2,99 €
Mehr erfahren.
- Herausgeber: Crescent Moon Studios, Inc.
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Sprache: Englisch
Anna is a fugitive from the heaven king's wrath and a guest of the leader of the bear clan. She finds solace in the slow and steady flow of life practiced by the bear shifters and focuses on trying to control her unruly magic.
Unfortunately, Anna's reprieve turns out to be very brief after she catches the eye of the rival wolf clan leader. Tensions run high between the two realms as she finds herself in the middle of a rekindled ancient feud. A desire to unite the clans and to see the lovely Arian bring Prince Yushir and Eastwei to the land realms where they fall into the trouble. The two gods try to quell the fighting, not realizing they're about to discover a truth that will shock even the stoic lord.
Confronted by Anna's secret, Eastwei must now save her from another ancient god intent on extracting her secrets for himself, even if that means killing her to find the answers. His journey will take him from one realm to another in search of a way to break the ancient god's powerful barrier and rescue Anna before it's too late.
Das E-Book können Sie in Legimi-Apps oder einer beliebigen App lesen, die das folgende Format unterstützen:
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
Ähnliche
COURTING A DRAGON
THE DRAGON GOD’S WIFE
BOOK 3
MAC FLYNN
CONTENTS
Copyright
Author’s Note
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Sneak Peek: Learning a Magic
A Small Favor
When’s the Next Book?
Series by Mac Flynn
About Mac Flynn
COPYRIGHT
Courting a Dragon (The Dragon God’s Wife Book 3). Copyright © 2025 by Mac Flynn.
Published by Crescent Moon Studios, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, disseminated, or transmitted in any form or by any or for any use, including recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written consent of the author and/or artist. The only except ions shirt excerpts or the cover image in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All the names, characters, organizations, places and events portrayed in this novel or on the cover are either products of the author’s or artist’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author or artist.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for joining me on a journey through my imagination. If you’re looking for romance and adventure with a guaranteed Happily Ever After, then you’ve come to the right place. My books contain paranormal plotting and fantastical action, and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.
* * *
You can keep in touch with me by joining my newsletter or checking out my website for the latest updates.
Check out my website
Sign up for my newsletter
Thank you for giving my book a chance, and Happy Reading!
- Mac Flynn
CHAPTERONE
“What would you like to see first?”
The question came from my local guide, Arian, from where she sat at the end of my new bed. It was the next morning after our arrival and a bright sunny day awaited our pleasure. I stood near the fire with my hands stretched toward the warm flames.
“Maybe the bathhouse,” I teased as I twisted my head around to glimpse the white-tipped mountains behind the lodge. “Is it always this cold around here?”
“Only when the clouds are bringing in a storm,” she revealed as she set her clasped hands in her lap. “We could stay inside if you wish.”
I rubbed my hands together one last time before I turned to her. “Oh no. I didn’t come all this way just to stare at the lovely craftsmanship of the floorboards.”
“Then we might explore the caves, or perhaps see what is at the market today,” she suggested.
I cupped my chin in my hand and furrowed my brow. “There was that ancient wall we passed on the way in. I kind of want to look that over before we go see something new.”
My friend smiled and jumped to her feet. “An excellent idea, but you will have to follow my steps until we get outside.”
I rubbed my butt cheeks in front of the fire and lifted an eyebrow. “Why is that?”
“My father will not wish to be awoken after last night and some of the boards are particularly loud,” she pointed out.
I paused in my warming and my face drooped. “I made the acquaintance of one of them last night. You’d better lead the way.”
We slipped into the hall and tiptoed across the floorboards. It was like playing a game of hopscotch but the lines were all invisible. And crooked. And sometimes very tiny.
“Step just here,” Arian whispered as she pointed down at her left foot. She stood on her tiptoes with the arch suspended high in the air.
She removed her foot and I took her place. Unfortunately, I was a little more flat-footed than her and my foot pressed down on the back of the board. A horrible creaking noise echoed up and down the hall. We both shrank away from the noise and awaited our doom.
“Quiet down out there!” a great bellowing voice boomed from a room on the right-hand side of the hall. The words were slightly garbled due to both drink and drowsiness.
The rumbling disturbed other rooms in the grand house and mumbled complaints floated through the doors. Arian grabbed my hand and jerked her head at the front door. “Hurry!”
We rushed down the hall unheeding the many squeaks and groans we left in our wake, along with some less than appreciative applause.
“Stop that!”
“What in all the realms is going on?”
“Who’s doing that?”
“I’m trying to sleep here!”
“QUIET!” The last voice was the first one and all others quailed beneath the booming roar.
We reached the front doors, out of breath and with sheepish smiles on our faces. A few giggles escaped us as we slipped out into the chilly morning air.
