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He ignores my remark, invested in the mound of papers in his hand. I watch his eyes scan them rapidly, searching for something in particular. After a few minutes, The Guardian nods, clearly satisfied.
“Do you understand what it means by signing these papers?” he asks.
“Seems a little late for that,” I murmur.
“Ms. Briar?—”
“Rose. Just Rose,” I interrupt, but he ignores me.
“—do you understand what you just agreed to? I will not take a human who is ignorant to their role in this deal.”
I sigh. I’m not an ignorant human like he thinks. Perhaps if I didn’t grow up in Grym Hollow, I would be, but I learned long ago that our world is not the only one in existence. It used to scare me as a child, but it just became a fact everyone knew growing up.
“I understand. You will make sure my sister makes a full recovery so she and Stefan can live their fairytale life. And, in exchange, I willingly accept to live in and help my new realm in whatever capacity I can.” How I could help is still a mystery, but if The Guardian isn’t concerned about that detail, then I’m not going to stress about it either. At least, not right now.
“Failure to uphold your end of the bargain will end in your demise,” he says, and I wince.
“You’ll pull me from the realm and kill me?” My voice rises an octave.
“I won’t need to,” he replies cryptically. “The realm will do that for me. And for your sake, as well as the benefit to those you’ll live with, I hope that never comes to fruition.”
With that fucking depressing thought, I shift awkwardly from foot to foot before he motions me forward. I follow wordlessly, knowing I’m no longer in a position to argue. I’m his, technically.
“Would you like to know where your new home will be?” He leads me past his house.
I frown as I jog to keep up with his long strides. “Yeah, that would be helpful.”
“The realm is called Mescos, but you’ll specifically be living in Dragon’s Keep.”
I all but stumble, having to thrust out my arms to catch myself before I face-plant.
I knew I would be living as a human in a supernatural world, but I was thinking of fairies or mermaids. Or something not scary. Not fucking dragons. Because, surely, with a name like Dragon’s Keep, the occupants are none other than giant flying lizards.
“I’m going to get eaten alive! Literally.” The panic sets in now. My heart beats faster and faster the more I think about it.
Dragons. Deadly, fire-breathing dragons.
“You won’t. Dragons don’t eat humans,” he says like that’s common knowledge. “Most of them can take on human bodies. No harm will come to you. You have my word.”
“No offense, but I don’t know you. Your word means shit to me.”
“And yet, you sought me out.” He sighs. He has me there. I approached him. Not the other way around.
“Besides,” he continues, “you will be under the dragon king’s protection. No one will dare cross him if they know what’s best.”
We stop abruptly in his backyard, void of trees and grass. Instead, small rocks crunch under our feet, laid out in a large circle. In the center is an archway made of stone; moss and vines cover it in its entirety.
The Guardian steps up and runs a long, sharp nail—talon?—down the edge of the arch. A shimmery white light appears, expanding the entire archway. He steps back and gestures to the white film. “Are you ready?” he asks with more patience than I thought him capable of.
“For what?” I delay the inevitable a little longer.
“To go to your new home.” He dusts off a leaf that had floated onto his shoulder. And then, casually, he adds, “And to meet your husband.”
My what?!
Chapter 2
Malix
