Sated: A Reverse Harem Dragon Shifter Fairytale Book (Goldilocks and The Three Dragons Trilogy 3) Read online

  Sated

  Goldilocks and the Three Dragons Book 3

  Delia Castel

  Copyright © 2018 by Delia Castel

  Copyright © 2018 by Delia Castel. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.

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  Contents

  Map of Igneous

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Writing as Cordelia Castel

  Map of Igneous

  Chapter 1

  Polaris gazed down at Marigold, who stared back with unmoving eyes, glazed with unshed tears. Her chest rose and fell, but the movements were so slight, he couldn’t be sure that she still occupied her body. Moonlight made her face appear as pale as milk, and the vibrant gold of her hair now appeared silver. A cedar-scented breeze from the forest next to the highway chilled his skin, bringing him out of his stupor.

  His gaze snapped back to Uncle Hertz, who followed the forensic wizards bundling Berrin into the holding section of their coach. The wretch cut a ridiculous figure in his powder-blue jacket and matching wig.

  Polaris shook his dark hair out of his eyes. “Not so fast, Uncle.”

  Hertz turned, his brows raised. A cloud covered the moon, casting them into gloom. The dim light exaggerated the harsh features of Uncle’s face, bringing out the gaunt features of a reprobate who had damaged himself with decades of mind-altering elixirs.

  “Yes, dear nephew?”

  “You are going to tell me what you did to her.” Polaris was loath to call her Marigold in front of the High Sheriff. Doing so might reignite suspicions of her being the human fugitive, Merry Gold. The officious, ash-haired dragon had proven time and time again that he would back Uncle Hertz no matter how low he sank.

  “Whatever do you mean?” Hertz spread his arms wide, affecting a posture of innocence.

  “She is catatonic,” said Polaris through gritted teeth.

  Uncle’s brows drew together. “This is what happens when young ladies overindulge in champagne. It goes straight to their heads.”

  “Governor.” The High Sheriff brushed lint off the shoulder of his gray cloak. “We must make haste.”

  Polaris bared his teeth. “You drugged her. Give me the antidote.”

  Uncle Hertz gave him a pitying look. “I recommend a good night’s sleep and a dash of Aqua Sobrius to remedy her inebriation. Tut, tut.” He waggled his finger. “I hope you don’t do anything untoward and take advantage of her vulnerable state. You are engaged to Princess Snowdrop, after all.”

  Polaris growled low in his throat. “Tomorrow, you and I will to duel.”

  Hertz turned to the High Sheriff, who had been watching their interaction with a gleam in his steel-gray eyes. “Can I have the boy arrested for threatening a government official?”

  The other dragon rubbed his temples, jostling his bowl haircut. “It is late, Sir.”

  Uncle Hertz’s shoulders sagged. “Very well. But I intend to petition for custody of the young lady in the morning. It’s clear that her mate is incapable of keeping her out of trouble.”

  The High Sheriff entered the coach, and Uncle Hertz followed Berrin into the back. Polaris noted that the forensic wizards were also in the jail compartment, so he tried to reassure himself that Berrin would be all right with Uncle Hertz. After a few moments, the coach sped down the road in the direction of Sigma Central.

  Adjusting Marigold’s limp body in his arms, Polaris clenched his teeth. How in the name of Vulcan had Matheson allowed Marigold out of his sight? He took another look into her face. The tears that had gathered in her eyes now spilled down her cheeks, wrenching his heart. He swallowed. It was hard to see her so distraught and helpless but reassuring to know she had returned to her body.

  “I will do everything I can to get Berrin back,” he murmured. “But first, we need to take you to the doctor.”

  Marigold didn’t even blink in reply. He sighed and walked toward the smoldering carriage at the roadside. Uncle Hertz’ accomplices had long disappeared, so he would take one of their horses. Balancing Marigold over his shoulder to free his hands, he unleashed the strongest looking horse and mounted. Then he placed Marigold in front of him and positioned her limbs to sit astride the horse.

  He held the reins with one hand and steadied Marigold with the other. “We will go straight to Dr. Squamatus. If anyone can work out what is wrong, it will be him.”

  Imagining Marigold nodding, he clicked his heels, guiding the horse along the cobbled road. A cool breeze blew in from the forest, over his bare skin and ruffled his hair. He wanted to give Marigold more words of reassurance, to tell her that he would duel Uncle Hertz and present her with his head, but his ability to form eloquent sentences dried up in his throat.

  “I’m… sorry. About this evening. Once again, I misevaluated events and failed to account for Matheson’s animosity for you.”

  A hot tear dropped on the hand holding her around the waist, and his spirits sank. Apologies were not enough. Uncle Hertz had taken his machinations too far, and Polaris would make sure that the dragon would no longer be an issue.

  “I meant what I said earlier. I will duel Uncle to the death.”

