Page 67 of Progeny of the Cursed Egg (Dragonis Academy, Year 3)
Mina
With less than an hour left, I sit curled up with Leander, Callan, and Ziggy on the worn leather couch in Callan’s office.
The scent of old books and sandalwood permeates the air, mingling with the unique musk of my mates.
Word came back from Blackhaven—Idris was hired by my father to command that outpost. The report trembles slightly in my hands, the crisp paper crackling under my tight grip.
It was more that my father wanted to eliminate Callan than Abraxis.
A dragon mate before all others. His poisonous words fill my mind as I stare at the report, the ink stark and damning against the cream-colored page, my pulse quickening with every sentence I read.
“Why try to kill me?” Callan says. The confusion is evident in his voice, the usually confident tone now wavering. The afternoon sun slants through the dusty windows, highlighting the sharp angles of his face, the worry lines etched around his amber eyes.
“That’s easy. You’re not a dragon. My father believed in only taking dragon mates, not other species.
In a sense, he’s a species purist.” I stare down at Ziggy, who has his head in my lap, his weight warm and comforting against my thighs.
I love staring into those malevolent green eyes of his, like polished emeralds that somehow convey both danger and devotion.
My fingers thread through his hair, soft as silk against my skin.
“What I don’t understand is why risk killing Abraxis?
” Balor says from the other side of the room.
His deep voice resonates in the confined space, sending vibrations through the floorboards.
He has Abraxis’s wing in his hands, helping him stretch it.
The leathery membrane catches the light, revealing a network of half-healed scars that makes my heart clench painfully.
“All the truly dangerous attacks happened after I had Klauth’s egg.” I tilt my head and stare into Klauth’s crimson-flecked amber eyes, which gleam like fire opals in the dim light. The air between us feels charged, electrified with unspoken understanding.
“He saw the possibility of stronger progeny with me, so he was trying to eliminate the in-theory weaker male.” After the words leave his lips, Klauth pauses, his jaw tightening visibly.
“Sorry, I was speaking tactically from an insane male position.” Klauth watches Abraxis’s reaction, his body tense as if ready to retract his words.
“We’re good,” Abraxis says, then winces as Balor puts his wing through the motions.
The sound of stretching leather fills the momentary silence.
“It makes sense. Why keep your powerful daughter bound to a regular mixed-breed black dragon? When she could be bred by a great wyrm red dragon with titanium in his bloodline.” Abraxis looks down for a moment, his lashes casting shadows on his cheeks, then back up again.
“He went so far as to steal your pregnant mother from another male to have you. I wouldn’t put anything past that warped mind of his,” Abraxis says clinically.
The coldness in his tone doesn’t match the pain I see flashing in his eyes.
I’m glad he’s not taking any of this personally, though the slight tremor in his hands betrays his true feelings .
Leander stands and offers me his hand as Ziggy rises from my lap, the sudden absence of his warmth leaving me chilled.
“It’s time,” Leander says softly as he pulls me into his arms and kisses me.
His pillow-soft lips caress mine, and I purr so deeply for him that the vibration travels from my chest to his.
His shift calls to mine, a primal recognition that raises goosebumps along my arms, and I smile against his mouth.
I pour every ounce of my love for him through the bond we share, feeling it pulse between us like a tangible force, warm and golden.
Lee releases me, his hands lingering on my shoulders for just a moment longer.
Ziggy scoops me up, making me laugh as he spins us in a circle before kissing me.
The room blurs around us, a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes.
We purr together; the sound harmonizing in the quiet room, and smile into our kiss.
We rub our faces against each other, and I close my eyes, savoring the feeling of being in his arms. The scrape of his stubble against my cheek is a delicious contrast to the softness of his lips.
Ziggy is like a golden retriever, so happy and full of love and light.
He reminds me of everything good in the world, his scent a mixture of sunshine and fresh pine.
