Valentine (The Dragon Kings Book 3) (8 page)

Paul.

“W
HEN DID YOUR gorgeous self arrive?” Paul asked.

“Last night.” Hazel wasn’t sure she could handle any more drama. Though with the exception of the time he proposed out of nowhere, he was usually pretty drama free. That was what she liked best about him.

He looked good and had filled out since she left. A five o’clock shadow made him look sexy along with the army fatigues he wore. They had a complicated history, but they started out as best friends in middle school. Then when she came back from Yosemite with her heart broken, he had been her shoulder to cry on. Eventually they moved into the murky area where they made out but put no labels on it. She dated other people, and he seemed okay with it, but he’d thrown her for a loop when he proposed.

She ran. They still kept up a little via Facebook, but she kept him at arm’s length.

“I don’t remember you mentioning you were military,” Hazel said.

“National Guard. We got called up to deal with the Yellowstone issue. But it’s spread now.” He ran a hand through his shaggy blonde hair, and it fell into his eyes. Hazel put her hands in her lap so she wasn’t tempted to brush it out. She had enough boy drama with Teddy and Val. She didn’t need to add Paul to mix.

“What do you mean?” she asked, genuinely curious. She hoped he wouldn’t mistake it for interest in him.

“You haven’t heard? There was a death in Hawaii at Volcanoes National Park.”

“What?”

Rowan needed to remain the center of their search. Not some other poor soul in a different park. She knew that was selfish of her to think that, but if deaths were happening in other parts of the country, the government might shift resources, and right now, she wanted everyone looking for Rowan.

“No witnesses, but it left behind a hand, just like the early deaths here.”

“Damned dragons. What do you think will happen?”

Paul shrugged. “Dunno, but the fact it’s happening that far away isn’t a good thing. It means there’s more than one.”

“Either that or this one has moved. Maybe it couldn’t take the heat here in Yellowstone. Too many people looking for it.” Hazel took a drink of her latte that had now gone cold.

“Maybe, but it will have a harder time hiding in Hawaii. Think about it. The dragons here are all silver and gold. Down there they’re all bright red.”

Hazel bit her lip. She couldn’t keep all that was happening straight. She took a deep breath and remembered the only thing that mattered.

“Have you heard anything about my brother?”

Paul’s face softened. “I’ve been helping with the search. Your parents are holding up really well. I was surprised. They’ve been super focused on the search and patient with those in charge.”

Hazel nodded. “My parents have always been like that.”

“Do you remember that time we brought Rowan with us to the movies?” Paul gave her a grin she always loved and scooted closer to her.

Hazel laughed. “Yeah, and he accidentally spilled his Coke all over the man sitting in front of him when the dinosaur ate the crazy girl.”

“Then we had to run out of there so the guy didn’t beat the shit out of him.”

Hazel felt the tears starting before she could stop them. “What if we don’t find him?” she asked with a cracking voice.

Paul slid over to her and pulled her into his arms. “Hey, don’t think like that. He’s alive. We’ll find him. Come on, I’ll help you. Where do you want to start looking?”

Hazel pulled out of his embrace. “How are you going to do that? You’ve got to work.”

“What do you think my work is these days?”

Being with Paul was nice and comfortable. Plus he understood how important it was to her to find her brother. He’d help her.

She sniffed. “Thanks, that means a lot to me.”

He lifted her chin so she was looking right at him. “Haz, I’d do anything for you. You know that.”

She nodded with a sinking stomach. She’d hoped he’d go back to just being her friend, but the look in his eyes was one of desire, not friendship. She’d use him though, if she had to. Her brother was the most important thing, and if Paul’s feelings were a casualty, she wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice them.

V
AL RAN A razor along his chin. Getting ready as a human was a hell of a lot harder than as a dragon. He’d seen humans grooming when he watched them camping, but he never realized how much work it was. His hand shook a little, and he took a deep breath. He was trying not to think about what today would bring.

He would see his dad, learn more about what his duties would be as king, and if he was lucky, see Hazel again. The last one made him the most nervous. Aspen acted like Hazel wouldn’t give him the time of day.

He washed off his face and made his way down the stairs to the kitchen. He looked at the pictures on the wall as he walked. He supposed the artwork was pretty, but it didn’t capture the true beauty of things. He preferred seeing the actual landscapes and people to just an image of them.

“Good morning,” Sid said, grabbing a carton of milk out of the fridge. “Grab three bowls, will you?” He pointed to the cupboard behind Val’s head. Val turned around and opened the door. “Also, get a couple of spoons from the drawer next to you.”

Val took his wares to the table. Sid brought the milk and cereal.

“Who’s the third bowl for?” Val asked.

“Me.” Runa appeared at his shoulder. “Captain Crunch is my favorite. Lucky Charms is good too, but Raisin Bran is gross.”

“Don’t listen to her. Raisin Bran is the best,” Sid replied.

Runa landed on the table. “Well, we can’t all be perfect, Your Highness.” Runa nudged at a red box on the table. “Try the Captain Crunch.”

Val sat down. “Okay. I’ll try it.”

“Get me a bowl too,” Runa chirped.

“Of course.” He poured out the cereal and milk into the two bowls. He picked up his spoon, but Runa dunked her head and slurped noisily.

Sid shook his head. “No manners, that one.”

Runa’s head popped up. “You try eating this with no hands. I dare you.”

