The Otherworld

27

THE NEXT MORNING, we all gather together in the throne room, though I make a point that I'm not sitting in the throne, not yet a least. I haven't touched the crown again--I'm sure I'm supposed to, but I want to know exactly what's going to happen when I do.

The castle has been--magically, Chase told me--stocked with food, and Milo made a great breakfast for us, so we sit around a long table, similar to the one back at their castle, to eat.

I'm put at the head of the table, with Arlo sitting at my right. He refuses to look at me, but I catch snippets of his thoughts, and he's thinking lots about last night.

"So what now?" I ask, as we're finishing up.

Chase answers, "Now we get you ready to rule."

"And--how does that work? How am I supposed to rule a kingdom if just yesterday people wanted to kill me?"

"They didn't want to kill you. They wanted to own you, and no one would have killed you, and they won't now."

"Never?"

"Well...maybe not never. But you've got a great guard," Forrest grins when he says that. "Lots of power, and the rest of us will protect you, too."

"Are you...Are you all really going to stay here? Not that I don't want you to, just--don't you have things to return to?"

They trade looks, and seem surprised I even brought up. I'm confused when no one answers, because were they seriously going to just stay here forever?

"We aren't going anywhere for now." Chase says finally. "We can talk about that when it comes up."

"Alright." I don't want them to stay if they don't want to. "You said I have lots of power?"

"That's right." He nods. "Everything was for a reason. The long trip is to give you time to build up your power--it's why you slept so much, the change. It was also to have you meet the Bound. Fucking us helps speed it up, as your Bound, we grow stronger when we get close to you. That last push last night set off your power."

Chase gives Arlo a pointed look, and Arlo glares, making him smirk.

Arlo's cheeks darken when he sees me looking at him, and I smile. "What kind of power?"

"As the Dragon, you have several kinds. I don't know them all, but I know fire, strength, and possibly flight?" He glances at Arlo for conformation.

"Yeah." He nods. "You should have the strength of a dragon, and nearly impenetrable skin. Um--fire, but I'm not sure how it works. I don't think you breathe fire, maybe...control it? I don't know. And I'm pretty sure you'll have wings. But I'm not sure how that will look."

"Wings?" I blink in surprise.

"Dragon wings. I think they'll only appear when you need them. And you'll also have..." His voice trails off as he thinks, and my mind fills with his thoughts--me having enough stamina to fuck him all night.

"I get it." I say, grinning at him, watching him flush red, and turn away. "Alright. What do we do next, then?"

"The crowns." Chase says. "You'll be able to feel your power once it's on. Your kingdom will be able to tell the new king has finally started ruling, and most likely, they'll come to see you."

"Ah." That sounds...tiring. "Okay. When should I...do that?"

"Not till later. You should probably know a little more about the kingdom, and the creatures that live here, and who might visit you."

"Okay. Let's do that, then."

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By lunch time, I've been stuffed with more facts than I know what to do with.