Page 2 of Cursed with the Dragon Prince
Fright
Reina
Each twitch of my body lights my nerves with agony. At least I can grit my teeth and grunt through the pain. Hands and feet first. Then my arms. Inch by painful inch, I force my body to stir.
Lapping waves sound with a steady lull that threatens to pull me back to sleep. Surrendering to nonexistence sounds comfortable, but there’s no safety in it. It takes effort, but I squeeze my aching muscles, forcing myself to stay conscious and focus on my surroundings.
My feet are dry, so the tide must have ebbed since leaving me here. I don’t feel rain, so the storm must have stopped. Listening, I hear the chirps of sea birds.
This beach smells of sea and sulfur, and it’s this scent that tells me I’m stranded somewhere strange. It doesn’t smell like seaweed and fish; it doesn’t smell like home.
The scent should force my human nose to wrinkle with disgust, but sulfur has never bothered me. Instead, it smells of misplaced memories, inflaming my scaled birthmark to itch and warming my heart with a fondness I can’t recollect.
Finally, I can rub my face, clearing the crust from my eyes. But once they’re open, I wince, squeezing my eyelids shut. When did the sun become so bright? I need to face the world, but I can’t keep my eyes open…
“Raaarh!”The cry of a beast vibrates the air. Terrifying and frenzied, it makes my body shake.
Fear replaces pain as adrenaline surges through me, granting me the strength to rise. My eyes strain to open, tears falling as I’m overstimulated by bright sky and dark sand.
Rising to my knees, I swallow down the bile threatening to rise, and after a few stumbles, I manage to stand. Taking my first few steps, I wobble and stumble back to the black sand.
“Raaarh!”
The monstrous sound seems to surround me—I’ve never heard an animal so impossiblyloud.Renewed fright rushes into me, and somehow, I’m standing again.
I struggle to see the distinction between sea and land. The ocean is expansive and bright, but with it at my back, I see mountains—no, they’revolcanoes.
They rise, forming a jagged silhouette against the inland horizon and dark cliffs that line most of the beach. Where the land is flat, it’s covered with a thin moss, a vibrant green.
My heart sinks as my vision improves. There are no trees nor bushes—there is no cover. And even if I had a place to hide, I’m not fast. It’s difficult to stay upright for more than a few steps.
A shadow passes over me, quickly running along the beach, when I hear the beast cry for a third time.“Raaarh!”
This time, the clamor is even louder, and my whole body shakes, pressured by the beast’s hunting cry. They’re so very, very close to me.
If I can’t run… can’t hide… I turn to face the sky.
By Teyr.I’m hunted by a dragon.
I’ve been marooned in the Isles of Fae.
The dragon is bigger than my family’s fishing boat. Most of his scales are ruddy red, rich as the earth, while streaks of gold form lines along the length of his body.
I’m trapped under his shadow, stunned while he nears, his large form blocking the sun. His long graceful neck turns, like he’s curiously considering me. If the stories are true, there’s intelligence behind his eyes, driven by motives beyond my comprehension.
He obstructs the sun, coming closer, and I face him as he approaches. I’m not brave because I’m courageous; I’m fearless because I feel stunned.
The red dragon is so massive that he has to tuck his wings to fit along the beach’s breadth. The sand spreads, giving way under the weight of his taloned feet.
He whips his neck around and faces me. His nostrils are as large as my thumb, and as he inhales, sniffing me, they expand even further.
Mouth widening, he seems to grin, revealing teeth as big as my hand. He lazily blinks a hazel eye rimmed with gold.
As I take him in, my heart skips a beat. Once, a whale washed upon the shore of the fishing village. It was the biggest creature I had ever seen, but now, this dragon claims a tier of majesty that is his own.
He’s so terrifying that he’s beautiful.
His great eye blinks again, and his jaw tightens like he’s made a decision. His wings arch and rise into the air, tightening and growing smaller as he leans back, standing on his rear feet.