The results of last night’s homecoming party were everywhere. Alcohol bottles littered the area around the cold campfire like shells on a seashore. A dozen empty, and some overturned, barrels stood to one side, fallen soldiers from a great battle. The remains of last night’s meal, too, were scattered about, with the place resembling a boneyard. A few dogs sauntered about chewing on what little remained of the meat.
I kept my feet low on the ground and kicked around bottles like they were leaves in the fall. “How many people joined in on the fun?”
“I believe most of the city,” she mused as her eyes twinkled with the remembrance. “Though I fear I have few memories after night fell.”
“So do I, but I was asleep,” I teased as I looked her over. “I don’t even know how you’re standing while everyone else is still in bed.”
She winked at me. “I have a secret recipe for waking myself from such nights.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Like a hangover juice?”
“Hangover?” she repeated with a furrowed brow. “Is that what you call the pain after a night of drinking?”
“Yeah because what you did yesterday hangs over you today,” I pointed out.
She smiled and nodded. “I like that term and your name. I shall call my spirit ‘hangover juice.’”
“What did you call it before?” I asked her.
My friend sheepishly smiled at me. “Merely ‘my juice.’”
I laughed and clapped a hand on her shoulder. “We really have to liven up that imagination of yours.”
We sauntered through the open gates of the compound and down the road. A few people strolled through the streets, mostly men with carts delivering the morning milk. One of them smiled and tipped his plain brown cap to us. “Good morning, Arian. Lady Roberts.”
I lifted an eyebrow but kept my question to myself until we were well out of earshot. “Does everyone already know my name?”
“It is not often we have a guest from the heavens arrive,” she reminded me.
I winced at the descriptor. “Should we really be advertising that? I mean, I know you told me that your people don’t get much news from above but what if some traveling merchant heard about me?”
“Merchants rarely come and when they do it is often only for the Fur Festival,” she assured me.
“Fur festival?” I inquired. Arian opened her mouth but I held up a finger. “And before you try it again, I’m not going to take ‘mystery’ for an answer. You already hid that you were the daughter of the clan leader. That’s enough secrets between us.”
She bowed her head and blushed. “I am truly sorry about that. I did not wish for you to treat me any different.”
“And do you think I would have?” I countered.
A bright smile slipped onto her lips as she raised her dancing eyes to me. “No, but I. . .I must admit your surprise was somewhat amusing.”
I laughed and playfully punched her arm. “What did I tell you about me rubbing off on you? You’re not supposed to be that good a student!”
“It is difficult not to be a good student when you have a good master,” she countered.
I threw up my hands. “You got me. I’m just that fantastic, and you are fantastic at not answering my question, like what this fur fair is about.”
“Long ago merchants from all the other realms gathered together to sell and trade furs. Now they come and sell many more items, but the furs are still the centerpiece of the affair.”
“And when does the fair happen?” I inquired.
The sheepish smile returned to her face. “In a month.”
I snorted. “Is that why you were so eager for me to visit your home? So you could show me the festival?”
Arian hung her head. “My sincerest apologies. I did not mean to deceive you.” She paused and furrowed her brow. “Again?”
“I don’t think keeping a nice surprise like that from me is deceit,” I countered as I playfully nudged her arm with my elbow. “You just want me to see all the sights, right?”
Her head shot up and she furiously bobbed it. “Oh yes! You witnessed the festival in the heavens and I thought you might like to see one in the land realm!”
I patted her shoulder. “And you’re right. I would like to see your clan’s festival, merchants or no merchants.”
Arian’s face beamed with glee. “I am so glad!” She grasped my hands and pulled me faster down the road. “Now let us see the ruins and then I shall show you everything else there is to see!”
I laughed as she dragged me along behind her. “All in one day?”
“No, but we shall see what we can!”
We traveled through the city and out into the quiet forest beyond the lodge houses. Birds sang their morning songs and animals scurried hither and thither. I glimpsed something akin to a squirrel but with a skunk trail down its back and a few rabbits scurried away at our coming.
We soon reached the wall and I stopped to admire its simplicity. “Where did your ancestors get the stones to build this?”
“They were mined from new caves during an expansion of homes,” she explained as she traced her fingers down a trio of shallow grooves. My eyes widened when I realized they were claw marks. “My grandfather believed they would make a better fortification than a foundation for a road and so enlisted my people to build the wall.”
I dropped my eyes to the dirt road beneath our feet. “So these stones were supposed to be made into rubble?”
“Yes, which is why my father objected to their being used in walls,” she replied as she drew a fisted hand back. I jumped when she slammed her fist into the stone. The rock crumbled beneath her strength and the bits dropped into a neat pile on the ground. “The walls will not be able to sustain a heavy attack if the foe is determined enough.”
“Or if they manage to burrow through the bottom layer,” I added as I recalled her short story the last time we stood beside the wall.
