Shared By The Dragon Clan: Part One (4 page)

CHAPTER TWELVE

Horatio Hurux, King of the Dragons,
was sitting in the middle of his bed in the Royal Chambers, having a
conversation with his Human Mage, whilst two half naked slaves waved their fans
over him. Dinner wasn’t for another half hour.

“You know I
get bored of all this,” Horatio growled in a deep voice. “All this eating and
drinking and fucking. How we’re just all sitting on this island here, like
animals in a pen.”

“Indeed,” the
Mage contemplated. “It’s not the Dragon’s way.”

“My father
would be disgusted with how complacent I’ve become. All these peace treaties.
Everyone minding their own business. No one getting offended. It’s too easy.
There’s no point to it.”

“Still,” the
Mage added, “your father would be pleased with our lack of casualties.”

“What
casualties? You have to go to war to have casualties. All my men these days,
just sit around living in harmony. Have you seen how some of them treat their
slaves? They actually marry them. Raise … filthy, self entitled half breeds.
They’re so soft. They think the meaning to life is to just enjoy themselves.”

“But they
have a good leader. Zane is a true warrior.”

“I have no
doubt he once was. Back when father was king. But now… He just spends most of
his time messing about with the birds in his avery. Between fucking every piece
of ass that comes in here.”

“Aye, it’s no
way to live.”

Horatio waved
at his slaves to stop fanning him, and got up off the bed. He moved past his
Mage and went to the cupboard to dress himself in his evening attire.

“We’ve been
far too weak for far too long. It’s time for blood to be shed. It’s time for a
war.”

“And yet you
hesitate?”

The King
smiled at his minion. “The worst decisions are always made in haste.”

“Not always.”

His smile
widened. “What would you suggest I do?”

The Mage
pondered his question a moment. The King turned away from him.

“I would
request a meeting with Zane. He’ll be able to shed some light.”

“Zane huh?”
the King chuckled. He turned back to his Mage now completely dressed. He picked
up a glass of wine from the mantle. “Is he really the one to advise me on this
subject?”

The Mage’s
eyes narrowed.

“What would
you have me do, if it were up to you?”

“If it were
up to me?”

“Yes.”

The Mage
bowed his head slowly and walked towards the far window. He stared out.

“Perhaps,
instead of a war, we need some entertainment.”

“What type of
entertainment?”

“An arena.
Fights to the death.”

Horatio stood
beside him. “I’m not about to have my army kill each other off. Where’s the
point in that?”

“Perhaps your
men don’t fight each other. Perhaps we make them fight humans.”

 “How would
such an unequal battle be entertaining?”

“There are
ways,” the Mage mused. “It was just an idea.”

Horatio
laughed to himself and clapped the Mage over his back. “I think you were right
the first time.”

“Master?”

“Let’s go to
war.”

CHAPTER
THIRTEEN

Zane circled over the roof of the
palace a few times before diving down and landing in the courtyard. Stacey
climbed off of him and jumped down to the grass with a great thud. In a whirl
of smoke and wind Zane’s dragon form diminished and he was left standing beside
her as they had first met. Ahead of them, Stacey made out the appearance of a
group of iron clad guards advancing towards them.

“You could
have told me you were going to shift,” Stacey remarked, tossing her hair.

“Pardon me?”
Zane responded.

“You like,
pushed me out the window. You were trying to scare me.”

“How does
that feel?” Zane grinned. “To be scared?”

“Shut up.”
She punched his shoulder.

As the guards
drew near, Stacey leaned into Zane. She could see they were mostly focused on
their head commander, but every so often a probing glance was cast her way. As
strong and handsome as these men were, it was also alarming to consider the
possibility she soon might be wedded to one of them.

She already
had the man she needed.

Right here.

“Good
evening, gentleman. The raving beauty beside me is our guest, Miss Stacey
Caversham. If you must interact with her, you are only to treat her with the
upmost respect and honor. Is that understood?”

The knights
had formed a semi circle around them. After Zane’s address they stooped to one
knee and called in agreement: “Yes, Master.”

