The Dragon's Distrust by Eva Weston Page B

was overjoyed hearing the
news. A warmth bubbled in her belly as excitement raced through her
veins. She was pregnant!
    She laughed out loud and threw her arms
around Patryck’s neck. She peppered his face with kisses. He
squeezed her and lifted her into the air.
    “I’m with child!”
    “You’re with my child!” he
laughed.
    Aristo spoke softly, “You will have a
family…a large, loving family…” He pulled both Patryck and Tania
into his burly arms, “Seeing you happy—finally happy—makes my
selfishness seem petty. You deserve good things.”
    She truly smiled and cried her first
ever tears of joy. What she had now was pure love—more than just
sexual—she had partners, soul mates, real family. She felt blessed,
as if she was being rewarded for her lifetime of
suffering.
    The good news put them all into a
better mood and the enmity between the dragons instantly died. New
life was beginning and it was welcome. There was no room for
animosity.
    “I feel better now,” Tania said, “I
feel as if there is nothing more to worry about.”
    “I think from here on out, life will be
good,” replied Patryck. The three continued to embrace long into
the afternoon.

Chapter 8

    A large, glowing crystal burned
brightly in the dark cave. It lit up the surrounding shadows but
cast a sickly, ethereal light into the dim corners. The crystal
pulsed as if it was a beating heart. For centuries, the crystal had
not shone, had not beamed, it had been silent and still as the
dead. But life was coming back into the realm, magic was being
reborn and where magic and life thrived, so must all things dark.
It was the balance of the universe—it was not fair, nor gentle, it
was life.
    Isbet unclasped each black button on
her red dress. Seducing Brynt had proved far easier than she could
ever imagine. He was ripe for the picking. Her plan was in motion
and at this point, it would not fail.
    She had sacrificed much getting to this
point but as she gazed upon the glowing crystal, she knew her
actions had been worth it. She had given up her child, her
daughter, in order to revive the crystal. Once she had Tania’s
blood, the crystal would shatter and come to life. It was the heart
of the dragon, it was the heart of the very first dragon named
Camin. Isbet desperately wished to resurrect the ultimate dragon so
he could destroy this world and everything in it.
    The dragons she had left
behind—Stephan, Morgan…so many others were weak. They could not
stand against even the puniest of humans, King Polas. Her kind was
hunted to the brink of extinction and still the dragons had done
nothing. They did not wish war even though open war was upon
them.
    She did. She wished more than just war
on the realm. She wished for utter destruction.
    The legend of Camin had been just
that—a legend—until she had furthered her research nearly half a
century ago. It was said that the frozen heart of Camin had been
hidden away by the Avalar. The Avalar created all beings and they
were proud of their accomplishments. But when they created the
first dragon, they had imbued unto him such power that he could not
be contained.
    Camin had nearly decimated the realm of
the First Age. He laid the land in ruin and the Avalar were
appalled by his actions. They set a trap for him and then ripped
his heart from his chest. But Camin did not perish. His heart
continued to thump. The Avalar, confused as to what they should do,
hid his heart away, far from prying eyes and made sure the legend
of Camin was hidden away as well.
    Legends and myth tend to never die.
They live on through the spoken and written word. Always there are
scribes and always there are rumors.
    Isbet smiled while she caressed the
glowing blue aura. She would see this legend reborn. She would see
her plans come to fruition. Her cold heart would bitterly betray
her daughter. She would slay her daughter.
    Isbet pulled a long, slender knife from
its sheath. The handle was ornately decorated in