Arian’s shoulders drooped and she sighed. “Unfortunately, yes. Though the wolves are much weaker than we bears, their strength and determination were enough to defeat the weak stones.”
I leaned back and examined the length of the wall. Neither end was visible from where we stood but I did see something. “What about that arch we passed yesterday? What was that for?”
Her cheeks blushed and her hands fidgeted together against her front. “My grandfather thought the wolves may surrender at the mere sight of the wall and so he had a gateway made for a procession.”
I snorted. “Your grandfather sounds like he had a lot of, um, interesting ideas.”
She turned her face away and a downcast expression marred her looks. “Unfortunately, he did, and his mistakes cost him his life during the war.”
My heart fell and I bit my lower lip. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
She shook her head. “None of what happened is your fault and what you said about my grandfather was true. He was a poor leader but my father learned much from his mistakes and became a better leader for them.”
“That’s the way to look at it,” I encouraged as I strolled down the road. “Now let’s go admire what your grandfather built.”
CHAPTERTWO
We walked under the massive archway and found ourselves in a part of the forest where the trees dwindled in number. The greater gaps allowed me to see something akin to a prairie beyond the boundary of the trees. A small river also flowed in front of us from the north and we crossed its cold waters via a long but narrow curved bridge.
I paused at the top and watched the waters flow downstream where they joined the tumultuous river we had followed on our way here. “What are these rivers called?”
“Big Caican and Little Caican,” Arian told me as she nodded at the northern one. “The Little cuts through the cold northern mountains and feeds the Big Cai.”
We continued on and I nodded at the open land beyond the trees. “What’s that way?”
Arian looked at where I indicated and her good humor faded. “That is the Tianfeld.”
The way she said the name sent chills down my spine, and not the fun ones. “That sounds bad.”
She bowed her head and her fingers fidgeted with each other against her front. “I told you before that my father fought a great battle against the wolves shortly before I was born. This is the place where that battle occurred.”
The familiar names made my heart leap. “I remember you telling me, but you didn’t give the particulars. I mean, how did one guy manage to fend off two armies?”
“My father told me Lord Eastwei fended off the armies using his fire magic to create a wall between the armies while Prince Yushir stole away the leaders of both parties to speak with them,” she revealed as she bit her lip. “Yushir promised them the wrath of heaven if they were to continue and Lord Eastwei’s prowess in the battle was proof they would lose if they did not cease the war. They were so ashamed they agreed on the spot and thus the field was renamed ‘Tianfeld.’ That means Field of Shame.”
“Wow,” I breathed as I tried to imagine such a powerful scene. There was Yushir making the discussions with Eastwei in the background devastating the ranks of both armies. “So what were you guys fighting over?”
“The land itself which now nobody claims,” she told me as she lifted her eyes to the barren wasteland.
I lifted an eyebrow. “Was it a nice place before the battle?”
“No. It has always been desolate.”
My face drooped. “So why did anybody want it?”
She bit her lower lip and shook her head. “I am afraid I do not know. I asked my father once and he told me it was a matter of pride.”
I snorted. “I see. Nobody wanted to give it up to the other and lose face with their people.” I studied the field a moment longer before I clapped a hand on my friend’s shoulder, making her jump. “How about we go take a closer look at this shame? Unless it’s not allowed.”
Arian perked up and shook her head. “Oh no! Anyone may cross the battlefield so long as we do not enter the Feng.”
I was almost getting tired of my insatiable curiosity. Maybe it was the remnants of the feline still stirring inside me. “What’s that?”
“The land of the wolf shifters beyond the feld,” Arian explained as she nodded at the far end of the war zone. “Their land is marked by a long row of dense shrubs.”
“Sounds interesting,” I mused as I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the battlefield. “Let’s go check it out.”
We wound our way through the last of the trees and found ourselves on the precipice of ruination. The battlefield occupied some fifty rectangular-shaped acres that stretched left and right. The ground was hard-packed dusty earth with deep, thin cracks running hither and thither. A few scraggly weeds grew here and there and some random clumps of stubby grass, but otherwise the place was empty.
I tapped one of the puzzle pieces created by the cracks and the top layer of earth puffed up in a small cloud. “It’s like a different world,” I mused as Arian shuffled up to my side.
Her big eyes swept over the area as she nodded. “Very much so.”
Something about the place rubbed me the wrong way but the scrubs on the far side of plain tempted me. The edge of the wolf clan’s territory was an easy walk of about a mile.
“Let’s go see those shrubs you were talking about,” I suggested as I strolled onto the plain.
I had gone five yards when I noticed something amiss. My friend hadn’t joined me in the fields. I turned around to find her on the edge of the barren feld. Her arms were pressed against her front and she bit her lower lip. A plethora of emotions flickered through her wide eyes, but the most prominent was fear.
