Decisions, Decisions

My first night at Xander University was a sleepless one. I tossed and turned in my comfy guest room bed.

My mind kept returning to Xander. Could he be my father? The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. There was a reason my lullaby had put the Dobrzyckas to sleep. There was a reason I knew that haunting melody, the same melody I’d caught Mason humming.

Dragon slayer’s blood might run through my veins. Xander’s blood.

But if that was true, where should my allegiances lie? Xander had been on the verge of executing me before he’d guessed who I was. His hatred of dragons seemed to cloud his better judgment. Clearly, nothing could get in the way of his crusade. He only wanted me alive because of my connection to Loch and Hael. He didn’t seem like someone I could trust.

But Loch and Hael weren’t much better. And I was sure the Dragon Lords were capable of much worse punishments than death. Though, now that I knew how to control them, could I use that against them in other ways?

I wished I didn’t have to make a choice. I didn’t want to be on either side—just my own. But escape from one prison would just lead me to another. If I didn’t pick a side, I’d have dragons ~and~ dragon slayers on my ass. Sure, I could outrun them for now. But forever? Doubtful. Even for me.

I needed protection, but unfortunately, my choice was between two double-edged swords.

***

Mason came to my room early the next morning. Considering he was probably my brother, I wanted to get back on the right foot with him. He seemed like a nice guy, and not just compared to Xander and Nautica. I could use a friend here.

And an ally when I tried to escape.

“I’m sorry about your hand,” I told him as we left my room.

Mason just shrugged. “You did what you had to,” he said. “I mean it really fucking hurt. But Xander was going to execute you. I would’ve done the same thing.”

“You can bite me if you want,” I offered jokingly, extending my hand.

“I’ll take a rain check.” Mason chuckled. “But I appreciate it.”

We walked down stone hallways and into the courtyard. Students milled about, but not as many as there were later in the day yesterday. They were grouped in twos and threes, and each one of them had lean muscles and a terrifying glint in their eyes.

If I wanted to escape, I would have to plan it very carefully. These students weren’t from the skeleton quarter, but they could definitely hurt me if they wanted to.

Mason pointed out a graveyard behind a rusty wrought-iron gate. I hadn’t noticed it yesterday.

“That cemetery is dedicated to the medieval dragon slayers who died in battle against the dragons of old,” Mason explained. “Sadly, most of those gravestones are just markers. Many remains were never recovered because those vicious beasts ate them.”

I wasn’t sure if dragons ate people or if it was just dragon slayer propaganda. Loch and Hael certainly hadn’t mentioned a taste for human flesh—outside the bedroom, at least.

I chose not to say anything. For once I thought it better to shut my mouth and listen. The more I learned about the dragon slayers, the better informed I’d be to choose between Xander and the Dobrzyckas.

“A thousand years ago,” Mason continued, “dragons ruled this land. They killed and enslaved all its mortal inhabitants. For years, mortals tried to fight back. But it was futile. The dragons were simply too powerful. Too evil.

“Finally, a beacon of hope emerged. Her name was Freesia. She was a Blood Raven, one of the most powerful mages in existence. Power equal to her mates, Twin Leading Breeds, the favorite children of the Sky Gods and the strongest of all dragons…except Storm that is, but I’ll tell you about him later.”

~Twin Leading Breeds? Wasn’t that what Adara had called Loch and Hael?~

I remained quiet.

“She knew the war between the species would continue unless drastic measures were taken. She carried her mates’ offspring to term, then, one night, she took a knife to the babe’s throat, spilling it on a Jasper stone she’d imbued with a powerful spell.”

~She ~killed~ her newborn baby~? I cringed at the thought.

“Her mates went mad and killed each other in a fight. To survive, Freesia used another rare spell to sever their bond of matehood. She led an uprising of mages and mortals, killing as many dragons as they could, until all that remained were trapped within the boundaries of Requiem Territory.

“Freesia and her mages killed the last of the Twin Leading Breeds, bleeding them onto the Jasper stone to hold the boundary in place. As long as Freesia’s Rock exists, so does her curse, and any place outside Requiem Territory is off-limits to dragons. Twin Leading Breeds. All of them.”

“Is that the rock where I met Xander yesterday?” I asked, intrigued.

Mason nodded. “Freesia’s Rock, yes. It’s a sacred place here.”

I thought about the dead baby again. I couldn’t help myself.

“So, you celebrate a woman who drained the blood of her child?”

“It was a sacrifice. Not an act of evil,” Mason said defensively.

