Read Online Claimed by the Dragon King by Caroline Hale - Free Book Online

help her pack up all of the stuff we’ve managed to find and she sets off for home.
    Alone in Asher’s lair, I sit on the end of the golden bed, eyeing the shackles at the head. We need to charge up before the fight, there’s no way around it. Magic boost aside, I just simply need him. We might not make it through this fight. It could be the last time.
    Taking a deep breath, I strip off my clothes and lay on the cool flat surface. The shackles are locked and I don’t know where the key is, so I morph into flames and materialize with my wrists inside them.
    “I suppose I’ll never be able to fully restrain you now,” Asher laughs, startling me. My cheeks flush in embarrassment. Has he been watching me the whole time?
    I never do get a chance to ask him. Ash is on top of me before I get a word out, plunging his forked tongue into my mouth as he pushes my knees apart.

 
    Chapter Nine
     
    “Relax!” Ruby whispers in my ear with a laugh. “We still have a few hours to get into place. Let’s enjoy this while we can!”
    She tugs at my arm and pulls me into the crowd. The streets are filled with Undergrounders, dressed in some truly magical fashion. Everyone seems to have tried to outdo everyone else. A wizard in purple robes with hair that slowly shifts from blue, to green, to yellow and then back again to blue. His glassy eyes crinkle at the corners as he takes a sip from a bottle of something gold and fizzy.
    A gaggle of older witches wind their way towards us and my face flushes red. The dresses that they’re wearing appear to be made of clouds but their spell is fading and flashing everyone a peek at their full breasts. I can hardly believe that they haven’t noticed! Most of these people are normally very reserved and formal. It’s bizarre to see them without reservations…
    The artificial sunlight is dropping on the city, casting long shadows over the rough cobbled streets. Street lights blink on and the party continues unaware of the day creeping forward, lost in drunken abandon. The first few stars flicker to life in the pseudo-sky and the weight of what we are doing presses against my mind. The Underground has been this place where I tried to fit in but was never allowed to feel like I really belonged. Just a few weeks ago, I would have come to this celebration as a different person-- as someone who wanted to fit in with all of these people and would have done anything for a taste of kinship. Now, with Ruby and Ash by my side, I’m a new person with a new mission. This cavern and it’s high ceiling have trapped me for too long. These stars, though they are beautiful, are nothing compared to the real thing and I can’t wait to share it with all of the Magicfolk.
    I straighten the mask on my face. I remember feeling so nervous about creating my Renewal day outfit back in the library when I was still a broken useless witch. I had no idea then that I would be here today, easily fitting in amongst the throngs of dazzling costumes. My mask sparkles and shifts color from blue, to red, to orange, and then to brilliant white-- like a flame crawling across my face. I let Ruby style my wild red hair into a sleek braid tucked into the diamond and ruby tiara from Asher’s horde. I’ve never felt more beautiful in my life but it’s what’s under my jacket that’s going to complete the look...
    We still have quite a way to walk. The castle is in the city center and we are surrounded by thousands of magicfolk. If this whole celebration wasn’t actually a way to trap Asher for another thousand years it would be incredibly fun. There aren’t many occasions for everyone to gather like this, in fact I don’t think the Underground has ever seen a celebration so lively. Every street has it’s own band. So far we’ve passed witches singing spelled ballads that have everyone around them entranced and swaying in time with their music and a group of leprechauns playing a hearty Irish jig with lines of dancers stepping