The Cursed Queen (Dragon’s Curse #1)

Sera

"Lord Igneel, this can't be allowed to continue," Andriel expressed urgently.

My mates and I gathered in Lord Igneel's cavern to tell him what happened with Baxus, hoping something could be done. I wished it didn't have to lead to this, but my men felt there was no other way. Not while the urgency of the Zeffari Kingdom lingered over our heads.

"I understand your concerns, everyone, and I agree something must be done. I will see that Baxus is dealt with right away," Lord Igneel decreed.

"He won't stop that easily," Ryu pointed out. "He and his group have been terrorizing me for years, but also learned to be discreet about it, seeing as how I'm not a pushover."

"Then what do you think should be done? Kick him out of the den?" Andriel asked.

That line of thinking stumped me. "Can a shifter be kicked out of the den?"

Lord Igneel leaned back in his seat with a perplexed expression, as if deep in thought over the options available about what to do about Baxus. "It is possible, but only under the direst circumstances. Usually, I don't approve of banishment over disputes between den mates."

"But this isn't a simple dispute, my lord," Drayce countered. "Baxus has always caused trouble for the den and has worsened since and Virgil arrived."

"He'd have to know his behavior wouldn't be tolerated, especially since Lord Igneel made it law that and Virgil are not to be harmed while in our den. Baxus is a lot of things, but foolish is not one of them," Ryu said, his brow scrunched in confusion.

"He is planning something," a voice boomed from the other end of the door.

We all turned to see who the newest visitor was that approached us, and I gasped when I realized it was Ladon. Immediately after he was recognized, Andriel moved himself in front to shield me, while he and Drayce seemed ready for a fight. Ryu remained stoic and unbothered by Ladon's presence.

I had to admit I was disappointed to see him after noticing that he was among Baxus' peers. To know he distrusted me so much that he would align himself with someone who seemed determined to terrorize me caused a stabbing pain in my heart. I guess it truly wasn't meant to be with him. If only the fates realized that, then whatever thread tying Ladon to me could be severed. I wouldn't have this longing to know him. To be with him. He wasn't safe. He didn't want me, but he answered my call when I needed my mates' help.

Maybe he felt like he had to. Maybe fate forced him into coming to my and Ryu's aid.

"This is a private matter, Ladon. You don't belong here," Drayce snarled through gritted teeth.

Ladon didn't bother to acknowledge Drayce. His icy demeanor landed on me for several seconds before addressing Lord Igneel.

"He's planning on officially challenging you for leadership," he announced.

The tension grew as his words sank in. My mates were all stiff as statues. Lord Igneel didn't seem bothered, but I could see a faint glint of worry in his eyes. I reached down for Andriel's hand, needing his comfort. I didn't know much about Baxus, but I knew enough to know if he was made dragon lord of the den, our futures would be in jeopardy. Not just mine and Virgil, but potentially my men as well.

"You're certain of this?" Lord Igneel asked.

Ladon nodded. "He told me himself."

"Of course he would, considering you choose to follow behind him," Andriel scoffed. "Did you also tell him who is?"

"Of course not. That's not my secret to reveal. Despite what you may think of me, Andriel, I always put the den first before my personal vendettas."

"Then why tell us about Baxus' plan?" Ryu asked.

"Because while I may not agree with what you guys are doing, harboring enemies into our home, even I know Baxus isn't dragon lord material. At least now you guys can plan accordingly before he makes his motives known."

"When does he plan to make his challenge known?" Lord Igneel asked.

"At our next den meeting. The Summer Solstice."

"A week from now," Drayce grumbled. "That doesn't leave us much time to think of a plan."

"What can we do?" I asked, worried what this challenge would entail, and if Lord Igneel would be okay. If it was something like a fight to the death or something worse, he could get hurt. Or he could die. Lord Igneel had power and experience going for him, but it didn't change the fact that he was old.

"My lord, with all due respect, your retirement is long overdue. You should've appointed someone new as dragon lord years ago," Andriel said.

Lord Igneel frowned as he leaned his scepter over his lap. His free hand began rubbing the head of the wooden dragon carved into it. "You're right, Andriel. If I appoint someone new as dragon lord during the den meeting, then Baxus would have no choice but to challenge them rather than me."

