Page 43 of Taming the Kraken

“A thief? What the hell does that mean?” Brian snorted out in agitation.

Her eyes shot daggers at Brian and Mikah. She reached out her hand quickly, and pulsing wind shot into both men, knocking them off their feet instantly. She turned to look at Ken, who stared her down.

“Those tricks won’t work on me.” Ken’s voice was low and icy as his eyes narrowed on Bella.

A smirk rose on Bella’s face as the world around them shifted and distorted. Alexa looked down in shock as she stood ‌above everyone. It was like she was standing on an invisible ground. She watched Brian and Mikah climbing back onto their feet as Ken bellowed angrily.

“What in the world …” Alexa looked to her side to see Bella standing right beside her.

“It’s an astral projection. But this isn’t going to work on him.” Bella looked at Ken with annoyance. “We only have a couple of minutes before he tears a hole in space. Barbarian.” She reached out and grabbed ‌Alexa's hands.

“What are you doing?” Alexa stared into Bella’s intense, gray eyes.

“Taking you to where even a beast like him will struggle to enter.” Bella grinned as an icy wave flashed around them. At the same time, two large hands ripped into the space they were in. A cruel smile reached her lips as they vanished from the deity’s sight.

“That fucking bitch!” Ken roared, shaking the ground beneath them.

“What the hell was that? What kind of dragon has this power?” Brian looked around as Mikah’s arms trembled with rage.

“The white light I just saw wasn’t from that dragon. It came from a fucking goddess who has a death wish. I’ll rip her apart if she harms Alexa.”

“What goddess?” Brian asked.

“The light felt like Shiva.” Ken looked up at Brian, whose lips pursed into a thin line.

“Just who I need to see about this burning aura of mine.” Brian listened as a low growl came from Mikah.

“Can you get to her?” Mikah raised his gaze to Ken. He was panicked and enraged, and struggling to control himself.

“Let the bitch try to keep me out. Come on. We’re getting Alexa back. Now!”

Alexa watched the world around her change again. Now she was surrounded by powdery, icy snow. The walls around them were made of solid ice that had a few dark openings leading ‌somewhere else. She turned around to look at the young lady standing next to her.

“I don’t understand. I thought you were going to help me. Why did you attack them? Why did you take me? And where did you take me?”

“I am going to help you. And I would hardly call that attacking them. The dragon had it coming. I know of the aura inside him. Scorio.”

“You know about the curse on him? Can you help him? Brian is a great guy. He shouldn’t be punished for the things his grandparents did.”

“Scorio is not a punishment!” Bella snapped as she furrowed her brows. Her eyes then softened and she shook her head. “Shiva has given the burning aura of Scorio to the dragon. But this is what they wanted, right? To have an heir that powerful. Well, now they have it, but at his expense.”

“He didn’t ask for it. He would gladly give Scorio back.”

“He can’t give it back.” Bella frowned and shook her head. “It doesn’t exist like that anymore. It is now part of him.”

“Can Shiva adjust it so that he can command the aura? At this rate, he won’t be able to claim his fated mate. But more than that, he won’t be able to be around his own people. His family and friends. He doesn’t deserve that,” Alexa pleaded, looking at Bella.

“If only one curse can be removed, which one would you choose? Yours? Or his?” Bella asked.

“Are you telling me you’ll only remove one of the curses?” Alexa asked, but Bella only continued to stare at her with her gray, piercing eyes. She seemed different from the dragon she’d met in her dream.

Alexa shook her head slowly as a faint, sad smile spread over her lips. “What kind of choice is that? How could I ever choose my happiness over his? If it can only be one, then cure him.”

A wide grin formed over Bella’s lips, and she rolled her shoulders back. “Now comes the fun part.”

“The fun part?”

“If you want your curse taken away, then you’re going to have to fight for it.”