HERA’S POV
“Are you guys going somewhere?” I asked, walking into the study where Adrian and Desmond were deep in conversation. “I saw the servants bustle about packing what nots.”
Desmond’s lips curved into a sweet smile, and he motioned for me to come closer. Placing his hands on my shoulders without a hint of awkwardness, he spoke, “Too many people know about Mount Vitus. So, we are shifting our base to the Golden Palace.”
“Golden Palace?” I shrugged off his hands discreetly and took a step away. “Why haven’t I heard about it before?”
“The Golden Palace is located on an island; far away from the land. The only way to reach there is by….”
“Flying….” I pursed my lips and sighed. No wonder I had never heard of this place before.
Desmond drew closer and took my hand in his. “Given its remote location, you and Daciana will be safe there.”
Our gazes met for a moment before I looked away. I didn’t like the idea of going to a place I couldn’t leave whenever I wanted.
“I know what you are thinking.” Desmond said abruptly; making me look at him again. His eyes lit up with sincerity. “Don’t worry, Hera. Trapping you isn’t my intention. I just want to keep you safe.”
I snorted and shook my head. He made that sound so simple, the dynamics between dragons, werewolves and me could change any moment. I didn’t want to be left at a disadvantage. Drawing in a deep breath, I stated in a firm voice, “I think I will stay back with Daciana.”
His expression deflated, and he dropped my hand. His lips curved into a wry smile and he let out a deep sigh, “I knew that you wouldn’t agree, but I had to try.” His gaze shifted to Adrian as he continued. “Adrian will keep you informed about the latest developments, but I have to leave. The throne can’t be left empty for long. It will cause unrest among our people.”
“When you say people, does that mean dragon shifters?”
“It does….” His eyes sparkled with hope and his expression turned rueful. “If some day you can finally trust me, I would like to show you around.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s just that...”
“I understand, Hera….” His lips pressed into a thin line. “I really do. You have been through so much….” Another sigh left his lips, and he stepped back. “Anyway, I should leave now.”
With those words, he spun around and left. My heart filled with complicated emotions as I watched him soar into the sky. I was relieved that I wouldn’t have to put up with his overly intimate friendship. However, there was a small part of me that was filled with a regret.
As the days passed by, I couldn’t help but wonder if I should have gone with Desmond. The number of people encroaching Mount Vitus increased day after day.
We could easily deal with vampires and werewolves, but fighting against the witches turned out to be an arduous task especially because I couldn’t practice magic.
One day, when the Illumus coven surrounded us, I had no choice but to leave with Adrian. He flew me and Daciana to the island where the palace was located.
The dazzling Golden Palace floating on the blue waters looked enchanting; giving off a warm and welcoming vibe in the midst of the cold sea. Sprawling over several miles; It’s grandeur and exquisite structure oozed elegance. It totally deserved to be the headquarters of the dragon king.
Adrian landed on the flat surface jutting out over the terrace of the palace. I slid down and soon after, helped Daciana get off his back; staggering a bit as her entire weight crashed onto me.
My heart skipped a beat, and my gaze drifted to Adrian. Thankfully, he hadn’t noticed my swoon. He was in the process of shifting to his human form.
I heaved a sigh of relief. It was such a task to keep my lack of magic hidden, especially when Desmond wasn’t around. Coming to this palace might not be all that bad.
“Let me carry her,” Adrian said, walking over and lifting Daciana into his arms. I didn’t even try to object. The lesser I did in front of Adrian the better. I couldn’t afford to let him suspect my abilities. Drawing in a deep breath, I followed him into the palace.
“I still think we should have talked to Daciana before bringing her here.” I said as we walked along the corridor of the Golden Palace. “She is going to be furious when she finds out that she is on an island in the middle of nowhere.”
“We didn’t have the time, Hera.” Adrain snapped; adjusting Daciana to a more comfortable position in his arms. “If we had waited a few more minutes, we would all be either captured or dead. The Illumus Coven is not someone you should take lightly.”
He carried Daciana to a lavish bedroom and laid her on the bed. Beckoning to a maid, he commanded, “Give her stevia after an hour. Once she wakes up, inform us. We are going to meet his highness.”
“We?”
“Hmm… You should come along too. Des… His highess would like to see for himself that you are fine.”