“No, thanks. There are few advantages to being human. This is one of them.” He held up his spoon.

“What’s on the agenda for today?” Val asked.

“When we’re done eating, I’m going to take you to see your father. I promised him he could see you right away.”

“Do you know him well?”

“I do. But I didn’t know about you until last year. Your father is a complex dragon and pretty secretive. I was surprised as hell when he finally told me why he was banished.”

“Do you think he’ll tell me?”

“Of course. Believe it or not, you’d be here right now even if you weren’t king. This actually makes it more complicated because I can’t just let you stay with him for longer than a few hours. After I take you to him, I need to go help Aspen search for Rowan. Then tonight, we need to start preparing for the war.”

Val ran his hand through his hair. “I still don’t quite get the war thing. I mean Theo told me turning black was a fulfillment of the three kings prophecy, but to be honest, I don’t even know what the prophecy says. Sure I’ve heard the story, but it’s been told in several different ways by different people.”

Sid sighed. “Yeah, that’s part of the problem. We are trying to locate the original source of the prophecy, but so far we haven’t had much luck. The original is written down in Everett’s cave. Before he died he gave me what he remembered.”

“Did he tell you where to find his cave?” Val had heard of the old dragon that had been around since the dragon wars. He didn’t know Everett had passed on.

“No. He died before he got the chance. I have dragons searching for his cave though. It’s got to be here in Yellowstone somewhere.”

“So exactly what does the prophecy say?” This was important. It held his fate.

“Three kings will rise from the land, the sea, and fire. Together they will battle the snow witch. The war will be one the world never forgets. Species against species. Brother against brother. Who will win, no one knows. If it be the witch, she will enslave all of humanity. If it be the kings, only one survives.”

Val rubbed his hand across his face and sighed. “I’ve never heard that version.”

“Yeah, I know. It wasn’t quite how I remembered it either.”

“Does it mean that all species will fight in the war, including humans?”

“Maybe. It’s hard to say. I really need to read it for myself. I’m most concerned that only one of us will survive. Also, there’s no telling how long this war will last. It could be centuries. We need to prepare for that possibility. We don’t know when the war will actually start.”

“Do we know who the snow witch is?”

“No. The only one who made sense died.”

“Do you have any training, any ideas on how to handle this? I know you are new to the throne.”

“Ha! I wish. No. I’m going to consult with a few of the older dragons. Your father, for one. We have warriors trained in the royal dragons, but none of them have seen war. Until we know what we are up against, I can’t make a plan of attack. But even as we speak, I’ve got ambassadors making nice with all the dragon races. Your presence still isn’t known, so most don’t know that the prophecy is being fulfilled. Once it becomes public, dragons will start taking sides.”

Val would have to process all of this eventually, but right now his mind was stuck on one thought. “Why would you consult with my father?”

Sid gave him a small smile. “Because your father knows how to fight.”

Runa poked her head up. “Aspen is back.” She took off from the table, and Val heard a crash. Aspen yelled out.

“Watch where you’re going.” She walked into the kitchen rubbing her chest. “She flew right into me.”

Theo followed, carrying a dazed looking Runa. Aspen gave Val a cheeky grin.

“You got under her skin.”

“What do you mean?”

“She said she doesn’t want to see you again.”

Val’s chest tightened. That wasn’t the reaction he was looking for. “Why?”

“Because it was ‘too real.’ Her words, not mine. But I think I dangled enough mystery under her nose that she’ll come to dinner. Theo really shouldn’t be here. Or should I call you Teddy?” She looked at Theo with her eyes dancing.

Theo rubbed at his red nose. “She was the only one who every called me that.”

“Wait, you’re Teddy?” Val asked. His thoughts raced, trying to put Theo together with Teddy.

Theo nodded.

“You crushed her.” Val stood, his chair crashing to floor behind him, rage building in his chest. This was the man who broke her heart. Theo held up his hands.

“Please don’t hit me. I’m a little over that by now.”

Val looked down, both confused by his anger and his desire to hit Theo. Because in spite of Theo asking him not to hit him, Val was seriously considering it.

Aspen giggled. “Hazel slapped him, and then Ella punched him in the nose. Go ahead Val punch him in the gut.”

Theo moved around the table and sat down. “You know why I had to leave her, right?”

Aspen shook her head. Val sank into his chair again, his rage simmering just underneath his skin, but he wanted to hear this story probably as much Aspen did.

“Because I almost sealed myself to her. She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I left before I did anything stupid. I’m sure she was hurt, but I had no other choice.”

Aspen crossed her arms and glared at him. “Well, because of you, she won’t commit to anyone. She usually dates two or three people at once to avoid getting too attached. You should probably leave town. We want to make it easy for Val to win her over.”

Val listened intently. He wanted Theo to leave, but he also wanted to know how to win over Hazel. Theo did it once, so maybe he could tell him what he knew.

Sid leaned forward. “We need someone to go spy on the arctic dragons. You’re good friends with Candide. Maybe you could spend a few weeks up there and see what’s going on.”

Theo shrugged and fingered his dreads. “Whatever will help us. Sure. My human skin is getting old anyway. It will be nice to just be a dragon for a while.”

“Send regular reports via the eagles. Even if the intel seems insignificant, it could be important.”

Theo stood and gave a little bow. “Of course, I still need to finish a job around here, but I’ll leave in a couple of days. Good luck, Val.”