  They continued towards the center, following the flight path taken when Marigold had possessed Berrin’s body.

  “You were impressive earlier. We dragons receive lessons on how to manage our dragon forms at an early age. Our parents take us out for rides, so that we become accustomed to the workings of a dragon, but you mastered Berrin’s body after a brief lesson.”

  He paused, letting the message soak in. She was likely as panicked about Berrin’s plight as he, and in need of distraction. Even though his chattering would not bring Berrin back, it might serve as a diversion until they could take action.

  “Without your brave effort, we might never have found you.”

  Over the slow ride, the forest on both sides of the road thinned, turning into meadowland, and the lights of Sigma Central twinkled in the distance. A vehicle drawn by four horses approached from the opposite direction. Polaris tightened his hold on Marigold’s waist and stiffened. At this time of year, people tended not to travel long distances except to attend grand balls such as the one held at the palace. It was too early for festivities to have finished, and he hoped the vehicle did not contain any more agents of Uncle Hertz.

  Shifting his eyes, he sharpened his vision. The rider wore the uniform of an officer of the Sheriff Court. This was of no reassurance, considering the High Sheriff’s dubious affinity with Uncle Hertz. Clenching his teeth, he longed for the ability to breathe fire without having to
transform. It was something that an elder dragon could do with little effort and involved shifting his gullet into a dragon’s fire chamber. Such fine control of his transformation ability was something he was still yet to master.

  Horse hoofs became louder, as did the pounding of Polaris’ heart. If these people were enemies, he would transform and carry Marigold off in his front claws. It wouldn’t be the most comfortable method of traveling via dragon, but it was their only choice in these circumstances. However desperately Polaris wanted to rip apart their foes, he had to focus on Marigold’s safety.

  The coach door flung open, and Matheson staggered out, his red hair plastered to his face with sweat and partially covering a swollen eye. A pit of resentment opened up in Polaris’ stomach. Matheson only needed to do one thing at the ball: watch Marigold. Yet he had failed, letting her get abducted and Berrin arrested.

  Matheson sprinted towards them, looking like he had lost several fights.

  “She’s safe!” he cried.

  Polaris’ lips pinched. It was hard to tell if his brother’s relief was an act. Regardless of whether Marigold’s capture was due to Matheson’s incompetence or malice, he still wanted to squeeze his brother by the neck and wring out the truth. He clenched his teeth, trying to divert his anger to the person who deserved it the most: Uncle Hertz. “No thanks to you.”

  Matheson stopped in the middle of the road, face slack. Clumps of red hair stuck to his damp cheeks. “But I watched—”

  “If you had been doing your job, Uncle Hertz would not have taken her away.”

  Matheson glanced at Marigold, his skin paling in the moonlight like curdled milk. “What’s wrong with her?”

  “That’s what we need to find out,” replied Polaris. “Did you give her anything before handing her over?”

  His face dropped. “Why would you—” Anger twisted his features and dark blotches formed on his cheeks. “Oh, that’s rich! You think I worked with Uncle Hertz to get her out of the way?”

  “How else would a young lady go missing in a heavily guarded royal ballroom without your help?”

  The veins on Matheson’s neck and temple stood out like angry worms, and a flush spread across his face. “Why would I want to help Uncle Hertz?”

  “You have resented her from the moment she arrived in our house.” Polaris brushed his fingers down Marigold’s side in silent apology for talking about her like she wasn’t there. “I suspect that the assault you made on Uncle Hertz in the Florus Dancehall was for Berrin’s benefit.”

  “What?” Matheson staggered back.

  The horse nickered. Polaris gripped the reins, glaring down at his brother, scrutinizing his every movement. He wasn’t completely certain of his accusations, but if he continued along this line of conversation, Matheson would incriminate himself if he was guilty. “You had to make a show of objecting to Uncle Hertz’s request to hand Marigold over in exchange for the fortune you wished to inherit.”

  Matheson clenched his fists. “You think I would side with Mother and Father’s killer over anything?”

  “I note that you did not deny any of the accusations I raised.”

  “Because they’re too ludicrous to dignify with a response. Any idiot would know I didn’t hand her over to Uncle on a silver platter!”

  “Then you were willfully careless,” Polaris snarled. “Once you received the King’s Blessing, poor Marigold became surplus to requirements!”

  “Lord Dragons?” A short forensic wizard stepped out of the coach, wringing his hands. He wore a long, gray cloak that looked a size too large, and the roundness in his cheeks gave him the look of a boy younger than Berrin. “May I examine the young lady to ascertain the cause of her state?”

  “You may,” said Matheson.

  “You may not,” spat Polaris. Wizards had the ability to compel even dragons to do things they would find abhorrent, such as confessing to crimes they did not commit and handing themselves over to Uncle Hertz. Most adhered to stringent codes of practice set by the Wizard’s Council. However, a rare few succumbed to bribery or opportunities for greater power.