“It is her
first night here in Firebound Island,” Zane added. “So you’ll have to forgive
her for being nervous.”

Stacey bit
her lip.

What’s wrong
with being nervous?

“Alright,
stand up,” Zane ordered. “Return to your flanks. We know our own way around,
thank you very much.”

“Yes,
Master.”

The guards
departed.

Zane offered
her his hand. “Shall we?”

Stacey took it,
beaming.

Although the
sun was almost gone now, Stacey could still see how colorful and rich the
courtyard’s garden was. She and Zane proceeded slowly down a winding stone
pathway, leading up to the palace. Stacey’s eyes drifted through the exquisite
plants and trees, which were unlike any others she had previously seen. Their
dynamic, florescent like mix, reminded her of fireworks. The wild and flashing
lights of a carnival. In that there was peace, but also an adventurous spirit.
The faint lines of the moon were ever present in the sky, and in it, and the
stars surrounding, Stacey felt one with the world. And that she was having an
adventure of her own.

Zane seemed
calm and pleasant. She was annoyed that she didn’t understand him; wasn’t able
to read his thoughts. She knew though that was because of her feelings for him
and how insecure she was about them. Everything had happened so fast and in the
face of all the horrors behind her, this was the first time she’d felt
separated them. Like that was someone else’s roommate who had thrown herself
off the balcony. Someone else who had stood in court and was sentenced to
twenty years. This island was her prison and Zane was her captor, but only now,
in wake of the grand night before them, did she realize that she felt free.

Torches of
red fire burned outside the walls of the palace. The path led out to a set of
steps and as she and Zane moved nearer to them, she could feel the heat of the
flames. Each torch flickered and breathed in union with the others. From inside
the palace, she could hear a tribal drum beating…

“Do you mind
waiting here?” Zane asked.

“Oh,” Stacey
mumbled. “Okay.”

“I need to
speak with the King first. About you … and some other things too.”

Zane snapped
his fingers and a guard emerged out from behind one of the pillars.

“This is Miss
Stacey Caversham. My honored guest. Watch her for a moment will you?”

The guard
nodded.

Zane smiled
at Stacey and let go of her hand.

As he left
her presence, her eyes circled the rest of the courtyard, aware that she wasn’t
alone. Of course she wasn’t worried. Zane had warned the others not to mess
with her.

Stacey
though, could help but wonder, what would happen if he hadn’t…

 
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN

Inside the palace, most of the King’s
people were moving towards the banquet hall where dinner would be shortly
served. Zane pushed through the crowd and made his way up to the stairs which
came round on an angle leading up to the palace’s second floor. He was headed
to see King Horatio in the throne room.

The entrance
to the throne room was wide open apart from the two guards who stood in its
path. These weren’t the ordinary Knight Guards of the courtyard however – these
were part of a select unit known as the Champions. While in technicality Zane
was ranked higher than they were, the Champions took their orders directly from
the King, and so he had no authority here. He was forced to wait whilst one of
them went to the King to announce his arrival.

“Yes, yes,
yes,” King Horatio spluttered in response. “Send him forth.”

The champion
blocking Zane’s path removed himself leaving the way to the throne
unchallenged.

Zane slowly
marched on.

“So glad
you’re here,” Horatio exclaimed picking up a chalice of wine from the slave
girl’s tray. He got off the throne and walked past his mage advisor to meet
Zane in the centre of the room.

Zane took the
chalice that was offered, and put the wine to his lips.

“I haven’t
seen much of you lately,” Horatio commented, circling him. “I trust there have
been no disturbances in the stronghold?”

“Of course
not,” Zane answered. “You would be the first to know if there were.”

“I was
talking with our friend here,” Horatio said, indicating to the Mage, “and we
were discussing the concept of going to war.”

Zane inhaled
sharply. He held his empty chalice out and a slave girl quickly came to
retrieve it.

“Obviously I
would need a good dragon to lead the attack. Someone of already high authority.
As far as I know, there is no better challenger than you.”

“I’m more of
a defense expert,” Zane replied.

“Yes – but
you are equipped with the skills required to lead an attack, are you not?”

“Yes. Your
Highness…”

“Very good.”

