Chapter 18

~Kamari~

Poison. I remember Veldon's voice telling me his land is poisoned. And I think it's me…

Everything started to make sense now. My father never let me out of the house after my mother passed. The rage I had in such a little body. It shouldn't have existed in a girl so young. How could my mother do this to me? I never had a choice. 

I didn't tell anyone where I was going. I wanted to be alone, where no one knew me. To my surprise, I ended up in the city. Silk dress, messy hair, and red glossy eyes. They probably take one look at me and think nothing of me—just a girl who is upset. The worst part is Calea knew all this time and didn't bother to tell me. Out of nowhere, I hear the roar of a Dragon. Around me, I hear gasps and shouting to look up in the sky. Its Nye. My eyes widened as he soared above the city.

"What the hell is he doing?" I say under my breath. How did he know I was here? I start walking in the direction he's flying, and my walking turns into a full-on sprint. My lungs burn as I chase after him. He hovers outside of the city limits. I stop to catch my breath down below him. The force of wind from his wings whips my hair into a frenzy. Nye lands a few yards from me, shakes his thick, long neck, and his eyes lock on me. 

A low growl comes from him, and it vibrates the ground. He blows hot air from his nose; then he leers at me.

I clench my jaw, "Don't," I shake my head. I didn't want to hear whatever he felt from my leaving. I turn my back on him and hold myself. All these emotions are running rampant in my body. It's crushing me.

Nye growls, and the force of his roar drops me to my knees. I gaze out to the open meadows, and something snaps in me, as it did when I was young. I feel the heat in my eyes, like my mother's. I stand and turn to Nye, whose eyes widen when I see them. 

The rage I felt as a little girl crawls out of my throat and escapes as a retched scream pulled from the depths of my soul. A pulse of power comes with it. It overwhelms me and takes over my whole body. I could see myself in Nye's eyes—a dark-haired woman with glowing serpent eyes and glowing purple insignia on her arms.

After the pulse, a heaviness pulls me down to the ground. And with it, my consciousness.

***

~The Dragons~ Koa

"Something doesn't feel right," Koa could feel a change; another one of their kind was here. Koa turns to his brothers, whose tensed bodies tell him what he already knows. "Where is Kamari?" Koa's heart pounds, "She is not back."

"This feels different…" Nye stands and walks outside. Koa could feel Kamari wasn't in the Castle anymore. He looks to his brethren, Nye, the one who can fly. Koa doesn't have wings. And as much as he hates relying on Nye, he has no choice. Aneth cannot speak well enough yet, and if he happens to come into contact with humans, their interaction will not go well.

"Nye." Koa stands next to his brother. "You can fly. Find her."

Without hesitation, Nye shifts and soars into the air. Koa could only stay in case Kamari happened to come back. The waiting had Koa pacing back and forth like a beast in a cage—he might as well be in one. Koa swam to this Kingdom through harsh seas. And with only small pools to live in, it was nothing compared to the depths of his home.

Suddenly, the castle shakes, and Koa feels an energy he's never felt before—a strong one that shakes him to his core. He knew this feeling, but it wasn't possible. 

Aneth growls, "Shade." He hisses—and for good reason. Their poison almost killed Aneth. "Nye will bring her back. She's safe," Koa reassures Aneth, whose chest is pumped in and out quickly.

Suddenly, the door opens, and the one Nye called witch scurries down the steps with an unknown man. Koa's nose wrinkles as they enter his domain.

"Koa-"

"You," Koa growls. He marches up to the woman and grabs her by the hair. "You were watching her," he says.

The witch winces, "I know, but she was fine when she left me!" 

"Lies." Koa's voice was soft but sinister. 

"It's not her fault, alright." The unknown man puffs out his chest, "It's mine. I cracked open something I shouldn't have." The man steps in front of the witch, guarding her. Koa looks him up and down. Koa grabs the man by his shirt, and when he sniffs him, he smells Kamari. 

