Dragon Fated: Dragon Cursed, #2

By Mia Hall

Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

What happens when one hot dragon turns into two? What happens when you have feelings for both, one who is supposed to be your sworn enemy and the other who is the son of the man you can't trust?

Lily finds herself out of the majestic city of dragons and in a frozen tundra, where not only the environment is hostile but so are many of the inhabitants. She's introduced to new forces and old allies as she tries to maneuver through the new expectations her role calls for.

Now she's got to figure out which dragon to trust, and which dragon to give her heart

• Language: English
• Publisher: MiHaP
• Release date: Apr 19, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393155942

Book preview

1

Lily

In this cave, in this nowhere land, I watched Cade across the fire. Questions and issues burned brighter than the flames that flickered in front from both of us, obscuring my view of him when the fire flamed higher on occasion.

So much had passed between us.

He was sent to kill me. Then he saved me. Now he was saving me again. He was a mystery, and something drew me to him. He leaned on his staff, his silver skin glowing with an ethereal color, his face pensive.

You could have done this yourself. Cade pointed to the fire with his staff.

I leaned back in disbelief, staring at him.

Sure, my whole world had collapsed around me. My life, home, friends, everything was gone, and he thought that the topic du jour should be my fire-starting abilities? As if this was some episode of Survivor?

Seriously? Do you want to talk about the fire? You don’t think there’s anything better we could be discussing?

Cade frowned. Like what?

Ricky cleared his throat. You have to admit, Lily, it is a really nice fire. It’s probably going to be the thing that keeps us from getting frostbite, too. So, we kind of owe him. My little brother, ever the peacemaker.

"Owe him? Owe him?" I rose to my feet, my toes still so cold I could barely feel them. I thrust my hands on my hips and a rapidly deepening anger built up inside of me.

Why don’t you tell me all of the reasons for us owing him, Ricky. Tell me how we owe him for being here in the first place, why don’t you?

Maybe I was a bit irrational. I wasn’t sure how much I could blame Cade for, but I needed someone to blame.

Cade’s frown vanished. Liliana. Lily—

No. My fury and confusion were unstoppable. It’s as if I’d gone through so much and not taken the time to reflect on it and it was catching up to me.

Cade opened his mouth to speak, but yeah, I was definitely on a roll.

I’m not finished. Go ahead, Ricky. Explain to me what we owe him for getting us into the worst kind of mess we could ever have gotten into. Because let me tell you, this is a mess. It’s so, so much worse than anything I would ever have dreamed up.

Um— Ricky’s mouth turned downward, his face wore that almost-ready-to-cry look. Um, I can’t?

Now I felt like shit.

Then Ricky glanced at Cade uncomfortably before looking back at me with uncertainty. I was really just talking about the fire. I don’t understand what you’re talking about.

"I’m talking about… this! I’m talking about all of this! Have you looked around? Things aren’t exactly normal."

Ricky’s face fell even further.

I hadn’t thought that would be possible. And another thing I hadn’t thought would be possible: feeling even more like crap.

I knew the minute I looked at him that I had gone too far. I had done so much to keep him safe, only to be the one to rip him apart now.

Even in the dim, uneven light of the fire, I could see that his eyes were starting to well up with tears. Damn. Now I was the one acting like the bully! I moved toward him, bent to put a comforting hand on his shoulder, but he jerked away from me as quickly as he could.

He turned his face away from me, angling it toward the back wall of the cave. There was absolutely nothing there to see, but that didn’t stop him from peering at it like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

I’m fine.

Ricky, I shouldn’t have—

I said I’m good, okay? I’m good. I see your point. I was just trying to say it was cool of him to build a fire. No big deal, right? Whatever.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see Ricky wasn’t going to talk to me about anything at this point. I had done a pretty perfect job of shutting him down completely.

Knowing it was a lost cause to keep nagging at him, I turned my attention back to Cade. I needed to tread lightly, to keep my cool. I was feeling helpless, which made me angry, and Cade was the perfect target for me to take that out on. Even if he did come in and save the day by building us a fire. At that point, I hardly cared at all.

So, do you want to tell me what the frick it is you’re doing here?

"What am I doing here?"

Yes, Cade, that’s the question. I ground my teeth in frustration. What are you thinking? You sneak up on us when we’re already totally freaked out and start spouting off all kinds of cryptic stuff. What is it, you didn’t think we were freaked out enough already? Because I assure you, we haven’t been exactly relaxed. It’s not feeling like a vacation, just in case you weren’t sure.

That’s right, Lily, he retorted, the sarcasm dripping from his voice in a way that at first took me by surprise, then made me want to smack him. That’s precisely what I’ve done. I’ve come after you, tracked you to this barren place, only to see if I could make you feel bad. Because that’s just the type I am.

