The Skin Thief

Chapter 95

Kiora

"She has Vadayrir's egg?" Amantha gasps, her eyes wide. Athan, his sisters, and all the wives are gathered in the throne room. Athan had called them upon his and Kiora's return so she could show them all her egg.

"How could you let this happen, Athan?" Alethia asks, her voice an angry growl. "How could you give another wife a dragon?"

Illyria's face is pale as she stands with the other wives. All of them look between Kiora and Illyria with nervous expressions. Kiora and Illyria's eyes meet and Kiora doesn't miss the spark of hatred flash through her turquoise glare.

"Do I need to remind you all that Kiora saved my life?" he asks, his voice terrifyingly cold. Alethia takes in a sharp, nervous breath, but her glare does not back down. "I do not need to give my reasonings to any of you. I owe none of you any sort of explanation as to why I gave my wife a dragon. You just need to accept it."

"It would be easier to accept if it wasn't Vadayrir's egg," Alethia hisses. "The offspring of a dragon like that deserves better than to be a prize pet of a vain woman."

Kiora raises an eyebrow and looks at Illyria's dragon. It's curled at her feet, the golden collar around its neck gleaming. Illyria pulls at the chain, which is attached to a cuff around her wrist.

"Are you so lost to the ways of dragons that you have forgotten how it works?" Amantha asks. "Athan did not give Kiora Vadayrir's egg. Vadayrir and her offspring chose her. That is the way of dragons. For all the power Athan holds over them, it still isn't enough to force an unwanted bond. They choose us. Not the other way around."

Alethia splutters, shaking her head. Kiora looks at Athan, confused. Why such a fuss over this particular dragon egg? She looks down at it, still in awe of the metallic, silver-lilac stony scales. They gleam and shimmer in the low light, the colours changing at different angles. It's heavy too. Kiora's arms began aching long ago, but she embraces the pain. It is worth it. She never wants to let go of the egg again.

"Vadayrir has been guarding that egg for two hundred and fifty years!" Alethia shouts, her voice echoing around the hall. The other wives flinch and look at the ground in discomfort. Amantha rolls her eyes whilst Athan remains emotionless, staring at his sister. Alethia continues. "She's been saving it for someone magnificent. Someone who will be able to properly embrace and look after the power that her offspring will hold!" Alethia's voice trembles and Kiora frowns seeing tears glisten in the woman's eyes.

"Admit it, sister. You're just jealous Vadayrir didn't choose you," Amantha says, laughing dryly.

"I don't understand what's going on," Kiora whispers to Athan.

"What's going on," Alethia growls, her face reddening with anger, "is that except for Athan's dragon, Vadayrir is the biggest and most vicious dragon in Athan's arsenal. She has lived for nearly one thousand years! She has fought in the bloodiest of battles and come out victorious." She pauses and looks at Athan, her eyes burning with rage. Tears spill down her cheeks. "You know what dragon has fathered that egg," she hisses. One sharp glare from Athan has Alethia silencing.

"What does the father have to do with it?" Kiora asks.

"Nothing," Alethia, Amantha and Athan all say at the same time. The three of them share a look that Kiora can't decipher. Then, Alethia takes in a slow, deep breath. Her eyes fall on Kiora.

"The dragon in that egg is more powerful than you could ever imagine. The idea of you chaining it up and parading it around like a pet makes me feel sick to my stomach."

"I won't be doing that," Kiora says.

Alethia scoffs. "You say that now, but when you see the way everyone looks at you with that dragon flying above your head, you'll change your mind. And even if you don't, you'll never be able to let that dragon live its life to the fullest extent. It will be a warrior, a vicious, bloodthirsty beast like its parents. That dragon belongs to a fighter and someone who can properly mount it. You are just a wife."