Her fear made my heart skip a beat. “What’s wrong?” I asked her as I resisted the urge to run off the plains.
“I-it is nothing,” she replied.
I pointed at her. “Then why aren’t you coming?”
She dropped her gaze to the bare dirt in front of her and her hands fidgeted together against her chest. “I. . .I am not so sure about that.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and cocked my head to one side. “Alright, spill it. What’s so wrong with this place that you won’t step foot on it?”
“It is. . .it is nothing,” she insisted.
“You’re doing a lot of not-moving for nothing.”
She bit her lip so hard I thought she would cut herself. “There. . .there are. . .stories.”
My eyebrows shot up and I leaned toward her. “What kind of stories?”
Arian swallowed a lump in her throat. “They are. . .ghost stories.”
I perked up at her reveal. “Real ghost stories? Not just things to scare kids into behaving?”
My friend scuffed the ground as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “I. . .I am not sure. My nurse would tell me tales of the ghosts that haunt the battlefield when the moon is full. Only under such powerful light can they take full form and replay their terrible deaths.”
I dropped my eyes to the dusty ground and a horrible thought made my throat dry out. “There. . .there aren’t any bodies under here, are there?”
“I do not know but I once heard my father speaking with Lord Lujun, and he reminded him that there were so many bodies trampled into the blood-soaked ground that they were never sure if they had gathered them all.”
The color drained from my face and I tiptoed back to my friend. I tripped at the end and crashed into her with a yelp. We both went down on the small patches of grass that abutted the field.
“Sorry!” I apologized as I scrambled off her.
We both froze when a soft wind blew across the empty feld and over us. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end at the strange haunting sound that traveled on the breeze.
I swallowed the frog in my throat but could only manage a whisper. “W-what was that?”
Arian’s eyes were as large as saucers. “P-perhaps it was a howl from the wolf clan.”
“Y-yeah,” I reluctantly agreed as we helped each other to our feet. I gazed out over the vast expanse of nothingness. Suddenly the other side seemed so far away. Still, it was tempting me and the sun was high and shining. “You stay here.”
I took a step forward but Arian latched onto my arm. “Where are you going?”
I nodded at the far side of the feld. “Just over there to those scrubs.” I patted her hand and offered her a warm smile. “You’ll be able to see me the whole time and I’ll be back before you know it.”
She tightened her grip on me and furiously shook her head. “I will not allow you to go alone.”
I dropped my eyes to her hand. It was shaking like a leaf in a tornado. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
She scooted closer to me and bit her lower lip. “No, but I could not forgive myself if something happened to you.”
I grinned and squeezed her hand. “Nothing can happen so long as you’re by my side. Now let’ go and see this mighty wolf clan land.”
We cautiously stepped onto the feld and my friend attached herself even tighter to me. I couldn’t blame her. The eerie noise of the wind and the desolation now made me jumpy, and the slight bit of movement made me whip my head about. Even with the bright sun, I half-expected a spook to rise out of one of the many cracks and jump at us.
It was with much relief that we reached the long row of weeds that marked the end of the battlefield and the beginning of the wolf clan lands. The clumps of grass and bushes were almost as tall as me and thick enough to be considered a wall.
We were thirty feet away when Arian stopped, and her attachment to me meant I stopped, as well. “I should not go any farther.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “Why?”
“The wind might carry my scent and the wolves may consider me an intruder,” she pointed out.
“Then I’ll just get a peek over the top and we’ll go back,” I assured her.
She reluctantly released me and I hurried over to the wall. I stood on my tiptoes and peeked over the top. A brushland stretched out before me with small hills and a few groves of green trees. Animal trails wound their way through the scrubs but outside of that, there was no sign of life.
I was almost disappointed. I’d hoped to see one of these legendary wolf warriors but I didn’t see so much as a mouse.
“Anna!” Arian called. “We really should head back!”
“Coming!” I replied as I turned and took a step toward her.
Something made me pause. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I whipped my head around. Nothing stirred save for a few blades of grass against the breeze. Doubt nagged at the corners of my mind.
“Anna!”
My friend’s voice brought me out of my reverie and I hurried over to her. Together we trekked back across the barren battlefield and into the woods.
Little did I know that a pair of golden eyes watched us from the shadows behind one of the thicker scrubs. Those eyes were zeroed in on me and a long tongue flicked out to whet the lips of a very hungry wolf.
CHAPTERTHREE
“You are moping.”
Eastwei didn’t even flinch at the accusation. He plucked the chess piece off the board and set it in its new position.
Prince Yushir toyed with his ring as he studied his old friend. “Do you deny it?”
Eastwei raised his eyes to the royal and gestured to the board. “Have you come here to play or to scold me?”
