Cyan

“Please don’t make me do this again. You know how it’ll end. I feel nothing for him,” I pleaded.            The woman who birthed me, The Queen—no one dared use her real name—didn’t even spare me a glance. She just crinkled her nose, as if smelling something rotten, and continued to fiddle with the tray of food set on the table in the center of the opulent room. I’d only had minimal input on the décor, but I liked it. From the mound of decorative pillows on the couches to the heavy drapes covering the windows, shades of purple from soft lavender to dark eggplant were sprinkled everywhere the eye touched. I waited, anxiety ridden, wondering if she would respond.            Her, my father, my entire clan, all expected me to join with one of the coveted Glacier Warriors and reach the full potential

“No!” The word spewed vehemently from my lips. If they thought I would allow this then they knew nothing about me. I knew they would do whatever it took to ensure my ascension to the throne and if I were to think logically, I would see their reasoning behind choosing Kormen. He was the strongest amongst our warriors. The fiercest. Unparalleled in his resilience. If anyone stood a chance against balancing my power, it was surely Kormen. However, I was not in a logically thinking frame of mind. They would not make me do this. They could not. I loved Kormen. Just as much as I loved my real brother, Dallon. It was not an intimate kind of love, but that of the closest friend possible. My feelings toward him were and would always be nothing more than platonic. In spite of his strength, I would kill him. They had to know this. They had to understand that this was a sacrifice not worth making. He wouldn’t survive this. I wouldn’t survive this.      

Muted light graced my closed eyelids and a soft surface pillowed my body. My aching body. I tried to recall if anything I had done warranted such an ache. I wanted to slip back into sleep, but I could smell him. Feel him. The sweet, smoky scent of burning wood and the warmth of a roaring fire. I felt relaxed and as though I had slept long enough to be well-rested, but I was still exhausted.             “You will feel that way until we complete our bond. Or join, as your people call it.”             Again, I could hear him. Could practically feel his voice caress my mind, but I knew what I was hearing was only in my head.             “It is the way of dragons. We can communicate with our mates without actually speaking. I can feel your emotions, hear most of your thoughts, see some of

I floated in and out of consciousness. Sometimes, when I awoke, only Kormen would be there. Other times Celeste appeared. Each time I surfaced, I called out for Valen hoping he would answer. He didn’t. For the first time in my life, I was bothered by the cold. It was no longer welcoming and comforting to me. After being wrapped in his warmth, I doubted my body would ever get used to my normally chilly state.             When I woke again, Dallon sat beside my bed. Christmas lights and decorations covered every visible surface. A massive tree took up one corner of the room, silver tinsel and purple ornaments creating an alluring display. The smell of pine flowed heavily in the air. Had I not been tied to the bed I laid upon and realizing I wore nothing but a thin t-shirt beneath this blanket, I would have been intrigued by the sight. It’d been years since I’d seen Christmas décor, but tied to the freaking bed! I

My eyes snapped open and I took in my surroundings. I was no longer in the room where I killed Celeste, but I still had no idea where I was. This room had been decked out in Christmas decorations as well, but where the last room had been purple, this room was red. To include the silky sheets that cradled me. Kormen’s sister, Amelia, sat near the picturesque window on my left, a deep scowl on her pixie-like features. Where Kormen was tall and bulky, she was petite and thin.             “Tell me, my princess,” she spat my title, nearly as insulted by it as I had been by Celeste’s. “Did you think you were too good for my brother?”             Okay, another lunatic. Ignoring her, I tested the bindings on my arms. My shoulders screamed in pain from the prolonged position and lack of circulation. I hadn’t been given as much slack as I had the last time and