Page 1 of Dragon Revealed (Dragon Kings 1)
Chapter One
The ringing in her ears drowned out everything. Gradually, it faded, and her harsh breaths replaced it. Sweat dripped into her eyes, stinging them, but she didn’t take her gaze off him. Her nightmare, the monster who had haunted her for years, lay unmoving before her.
With legs still shaking from the monumental effort it had taken to capture him and pull him through the portal, Jeyra straightened to stand over him. For years, she had feared everything to do with dragons—and especially the Dragon Kings. She knew firsthand how formidable they were, how merciless and cruel.
How lethal.
Yet the Dragon King sprawled unconscious at her feet didn’t make her tremble with fear. He looked…harmless. But that was just one of the many ways they conquered.
Jeyra drew in a deep, satisfying breath. Everything she had trained for, worked for all these decades had led to this moment. There had been a point she hadn’t been sure she would succeed, but she had done it. Now that she had the Dragon King, the ordeal felt surreal. The exhaustion of her body, mind, and soul, however, told her it was all very real.
She bent at the waist and clasped the heavy manacles around his wrists, noting the fine fabric of his clothes. His attire was much different from hers, but she could still discern that they were of good quality. The white shirt had long sleeves that molded to his upper body as if a second skin. His pants were made of a thick, dark blue material. Both were in excellent condition, the fabrics soft. Even the leather boots, which appeared to be well-worn, were in amazing condition and quality.
Her eyes lifted to his face. He was stunning, with a visage that would cause anyone to stop and gape in awe at him. Handsome didn’t begin to describe the startling beauty mixed with the raw male ruggedness. It made her sick to her stomach that someone so gorgeous could have such a black soul.
A lock of his blond hair had fallen across his forehead and lifted in the soft breeze. She swallowed as she recalled the moment his brown eyes had met hers. She had seen a million different colors in his eyes. The word brown didn’t begin to define them. They were unique, sporting a mix of light and dark. Of leaves in autumn, and summer soil after a torrential rain.
Fathomless. Mysterious.
Beguiling.
Jeyra looked away from the Dragon King’s exquisite face, but it wasn’t long before she was staring at him again. She wanted to know what kind of monsters the Kings were to cause such chaos and death without so much as a blip in their conscience.
“Bloody hell. You did it!”
She jumped at the sound of Rankin’s deep, gravelly voice—half in surprise, half in guilt at having been caught staring at her prisoner. Jeyra straightened once more and faced the man who had raised her. Rankin was a tall, broad-shouldered, gruff, and loud man. But he had a tender side that he only showed her. He’d never married or had children of his own. He wasn’t much to look at, even without the scars of war on his face and body, but he was one of their best warriors. That in itself earned him the respect the others of their village showed him.
He wore various shades of brown and tan to better blend in with the thick forest they called home and carried a double-bladed war axe that Jeyra still had trouble lifting. His pale brown hair, liberally laced with gray, was half pulled away from his face, the rest hanging free to just past his shoulders.
Before Jeyra could reply, Rankin enveloped her in his thick arms and squeezed so tight, she couldn’t breathe, his dark brown beard—nearly down to his chest now—tickling her face.
He released her almost instantly and leaned back as he held her arms in his hands, smiling brightly down at her with his gray eyes.
“I’ve always known you could do this,” he said, blinking rapidly. “I knew this was something you had to do. But I’m proud of you, girl.”
She beamed under his approval. “I couldn’t have done it without the training you’ve given me.”
He made a sound in the back of his throat and shot her a crooked smile. “We both know that’s a load of shite.” Rankin dropped his arms, his smile gone as he looked at the Dragon King lying unconscious at their feet. “We need to get him locked away quickly. We don’t know how long it’ll be before the other Kings realize he’s gone and come looking for him.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
Rankin’s brows were drawn together as he swung his head around to look at her. His eyes narrowed, and he looked her up and down. Then he peered beyond her, noting how close they were to the border of the land of the dragons.
When his gaze returned to her, Jeyra fought not to take a step back. Rankin had never lifted a hand against her. He had disciplined her with chores, words, and, like now, looks of anger and displeasure. She hated when she disappointed him. He had opened his home and his heart to her, and she had worked hard to make him proud. But this was one time she had to do something for herself—no matter what he might think.
“Jeyra,” he said with a frown.
“I wasn’t caught.”
Rankin ran a hand down his face and walked a few paces away. Then he halted and turned back to her. “Tell me what happened. All of it. In exacting detail.”
“It’s better if you don’t know—” she began.
He slashed a hand through the air, fury contorting his face. “I’m tryin’ to save your life. You know what they’ll do if they discover you’ve crossed the border.”
She wasn’t sure if he meant the Dragon Kings or the council. Not that it mattered. She had done what had to be done. Whatever the consequences, she’d deal with them.
Rankin growled and let out a string of curse words. “I know that look. I know you’re tough enough to handle whatever punishment comes to you—or at least you think you are. You won’t be if they take your life. Now, tell me,” he barked.
“I’d rather not.”
“Jeyra,” he said, the word more snarl than anything.
She shifted from one foot to the other and glanced at the Dragon King. She hated that her gaze was drawn to him over and over again. She knew how heinous the Kings were, how cruel and vicious. That should be enough to remind her that his looks were just a pretty shell to hide the horrors within. She drew in a deep breath and met Rankin’s hard stare.
“You’re not going to like what I have to say.”
He didn’t move, didn’t so much as flinch.
Jeyra licked her lips. “I crossed the border into their territory.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Rankin said and turned away. His fists were clenched, anger vibrating his body. Several long moments passed before he faced her once more.
The last thing she wanted to do was finish the story. If her first sentence got him so riled, he certainly wouldn’t like the rest of it. But she also knew that Rankin wouldn’t give up until he had every minute detail from her. It would be more painful if she dragged things out. So, she took a deep breath and let the words tumble hurriedly from her lips.
When she finished, Rankin’s face was no longer lined with anger. Instead, it was pale, and for the first time in her life, she saw panic in his gaze.
“Ah, girl,” he murmured sadly and slowly closed his eyes as his chin fell to his chest.
Jeyra had expected him to shout, to tell her how reckless and idiotic she’d been. She hadn’t anticipated his quiet words or the alarm on his face. It caused her heart to race and her chest to feel as if someone were squeezing her—or as if a dragon stood on her.
She didn’t know how many minutes passed. She was too lost in thought, too wrapped up in Rankin’s reaction to think about it. But the moment the Dragon King groaned, both she and Rankin stilled, their eyes darting to the prisoner. Rankin was the first to move. He strode to the Dragon King and punched him hard in the face, knocking him out once more.
