Mermaids are Menacing (Book 2) Complete

75.) Expectations

We were quiet again. Alot had changed since we had last been here. We were sitting watching our kids play. He got the kids he wanted. A night with a popular woman that other men were tripping over themselves to get a night with. A place of his own and his fathers recognition. He swallowed one crystal and got everything he ever wanted. It burned me up with envy.

Killing the high lord was a plan but how soon could that be acheived, if it could even be acheived in the first place. No one will help me for no reason, especially not with such a difficult task. The only thing that could harm a dragon was another stronger dragon. What would I have to give in exchange? Would I be getting rid of one authority for another? Would I be able to keep my children by my side?

"Your angry." Cerastes said.

"Im angry." I agreed.

"At me?" He asked.

"At you. And this place. And your brothers. And especially your father." I told him.

"Would hitting me a few times ease your anger?" He asked.

"Im not going to hit you." I told him. "Even though you deserve it."

"Your body isn't in the best condition for fighting, it would be detrimentalto your health." He agreed.

"Thats not the reason." I scoffed at him. "Im not going to be like your family. I dont want our kids seeing me treat you like that."

"I seem to remember you fighting me in the clearing." He said.

"I was protecting my kids and myself." I shot back.

"They are OUR hatchlings and they dont need protection from me. I would defend them with my life." His temper quickened.

"And what about this place?" I said spreading my arms wide. It immediatly hurt and I tucked them under my arm pitts " who will protect them from this place? How long before the high lord tries to send them out for visits." I said angrily. It turned my stomach into knots just thinking about it. My girls sent off to who knows where to lay under strangers.

I'll kill them.

I dont care what  part they ripped off of me. I'll kill them all.

"Be more careful with your body. Your healing is still slow." He said trying to steady me. I elbowed him away.

"You said it yourself! He is not a kind or doting grandfather. He only cares about what benefits he can get." I whispered angrily.

"You dont need to worry about the hatchlings. Its different for the Aelia and Idelia. They are registered dragon females from a noble bloodline. They have choices. When they become adults its their decision if and when they take visit. The high lord can send them out of the mountain once their adults but that doesnt mean they would ever be forced and they would always have chaperones traveling with them. They are rare and beloved dragonesses. Any territory they stay in would be required to give them food, shelter, and whatever they asked for. And only males that they invite could visit them in their bed chamber... But you, are different. You were originally human now you just have traits of a dragon that make you capable of carrying offspring. They wont afford you the same respect." He explained.

"Thats somewhat of a relief." I sighed. "Not having the strength to protect the twins from evil men...it was weighing on my heart heavily."

"Your still at risk." He retorted.

"Theres always the consolation of knowing if I have to suffer visits, your going to suffer with me." I added.

"It wont happen." He snapped.

"Then help me." I urged him.

"What would you have me do?" He asked desperatly.

"Help me kill him." I said.

"You've lost your mind." He sneared.

"Have I?" I asked. "As long as he lives he's going to try and pass me around. Is that something you can live with?" I  displayed that tattoo on my right arm, white scales that went up to my shoulder and had grown to cover my collar bone.

"Each time he sends a man to my room, your going to see it. Hear it. Feel it. You cant escape amymore than I can." I ranted. "And Dante is at the top of the list to visit. It looks like my child will still own the mountain someday but it may not necessarily be my child with you."

He grabbed my arm. "Stop it." He demanded.

"Stop telling you the truth you dont want to hear?" I laughed.

He growled in idignation.

"Then help me. Really help me." I said grabbing his face and pulling it in close.

"I can feel your thirst for blood but im not stupid, Rowan. Theres something you havent thought of. Say we kill them all. The one in ten billion chance. Do you know what would happen next?! The other clans would divide the territorys assets amongst themselves. You'll be classified as a treasured item to be bartered for between the clans. The girls would be raised by the closest female blood relative and my head would be on a spike for inciting calamity!"

"If they're dead, can't you just rule the mountain?" I asked.

"You don't understand. Its not enough to just be the last living descendent.  There are rules in place. It would be pne thing if i could best the current high lord in a duel, but Im not as strong as he is. If we assasinated them I'd be put on trial. Even if all of them died unexpectedly, the situation would not go smoothly. Without males to challenge me during my succession other clans would be allowed to send one of their own noble blooded males to challenge me to duel. After all only the strong can lead. You dont know how many rules went into the peace treaties, the decades that it took to acheive it."

"Maybe I would know about it if you had taught me how to read when I asked you to." I said snidly.

"If you want to learn so badly fine, ill teach you." He snapped back.

"Dont bother. Im sure it will be covered in my lessons with Dante." I said rolling my eyes.

"Dont speak his name as if hes familiar to you." Cerastes nagged.

"Thats his name what els would i call him?" I asked.

"Lord heir, brother-in-law, curse at him and call him a sheath. You pick." He continued.

"Curse at him? Do you want me dead?" I asked.

"I want you, alive." He replied.

He was infuriating. Completely and entirely. With him there to watch the kids, I felt comfortable resting but not sleeping.I layed down on my side and crossed my arms.

"You can sleep, ill guard the offspring." He told me.

"I dont trust you to care for Jen." I answered back.

"I have no reason to harm your pet." He said.

"My child." I corrected. "And you didnt have trouble endangering her before." 

"That was before." He shrugged.

"That doesn't inspire trust." I said.

"If you want to keep a little human female I wont argue. You can raise a few more and make your own servant staff if you want." He offered.

"Jen is family." I insisted.

"Call her what you want." He answered stiffly. "As long as your here, its acceptable." I stared at him awhile as he watched the children in the distance with a far away look.

"Do you regret it?" I asked.

He looked at me and tillted his head to the side.

"Arany." I asked.

"The consequences out weighed the benefits." He answered.

"Thats not what i asked." I said staring at him fiercely. He paused.

"Immensely." He answered.

"Good." I nodded. "Regret it everyday, from when you wake up till you fall asleep and all the time in between."

"Will you're anger be satisfied with that?" Cerastes asked.