Well then, what? I crossed my arms over my chest, still fighting off the temperature that was making me shiver. No, you know what? It doesn’t matter what.

He gave a look of disbelief. And why is that, pray tell?

Because. Whatever you have to say, I’m not interested.

More like fed up. Sick and tired, and cold. And hungry, and had a little brother who hated me, but I was sure he was as cold and probably hungrier. I was unstoppable. Neither of us are. We don’t need you here, not you or your drama.

I want to hear it, Ricky said.

I spun around, just in time to catch a glimpse of a smug look of triumph on Cade’s face as I did so.

Ricky sounded both younger and older at the same time, like he had been through some great ordeal that had changed him irrevocably. He had. In some ways, we both had, though I wanted to revert to a toddler right about now and pitch a total fit.

While Cade and I bickered, my little brother had pulled himself to a standing position. He looked exhausted—and haggard—but there was something more to him than that. He looked… determined. He looked brave in a way I had never seen before, and I resisted the urge to retrieve the coat he had let fall to the floor and wrap it around his shoulders again.

I was pretty sure that in his current state he would have been less than appreciative of a move like that.

Ricky, I spoke cautiously, not wanting to upset him any further. You don’t know what you’re saying. Okay, little brother? I’ve got this. I’m going to take care of this.

No.

Please? Honestly, Rickster, I’ve got this.

Stop. Calling. Me. That. Stop it, Lily. His eyes flashed with anger, making his pallid face look almost sickly with the small blotches of color burning in his cheeks.

It was such a surprise, that I actually took a physical step backward, feeling shaky.

In doing this, I only managed to step straight into Cade, almost falling over and requiring him to take hold of me. With his hands around my waist, it was my turn to blush furiously. Nothing was going the way I wanted it to, not that it had been for some time. The only thing I was sure of was that we were going to need a bigger cave. Preferably one where I could hide from Cade

I’m fine, I snapped, shimmying out of Cade’s grip and hoping he couldn’t sense how flustered our contact had made me. You can let go.

Whatever you say, your highness.

Choosing to ignore him, I turned back to Ricky. I was hoping he had magically found a way to calm himself down, but if anything, he appeared to be even more riled up.

He was glaring at me with an intensity I didn’t recognize. This boy before me, this was not the gentle, head-in-the-clouds baby brother I knew and loved. This kid was something else entirely.

I was in uncharted territory.

Time to backpedal. Ricky, I know. I’m sorry. I know you hate it when I call you that. I don’t know why I keep doing it.

I do. It’s because you don’t take me seriously.

No, please. That’s not it.

Sure, it is. I can’t even blame you for it. I guess I haven’t given you much of a reason to take me seriously. But that’s got to change. Because you’re right, Lily. We’re definitely not home anymore, and things aren’t normal. Not even close.

I shouldn’t have said any of that.

But you did, and I’m glad. I needed the wakeup call. I want to hear what he’s got to say. It’s not like we were doing so hot without him. We were going to freeze to death.

I would have figured something out.

But you didn’t. Because you didn’t have to. He took care of it. The least we can do is listen to what the guy has to say.

I gave up. This was a battle I wasn’t going to win, and I knew it. Ricky almost never put his foot down about something, but when he did, he could be every bit as stubborn as I was—more stubborn, from the looks of it. I thought it probably had something to do with how agreeable he was most of the time.

At the moment, he was glaring at me with fiery eyes, daring me to disagree with him again. I wouldn’t do it.

Suddenly, I was much too tired for all of this. My body sagged as I looked from Ricky to Cade and then back to Ricky again.

Alright, I said quietly, my voice beginning to sound hoarse from the cold and strain. I’m listening.

First, something to eat. You two look like you’re starving. Here, take some of this. Cade held something wrapped in what looked like brown paper.

No thanks. We’re fine.

Speak for yourself. I’m starving! Ricky rushed forward, brushing past me without so much as a second thought. He took the thick bread out of Cade’s hands greedily, breaking it apart and holding one half in my direction.

After a moment’s hesitation, I accepted the offering.

As much as I wanted to make a point, looking at the food made me acutely aware of how terribly hungry I was myself. I could smell the sweetness of the dark, molasses-colored bread permeating the small cave and felt the saliva pooling in my mouth.

I took a massive bite, almost moaning with the relief from the amazing sustenance. Whatever else these dragon shifters were, they sure knew how to make food. Everything I had sampled, even the simplest of foods, was better than anything we had back home. It was almost enough to make me forget about what was going on in my life. It didn’t quite fully take me there, but almost.

Better? Cade had stood silently as we ate, watching Ricky and me with a stoic look on his face. He stood so close to the mouth of the cave that he was half inside, half outside.

