Touch of Flame

Ares left his room in confusion. The woman in his bed was making him lose focus of his goal. He was only marrying her out of duty to keep his promise to her father while getting himself a life partner who shared the same interest and was intellectual. She was beautiful as well and a mystery, challenging, so he thought he might enjoy her too but nothing more.

There could be nothing more. Why now?

He sighed feeling a heaviness in his chest. It was the way she looked so damaged. So broken. He was probably just feeling bad and guilty knowing what he knew and knowing that one day she might find out. What would happen then? Someone like her, she would probably end her life. Aware or unaware.

His frown deepened as he reached the courtroom. He half-listened to the meeting and the courtiers complaining of how the dragons destroyed a whole village. Of how they needed to fight back and do something differently.

Well, that was exactly what they were doing, but in secret. When the meeting ended, he met with the king in the hidden laboratory.

“How is your burn?” He asked as wrote down some notes.

“Hasn’t healed yet,” Ares replied watching him carefully.

How could he do all of this and be alright? He must be so tortured inside.

“She is asking questions,” Ares told him.

The man remained calm. “And she will keep doing so.”

“I don’t know how you expect me to keep hiding it all. We will get married. She will see what is happening to me.”

“I am sure you will find a way to explain without revealing anything.”

Ares turned to the window and looked outside feeling troubled. The king looked up from his note and narrowed his eyes from behind his glasses. “Are you beginning to like her?”

Ares stiffened.

“I told you not to do that.” He said so calmly.

“I know,” Ares said stiffly.

With this experiment, he didn’t know how long he would live. Different people reacted differently and he was amongst the first to go through with it and all the first test subjects were already dead. The king had wondered what kept him alive and figured it could be genetic reasons so he selected his next subjects based on genetics.

Some of them survived, and others died. The third group were all alive, but no one knew for how long. The results were better each time but there were always side effects. The goal was to optimize the effects and minimize the side effects but also make it possible for everyone to be part of the experiment with success.

“I gave her the key. She will find out everything one day.”

Ares remembered how broken she looked. Knowing would destroy her.

He watched the king continuing with his notes as if he didn’t care but Ares knew he did. What he didn’t understand was how he could live like this?

“She also seems to know about this laboratory.” He said.

Ares smiled. Of course, she found out.

A knock on the door interrupted them and professor Ward stepped inside. The king had involved him in the mission the last few days since he was a great source of information.

He bowed, “Your Majesty.”

“Come inside professor.” The king said.

The old man scuttered in, holding a few notebooks in his arms. “I have found what you need.” He said and placed the books on the table.

“Thank you.” The king told him.

“Did you get any use of the other books?”

“What other books?”

“The princess came by to get books about breedmates some time ago.”

Breedmates?

“Ah, it must be about Corinna.” The king said but seemed to have other ideas in his head that he didn’t reveal. “Have you heard anything about Corinna?”

The professor shook his head. “Your Majesty. Whoever is keeping her is hiding her well or perhaps, she doesn’t want to be found.”

The king nodded. “Alright. Let me know if you find out anything.”

Professor ward bowed and then left.

“What is it with the breedmates?” Ares asked.

“Ravina is up to something. She visits the prisoner.”

“Why?”

“I will know once she is done.”

So he will let her do the experiment and then find out the answers.

Ares wanted to see this prisoner, so with the king’s permission, he made his way to the cave. The eldest son of the terrorizer, who was also a terrorizer himself. Ares was curious to see what he looked like. He stepped into the cave dragon in shackles sitting near the graviton.

He lifted his head, his dark gaze quickly falling on him and his eyes narrowing. Then he rose from his seat, swiftly despite his size. He looked him up and down as if something was strange about him, and then fury blazed in his eyes.

“Who are you?” He asked accusingly.

Ares was sure he never met him before, so he wasn’t sure what this was about.

“I am Ares. Have we met before?”

The dragon’s jaw tensed, and his nostrils flared. “No.” He said tilting his head and then he looked at his hands. He was looking for something specific. Ares was confused.

***

No ring? Who was this man? Why did he smell like her? Not just a little but he was covered in her scent as if…

Malachi’s blood boiled. Damn this breedmate thing. Why was he feeling this way? She was not his! She could be with any damned man she wanted, yet the instinctive part of him was on high alert. It was strong. He hadn’t taught himself to resist it yet.

He looked at the man in front of him. He didn’t look scared like most humans he met nor did he look at him with hatred or vengeance. He seemed very calm. Malachi could sense his confidence. So this was the man who caught her attention?

He wanted to laugh. At least she had a taste but… did that mean she was only cold to him? How was she with this man if he was willing to be with her?

Malachi cursed himself. Why was he even wondering about this?

“Are you married?”

“Why? Do you want to find a way to threaten me?” The man asked.

“Perhaps if you answer my question, I will answer yours,” Malachi replied.

“No.”

No wife. Then what was the princess doing with him?