I had no words. I sat there with my mouth open, dumbfounded, embarrassed, slightly terrified, and confused by the traitorous pull of my own body. Too many emotions collided at once. I could not understand how the conversation had spiraled so far, or whether I should fear being forced into something I did not want.
Again he continued, “Of course you would, I could make you with my magic, but I wouldn’t need to, you’d do it anyway because you are a disgustingly weak, pathetic, scared mortal and a scrawny one at that.”
Then his gaze sharpened. "You bend because you have already been broken.”
And that was what wrecked me. “I will leave,” I said quietly, pushing my chair back, looking down in shame, my vision blurring as I fought tears. It was not the cruelty of his words that undid me. It was the truth buried inside them. I was weak. Cancer had stripped me of dignity, pride, the instinct to fight for myself and even my will to live.
With a casual flick of his wrist, my chair slid me back into place.
“No, you will not,” he said. “Because despite your fragility, I require something from you.”
My heart slammed against my ribs. The room felt thick with fear. He leaned back, amber eyes steady, watching me unravel.
“I want to make a deal with you.”
Deal? The word deal grounded me. My pulse slowed slightly as I exhaled a shaky breath.
“What kind of deal?” I asked cautiously.
“There is a dagger,” he said. “Sinceritas Purus-Litas. The Dagger of Destiny. I require it to awaken the God Dragon. It lies within Mount Orid. I have attempted to retrieve it for months, but the enchantments guarding it are ancient. Even I have failed.”
I scoffed weakly. “Then why ask for the help of a fragile human? If you cannot reach it, how could I?”
He glared at me and continued, “A prophecy has been found. Last year, an ancient scroll was uncovered during an archaeological dig here in Embris. I had my scholars study it, and they are certain it states that the prophecy says only a mortal can retrieve the Dagger of Destiny and awaken the God Dragon. But only an immortal can wield the power of both. The two must be made one.”
I blinked a couple times. “Meaning?” I asked quietly.
“I will try to simplify this for your small human brain,” he said coldly. “There are no mortals in the Faerie Realm and there never have been. And then, one day, a human is brought to my castle. That makes you very necessary. You will retrieve the dagger and awaken the God Dragon so that I may bond with it and use its power to destroy my enemies.”
I shook my head, unable to believe what I was hearing. “A God Dragon,” I said, interrupting. “Is that what the white statue in the main hall is?”
He shot me an irritated glare, clearly displeased by the interruption, then forced himself to answer with measured restraint.
“Yes. God Dragons possess such immense power they can end wars in seconds. Ancient texts and folklore claim there are four, hidden across the realms. One lies dormant here in Nevaehun. Eloria. Without her power, my kingdom faces a grave threat.”
It took me a couple of moments to process what he said, then I asked, “what kind of threat?”
“The Kingdom of Seas has formed an alliance with the Kingdom of Night,” he said. “We share a border with the Kingdom of Seas, and their attacks have grown increasingly aggressive. Two kingdoms against one is not a fair war. The Kingdom of Terrain refuses to intervene and remains neutral. My kingdom commands the largest dragons in number and size, but if war erupts, most will die. It could drive the species to extinction and cost the lives of thousands of innocent Fae.”
I nodded listening intently, trying to follow every word.
Then I could only blink at him as my mind caught up. “Ok, what is the deal then?” I asked sincerely, trying my best to convey my sympathy for his situation.
A devilish smile crept across his face. “It’s that last part,the two must be made one,my scholars believe it means… we need to be tethered by the mate bond.”
I nearly choked on a carrot. “I’m sorry…a what?” I asked making sure I heard him correctly.
He suddenly looked irritated, as if this were all a gigantic waste of time, as if I were so far beneath him that I did not deserve another ounce of his breath. Darkness flickered in his eyes as he answered, “It is a union of soul and flesh between two Fae. You would be my mate in every sense of the word, through a chosen mate bond.”
“You’re... joking, right?” I asked hesitantly.
He gave me a profoundly unamused look that made it clear just how serious he was.
“Would that even be physically possible? Have you seen yourself? Compared to me, you are like a giant.” I said, still in disbelief at the conversation I was having.
He smirked with masculine pride. “It will undoubtedly be uncomfortable for you, but it is possible. There was a time long ago when the realms were one. Humans and Fae mated frequently.”
I took a long drink, trying to buy myself some time before I freaked out and got myself cremated by this psycho. Then I set the glass down. Keeping my anger on a very short leash, I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. “Let me get this straight. You need me to go on some suicide mission to retrieve a dagger, then you need to fuck me so you can have a God Dragon and take care of your enemies?”