Yushir shrugged. “A little of both if that’s what you need. You have been sitting in your palace these last few days doing nothing but staring into the ether. Puren even tells me you have slept little and eaten even less.”
The lord cast a sideglance at the aforementioned servant. Puren stood nearby waiting to serve them and quaked beneath the scolding look. “My apologies, My Lord.”
Yushir leaned to one side to catch the eye of his companion. “My knowing is not the issue. You need to shake off thoughts of the attack and the loss of your pet.”
“What did you suggest?” Eastwei questioned him.
Yushir shrugged. “Why not a short trip? Perhaps one of the land realm clans would tolerate us for a short while as guests.”
“The bear clan is hosting their Fur Festival soon,” Puren spoke up.
Yushir sat up and waved a hand at the servant. “You see? That is something to see. You and I have not attended for hundreds of years. Perhaps now would be a good time to go.”
“I think not,” came the reply as Eastwei nodded at the board. “It is your turn.”
The prince pursed his lips but his eyes twinkled. He grabbed a piece and moved it. “You know, you may find another cat like the one you lost. The silver ones are rare indeed, but the outskirts of the bear clan’s land skirts where you discovered your little friend.”
“A creature cannot so easily be replaced,” Eastwei countered as he examined the board.
Yushir slowly nodded his head. “Yes, but perhaps in your grief you give your furry friend too little credit. She may have vanquished her attacker and traveled home to heal her injuries. I mean, you did not find a body like those in the villages. Should we assume she was killed and eaten when all others were not?”
Eastwei paused with his fingers wrapped around the head of one of the chess pieces. He stared at the floor but his eyes were unfocused.
Yushir saw his bait was working. He suppressed a smile and instead leaned back and shrugged. “Of course, if you prefer to remain here and play your flute to your heart’s content then I would understand.”
Eastwei placed his pawn and draped his arm over one bent knee. “I will consider it.”
Yushir toyed with his ring and studied his friend with a faint smile. The mere thought of this cat being alive has such a grip on him. I wonder why.
His amusement was interrupted by the ringing of the bell indicating a visitor at the front arch. Puren bowed to the pair before he hurried off to obey the chimes.
The prince lifted an eyebrow as he watched the servant hurry away. “Are you expecting someone?”
“No.”
Puren returned with Fuhel behind him looking as meek as a mouse. The young woman bowed low to the pair. “I am sorry to interrupt your game, Your Highness. My Lord.”
Yushir waved off her apology. “No need for those words, Fuhel. What news do you bring from your grandmother?”
“She believes she will have a strengthening spell for the barrier within another six months,” Fuhel announced.
The prince smiled and nodded his head. “Good news indeed, but hardly enough to bring you here. Does your grandmother need something?”
She bit her lower lip and her eyes fell on Eastwei. “I am afraid so. Lord Eastwei must contribute his dragon fire to strengthen the spell.”
“Why should that be such cause for worry?” Yushir questioned her.
The prince was surprised when Eastwei climbed to his feet. “Inform your grandmother I will be there shortly.”
Fuhel bowed her head and hurried away. Yushir scrambled to his feet and opened his mouth to protest her quick disappearance, but she was already gone. He clamped his mouth shut and frowned at his friend who stood with his back to him. “You gave your dragon fire to the last barrier creation, did you not? Why should this time be so different that the young girl would have such a look of deep regret?”
“We will finish our game another day.” And with that pronouncement, Eastwei strolled down the hall.
“You are making me worry about you!” Yushir shouted after him but the imperious lord didn’t break his stride. “Damn him,” the prince muttered before he turned his attention to Puren. The servant also had a worried look on his face. Yushir caught his eye and jerked his head to where Eastwei had gone. “What do you know of this?”
Puren shook his head. “Only what the tales tell, Your Highness, in that Lord Eastwei sacrificed some of his spiritual energy to craft the barrier that then trapped the great evil.”
Yushir crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his ring finger against his arm. “A pity neither of us were old enough to know first-hand what troubles that troublesome man so much.” He caught Puren’s gaze with his stern one. “Keep me informed should you see anything worrisome about your lord. Do you understand?”
Puren pursed his lips but bowed his head. “Yes, Your Highness.”
While the two conspired, Eastwei strolled toward the island abode of the witch goddess. He had nearly reached the bridge to the spooky island when a voice shouted at him.
“Dadan!”
He didn’t slow down nor look in her direction as Shian hurried up to him. She had a bright teasing smile on her face as she joined him at his side, and the young woman wagged a finger at him. “You have been very naughty lately, Dadan! I have not seen you among your favorite haunts for over a fortnight and I had begun to worry about you.”
“There is no need,” Dadan replied without giving her so much as a glance.
She puckered her lips into a pout. “But surely there must be. Why else would you seclude yourself in your palace for so long?”