  Matheson raised his chin. “She is my mate, and I say you can examine her.”

  The young wizard shot Polaris an apologetic look and lifted his staff. White light soaked into Marigold for a few moments and raced back to to the wizard. Polaris raised his brows. He had been telling the truth about the examination, as none of the magic had remained in Marigold’s body.

  “Umm…” The wizard scratched his temple and chewed on his bottom lip. “I’m not sure how to tell you this.”

  Polaris faced drained. “What?”

  “I was on the team that examined the bodies of Lord and Lady Auburn,” replied the wizard.

  Matheson’s eyes flashed, and he whirled on the forensic wizard. “Yes?”

  The young wizard stepped back, seeming to cower at Matheson’s larger form. “Well…” He gulped, switching his gaze from Matheson to Polaris and back again. “There are traces of an elixir called Aqua Torpentes in the young lady. We also found higher doses in the bodies of the slain dragons.”

  “What does it do?” Polaris could guess, judging from the effect it had had over Marigold, but he needed to hear an explanation from an expert.

  “It renders the victim immobile. They can only perform the most basic of functions, like breathing and regulating the heart. Anything could happen to them, and they wouldn’t respond.”

  “Will they still feel pain?” Matheson’s voice was choked.

  Despite not wanting to hear the answer, Polaris leaned forward, clutching Marigold’s body to his chest for comfort.

  The wizard glanced away. “I-I’m afraid so.”

  Matheson fell to his knees and sobbed. “T-they had to lie on the parlor floor defenseless while those bears killed them?”

  Polaris’ throat thickened, and his own eyes became damp. It was one thing to die in a fight, but this was… He swallowed, clamping his eyes shut. Uncle Hertz would die horribly for ordering such a sickening murder. Mother and Father had been robbed of their flames, their ability to bear arms or use their claws while that wretched bear slaughtered them as though they had been cattle. He wrapped both arms around Marigold and inhaled the calming pine and sunlight scent of her hair.

  When his heart rate had slowed, and his eyes no longer stung, he turned to the wizard. “What is the antidote?”

  “Anything strong enough to counteract the elixir will upset the balance of humors and damage the organs. The least harmful course of action is to wait to work its way out of her system.”

  “How long will that take?” he asked.

  “About a week, depending on the dose.” The wizard lowered his staff and glanced at Matheson, who had pulled himself back to his feet and was now wiping his eyes with the back of his hands. “I’m sorry I can’t tell you how much she took.”

  Polaris nodded. “Thank you for your diagnosis. Would you be able to fashion a harness to attach a lady to a dragon? I don’t want her exposed in this vulnerable state.”

  The young wizard nodded and scurried back to his vehicle to call for assistance. He and his colleagues turned the horse’s bridle into a comfortable saddle and harness for Marigold, strapped her into the contraption and fastened her onto his back. He transformed slowly so they could adjust the harness to fit his larger dragon body.

  “I’m coming with you,” said Matheson.

  Polaris snarled. While his brother had nothing to do with the murders of Mother and Father, he still wasn’t sure about his involvement in Marigold’s abduction.

  “Please,” said Matheson. “It was a mistake… The ballroom was crowded, and she was dancing with King Vulcan, and then Kaida and Kennett turned up…”

  Polaris would have raised his brows, but such an act was difficult when covered in a thick, scaly hide. Matheson’s explanation now made sense. The dragon obsessed about his former betrothed and hadn’t recovered from her betrayal, preferring to blot it out in a haze of papave
r and distilled wormwood. If Kaida had been at the ball, he would have lost all sense of responsibility. He wondered if the swollen eye came from having fought with Kennet.

  He gave his brother a low, warning growl. Gulping, Matheson nodded. “I swear to you, I didn’t let Marigold get caught on purpose.”

  Polaris nostrils flared, and he sniffed the air above his brother’s head. There wasn’t a trace of falsehood in his words.

  “And you’re free to kill me at the first sign of treachery,” said Matheson.

  Polaris nodded, and Matheson climbed on his back. Once his brother was seated, he took off in the direction of Dr. Squamatus’ home. He hoped the wizard would be awake and would have a better solution for Marigold than waiting for the elixir to work its way out of her system.

  Chapter 2

  Marigold must have fallen asleep at some point during the ride, because she found herself back in Polaris’ arms, passing through the front doors of a strange house. She still couldn’t rotate her eyes to see more than what lay straight ahead, but the decor was mostly panels of dark wood with a scent of beeswax polish.

  Heavy footsteps bustled towards them. “General Auburn!” cried a female voice. “What is the meaning of this?”

  “She’s been poisoned with Aqua Torpentes.” Before the other speaker could interrupt, Polaris added, “A forensic wizard performed a diagnosis spell and discovered traces of it in her system.”

  “It’s the same substance that rendered Mother and Father immobile during the murder,” snarled Matheson.