I wanted to snap at him again, to tell him to make a decision on whether he wanted to be in or out, when I saw the back of his cloak whipping around violently in the wind.

That was when I realized what he was doing. He was trying to keep the wind, or at least the worst of it, from getting to us. He was making himself a physical buffer to keep us safe from the elements.

With hot shame, I looked away. I hadn’t given him the credit he deserved. But then again, why should I have? What reason did I have to give any of these dragon people credit? What reason did I have to trust anyone but my brother?

Yes, Ricky said in a happy voice, loudly enough to pull me out of my dark internal musings. So much better! Thanks! I didn’t even realize how hungry I was until I got my hands on the food.

In my experience that’s how things tend to go when you’re out in the tundra lands. It’s a terrain that has a way of sneaking up on you. One moment you’re fine, or at least you believe you are. The next moment the land has gotten the best of you. It’s a harsh place. There’s no doubt about that. Harsh and not to be taken lightly.

I scoffed. Is that what you came to tell us? That this place isn’t comfortable? Because if that’s all, I think we’ve figured that much out for ourselves.

No. That’s not all. I need to talk to you. Without your sharp retorts and sarcastic remarks.

Fine, I spoke through gritted teeth, biting the insides of my cheeks in an effort to keep control of myself. I didn’t want him here, would never have asked him here, but I had to admit to myself that I was lost as to what we were supposed to do next.

There was a very good chance I needed to hear what he had to say. Judging by the look on his face, he knew it, too.

His eyes gleamed with this latest small victory, and then the look was gone. He moved wearily towards the fire, crouching in front of it and holding out red, chapped hands. It looked like he’d been using those hands for hard work for a long, long time. Either that or the elements had gotten to him with alarming speed.

I came to tell you that this isn’t what I want. None of this.

None of what?

This, he made a sweeping gesture with one arm, indicating our haven of a cave and everything that lay beyond it. All of this. The way your life has been disrupted, yours and the life of your brother. The way the worlds are ripping apart. Even the way Onifall is crumbling from within. I thought it was my cause, my purpose, but I can’t believe that anymore. Not after seeing all of this destruction.

I was shocked. This was by far the most blunt Cade had been with me in any of our bizarre discussions together. Up until this point, it had always felt like he had spoken to me in riddles and half-truths. He’d never said anything that felt like real, straightforward information and I was practically afraid to breathe, sure that if I did he would notice I was there and clam right back up again.

Why then? Ricky asked, managing to speak, though muffled around a bite of the bread.

Why? Cade’s crystal blue eyes turned toward Ricky, a clouded look in them that made me think his mind was somewhere far away from us. Why what?

Why to everything you’ve done? What were you trying to do, anyway?

My mother’s family, he spoke in hushed tones, his eyes drifting back to the fire. Her family and their restoration to the throne. It’s been their goal for as long as I can remember. I just never realized how damaging it could be.

But what does that have to do with us? Ricky was persistent, and I felt a certain pride in my little brother.

It has to do with Lily. She’s the key to everything, to either success or destruction.

What if I don’t want that kind of responsibility? I heard the wavering in my voice and willed myself not to cry. I’m only eighteen. What if I don’t want to be anything other than an ordinary eighteen-year-old girl?

Ordinary isn’t an option for you, Lily. It never was. Deep inside your heart, you know that. You have to see yourself as you truly are.

But what if I can’t?

Then all hope will be lost.

Oh. I spat out with sarcasm, feeling as though I was throwing a tantrum but also feeling powerless to stop it. Is that all?

Like it or not, Lily, that’s how things are. You’re the key that holds everything together. Without you, the tears in the enchantment that holds the worlds together and in place will only grow. The larger they get, the more danger we’re in. All of us.

Danger from what, exactly?

The Dusk Elves. This is what they’re looking for.

"The what now?"

Um, guys?

Hold on, Ricky, I’m trying to figure out what ‘Dusk Elves’ are.

Guys!

"What is it, Ricky?" I whirled to look at him, more than a little impatient about this interruption.

Hate to break up the party, but it looks like we’ve got company.

2

Cade

G et back! Both of you. I waved Lily and Ricky toward the back of the cave.

But—

For once in your life, Lily, will you just do as you’re told?

To my immense relief, she did.

Her face looked stricken, and she was doing her best to shove her brother Ricky behind her, but she was doing what I had asked her to, which was all that mattered at that point.

She was difficult beyond all measure, but she was also important. It was imperative that I keep her safe.

Who is it, Cade? Who's out there?

I peered out into the darkness, my staff raised. Although my eyesight was far superior to what I understood a human’s eyesight to be, seeing through the swirling snow that surrounded us was difficult, even for me. All I could make out was a tall figure in a cloak, and that could have been anybody.

Any of the other dragon shifters