“I have had other matters on my mind,” came the curt response.
Shian slipped in front of him, barring his path. She clasped her hands in front of her and her eyes pooled with tears. “Dadan, have I done something wrong? Is that why you reject me?”
Dadan was saved from replying by a shout from across the bridge. “Lord Eastwei!” Fuhel called from across the bridge. She waved a hand above her head. “Grandmother is waiting for you, Lord Eastwei!”
Shian twisted around at the shout and frowned. “Lady Wuhel wishes for an audience with you? But why-” She turned back to Dadan and found he had slipped around her other side and had reached the bridge. She balled her hands into fists and stomped her foot on the ground. “Blast him! Why does he fight what fate has ordained for us?”
While Shian tortured herself over her dragon lord fantasies, Eastwei joined Fuhel on the other side of the bridge. The young woman leaned to one side and glimpsed his former companion. “Is that not Lady Shian? Did she offer to accompany you here?”
“Quite the opposite,” he replied as he strolled past her.
Fuhel scurried after him and opened the door for the lord. They stepped inside the dark interior of the old house but Eastwei caught sight of the small figure of Wuhel. She was hunched over her cauldron and tossing in handfuls of spices and herbs.
“A dash of this and a dash of that. . .” she muttered to herself. She took up a two-foot-long wooden spoon and stirred the concoction.
Fuhel slipped around their guest and hurried over to her ancestor. “Grandmother, Lord Eastwei has arrived.”
Wuhel wrinkled her nose and waved away her granddaughter. “In a moment. He may sit if he wishes while I finish this.”
Fuhel bit her lower lip and turned to the imperious lord. “I will stand,” was Eastwei’s answer.
“Suit yourself,” Wuhel countered as she lifted a spoonful of the broth and took a sip. She smacked her lips and wrinkled her nose. “Not enough crumbs of cow hooves.”
“I will fetch them,” Fuhel offered before she scurried across the room to the long table of potions and concoctions.
Eastwei watched the goings-on with his usual face of indifference, but Wuhel cast her sharp eyes over him. “You are nervous, Lord Eastwei.”
“Your granddaughter informed me you needed my dragon fire.”
“That hardly addresses my comment but yes, I need your magic just as I did before.” Fuhel held out an open jar filled with white flakes. She dug around in the container and grabbed a handful which she tossed into the cauldron. The old woman paused and cast a side eye at her visitor. “Are you up to the task?”
“I will offer whatever magic is needed,” Eastwei assured her.
She knitted her eyebrows together. “That is not what I asked, Lord Eastwei. The last time you came here you looked about ready to collapse on my doorstep.” She shoved the long spoon into Fuhel’s arms and marched over to her guest where she beckoned with a wizened hand. “Show me your crystal.”
Eastwei lifted his chin slightly. “There is no need for that.”
“I will decide whether there is or is no need,” Wuhel argued as she put her hands on her hips. “And for me to remove your magic, I must know the state of your crystal.” Eastwei’s eyes flickered to Fuhel. The grandmother got the hint and turned her face to one side to catch the eye of her granddaughter. “Fetch some more wood for the fire.”
Fuhel blinked at her. “But I fetched some-” A look of warning in her grandmother’s gaze cowed her argument. She hurried out of the house and securely shut the door behind her.
Wuhel returned her focus to Eastwei. “Now then, let me see it.”
CHAPTERFOUR
Eastwei raised a hand with the palm turned upward. His magic flowed out and shaped itself into a glistening red crystal. The gem floated above his palm and slowly turned in a circle. The dim lights couldn’t hide the gaps and cracks in the gem.
Wuhel crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “You fool. What have you done to yourself?”
He closed his hand, extinguishing the light. “Can you use me?”
She turned her nose up and scoffed. “Barely. Were I in need of even the smallest bit more of your magic you would shatter into a million pieces, and then where would the world be?”
“The world would continue to exist,” he countered as he held his hand out to her. “Now take what you must.”
She slapped his palm and stuck her chin out to glare at him. “Foolish, foolish man! I did not make that promise to His Majesty just to see you throw it away!” Eastwei merely dropped his hand at his side and stared at her. She threw up her hands. “Very well! Stand in the middle of the room and we shall begin the extraction!”
Fuhel emerged from the woodshed with an armful of wood just as a brilliant scarlet-red light burst out of the windows of her grandmother’s home. She let out a gasp and shut her eyes against the blinding radiance. She clutched the wood to herself as a soft warmth spread over her body, tingling her muscles and flapping her hair about her face.
The light faded and she opened her eyes to find them filled with bright red dots. She blinked a few times before she took a cautious step toward her home.
The door opened and her grandmother peeked her head out. “Fuhel!” she hissed.
