The King's Gamma (#Wattys2024)

Twenty Two

Gaelik (Black Beard)

"A dragon and werewolf half-breed? What made you bring her here? Did you not forego your life as a dragon yourself, Gaelik?" Eli asked as we sat down in our meeting room.

"You are not one to meddle, Black Beard." Jonah laughed as he used her nickname for me.

"She is not just any dragon. She's also a descendant of Prometheus. And her parents were fated. Out of thirteen pregnancies, she was the only child to survive through birth, infancy and up to adulthood. At nineteen she is the heir to Prometheus' Empire as her mother was disowned when she decided to stay with the werewolf she was fated to be with. In other words, the gods favor her. Why should we lose out on the fun of helping her get where the Gods want her?"

"Besides that, the girl had no perception of time in my globe." Gem added. "We had her in there for over a hundred years without the use of her powers."

"How is she still nineteen then?"

"Time stood still outside the globe. Technically she is still nineteen. But with the years inside the globe she is over a hundred now."

"Why use the globe?" Dieter asked as he poured himself a cup of wine. "The globe can be dangerous, even for immortals. You've had pupils die in there before."

"She has died. Multiple times. She somehow revives again without any negative effects."

The silence that followed was deafening as they stared at Gem.

"Are you sure she died?" Gale asked. "If she has died and come back to life before, then she is no longer immortal. She is then considered undead."

"If the gods favor her as you say... Then you may have trouble on your hands. She may have been created for a greater purpose where she needs her immortality." Eli commented offhandedly, gazing through the smoked glass of the large room as he took a glass of whiskey held out towards him by Jonah.

"Well, it's not as if she is mortal now. Even the undead is hard to kill." Jonah smiled over his own goblet of drink.

"Yes but being undead and being immortal are two entirely different ideals that the Gods try to keep apart as much as they can. An undead immortal... They will have your heads for this!" Gale exasperated in outrage.

Gaelik and Gem both glanced at one another for a moment.

"Since we already brought her and I am unable to take her back, let us just train her." I filled a cup with strongly brewed coffee for myself. "She has talent. We may as well nurture it for the sake of our godly brethren. Besides, they rarely ever look our way, it will be some time before they realize what has already been done."

"Your confidence in our power is outstanding, Gaelik." Dieter sipped on his wine. "However, this pet of yours seems to be prone to a temper tantrum and she is marked. You have taken her from a mate."

My smile appeared as though summoned. "The one who marked her is not a mate, but someone who wishes to have her for himself even though she has a fated mate like her mother. He is only one of many suitors who would love to possess her. Above all..." I paused dramatically, almost bursting out in laughter at the delightful thought. "The one who marked her is close to Prometheus' side today. He is many years older than she herself. And the longer they are separated while she carries the mark, the weaker her fated bond will get and the stronger her desire for this male will get. I would like to see exactly how long it takes him to realise something is pulling him towards our domain."

Present day

It had been hell. The moment Macey King disappeared from the world they appeared. Monsters from the depths of the oceans rose and beasts from amidst the greatest mountain ranges came. The fragile treaties that she had instilled fell apart soon and it was every race for itself as it had been many years before.