Page 76 of Progeny of the Cursed Egg (Dragonis Academy, Year 3)
If she makes Thauglor submit to her, all hell is going to break loose at her next cycle. The thought settles in my gut like a stone as I take another long drink of my beer, the carbonation burning all the way down.
I don’t even want to know what’s happening in there.
My eyes follow Klauth’s retreating form as he sprints down the hallway towards the main bathroom, the thundering of his heavy footfalls echoing against the stone walls.
Shaking my head, I turn to go outside, the cool metal of the door handle a welcome relief against my palm.
The hinges creak as I push it open, and a gust of crisp mountain air rushes in, carrying with it the scent of pine and distant rain.
Being up here in our private nest has its advantages.
I stand at the edge of our terrace, the rough stone railing pressing against my forearms as I lean forward.
My eyes scan the sprawling landscape below, now Mina’s territory.
The vastness of it makes my chest tighten with a strange mixture of pride and apprehension.
I watch Warwick’s people working on the lower courtyard, their movements like busy ants from this height, the clang of metal and distant shouts drifting up on the breeze.
Mina never wanted any of this, and yet she’s taking to it like a duck to water.
The thought tugs at the corner of my mouth, almost forming a smile.
My sister and nephew live downstairs in the lower quarters, with a new hatchling on the way.
I can almost smell the fresh paint from here—they’ve been preparing the nursery for weeks.
Three new young couples have come to join the flight from my mother’s people.
Their scents are still unfamiliar enough that I can pick them out from the others when the wind shifts.
Our legion grows by the day, and I don’t think Mina realizes the magnitude of what’s happening.
Several other species of dragons have petitioned to join us, each offering different forms of tribute.
The thought of their gifts—gleaming metals, rare artifacts, and pledges of allegiance—sits heavy in my mind.
My musings are interrupted as I catch movement out of the corner of my eye.
I watch my father’s dragon form gliding in from the west, his massive wings casting a shadow over the courtyard as he circles several times before landing.
The ground trembles slightly beneath my feet as his weight settles on the stone.
“How are you, son?” His human form shimmers into existence before me, bringing with it the familiar scent of sandalwood and smoke that has always meant safety to me.
He closes the distance between us, and we hug briefly, his arms strong and sure around my shoulders, careful to avoid my injured wing.
“As well as can be expected.” I step back and spread my wings, the muscles protesting slightly but holding firm.
For the first time since the incident, I can spread both equally, the injured muscles no longer pulling awkwardly to one side.
The sun warms the thin skin between the bones, and I relish the sensation I feared I’d never feel again.
“That looks much better.” He motions to my wings, his eyes crinkling at the corners, as he examines them with a critical gaze.
“Mina spends hours each day stretching my wings and rubbing the salve on the muscles.” The memory of her fingers, gentle yet insistent, working the healing ointment into my damaged tissues makes my skin tingle.
“I hear her when she thinks I’m distracted.
I hear her cry.” A huffed out sigh escapes my lips, the sound hollow even to my own ears.
“Sometimes I think it hurts her more than it does me.” I stare at the earth below my feet as I kick several stones, watching them tumble over the edge and disappear from sight.
The soft patter of their landing is lost in the distance.
“When are you going to try to fly?” My dad walks with me to the edge of the cliff, the leather of his boots scraping against the stone. The drop before us is dizzying, a sheer plummet that would have once exhilarated rather than terrified me.
“This week. Klauth and I are going to go out alone. That way, if I fall, Mina doesn’t have to see it.
” My eyes drift over the lands below us, the forests and fields stretching to the horizon, painted in hues of green and gold by the afternoon sun.
The vastness that once represented freedom now looms as a challenge I’m not sure I can overcome.
“Where are you going to try?” Dad tilts his head, watching me, the wind ruffling his silver-streaked hair .
“Over the ocean, so if I fall, the water may be more forgiving than land.” Shrugging my shoulders, I tilt my head back, drawing in a deep breath.
The taste of salt is faint but present, a reminder of the crashing waves that await.
My stomach clenches at the thought of plummeting into those depths, but I keep my expression neutral.
“Are you sure Klauth will save you?” Dad asks as he rests a hand on my shoulder, his palm warm and heavy through my leather vest.
“If he doesn’t, Mina will kill him.” I arch a brow and smile at my dad, the expression feeling forced on my face. The thought of Mina’s rage is almost amusing—her lightning crackling around her, her eyes glowing with fury. The image is both terrifying and oddly comforting.
“That’s true.” Dad nods and looks back towards the entrance to our den, the massive wooden doors carved with ancient symbols that seem to shift in the changing light. “Where’s Mina?”
Smirking, I look at my father, noting the way his expression softens at the mention of her name—everyone falls under her spell, eventually.
“Trying to get Thauglor drunk. Don’t worry, Klauth is in there to make sure she doesn’t.
” I laugh, the sound genuine this time, bubbling up from my chest as I think about how she’s going to react to him ruining her plans.
I can already hear her indignant huffs, see the dangerous flash in her eyes that makes even the ancients pause.
The thought warms me more than the sun on my wings.