Mate To The Dragon

Prequel - Part One

My breathing rate increased sharply when the snake started to slither onto my chest. "Because they're dangerous and creepy as hell."

"You're a dragon for fuck's sake," he muttered in exasperation.

"That doesn't mean I like snakes!" I growled. "Please get this thing off me!"

"It's a she," he murmured.

"I don't care get it off!"

He sighed with a roll of his eyes. "Janessa leave her be."

The snake's tongue flicked out and its icy blue eyes flashed. Then it turned away and slid off me.

I breathed a sigh of relief when it moved to Kellan on the other side of the cave. It had to be at least two meters long but it somehow coiled itself into loops so that it rested in a circle that could easily fit in my lap.

"So tell me why you don't like snakes? Did one bite you when you were young or something?" he asked, stroking the top of his dæmon's head with a gentle hand. It was like he had forgotten how much damage a creature that size could actually do.

"A snake bit a friend of mine and she lost her hand to the poison," I said, eyeing the serpent warily.

"Ah, well you should remember that a dæmon is different. She obeys me. She won't hurt you unless I wish it."

"Well I will make sure to stay on your good side then," I murmured.

He smiled. "Look at that, I made a dragon scared," he chuckled to himself.

I scowled, shaking my head a little. "Whatever," I growled.

His smile widened but he said nothing more as he turned back to the two rabbits on the ground beside him. I watched as he expertly skinned and gutted them, feeding the entrails to his snake.

"Are you good at hunting?" I asked.

"Absolutely not," he snorted. "But Janessa is amazing at it. She brings me a couple of rodents and birds everyday and on occasion manages to take down something bigger."

"What do you do with the skins?" I asked with a pointed look at the pile of furs against the wall.

He followed my gaze then shrugged. "Depends on what I need. I usually make blankets out of the big creatures and bags with the smaller ones."

I watched as he used a blade to cut the rabbit meat into bite-sized pieces and put them in a small pot with a few plants I didn't recognize. He set the pot directly onto the fire, making me frown when I realized his hands were bare.

"Aren't you going to burn yourself?"

He shrugged again. "If I burn myself I can fix it in a few seconds. It's one of the healing spells I do know."

I nodded absentmindedly, my eyes wandering around the cave. It was quite large, plenty of room to stand and walk around. It wasn't a bad place to call home.

"Why do you live in a cave?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" He replied with a half smile.

"That's what I do when I'm trapped," I muttered.

He sighed. "Fair enough. Caves are safe. There's only one way in or out in most of them so an ambush is practically impossible. They're warm and protect you from weather and wildlife. A lot of the time they have fresh water from underground springs too," he explained.

"Really?" I asked.

He nodded and motioned toward the wall opposite the mouth of the cave. I didn't see anything at first but as I looked closer I noticed water bubbling up from cracks in the stone floor. It ran downwards in a tiny stream before collecting in a small pool.

"My father never liked caves," I said.

"The red dragon? That was your father?"

"Yeah," I mumbled, swallowing the thick lump in my throat.

"Wait you're the princess?" He asked in disbelief.

There was a firm pressure behind my eyes; it grew painful as I tried to keep the tears at bay. I nodded, staring down at my lap. "My father thought it would be best if we left and hid in the mountains. He said we were rabbits in a cage if we stayed in the Circle. He thought we'd have a better chance against the hunters if we left."

"If he didn't like caves then where did you sleep?"

"In the trees. We didn't sleep much though―or at least he didn't. My father would carry me while I slept," I told him.

His face was somber as he offered me a hesitant smile. "You have my condolences princess―though I suppose it would be more appropriate to call you queen now."

"Please don't call me that," I whispered, my voice breaking.

"May I ask why not?"

"Because the dragons are going to be gone soon, and I don't want to be the queen of ashes."

***

Part 2 will be released March 2, 2021