Koa snarls, lifting the man up off his feet. "Wait, Koa!" the witch pleads." Please, we can explain everything!" The witch shouts. Before Koa can snap the man's neck, his brother's screech can be heard outside.

Koa drops the man, "Nye." Koa turns his back on them and walks out to the Arena. Koa sees Kamari in his Talons. Nye places her gently on the ground. Koa runs to her, dropping to his knees.

 Nye shifts and walks up to them. "Why won't she wake?" Koa asks. His mate looks as if she is sleeping, but he senses something is wrong. 

"Ask them. They seem to know everything." Nye gestures to the witch and the man. Koa hisses for Nye to pick up Kamari while Koa strides back into the dwelling, itching to tear them limb from limb. 

The man guards the witch. "Stop!" The man flings out his hand, and a pulse forcefully pushes Koa back. He falls to the ground. This energy, he knew, was magic.

"Aneth," Koa calls his brother to attack. As Aneth steps forward, the man flings his hand again, but the magic does nothing to him. Koa gives the man a sly smile.

"Gold absorbs magic."

Aneth grabs the man and throws him to the floor, "Speak!" Aneth's voice thunders.

"I'll speak for him!" the witch shouts. "Just please. " She raises her hands in front of him. "Let him go."

Koa gets up and stands beside Aneth. With the gesture of his head, Koa commands Aneth to let the man go. 

"Kamari's mother came from a long line of Shade Daughters. Her mother insisted that Kamari keep it going, and I tried to stop her." The witch runs her fingers through her hair with a furrowed gaze, "I saw her that night she killed your brother Javall, but she also killed her father."

Koa feels Nye's presence behind him. A wrath building inside him, as Nye tries to step forward, Koa holds out his hand, telling him to stay back, but allowing him to speak.

"You humans think you own everything. Even things you have no right to. There has not been Shade Drake in decades." His brother's voice is like venom. 

"Because you were looking for it in the wrong form." The witch says, "When that last shade was found, Kamari's fate was sealed. Decades ago by a delusional woman who thought drinking dragon's blood would make her into the creature itself!"

The man on the floor groaned, "Why didn't you stop it." His fist clenches.

The witch's eyes gleam, and she shakes her head. "It's not her fault. Kamari shouldn't be judged for what she could not control and had no say in."

"She killed my brother!" The man shouts. Koa looks at Nye, who gives him a deadly glare. He agrees with his brother and lets Nye talk while Koa tends to Kamari, who is lying on the ground.

"Because of you, Kamari is now something you'd call a hybrid. Not quite human and not quite a dragon." Nye's anger cuts through his voice like a knife. 

"Get out."

The witch pleads, "I need to know if she's okay. She might need medicine or-"

Nye steps forth, hovering over her, "You've done enough."

Koa watches as Nye kicks the man on the ground, "Get out! Or I'll make the underdwelling your grave." He growls.

The humans run up the stairs. When the door shuts, Koa places his hand on Kamari's chest. "Her heart is strong. She will wake."

Nye sits next to her. "You should have felt her power, Koa," Nye says to him as he stares down at their mate. "She snaps. The power exploded out of her if it had been anyone else. It would have killed them."

Koa sighs, "Not good?"

"No. Not if it can't be controlled." Nye stands up and looks at Aneth, who has not spoken. Koa stands up, leering at his brother. Koa knew why he wouldn't come near, and it made his flesh burn. "She is not the Shade who hurt you." 

Aneth turns, looking at the ground, and Koa leers at him. He marches up to him and grabs his head between his hands. 

"You are her mate. Past, leave it." Koa, let's go with a slight push that makes Aneth stumbled back. Aneth turns and walks away. 

Koa starts to walk after him but Nye's voice stops him, "Let him go brother. He has not connected with Kamari as we have. The bond he has with her is still weak."

He knew it to be true, but it angered him that Aneth would act so revolted by his own mate. Koa dismisses it for now, and focuses on Kamari.

"When will she wake?" Koa asks as he pulls her into his arms. Nye shakes his head. "I don't know. I hope soon."