“Over here, Grandmother,” Fuhel replied as she hurried over.
Wuhel waved her hand toward the ground. “Quiet down! Drop that wood and fetch a covered cart and horse from Kang, and whatever you do, do not mention Lord Eastwei. Is that understood?”
Fuhel bobbed her head. “Yes, Grandmother! Right away!”
She dropped the wood in a pile at the door and hurried away. Wuhel glared at the mess before she ducked back inside.
The young woman dashed over bridges, up hills, and over many islands before she stumbled onto the one owned by Kang. “Master Kang!” she shouted at the figure who stood in one of the nearby corrals. “Master Kang!”
The beast master had a bucket tucked under one arm and a bull-like creature stood in front of him. His other hand was wrist-deep in the feed corn contained in the bucket which the bull covetously eyed. He turned at her coming and a wide smile brightened his features. “Lady Fuhel! To what do I owe this unique pleasure?”
Fuhel stopped at the edge of the fence and set her hands on her bent knees. She doubled over wheezing for air and only managed a few words between gasps. “Grandmother. . .would like. . .one of. . .your. . .covered wagons. . .and a. . .horse.”
He lifted an eyebrow and opened his mouth to question her but was interrupted by the bull. The creature had the expected horns but they were curled like those of a ram. The coloring of its hide was a cool blue with streaks of white and when it snorted small puffs of icy hair huffed from its nostrils. The beast nudged Kang with its nose and a few bits of ice were sprinkled on his arm.
“Hey!” he scolded the creature as he scrambled backward. He brushed off the ice and glared at his animal. “Patience! Can you not see I am speaking with a lovely lady?” The bull turned its head to one side and huffed. “Insolent. . .” Kang muttered as he turned his attention back to Fuhel. “Now why would your grandmother need such a thing?”
Fuhel clasped her hands in front of her and bit her lower lip. “I. . .I cannot say.”
Kang sauntered over to the fence and draped an arm over the top railing. “There is no need to fret, Lady Fuhel. I will gladly offer you my best cart and my fastest horse.”
“And it must be a covered cart,” she reminded him.
He closed his eyes and bowed his head. “Your wish is my command, My Lady. I shall hitch the horse immediately.”
The bull had other plans. The forsaken creature threw its head back and brayed before it stampeded toward them. Kang’s eyes widened and he scampered away from the fence. Fuhel also made a hasty retreat several yards backward.
The bull turned before it crashed into the fence and aimed for Kang. The god snapped his fingers and a bolt of lightning shot out of his hand. The lightning struck the bull full in the snout. The animal yelped and stumbled back while it furiously tossed its head to and fro. The bull eventually turned tail and scampered back to its bedding shed.
“That will teach you to be greedy,” Kang scolded the creature. He waved at Fuhel and pointed to one of the larger barns. “Meet me over there and I shall fix up your cart.”
Fuhel hurried over to the barn while Kang sauntered toward a feed shed that adjoined the corral. She hopped from one foot to the other and wrung her hands together. “Please hurry! You must make haste!”
Kang paused at the door to the shed and twisted his head about to raise an eyebrow at her. “Why? Is something the matter?”
A little color drained from her face before she furiously shook her head. “N-no, but my grandmother wishes to have the cart as soon as possible.”
“Very well,” he agreed before he disappeared into the shed. He came out and quickened his steps, hopping over the railing in a single jump and joining her. “Now let us hitch Shan to the cart and you shall be on your way.”
Kang strode over to a nearby stall where a pure-white horse stood at the door. He led the creature out and it pranced across the floor with all the lightness of a feather. The beast master chose a covered cart with a short box which he hooked up the horse to in a few short minutes.
Kang turned to his anxious customer and smiled. “There. Do you need any advice on handling Shan?”
Fuhel looked up at the horse who whinnied and shook its head. She smiled and copied the gesture. “No, I am sure Shan will not give me any trouble.”
Kang’s eyes shimmered as he looked her over. “Who would want to give you trouble, Lady Fuhel?”
She blushed and moved toward the box. Kang scurried to assist and together they put her on top. She took up the reins and smiled down at him. “Thank you so much for the help. I will not forget your kindness.”
Kang leaned one bent arm atop a wheel and grinned up at her. “I will remember that promise, fair Lady Fuhel, and should we meet again-”
“I must go now,” Fuhel reminded him as she cracked the reins.
Kang jumped back and watched her fly out of the barn and down the road. He sauntered over to the doorway and leaned an arm against the frame. A faint smile still touched his lips as he folded his arms over his chest. “Someday I will tame you, Lady Fuhel.”
Regret was Fuhel’s companion as she rushed down the white roads of the heaven realm. My apologies, Master Kang. I shall try to make up for my rudeness later!