Callan gently takes me from Ziggy, his hands firm yet tender on my waist, and he cants his head at that angle that irritates the living hell out of me, his neck cracking slightly with the movement.
He bursts out laughing, not able to hold that haughty look with me, the sound rich and warm in the tension-filled room.
We press our cheeks together as his gryphon whistles and calls for me, a high, melodic sound that resonates in my bones, while I purr in response.
The sweet sound of his shift makes my heart swell with joy, a feeling of belonging washing over me like a warm tide.
“It still amazes me how their shifts calling to yours makes you smile so brightly,” Klauth says as he walks closer to me and offers me his hand, his palm up and inviting. His footsteps are nearly silent on the carpeted floor, a predator’s approach .
“If they didn’t love me as much as I love them, I would never hear their shifts. So hearing them brings me joy.” I step into Klauth’s embrace and press the bridge of my nose under his jaw, purring just for him, inhaling his unique scent of smoke and cinnamon.
He bands his arms tightly around me and holds me flush to his chest, his heartbeat strong and steady against my cheek.
“Don’t take unnecessary risks, mate. I love you too much to lose you,” Klauth’s deep voice rumbles, the vibration traveling from his chest to mine.
It’s the first time he’s been this open with his feelings in front of the others.
The vulnerability in his usually guarded tone makes my throat tighten with emotion.
I pull back and look into his eyes as they shift to his dragon’s; the pupils elongating into slits; the amber darkening to burnt gold as the crimson burns bright.
“I love you too. I’ll see you soon.” Standing on my tiptoes, I kiss his lips, tasting a hint of the coffee he drank earlier.
Then pull away to move to Abraxis, the floorboards creaking under my feet.
My eyes search his face, taking in every detail, from the small scar above his left eyebrow to the faint stubble darkening his jaw.
I see his bottom lip tremble slightly, a crack in his carefully constructed facade.
“You are my first greatest love. Nothing will ever change that. I don’t care if you can raze the countryside or have to direct the assault from a desk.
” My hands frame his face, the skin warm beneath my palms, forcing him to look at me.
“I love you because you are a good male. You have always placed my wants and desires before your own.” Drawing in a deep breath, the scent of him—leather and sandalwood—filling my lungs.
I take a step back out of his reach and drop to my knees before him, and lower my head in complete submission.
The hard floor presses against my knees, the discomfort a welcome distraction from the fear churning in my stomach.
My hands go behind my back, and I take my left wrist into my right hand.
I am finally honoring my mate the way I should have from the beginning.
The posture is both foreign and familiar to my body.
I hear Klauth gasp, seeing what I have done, the sharp intake of breath cutting through the silent room.
“Don’t just stand there—you have the most powerful dragoness at your feet in complete submission.
Either accept it or don’t, and sever the bond,” Klauth says, and Abraxis moves closer, his shadow falling over me.
I see his shoes before me, the worn leather scuffed and battle-scarred like its owner.
His hand slips under my chin, the calloused fingers gentle against my skin, and I rise at his urging.
He crushes his lips to mine, and I can finally breathe, the tight band around my chest loosening.
His mouth tastes of mint and promises, familiar yet exciting.
Something settles deep within me, a puzzle piece clicking into place.
The need to fight is gone, replaced by a sense of rightness that floods my veins.
When Abraxis releases me, his breathing ragged and warm against my cheek, he offers me to Balor.
I hesitate for a moment, glancing back to Klauth, then Abraxis, before moving.
The air feels thick between us, charged with emotion.
I wrap my arms around Balor and hold on for dear life, my fingers digging into the solid muscle of his back.
Stepping into his embrace is like coming home after a long day, his body radiating heat like a furnace.
He tilts my head back, his fingers gentle on my chin, and kisses me softly, his lips tasting of the sweet wine he favors.
When he pulls back, his eyes search mine, their depth containing galaxies of concern and devotion.
“I’ll see you soon,” he whispers, his breath warm against my lips.