Chapter 24

~Kamari~

I knew Nye would take advantage, but I did miss him. "Did you enjoy the show?" Kamari smirks as Nye strokes her cheek. I only had a certain amount of time with each of them. 

Nye scrunches his nose, "Mm, be careful, darling. You might get into another fight…" I smile, probably not a good idea since Koa left me sore as hell, but in a good way; one I still pinned over. 

"Is this the way all dragons mate?" I speak softly, walking my fingers up his chest. Then I say, "Rough with a fiery Passion?" Nye dips his head down to me and tilts my head up. "That, darling, is Koa's way." I had to admit the way Dragons did things was more on the primal side, but it made me feel less odd. I had already had these emotions and feelings before I met them.

I glanced at Koa, feeling a sting of guilt as Nye put me down. "Is he going to be okay?" I swallowed hard. Nye crossed his arms over his chest. 

"He'll live. You're pestering little Witch, on the other hand, may not." Nye says with irritation, lacing his voice. I sigh, "What did you do?" 

"Remind your witch to take our way of life seriously. I'm not keen on telling her twice." I can't help but smile. I didn't think I'd miss my hot-headed Drake so much. 

"Be nice, Nye. She is doing her job, but I'll remind her." I forgot about half the things I needed to do today, and Calea must be irked by my rash behavior. But I did solve one of my problems. I smile as I imagine Browen's stupid face when he sees me with my firstborn. 

I glance down at myself and see my clothes drenched in blood, "Oh goddess…" I needed to bathe immediately. It's odd when the Shade part of me goes away, the human side makes me want to barf when I see blood. I make haste to the washroom.

After I bathe and get dressed, I can't help gazing at Koa. It saddened me that I couldn't comfort him. I had a feeling he'd see it as acknowledging his weakness. I could feel Nye's gaze on me, and when I turned to him, his icy eyes locked with mine.

"What?" I smile. 

Nye's eyes travel to my lower abdomen. Oh uh-huh. I couldn't handle another fight. "I think you should stay here while I go speak with Javall–"

"You're not going anywhere alone," Nye says, his eyes hazy. I eye him suspiciously. "I don't trust you right now." Nye smirks, "Why?"

I bite my bottom lip. "You're eyes." I tilt slightly, "They have a mischievous look—Ah!" I hissed in pain, riding out another cramp. "Oh, good goddess. I have to go before this gets any worse." Then a thought tickles my brain. "Humans call what I'm having a blood cycle, it happens once a month. It is only after it that I'm fertile."

Nye raises his brows. "Dragons bleed when in heat. You invoked your Dragon on your blood cycle. You're fertile now."

I double-blink. So, if I had not invoked my dragon, I could only get pregnant after my blood cycle is over? How interesting. "Fine, come with me. But promise not to bite anyone's head off?"

"Mm," Nye hums in his throat and his smile verges on sinister, "That does sound tempting." After coaxing Nye not to bite anyone's head off; I search for Calea which leads me to Javall.

They sat together in the charting room. Oddly close to one another, Calea smiled down at the maps, and tucks a hair behind her ear, a slight flush on her cheeks. Javall leaned against the table gazing at her.

I clear my throat. Calea gasps as if she's been caught. "Oh, Kamari," she rushes over to me and hugs me. "Nye wouldn't let me in to see you. He's such an ass–" I slapped my hand over her mouth knowing Nye was right behind me.

"Oh please let her finish…" He purrs. Calea's eyes widened, and she swallowed hard. "Let Calea be, you Dragons seem to forget there are other powers in this world other than you." Javall says coming to Calea's aid. Javall turns his attention to me. "I'd like to speak with you before I return home."

I purse my lips, "Okay." Javall looks behind me, "To the side perhaps." I knew he was talking about Nye. I look over my shoulder, please, I mouth to him. He clenches his jaw and goes around the table leaving me alone with Javall. My stomach starts to knot up.

"I saw what happened in the outskirts of the kingdom." Javall says with his arms crossed. "I know you aren't fully human, but it's not excuse for what you did." My throat feels as if it could close up on me. I wasn't a monster. I struggled with that for a long time. I enjoyed things that made me human as well. The simple things; a smile, a laugh, the flutter in someone's chest when they fall for someone.

"I'm sorry." I gaze down at the ground. "I'm sorry I never got to know him like you did." I smile meekly, "I don't know the pain you go through without him, and it's my fault. I took him away from you. And I can't ask you to forgive me." I finally got the courage to look at him, " I have no excuses." I shrug, even though my eyes burned, "You've seen what I am. And I'm still navigating it."

Javall stares at me as if he wasn't expecting me to say anything. Out of the corner of my eye I see Calea's hands around her mouth, tears falling from her eyes. Suddenly everything slows down, and something pierces my lower abdomen. I gasp from the pain and look down to see a dagger sticking out of me held by Javall's hand.

"NO!" Calea screams, I fall to my knees. I hear Nye's monstrous roar tare through the castle. Everything felt as if it wasn't real, and when I raised my hand to see the blood all I could think about was my unborn whelp. Tears fall from my eyes, and I fall to the ground. Javall never meant to make peace, he wanted a life for a life. And he might have ruined my chances of ever having one.

***

I fainted but I could hear the chaos that ensued after. Calea's screams broke my heart, they were as if her soul had been torn apart. I could feel someone carrying me, "Take her away!" Calea cries out, "It's not safe here!"

No. I need to stay. 

I couldn't say anything. And I wanted to protest leaving my Kingdom. How many times would people be against me? It would never end, I knew that no matter how civil I tried to be. 

I feel the chill of wind biting my skin as I feel someone lay me on the ground and all I hear are the sounds of cracking bones and flesh, then a piercing shriek. "Wait! Take these with you!" I hear Calea shout and soon her voice is muffled by wind as I feel myself being lifted. 

I don't know how long the wind blistered my skin, but I could feel my body freezing. And when I finally feel myself lay on solid ground again I inwardly sigh a breath of relief. The pain made it hard to focus on anything else. I feel someone part my lips and pour something awful tasting in my mouth, I cough before swallowing it, then the blade is yanked out of me.

"Ah!" I scream. My body shivers; cold mixed with pain. When I feel heat pressed against my body I curl into it. A tingling sensation in my body makes me recognize Calea's sedative, and painkiller. It would knock me out. 

Grace of Kadea, what else could go wrong?