Shan was up to the task of a quick journey and they soon arrived at the shadowed home of Lady Wuhel. Fuhel parked the cart just outside the door and hopped down just as the portal opened. Wuhel beckoned her with one hand while her eyes darted over the area. “Hurry along!” she hissed as she backed up. “Hurry along!”
Fuhel slipped inside and her grandmother closed the door without latching it. The young woman’s eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness and she gasped.
Lord Eastwei sat slumped in a chair near the fire. His arms were draped over the armrests and his head lolled to one side. He was ghastly pale and his breathing was quick and shallow.
“What has happened to him?” Fuhel exclaimed as she hurried over to the fallen lord.
“Never you mind that,” her grandmother scolded her as she grasped the lord’s far arm. “Take up an arm across your shoulders and help me load him into the cart.”
Fuhel did as she was commanded and together the pair hefted Eastwei to his feet. The lord couldn’t do much more than mumble a few words as they dragged him toward the door. “Moon. . .silver. . .moon. . .”
“Is he delirious?” Fuhel questioned her grandmother as they reached the entrance.
“Focus or we shall drop him,” Wuhel snapped as she reached for the doorknob.
They slipped outside and crossed the few steps to the cart where they leaned him against the back. Fuhel climbed into the covered rear and together they dragged him head-first into the vehicle. She gently lay him on the floor and peeked her head out the rear.
“What shall we do with him now?” she wondered.
“Take him to his palace via every back road between here and there and have his manservant help you carry him to his bed,” Wuhel instructed her as she leaned to one side to inspect the road ahead. “Tell him his master needs a good fortnight of rest and food, and no one is to see him. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Grandmother,” Fuhel confirmed before she climbed through the cart and onto the box.
“And mind you do not stop for anyone, even His Majesty himself!” Wuhel insisted.
Fuhel took up the reins and nodded. “Yes, Grandmother.”
She cracked the reins and the cart flew across the bridge. Shan seemed to understand the urgency of the mission now that the cargo was loaded and doubled his speed. They flew over the ground with such swiftness that even the slightest bump in the road made the cart airborne. The driver clung to the reins as much to keep control as to keep a steady hand on some part of the cart.
Fuhel reached the palace of the dragon lord in one piece but with her immortal lifespan somewhat shortened. She avoided the front gate and instead parked the vehicle at the side entrance to one of the gardens. Fuhel hopped down and rushed through the west garden and into the house.
“Puren!” she shouted as her eyes darted about the place. “Puren, where are you?”
Puren peeked his head out of one room with a bundle of laundry tucked under one arm. “Lady Fuhel? What is the matter?”
She pointed at the west wing. “Your master. You need to help me carry him inside.”
Puren’s eyes widened but he didn’t ask any questions. He just dropped the bundle and followed her to the cart. She opened the back flap and the reveal made Puren lose some color. Still, he stiffened his jaw and climbed into the back. She made to do the same but he held up a hand in front of her.
“Allow me to do this, Lady Fuhel,” he pleaded.
Puren carefully picked up his lord and eased them down from the cart. Fuhel followed them inside with wringing hands and watched the servant lay his master gently atop his bed. Puren took a seat beside the unconscious lord and studied his attire for a moment.
A look of confusion covered his face before he looked up at Fuhel. “There are no marks. What has happened?”
“He expended a great deal of energy for the barrier spell and must rest for a fortnight,” Fuhel replied, recalling her grandmother’s words. “And no one must see him like this. Do you understand?”
Puren returned his anxious eyes to his master and set a hand on the sheets that covered him. “I understand what you request but I do not understand why he is in such a state. How could one spell lay him so low?”
Fuhel’s expression fell and she grasped her hands in front of her. “I wish I could tell you more but that is all I know. Please take good care of him.”
Puren sighed but stood and bowed his head to her. “Thank you for safely returning him.”
Fuhel reluctantly left the pair alone, her heart aching for the ashen-white dragon lord and his worried servant.
CHAPTERFIVE
“I’m just not sure I should be going.”
The doubt-filled words came from me. My usually optimistic demeanor had been replaced by a mush of reluctance and worry. It was only my third day in the land of the bears and I was already getting cold feet about attending their most famous festival.
Arian sat on the foot of my bed as I paced the floor in front of her. “I very much doubt anyone will take notice of you,” my friend assured me.
I jerked to a stop and my face drooped. Some of my silver hair swayed forward before resting on my chest. “Really?”
Arian sheepishly smiled. “Well, they may notice you, but you do not know any of them.”
I furrowed my brow as I thought back to the last fair I’d attended. “What about that one guy we met at the fair in the heaven realm? The one selling the beans? He might be there. Or what if someone from the heaven realm visits?”
My friend frowned and tapped her chin. “You do have a point there. There have been some rare occasions where a goddess descended to purchase a fur coat.”