I didn’t see how that was any better than eating someone—if that was ~really~ what dragons did—but it was another argument I had to let go for now.

I had to say, the dragon slayers weren’t scoring a lot of points with me so far.

“How many dragons still exist?” I asked.

“We don’t really know,” answered Mason, “but we estimate about a hundred. They camouflage themselves in human form. Most are well-hidden, unlike your friends the Dobrzyckas with their multi-billion-dollar skyscraper in the middle of downtown Requiem City.”

I smirked. Subtlety really didn’t seem to be Loch and Hael’s thing.

“It’s why we have to destroy them,” Mason told me.

“That skyscraper is a symbol of power to other dragons. If a single pair of Twin Leading Breeds can accomplish what the Dobrzyckas have in just a few years, imagine what kind of power dragons could wield if they came out of hiding and joined forces? They could take over Requiem City.”

He turned to face me, his serious expression drawing his eyebrows close together. “We have to set an example.”

“I still don’t understand what Loch and Hael have done to earn your death warrant,” I said. “I know you hate dragons. I get that the way they flaunt their power might be cause for alarm. But I haven’t heard anything specific they’ve done to harm anyone, anyone but ~me~, that is.”

“You wouldn’t be able to handle it,” Mason warned. “It’s gruesome. Not meant for delicate souls.”

I scoffed. Delicate? Me? “I’m stronger than I look,” I said. “The way I grew up, I had to be. Your stories aren’t going to frighten me.”

“They’ve killed at least two hundred Xander University students,” Mason said, his sad eyes roaming the headstones. “Hael has bled our young men and women’s brains dry in Req Enterprise job interviews, rendering them vegetables. Loch hunts and slaughters them for amusement.

“They’ve eaten innocent mortals foolish enough to spend a night out at Club Emerald. We know this because we’ve bugged their buildings. We’ve heard them boast about killing our students like it’s a sport.”

“To me, it sounds like they only target Xander University students,” I reasoned. “And I’m guessing they’re aware you guys want them dead.”

“We don’t know how many people they’ve killed,” Mason said with growing frustration, ignoring my logic. “They’re evil creatures, Madeline. And any being that delights in death, torture, or enslavement deserves to die.”

I tried to take his words to heart, but they didn’t have the resonance he’d intended. I liked Mason, but this dragon slayer cult was more messed up than my freaky three-way with Loch and Hael. Did Mason really think he could sway me to join a bunch of baby-killer worshippers? It was revolting.

I felt bad for all the Xander University students Loch and Hael had killed, but it sounded like the brothers had done it in self-defense. Mason had no proof the Dobrzyckas had killed anyone other than their would-be assassins. I wasn’t getting the full story.

I’d made up my mind. I needed to talk to Loch and Hael. I’d rather face my mates’ punishment than spend another minute swallowing this horseshit.

Besides, the longer I’d been away from them, the more I missed them.

It was weird, not feeling the tingle of my brand. Like a part of me was missing.

I fingered the mint bracelet, mindful that Mason didn’t catch me doing so. ~How difficult would it be to break it?~

I followed Mason toward an ivy-covered archway, a plan forming in my mind. I had to get this bracelet off so I could communicate with my mates.

“Hey, Mason?” I asked innocently. “You mind if I run back to my room quickly?”

“What’s up?” Mason asked.

I looked at my feet, feigning embarrassment.

“I think I need a fresh tampon.”

As I predicted, Mason instantly became awkward and uncomfortable. I’d never met a guy who wasn’t weird about periods—except Loch and Hael.

“Oh…r-right…,” he stuttered, blushing. “Um, sure. Take all the time you need.”

I hurried back through the courtyard and down the stone hallways to my guest room. Once inside, I locked the door, lowered the blinds, and scoured the room for bugs and hidden cameras. I needed to make sure no one at Xander University was watching me.

Satisfied that I was alone, I slipped my fingers around the mint bracelet, still a little loose. Within a couple seconds, I found the locking mechanism and freed my wrist.

The effect was immediate. I suddenly felt whole. My energy and confidence felt restored, not to mention the familiar throb of my brand.

I closed my eyes and focused, trying to pinpoint my mates. I hoped this worked.

“~Loch? Hael? It’s me, Madeline.~”

For a moment, my brain was silent. I worried Freesia’s Rock was somehow preventing me from making contact. Or that Xander had intercepted my mind-link. Or…or…

“~Well, well. If it isn’t our little mouse…~”

Loch’s voice seeped into my mind. For the first time ever, I was glad to hear it.