“And who
might we be attack?”

“Well, the
humans of course.”

Horatio
stopped circling. His smug expression gave no indication as to what his next
action would be.

“Why go to
war with them? Haven’t they given us what we asked for?”

“I’ll admit,”
Horatio said, “I’m bored. I find our dwelling here to be absolutely
unsatisfying. How is it you occupy your time?”

Zane nodded.
“Perhaps it is time for you to find a mate.”

Horatio
roared with laughter. “Oh yes of course – Our Prince Zane here, the Ladies’ man
who cannot help himself!”

“I meant for
you … to consider raising a family.”

“For that I’d
need a pure blood. I’d have to return to the other world to find her. I can’t
enjoy miserable human girls such as you do. This inter-species breeding you and
your men go through – I’ve never approved of it.”

“Some of the
human women … Are as beautiful and true as that of the dragon…”

“Well, they
look like us. I’ll give you that. It’s when I get close to them … the smell …
the absence of their soul… They’re not fit for a king.”

“I beg to
differ.”

“Do you?” the
King said sharply. “And on what grounds do you beg?”

“I have a
girl with me this evening,” Zane said. “A woman. I would like you to meet her. It’s
… my …”

He trailed
off.

“Finish what
you were saying.”

“I think that
she would be best suited to wed you, than any of my men.”

“And why is
that you think that?”

“Because,”
Zane said slowly, “after only meeting her a short time, I can feel myself
falling for her. No human has made me feel this way.”

“Really?”

King Horatio
was grinning.

Zane’s eyes
drifted towards the Mage who was staring solemnly back. Zane could almost see
the smile forming on his lips…

“I’ll tell you
what,” Horatio said. “I’ll meet this woman of yours. And if she satisfies me …
If she makes me feel the way you feel about her, before the evening is out …
Then I will wed her, and things will carry on per the norm…”

The King
moved into Zane’s line of site.

They both
looked at each other, head on.

“But if she
does not satisfy me – you
will
lead my army against the humans. You
will
obey my every command.”

“Of course,
your Highness,” Zane replied.

“And I will
see to it also, that this girl is burnt at the stake, for I need no Dragon to
be leading my army, with bewitchment in his eyes…”

CHAPTER
FIFTEEN

Zane had been gone for only ten
minutes, but when he returned to Stacey his emotions seemed to have completely
changed. Although she could see he was desperately trying to show it, Zane was
now very troubled. He put his arm around her and escorted them to a quiet place
to the left of the entrance away from the guard.

“I’ve made a
mistake,” Zane murmured. “I’ve got you into a lot of trouble.”

“What?” Stacey
whispered back. “How?”

“It’s a long
story, but now the King expects you to satisfy him.”

“By satisfy
do you mean…?”

“Yes.”

Stacey’s jaw
dropped. “But what about us?”

“What about
us?”

“I thought
maybe … I don’t know what I thought.”

“You really
need to do this, Blossom. If you can’t make the King happy tonight, there’s
going to be huge consequences.”

“Like what?”

“You and I
will never see each other again.”

“Don’t say
that…”

Zane sighed.
“I’ll lead you into the hall. I’ll introduce you to the King. From there
though, it’s up to you. Do exactly as he says and just try your best to be
attractive and sexual.”

“Sexual?
Seriously?”

“I sort of
talked you up. I was telling the truth, but I shouldn’t have been so
forthcoming with him. I had no idea how cruel his stance would be.”

Now Stacey
was frightened. She became of her heart rate and breathing, and felt just as
she had when the security team had left her stranded in front of the gates.

“What’s he
like?” Stacey asked. “Is he nice like you are?”

“No,” Zane
replied. “He’s not like me.”

Their
attention was suddenly caught by a man in purple robes standing at the edge of
the entrance. “The feast has been prepared,” he called to Zane. “The King
expects you posthaste.”

“Who is
that?” Stacey asked.

“That’s the
King’s advisor. The Human Mage.” Zane turned to her. “Come on, we better follow
him.”

Stacey
reached for Zane’s hand as they left the wall, but he wouldn’t let her take it.