The Familiars [Book 1]

Chapter 3

(Artemis POV)

And as it turned out, Thomas was the one almost falling off. Silver flew on the wind with us squawking in laughter. Thomas held onto me for dear life while we flew over forests and lakes and rivers. While I on the other hand, loved the wind whipping my hair and blowing against my body. We probably stayed up in the sky flying for two hours, then we landed on the mouth of a massive cave on a large black mountain. Thomas and I climbed off Eldrax's back and the other dragons landed all around us. Eldrax had told me his name as we flew here. I saw Valkyrie's dragon land and she climbed off its back. 'We are here' said Eldrax. I nodded and Thomas gave me a weird stare. 'What?' I asked. 'I keep forgetting that you can talk to your dragons using your mind and I keep freaking out' replied Thomas as Silver landed on his shoulder. I smiled and Eldrax started walking inside. I followed Eldrax inside and in the first large opening in the cave there were dragons. They all raised their heads and looked at me. Then they bowed their heads to me. 'Your majesty' said a dragon bowing its head to me. 'Welcome home your majesty' said another dragon. They all stood as we kept walking into the next large opening in the cave.

The next opening was filled with different coloured dragons all fighting each other. But as soon as they saw me, they all bowed to me. Except three. 'Marcus is the one standing in the middle. The other two are Faust and Zerith' said Eldrax. 'Pay your respect to our Queen Marcus!!' hissed a dragon under its breath and Marcus snorted. 'I bow to no one' growled Marcus. 'Marcus and the other two are the last 3 remaining shadow dragons' said a dragon beside me. Then suddenly I saw Marcus and the other two glow and change shape. They shrunk down into humans. My jaw nearly hit the ground. They looked at least seventeen. And man were they hot. Marcus walked up in front of me and I swallowed. I breathed in his intoxicating smell of smoke mixed with damp leaves in a forest. It took all of my control not to reach out and touch him. 'You're certainly beautiful aren't you?' smiled Marcus. I swallowed again and suddenly Thomas appeared out of nowhere pushing Marcus back. 'Stay away from my sister!' growled Thomas.

Marcus growled too and suddenly his eyes went all black. The tension in the air crackled as they stared at each other. 'You have no right being here human!' sneered Marcus. Thomas flinched for a second and Marcus smiled. 'So you do know? How interesting...' laughed Marcus with an evil smile. Thomas went to attack Marcus but suddenly I ran in between them both and yelled, 'Enough!' loud enough that it echoed through the series of caves. Everyone went quiet but Thomas starred at me with a look that said for me to move. I shook my head and stood my ground. 'I'm not moving Thomas' I said sharply. He growled at me and I hissed at him which made him jump back a step. I had never hissed at Thomas before! But something was driving me to protect Marcus from him. 'Get out of my way Artemis! Or I will move you myself!' growled Thomas angrily. 'You hurt our queen, we'll hurt you. Even if you are her brother' said a dragon beside me. Thomas stood up straight and walked out the way we had come in.

'Thanks your majesty. I didn't expect you to jump out like that for me' said Marcus with an evil smile. I stood up straight and I felt something click into place within me. Like I knew I belonged here. 'Marcus stop it! She isn't ready yet!' growled Eldrax. Marcus snorted and looked away. And almost immediately after our gaze was broken, I felt that something was being withheld from me. Eldrax suddenly glowed and changed into a human form and took my hand and led me into the next large opening in the caves. In this room, there was a throne. Eldrax continued past the throne into a much smaller set of caves. He led me into a room where there was a bed and closet full of clothes. 'This is where you'll sleep. Try to stay away from Marcus if you can. And don't let him touch you. Under no circumstances is he to touch you. Do you understand?' asked Eldrax. I nodded and he smiled. 'Tonight we are going to celebrate your return home. But get some rest before tonight. Trust me, you'll need it' smiled Eldrax. I nodded and yawned. Eldrax stood up and walked over to the door and closed it as he walked out.