Page 3 of The Uncrowned King (The Bastard Duology #2)

CHAPTER THREE

It was that quiet place between waking and dreaming, where time stood still, and possibilities were endless. A place where the past, present, and future collided.

A place only for him.

He floated there, content and relaxed. The thought of waking made him pull back. He didn’t know why he had such a compulsion to stay within sleep’s comforting embrace. He could attempt to figure it out, but why? There was no need. There was no need for anything at the moment.

Time was forgotten.

Ignored.

There was no pain in this place. Somehow, he knew if he shook off the sleep, there would be heaps of agony.

But for what? Who? Himself? Others?

He couldn’t remember. The more he tried, the more restless he became. So, he let it go.

As he drifted, he felt a presence. A woman. The edges of her silhouette gradually took shape. He made out dark hair, but her face wouldn’t come into focus. It felt as if she—or someone else—were purposely preventing him from seeing her.

He might not be able to see her face, but he knew her eyes were on him. He felt her reaching out to him. His arm lifted, and he stretched his hand to touch her. She started to disintegrate, little by little. A whisper reached him just before she faded completely.

“Derek.”

His eyes snapped open. Whether he wanted it or not, he was awake. He remained still, his tail curled around him as he scanned the area with his senses. He was in a cave, deep within a mountain. Alone. He felt the frigid temperatures seeping through the many layers of rock. He lifted his head and looked around the cavern. It was tight. One of his wings had knocked down a row of stalactites and sheared off stalagmites. Outside, a blizzard howled.

He tried to stand, but a thick stalactite pressed into his back. A growl rumbled through him as he crawled to the entrance just to get to his feet. He looked back and slowly scanned the cavern. Where was he? How had he gotten there? And why couldn’t he remember anything?

Derek. Was that his name? Was it someone else’s?

He walked out of the cavern and upward through the lava tube. It wasn’t a comfortable fit. His wings scraped the sides, and he had to keep his head ducked. The moment he spotted light, he moved faster. He couldn’t wait to get out of the mountain and find some answers.

He burst through the tunnel and spread his wings as he jumped. With three beats of his great wings, he was in the sky. Yet nothing looked familiar. A knot formed in his stomach. Something was very, very wrong. He knew he was a dragon. He knew the sky, the mountains, and the snow that pelted him. But he knew nothing about himself.

He dipped his wing and turned to fly over the cave he had exited. The air was so cold, ice formed along his scales. The entrance to the tunnel was near the middle of the mountain, easily discernible. A quick look showed no other access points. Maybe that was why he had chosen it.

The wind roared like a living beast, brutally lashing him and blowing around large amounts of snow that impacted visibility—even for him. The wind tried to smash him against a mountain several times, but he steadied himself, his wings flapping mightily.

The mountain range had steep, sloping sides and sharp ridges. The summits stretched straight up as if reaching for the sky. They stood like frozen giants. The trees and ground were drenched in snow, and it was white from horizon to horizon. And his black scales stood out like a beacon.

He didn’t see anyone. Not a dragon, human, or animal. He frowned at the thought. Why would he care about mortals? Then it dawned on him that the silhouette of the dark-haired woman was, in fact, a human. Who was she? Who was Derek? He had so many questions his head pounded.

He remained in the air, fighting against the blizzard, for some time. It focused his mind and body on something other than the thoughts and questions continuing to run rampant. He was so engrossed in the battle with nature that he didn’t see the woman at first. Her fur-lined, blood red cloak drew his gaze as it stood out against the backdrop of pristine snow. But she was no ordinary human. He felt her magic, the power that swirled about her as vast and mighty as the wind.

She watched him from beneath her hood. He circled back and flew over her. His enhanced eyesight caught her smile. There was no fear. At least not for him.

Intrigued, he landed, perching atop one of the pointed peaks with his wings spread, looming over her. She tilted her head back, causing the hood to fall. The wind caught the dark strands of her hair and whipped them about her head in a wild dance. Was she the woman from his dreams? Her hair was dark. It was hard to tell from the voice since the one in his dream had only whispered.

She had large, bright green eyes, high cheekbones, and plump lips. She was gorgeous, and she knew it. She was a woman who used her assets to get what she wanted, and he was sure she always got it.

And by the direction of her gaze, she had set her sights on him.

“It’s about time you woke.”

He startled. Her voice was in his head. “You know me?”

“Of course, I know you.”

“Who am I?”

“You, my magnificent beauty, are what others fear.”

He stared at her, unsure if that was something he should be proud of.

“You don’t remember, do you?” she asked.

“Nay.”

“Then we should talk. Come.”

“Not back to the cave. It was too tight.”

She laughed, the sound like a tickle in his mind. “It won’t be once you shift.”

“Shift? To what?”

“To look like a human.”

Could he do that? She certainly sounded sure of it. But before he could respond, she was gone. He didn’t have to guess where she was. He sighed and leaped into the air before heading to the cave. As he neared, he slowly lowered to land on the narrow outcropping of rocks. He folded his wings against him and stared into the dark opening. The irritation of scraping them wasn’t something he would go through again. But how did he shift, as the woman had suggested?

As if his thoughts had produced her, she moved out of the shadows but remained inside the cave. “You’re thinking about it too hard. It’s a natural gift. Just imagine yourself as a human.”