I snorted as I fell in step with him. “You know that I am the wereheretic right? There is no need for you guys to be so worried about me.”
“Tell that to Des… His highness. He sends about ten messages daily asking if you are okay.”
“Why don’t you just say, Desmond, when you are so used to it?”
“It is against the rules of the palace. The king should never be addressed by his name.”
“Does that mean I have to address him like that, too? His highness, that seems so superficial.”
“You can call me by my name.” Desmond’s voice sounded as he walked over to us. “You are not a dragon shifter and you are as powerful as me. So, we can be considered equals.”
“That is a relief.” I stated as a smile spread on my lips. He looked good dressed in bright blue robes. It gave his warm natured appearance a sharp edge.
I had expected him to be more formal now that he was in the role of a king. But he reached over and held my hand as usual. Leading me along the corridor to a hall where some people had gathered.
“His highness is entering!” The guards stood at attention and announced his arrival as we walked past them.
The chatter in the room died out instantly and everyone stood up, bowing from their waist. He led me to the very front and held up our linked hands. “Today, I will introduce you to Miss Miraya. You all will obey her as you obey me.”
“Miss Miraya,” they greeted in unison, lowering their heads a bit more. A strange, queasy sensation tugged at my insides. It felt nice to be the one in charge.
Motioning them to be at ease, Desmond introduced me to them one by one.
“He is Novak, the viceroy of Moonmist Pack.” Turning to a man with soft grey eyes, he continued. “He is Joan, the viceroy to the Wanderwood Pack….”
They bowed to one by one as he told me the name of the packs they would be supervising. It was a long list of names and I lost track after a point in time. I would have to ask him for a written list later.
“These viceroys are free from links to anyone else. They take orders only from me and this day forth you will be the only other person they listen to. They will make sure that the packs function as per our will.”
He paused for a moment and a contented sigh left his lips, “The Vampire King has already agreed to make a pact with us.”
“What about the witches?”
“I have found a way to deal with them, too.” His gaze swept over the gathering. “Let us keep that discussion for when we are alone.”
“Of course….” I looked around a bit sheepishly. I should have been a bit more restrained. Sensing my unrest, Desmond raised my hand to his chest and flashed me a wide smile. “You don’t have to worry about anything, Hera. It is just a matter of time. We will soon establish a world order that is fair and just.”
The congestion that had built in my chest deflated and left my lips as a gust of wind. My mind veered to Daciana. She must have woken up by now. I had to explain everything to her. My eyes swept over the room, but Adrian was nowhere to be seen. So, I decided to go and meet her myself.
“Umm… If we are done here, I will go and check on Daciana?” I excused myself and went straight to straight to her bedroom. I was about to push open the door, but halted when I caught a glimpse of the scene inside.
My jaws hung open, and I took a step back. Adrian and Daciana were kissing each other like there was no other day. I would have barged in and dragged Adrian out. But it was Daciana who was straddling Adrian.
“I think they make a good pair,” Desmond’s voice sounded in a whisper next to my neck.
I spun around and narrowed my eyes, “You knew about it?”
“Hmm…” He shrugged. “Why else do you think I let Adrian stay back?”
“Wow! To think that I never suspected them, even after living together for an entire month.” My eyebrows furrowed. “Was he the reason Daciana refused to go back to Justin?”
“Right… Their love is the reason I risked being misunderstood by everyone.”
“Why will you be misunderstood?” The lines on my forehead deepened. “You sent a message to Justin informing him that Daciana will be staying with us, right?”
“I did, but…. Justin doesn’t trust us. He might think that we are trying to use Daciana.”
“Don’t worry. If such a thing happens, I will talk to him.”
He nodded and held my hand, leading me to a secret hall. He pressed a lever and moments later the wall lit up with a strategic plan. “You see all those green regions. We have already acquired them. After we have dealt with the witches and entered into a treaty with the Lycan King, we can finally unite everyone.”
A rueful sigh left my lips as my gaze drifted over the plan. “Once everyone is united, there would be no need to fight for power. The world can finally have the peace it deserves.”
“Do you have any idea how glad I am that you appeared in my life?” Desmond said as he placed by his hands over my shoulders. “Without you, this could never have been possible.”
My lips curved into a contented smile. Once my objective was achieved, I wouldn’t need to keep Justin away. The world would be as safe as it is for the weak as it is for the powerful….