Chapter 5 Behind Closed Doors

The leaders of the four clans hurried out and no one looked back. 

The threat of the demons seemed strong, but the gossip about the dragon queen was what truly occupied their minds. 

Michael hurried past with a sour expression while Clara struggled to keep up with his angry stride.

Zaden didn’t move immediately. He remained standing by the black stone chair and looked down at Lyanna. 

He didn’t say a word, but simply offered his arm, shielding her from any evil glances as they walked toward the guest quarters assigned to the Black Dragon Clan.

When they reached the grand hallway of their pavilion, Zaden stopped outside the carved wooden doors. 

Then, a tall, elegant dragon woman named Captain Vanya was waiting by the entrance. 

She wore the dark silver armor of the elite guard, and her strict eyes softened the moment she saw Lyanna.

"I will leave you here to rest," Zaden spoke in unusually quiet, lacking its usual rumbling power tone. "Vanya will ensure you have everything you need."

Before Lyanna could reply, Zaden turned on his heel and walked down the corridor toward the guard station.

Vanya opened the door and gestured for Lyanna to enter. 

The chamber seemed spacious, warmed by a large stone fireplace. 

Once the door clicked shut, Vanya let out a long breath and smiled warmly.

"That was a magnificent display in the council room, My Queen," Vanya said, bow her head slightly. "You completely silenced that miserable human lord. The entire dragon guard is talking about your courage."

Lyanna sat down on the edge of the large bed, her shoulders finally dropped as the weight of her performance hit her. 

She rubbed her temples, looking up at the loyal warrior. "It was just an act, Vanya. I had to say something. Michael was trying to humiliate Zaden, and I couldn’t sit there and let him call me broken."

Vanya walked over to the hearth, stoking the fire with an iron rod. 

"An act or not, it gave our people hope. The clans have mocked us for three years, whispering that our Lord married a fragile human who could never bear his flame. Today, you showed them the spirit of a true dragon queen."

"But that is the problem," Lyanna replied in a panicked whisper. "Vanya, I don’t know how I am supposed to actually go through with this. The high elder expects a child before the winter snows. How on earth am I supposed to sleep with my husband?"

Vanya paused and turned around with a look of amusement. 

"You love him, do you not? And he worships the very ground you walk on. He has slept outside your door for three years out of pure respect for your recovery. Surely, nature will take its course."

"You don’t understand," Lyanna said, standing up and pacing across the soft rug. "The reason I am still a virgin has nothing to do with fear or my body being weak. It is because of the Raivier bloodline. My ancestors carried a specific type of ancient magic. If I give myself to a dragon without knowing how to control my own energy, his fire will clash with my dormant power. It could destroy my mind, or worse, it could kill him."

Vanya grew serious, her amusement vanished. She stepped closer to Lyanna and took her hands. 

"Did you tell Lord Zaden this?"

"No," Lyanna confessed, looking down. "He thinks I am just traumatized by what Michael and the human council did to me. He thinks I am physically healing from the starvation. He is so protective that if I tell him his own magic could kill me or harm our future child, he will never touch me at all. He will let his lineage end just to keep me safe."

Vanya squeezed her hands. "Then you must stay confident, Lyanna. Don’t let your fear show tonight. You gave a promise to the world, and you gave a promise to your husband. You are a Caretaker descendant. Your blood is strong enough to adapt. When the time comes, you will find a way to balance his fire. For now, act like the queen you are."

Before Lyanna could respond, Zaden walked back into the room. He had removed his armor, wearing only a loose black tunic that showed the broad expanse of his chest. 

His expression was guarded, focused entirely on Lyanna.

Vanya immediately stepped back, bowing low. "I will take my post outside, My Lord." She gave Lyanna a quick, encouraging nod before slipping out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

The silence in the chamber became deafening. Zaden was near the entrance…his massive hands were crossed over his chest. He looked at Lyanna for a long time and then clenched his jaw.

"You shouldn’t have made that promise," Zaden burst out finally.

Lyanna blinked, surprised by the coldness in his tone. "Michael was insulting you, Zaden. He was calling you weak in front of the mermen and the wolves. I couldn’t let him win that argument."

"I don’t care about Michael's insults," Zaden growled softly, taking a single step forward. "I don’t care if the entire world thinks I am weak. My reputation means nothing compared to your comfort. For three years, I have guarded your door because I wanted you to feel safe. I wanted you to know that you are not a sheep to be used for an alliance or a bloodline. By standing up and claiming you will bear an heir, you put a target on your back."

"I am ready to be a target," Lyanna stepped toward him. "I am tired of hiding behind you, Zaden. I want to fight beside you."

Zaden looked at her, clearly searching her face. He reached out, his calloused hand hovered near her cheek, but he didn’t  actually touch her skin. 

He never did… The lord always kept that tiny distance, as if afraid his dragon heat would burn her away.

"You are a human, Lyanna," he murmured, softening his tone with an intense, agonizing affection. "You don’t understand what a dragon's passion is like. It is a consuming fire. If I lose control, if I let myself have what I have dreamed of for three long years, I could hurt you. I can’t risk that."

Lyanna wanted to tell him the truth…She wanted to tell him about the Caretaker magic sleeping in her veins, about the danger of their powers clashing, but the words caught in her throat. 

If she spoke the truth, the wall between them would become permanent.

"I am not as fragile as you think," Lyanna murmured instead.

Zaden closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opened them, the golden glow had faded back to a dark, somber brown. 

He pulled his hand away and stepped back toward the door.

"You will sleep in the bed tonight," Zaden stated quietly, but in an absolute tone. "I will be right outside the chamber doors. Rest well, Lyanna. We have a long journey back to the dragon lands tomorrow."

"Zaden, wait," Lyanna called out.

But he didn’t listen.

The lord opened the door, stepped out into the cold corridor where Vanya was waiting, and pulled the wood shut between them.

Suddenly, a strange sound came from beneath the floorboards. 

It wasn’t the sound of the wind or some stone of the castle. 

It was like a tapping, followed by a weak, eerie blue glow that began to seep through the cracks of the stone floor right at her feet.

“Poor dragon queen, let me help you ease your problems…”