MYTHGAARD

Liora’s POV

“You cannot keep ignoring me” I yelled and watched in disdain as my fated drakyn blatantly ignored me. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary but it never failed to annoy me.

We were supposed to have bonded since my birth but apparently, she refused to. She didn't reject me, she just refused to bond with me.

In Mythgaard, faes and drakyns, also referred to as dragons, coexist peacefully, bound by a peace treaty that has been in existence for about five centuries.

Since the beginning of time, we've existed in constant dispute, till both sides almost put each other into extinction.

The peace treaty was finally established but it wasn't for the sake of peace. Both parties were too proud for that to even be the reason.

It was due to the fact that there was a greater evil.

A greater force that threatened the very existence of Mythgaard.

Witches.

So, our ancestors figured that it was probably better to work together for the sake of survival.

In order to maintain the peace, especially since both sides tend to hate each other, conditions were put in place. We had to bond. Each fae was fated to a drakyn and it was always determined by the high priestess at birth.

Then, by tradition, the fae is taken to the fated drakyn and the drakyn bonds with their fae.

By doing so, they become extremely powerful, as their powers are bonded as well.

Well, mine didn't.

Nobody knows why. Because the only person that can communicate with a drakyn is their fated fae.

But the judgemental look on her intimidating face told me everything I needed to know.

She probably hated how small and powerless I looked.

For a fae of royal and powerful descent, I was definitely on the smaller side.

Unfortunately for my family.

Twenty-two years ago, my family finally got what they wanted. A female heir.

Funny, isn't it?

I have six older brothers and a younger one. Why couldn't it just be one of them?

That was a wish that could never become more than that. Just a wish.

And it was definitely not the way of the Altharos. By tradition, the women in the family led. No question asked. It has just always been that way.

So, although I hated the fact that I had to bear the burden, I knew I did not have a choice.

I was set to take over my mother's throne on my twenty-fifth birthday. I was nowhere near ready for it.

I couldn't even bond with my drakyn.

“Just reject me, drakyn” I said as I stood at her enormous feet.

She was definitely one of the largest drakyns in Mythgaard. Her bonding with such a frail looking fae would definitely put a stain on her image.

“Please…” I whispered, my voice showing how exhausted I really was.

She huffed, and I braced myself for the storm of wind she sent my way.

I let my wings out and flew up to match her eye level, skillfully avoiding the storm of wind.

She could easily toast me into ashes right now.

I crossed my arms and glared at her.

“Seriously, I know you hate me. So, why won't you just save us both this torture and reject me?” I asked as I stared into her golden-emerald eyes, set against her midnight black skin.

A growl emanated from the base of her throat and I cleared my throat before dropping my hands to my side.

“I know you can't hurt me. We're fated, it would kill us both” I said, pretending to be unfazed.

Her eyes turned into literal slits and I raised my hands up in defeat. She couldn't kill me but she could still hurt me. I wasn't ready to break any of my bones again today.

“Fine” I said as I moved back a little.

“I know you hate the way I look but I'm a pretty strong warrior. I'm not as weak as I look and I have pretty interesting fae powers” I said and she turned away.

I sighed in defeat.

Each fae possessed unique powers, asides the general ones we all had, like flying, ability to put anyone to sleep with our dust, and basically, magic. Our dust could do many things.

But we all had unique powers. Some could teleport, some could read minds, some could control blood. There were so many unique powers.

Mine? Not so much.

Well, I said interesting, not unique.

My drakyn would not know my powers until we bonded anyway.

“I'll be back tomorrow” I said as I turned to leave.

Before I could even bat an eyelash, someone rammed into me with so much force that sent me flying to the ground.

I grunted at the impact of my collision. Ouch.

I opened my eyes and set my eyes on the culprit who was flying right above my head.

Kysen.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his tone soft and worried. If I didn't know him, I might have believed his act.

“We both know you don't mean that, so save it” I said and a wicked grin graced his face.

I got off the floor and brushed the dust off my dress as he landed right in front of me.

“Here to beg your drakyn again?” he asked and I rolled my eyes.

“Don't even start with me today. I'm not in the mood for your antics” I warned as I rolled my shoulders, wincing at the slight ache I felt.

“What? That small push and you're broken already?” he mocked and I clenched my jaw, refusing to get riled up by Kysen of all people.

I hated his guts.

Kysen Dravon, one of the finest faes to grace Mythgaard. I mean, he was a brilliant warrior, bonded to one of the largest and strongest drakyns, and to top it off, he was quite a sight to behold.

Why would anyone hate him?

Well, he's a two faced snarling curse-thorn.

Oh, how he loved to get on my nerves.

On top of that, our families hated each other. We were always in constant dispute of what family should rule. It was our turn this century.

“I'm not broken,” I said as I walked closer to him, my eyes narrowed, “And you need to watch where you're going next time”

He scoffed.

He scoffed right in my face.

“Liora Zolani Altharos? Attempting to intimidate me? I never thought I would see the day” he taunted, as he closed the small space that was left between us.

“Well, you did. Now leave me alone” I said as I went around him and started to walk away from him.

He followed me.

“So, any luck with bonding with your drakyn today?” he asked and I sighed in annoyance.

“You know, one might think you're obsessed with me at this point” I stated.

“Well, maybe I am” he said and I abruptly stopped in my tracks, before turning around, about to give him a piece of my mind.

Unfortunately for me, he was right behind me. I bumped straight into him and found myself falling backwards again until his hands wrapped around my waist, steadying me.

I froze. My entire body tensed up at the contact, and his seemed to react the same way too.

My words got stuck in my throat at that moment and I couldn't seem to snap out of the trance I was in.

His eyes. The grey-silverish orbs had me stuck as I stared in awe. I had always known he had grey eyes but I never knew it had swirls of silver.

“Paint a portrait while you're at it” he suddenly said, snapping me out of the trance I was in.

I pushed him back with way more force than I intended. Yet, he only stumbled backwards.

“You're nuts, Dravon. Just stay away from me” I said and I took a solid step back, my eyes still trained on him.

“Now Liora, don’t be scared of a little skin contact” he teased.

“Scared? You think this is fear? No. It's annoyance! You're so delusional if you even think for a second that-”

“Umm, Liora?” He cut me off as his eyes scanned the sky.

The audacity.

“No! I'm not done talking. You can't just -”

“For Green’s sake, listen Liora!” He yelled.

“What?!” I yelled in response.

“Do you hear that?” he asked, his finger pointing upwards and I narrowed my eyes as I looked in that direction.

What was he-

Oh. I heard it.

The familiar rumble of our boundary, that showed it was being tampered with.

We looked at each other again.

“Witches.”