determined her own path without having to think about the entire species.

My father seems to have been infected by human ideas , I replied.

He must’ve been, because why else would he allow these…

males to present themselves to my sisters and me?

They come sniffing around our cave, showing next to no interest in who any of us are.

Just assuming they’ll be the ones to catch us when we rise to mate.

Oh gods… Fern’s hand landed on her chest. They just want to breed with you?

I can only assume that’s their intent. I refused to touch minds with them , I replied, picking up the stag and turning it over to singe more of the fur off. There were no offerings, no attempt to woo me to their side, proving they are worthy of my time.

They just assume they have a right to you. The clever little human, her eyes trailed over my form. Your body, your womb.

Your father wants you to marry some man to benefit the family , I said. Mine wants me to save the species. Both noble goals, but…

But you want more than that. Fern straightened up, meeting my gaze head on. You deserve more than that.

And so do you, Fern.

I leaned forward and used my claws to cut free a chunk of meat, letting it sizzle on the coals as I dragged the rest of the stag closer.

With an eye on the meat, I crouched over the animal, starting to scissor off a chunk.

When the meat had taken on the savoury scent I’d come to associate with human food, I retrieved Fern’s portion, placing it on a flat stone for her.

Her hunger was evident by the way she tried to grab it as soon as it was close, wincing, then blowing on it to cool it down. I snorted, then drew closer. If her breath would cool it to an acceptable temperature, surely mine would do it faster.

Thank you , she said when she was finally able to handle it, though her blunt human teeth struggled to tear into the meat.

It was tempting to offer to do that as well, but she was human, not a hatchling. For some time, a quiet settled over the cave, broken only by the sound of our chewing, and with that came a peace. One I hadn’t felt for some time.

I think I need to go back into the pools . Fern held up her sooty, bloodied hands. I’m grubbier than I was before I got in.

You look like a dragon , I replied, following her out onto the plateau.

If only…

She stopped still, staring at the sky, as if that would conjure others of my own kind, when she shared her musings. She saw herself as a green dragon, flying through the sky, clouds wreathed around her head.

What would you do if you were a dragon? I asked.

Me? She turned around and did that teeth baring thing again.

A smile, that’s what my memories told me.

I tried the expression myself, but that seemed to just scare Fern.

When my fangs were safely behind my muzzle, she answered.

I’d fly home and terrorise every one of those idiots.

Call me a beast, a pig? I’d listen to him squeal as I stomped over, ready to bite his head off.

We could do that. Suddenly I couldn’t want anything more. We could return to your family home. I could raze the place to the ground if you wish. Then everyone in the surrounding properties would question the wisdom of speaking ill of you.

Tempting . Her lips stretched wider. But no. I quite like my home and most of the people who live there are quite nice. My mother…

She was the real enemy, I felt that clearly. What the males had done hurt bright and hot, but would burn out soon enough. This… mother. She created ashes in Fern’s heart, where cheery flames should flicker.

I could eat her. Fern made a strange noise.

I could. Humans taste disgusting, but I would do that…

I knew dragons bonded with humans, but it was never anything I’d considered.

Father made clear what my role was and that bonding with a human would raise them above all others, giving them undue importance.

For you, I said finally. I would do that for you, Fern.

That’s very kind . She sank into the water with a sigh, then started scrubbing the remains of her meal away. Honestly, no one has ever offered to kill my mother for me. Her eyes met mine. I’ll never forget you, Auren.

Of course, you won’t. I sat up tall. I am a queen. Fern dropped under the water, then emerged a moment later, flicking water from her face. And you could be a queen with me.

What?

She blinked away the water, her smile gone.

You could be queen with me. I could almost hear my father’s voice inside my head, telling me I was being awfully hasty. Perhaps it was the inbuilt need to rebel that had me making this offer. We could… I stepped closer. We could be bondmates, Fern.

She clambered out of the water, her eyes wide as she stared up at me.

I will stop arrogant males from calling you terrible names and you could… I said.

Protect you from male dragons who just want to mate you?

Yes. That came out in a great rush. Yes, that.

Her hand shot out, and she held it in a way that suggested she expected a similar response from me.

My memories didn’t tell me anything about what I was supposed to do, so I held a single claw out.

Her tiny hand clasped it and she shook it, which made no sense at all, but this had her smiling again.

So what does this mean? She looked around us. Do we live here, eating stag and sleeping in a cave?

We could… My throat worked. It felt like one of the stag’s bones was stuck in my throat, but that wasn’t true.

I’d swallowed down every morsel. No, it was the way forward that had me struggling.

Or we could go to the royal keep. Male dragons and their riders get given plots of land by the human prime minister.

Territory that belongs to them and them alone.

We would order them to provide us with our own.

Somewhere warm? she asked.

Somewhere not too hot in summer, not too cool in winter , I replied.

A place by the sea?

I could almost see what she described, but that vision shifted quickly.

Or a lake. One large enough to swim in every day , I added.

We could build our own home , she said. Grow our own food. Create a garden!

I did not eat vegetables. They tasted like dirt the one time I’d tried them, but Fern seemed terribly pleased by the idea, so I agreed.

And surrounded by a forest, well stocked with deer and cattle , I said.

A home . Fern pulled on her dress and her shoes with a determined air. We could have a home that no male could come near without our permission.

It’s decided , I said.

I’d left the family cave frustrated with my father, with the fate everyone assumed was mine.

Fern had sounded like a stag coming through the forest, but she was something far better.

She helped me see another way. Our way, and now I could see that shining future, I would not stop until it became reality.

Ready to ride to the keep? I asked my bondmate.

Would you mind if we made a small detour? she asked. I’m happy to go wherever you think best, but I’m going to need some clothes and other things before we reach the keep.

It was then I understood the human need to smile. I would’ve done the same right now, if it didn’t terrify Fern.

You wish to revisit your childhood home? I will take you there gladly. You can gather the supplies you need and I’ll… I dropped my head down so she could climb onto my back. I’ll talk to those parents of yours.