That seemed simple enough to me. "But who will you appoint as dragon lord?"

My mates, including Ladon, all shifted their eyes to me. At first, I wasn't sure why, but the silent answer dawned on me, and suddenly I forgot to breathe. They couldn't possibly suggest what I thought they were, could they?

I yanked my hand out of Andriel's hold and held them both up in front of me, taking a few steps back until my back hit the bookshelf. "No way. Absolutely not!"

"It's the logical answer," Andriel said. "If Lord Igneel had no heir to pass the torch to, then he would, by law, have to appoint the title to another member of the den. But since you're his heir, you're automatically in line to assume the role of dragon lord. Or rather, dragon queen."

Dragon Queen. Me. The idea sounded preposterous to my ears. I couldn't possibly lead an entire den of dragon shifters. Not when most of the den weren't happy with my presence here, and not when I didn't even know dragon shifters existed until over a month ago. I wasn't even cut out to become queen of a region of druids, so how was I supposed to lead the Dragon's Peak Den?

"I-I can't," I protested, feeling petrified. My voice sounded breathy and weak.

"Princess." Andriel rushed to my side, cupping my face in his large, calloused hand, and lightly shushing me to calm my anguish. "I know this seems like a lot, but you can do this. I believe in you. We believe in you." He gestured to the rest of my mates.

Except for Ladon, the others dipped their heads in a show of encouragement.

My head wouldn't stop shaking. "No, I can't. I'm not Dragon Queen material. I barely know your customs. Father, why can't you crown one of these guys as dragon lord? I feel they more than deserve the title."

"Technically, they would already be dragon lords if I appoint you as dragon queen," Lord Igneel replied.

I frowned at that. "What do you mean?"

Ryu stepped forward to pipe in. "We're your mates, darling. If you take on the role as Dragon Queen and have officially sealed the mate bond with us, by our dragon laws, we'd automatically become Dragon Lords ourselves."

"You wouldn't have to go through this alone, my love," Andriel added. "We would be right there with you every step of the way."

"And with our combined strength, we'd make sure that Baxus pays for crossing our path," Drayce said, slamming his fist against his chest where his heart was located.

It helped to settle my anxiety, knowing that I would have my men at my side if I did this, but I never got to talk to Drayce and Ryu about their relationship. I also haven't told any of my men what I decided to do about our mate bonds. Not to mention that I wasn't physically prepared to accept any challenge. I was close to setting my dragon free, but close wouldn't be enough. I'd need to learn how to undo the partial shift and use my new abilities first. There was so much I needed to do. Would I be prepared enough for whatever the challenge may ensure?

"," Andriel whispered my name before leaning down to kiss my lips. Right away, the feel of his lips against mine, and the heat of his embrace had my body relaxing in his hold. The power he had over me was overwhelming, but I didn't fear it. If anything, I needed his protective presence more than ever. "I know where your mind is headed, and I'm telling you now that we will help you, okay? We'll work with you and assure you're prepared for anything."

"Listen to your mate, Daenerys." I looked at Lord Igneel as he spoke. "You are my daughter. You were born for this. I know you fear the unknown, but we know how much we shifters mean to you, and your will to fight on our behalf shows courage and heart. I think you'll make a fine queen."

"We all think so too," Ryu said. "You've proven yourself more than once already, and there are a few shifters here who owe you a debt of gratitude. As do we. Remember, we're here now because of the sacrifice you and Virgil made on our behalf. If you were willing to risk becoming a traitor amongst your own people for us, then being our queen should be easy."

"But won't it mean revealing who I am to the rest of the den?"

"It will, but it was something I already planned on doing during our den meeting. Only now, we're adding your honorary coronation." Lord Igneel seemed to think this was nothing, yet here I was on the verge of a panic attack.

It thrilled me knowing my mates would look out for me, but what if I still failed? What if I was unworthy? Actually, no, I knew I was unworthy, but everyone thought otherwise.

What would Vivienne say? Oh, how I missed her comfort and her words of wisdom. How I wished she was here now to tell me what I should do. Not that I didn't trust my mates, but Vivienne knew me better than anyone. She'd be able to tell me what I should do. Or maybe she had.