The instant he did as she suggested, he changed. Snow pelted skin instead of scales. He lifted his hands and looked down at human fingers instead of talons. His gaze moved lower over a flat stomach to bare legs. He scrunched his toes in the snow and felt the ice cut into his skin. Blood flecked the whiteness, but he healed instantly.

When he looked up, the woman was gone. He forgot about inspecting this human body and followed her into the tunnel. He had expected walking to be unsteady until he got used to it, but it came easily.

Something else he had forgotten, apparently.

Just what had happened to him?

He found the woman in the same place he had woken. He halted just inside the cavern. She waved her hand over a place on the floor, and bright orange flames erupted, shooting sparks upward. He watched them for a moment then returned his gaze to her. He wanted her to be the woman he’d seen in his dream, but she held herself differently. So, what did she want with him?

“Who are you?” he asked.

“You have a voice. Use it.”

He swallowed, hating the uncertainty he felt at every turn. Also the fact that she ordered him around. “Who are you?” The voice that came out was deep and roughened as if it hadn’t been used in a while. Or had he been screaming?

Something about that thought made his heart skip a beat.

“My name is Miena. I am your friend.”

A friend would say that. But so would an enemy—especially to someone like him, who didn’t remember anything.

Her lips curved into a smile. “Your suspicious nature is what has made you so powerful. But it has also made you a target. You have every right to be wary. I was the one who brought you here to recover.”

“From what?”

“A battle that nearly ended your life. Your name is Derek.”

He recalled the voice from his dream as it whispered in his ear, beckoning him. Derek.

Miena ran her fingers through the dark fur that edged her cloak. “You fought against the Dragon Kings.”

Derek forgot about the voice and focused on Miena. “Who?”

“They’re dragons who have crowned themselves leaders. Your people do not want the Kings. You fought for them but were outnumbered. You sustained a blow to the head that left you incapacitated. I got you out. You healed, of course, but it seems you have amnesia.”

“Will I get my memories back?”

Her lips flattened, and worry creased her face. “You should have already attained them.” She smiled softly. “Give it a few days. We’ll know by then if this is permanent or not.”

“Did I go after my enemies alone?”

“You believed you could take them on your own. You nearly did.”

“Were you there?”

She stared at him for a long moment before removing her cloak to reveal a flowing, off-the-shoulder white gown. The left edge of the neckline was red and continued down the wispy bell sleeve. Red continued along her left side to flare out into the skirt, blending with the white. It reminded him of blood mixing with snow.

It was a gown meant to draw attention. Derek may have lost some of his memories, but he recognized the provocative woman who stood before him. He studied her—and his lack of physical interest.

“Were you there?” he repeated.

She drew in a breath, a flash of annoyance crossing her beautiful features. “I saw enough.”

“Does that mean you helped?”

“I got you away to heal.”

Which meant she hadn’t joined the battle.

“A thank you would be nice,” Miena stated.

He bowed his head. “Thank you.”

“Since you’re healed, it’s time to finish what you began with the Dragon Kings.”

Derek moved to lean against the wall. “I didn’t vanquish them on my own before. Perhaps I should wait until I have others with me.”

“You don’t need an army,” she said with a brash smile. “You are the army.”

“Against how many?”

“I know what you can do.”

He snorted. “And yet, my first attempt nearly ended with my death.” If he could believe her.

“It would be wise not to doubt me,” she stated in a voice laced with warning.

He had sensed her power earlier, but it slammed into him now, pressing him against the stone wall. Jagged pieces of rock cut into his skin. He clenched his teeth, even as blood oozed from the wounds and ran down his back. Just as quickly as it had all begun, it ended. He moved away from the wall, wondering about her interest in him.

Miena drew in a deep breath and then slowly released it, smiling. “I forget that you don’t remember me. Let me remind you. I am the most powerful being in the universe. I am a Star Person. We move through the stars from planet to planet. We are power and might. And nothing gets in my way. When I say you’re capable of taking on the Kings on your own, I mean it. You don’t need anyone. Not even me. That’s why I didn’t step in to fight alongside you.”

There was truth in her words. The problem was figuring out which of them were factual and which weren’t. Because there were lies in there, too. Derek wasn’t sure how he knew but he did. And he wisely kept it to himself.

She huffed. “You still don’t believe me.”

“I only have your word.”

“It was always good enough before.”

He stared into her green eyes, trying to discern who she was. “When I had my memories.”

“Then go ask someone. They’ll tell you how heinous the Dragon Kings are. Then I expect an apology for doubting me.”

Derek turned on his heel to leave. The sooner he learned the facts, the better. Something deep inside him drove him to dig through the layers of words and deceptions to the truth. He wouldn’t be able to rest until he did.

“One more thing,” Miena called.

He paused and looked back at her.

“If you run across a hellhound, kill it.”

Derek shook his head. “Hellhound?”

“The only beings alive who can kill a Star Person. They have a specific scent. You’ll know when you find one. You’ve killed enough of them.” She walked closer, animosity darkening her face and twisting her visage to something ugly. “Run it to the ground. Burn it until nothing is left. Do you understand?”

He bowed his head.

She motioned him away with her hand. “Go on. Go see what you can find.”