The Dragon's Consort

Chapter 15

ZARA

The horrendous tornado screamed in the distance. It tore ancient trees from the ground, roots and all. She knew she could end it, but wasn't sure she wanted to. An even greater display of her power might give that idiot woman an idea of who she had just threatened.

Upon seeing the cyclone the males had all run back to camp and quickly gathered their supplies, blissfully unaware this was her doing. Zurden had run over to her and Kev, as the others retrieved their resources, and Cadmus wrangled a crying Sephira.

Armos grabbed Kev, throwing the boy over his shoulder for easier transport. Zurden did the same, even when she shrieked at him.

"Put me down Zuri," she grumbled, "I have legs, I can walk on my own."

"Not now, Sarros," he snarled, fear had clearly taken hold in his voice. She could tell he was scared, they all must've been. Tornados were scared to the royals, and hadn't come in many years; had disappeared before the Demise. As if they knew their queen would soon die.

She just huffed, relaxing into his rigid form. His presence was comforting and warm, perhaps this wasn't so bad. She was already spent from that argument. This level of magic was new and strange, very energy consuming. She knew queens had power over nature, but to this extent? What else was she capable of?

She stayed silent as the two ran them to the mouth of a hidden cave. They stood near the entrance, as if blocking it would prevent the windstorm from growing too near. Kev had curled up against the wall, face painted with a petrified expression, and his body frozen in fear.

Zara had just set herself down in a corner and went to sharpening her knife. The encounter made her want it sharp enough to cleave even blood in half. The scraping and slice of the blade almost drowned out the torrent of human sobs. Almost. The shrill wail still pierced her sensitive ears.

Cadmus was the last to enter the cave, finished checking the surroundings to ensure no one was left behind. He ran over to Sephira, whispering something indistinctly. Upon hearing her response, his brows furrowed, and scales scraped against each other in displeasure.

His body language became defensive yet predatory. He stalked over to Zara, face contorted into a wicked scowl. She didn't care. He may be in charge of the brotherhood, but he was not in charge of her. He didn't scare her.

"Ashnekoad! What did you say to Sephira!" he roared.

"I put her in her place, consider it a kindness." She didn't even bother dragging her eyes away from her task, not when he had just insulted her with that phrase. Why would she respect him in turn?

"What place? She is far more important than any scrawny princeling!" he growled, body shivering with fury.

"She is not worth even a drop of my royal blood," Zara paused, "she threatened me and she received a warning."

"So you consider a warning as threatening her back?" he seethed.

"I responded accordingly. She came at me out of nowhere and instigated a fight. There are consequences for threatening me of all people," Zara snarled back, finally choosing to stand.

Cadmus stepped closer to her, and she did so in turn. Their faces only inches apart. His hot breath might've burned her had she been human. He didn't need fire to be menacing. Despite his powerful presence and his towering frame, she would not back down.

Surprisingly her dragon remained silent. Something about him didn't strike her as a threat, or threat enough to once again awaken. Her dragon wasn't usually petty, preferring outright violence, but this was it's own kind of violence. In her dragon's opinion, there was no greater insult than not deeming your prey worthy of facing.