"Ruling a kingdom is not always about power," Vivienne said to me, what felt like a lifetime ago. "That right there is why you'll make an excellent queen. Because you care. You have compassion. You have a heart of gold, . Let no one take that away from you."

"Ruling a kingdom is not always about power," I repeated to myself. "It's about caring. It's about compassion. And the desire to protect those who look to you for guidance."

I reached up to clutch my pendant in my hand. Maybe this was what I was meant to do all along. To be queen, not to the druids, but to the dragons. I still wasn't sure if I had what it took to make it happen, but the least I could do was try. I had to trust that my father and mates wouldn't let me stumble alone.

"I'll do it," I announced.

The cavern erupted with exciting cheers. My mates huddled around me, congratulating me and planning their schedules with Lord Igneel to help prepare me for the announcement. While all of that was going on, I looked back to the doorway and noticed that Ladon snuck out during the chaotic cheers. I excused myself momentarily, rushing out the door, hoping to catch up to him before it was too late. Spotting him off to my right, I headed through the walkway a few feet away.

I called out to him, but he didn't respond, so I raised my wings and took flight. Thanks to Ryu's teachings, my dragon wings lifted me much easier than when I first learned to fly. I flew over to Ladon's direction, sailing past his head and landing right in front of him. I only mildly stumbled to stay on my feet, which told me I needed more practice with my landing.

"Ladon, wait!" I held my hands up to stop him from taking another step.

He scowled at my sudden presence. "What do you want, Princess?"

"I only wanted to come here to thank you for the information you've given us about Baxus. You didn't have to tell us, but you did."

"I didn't do it for you. I did it for Lord Igneel. So instead of wasting your breath thanking me, use your time wisely by preparing to be the new dragon queen."

Ladon started walking passed me, but added, "Good luck, Princess. You're going to need as much as you can get."

So much for thinking that Ladon changed his mind about me. He cared enough for his den to tell us about Baxus' plan, but he still considered me an enemy. I couldn't take it anymore. I hoped that over time he could see that I was trying to do right by the den, but it was apparent that no amount of trying would convince him I was different. I should've let it go. I should've returned to Lord Igneel's cavern and helped plan my training schedule.

The logical side of my brain was telling me to do all of that, but another side of my brain was done with Ladon's attitude. Hands balled into fists, I whirled around to talk to Ladon's back as he started growing smaller in the distance.

"Ladon!" He stopped, but didn't turn to face me. "I don't know what more I can do to convince you I'm not a monster. I've worked my ass off training to help take down my former kingdom and put an end to my mother's reign. Not for the glory of dethroning her, or to win back my kingdom, but to assure the safety of the den. Like it or not, Ladon, I'm a shifter too. Maybe I don't know how to shift properly yet, but I'm still one of you. I love this place and will do everything in my power to protect everyone here. I wish you could stop seeing me as the druid princess of the Zeffari Kingdom, and see me more as the one who helped rescue you from captivity."

Throughout my entire outburst, Ladon said nothing. He didn't even move. It was hard to tell if he was comprehending anything I said. When several seconds passed and he still hadn't spoken a word, I leaned my head back and sighed in frustration. That was it. I needed to move on. I needed to let him go. Fated mates or not, we weren't meant to be anything together. Not even friends. I had to accept that.

"We're fated mates, Ladon," I said in a quieter tone. "Whether you accept me or reject me, it matters not. I know what my kingdom has done to you is unforgivable, and I wish to every god in the cosmos that there was something I could do to erase the pain you had to endure. But I can't change the past any more than I could change my ignorance of it all. All I can say is how sorry I am. I'm truly, deeply sorry for everything. I really am trying my best here, Ladon, and I wish there was a way I could prove to you that my actions and words are genuine."

Turning, I took two steps back towards Lord Igneel's cavern when Ladon finally spoke up.

"You want to prove your sincerity to me? Show me, and the rest of the den, why you deserve to be called dragon queen."

With those parting words, Ladon and I went our separate ways.

I will, Ladon. I most certainly will. I promise not to let you down.