The Dragon Shifter’s Desire by Harmony Raines

Chapter Thirty-Nine – Larisa

Her skin crawled where she touched the dragon’s scales, but she forced herself to remain seated on Argothorn’s back as he landed in the center of the fire pit.

This was the place most revered by dragons. This was where the dragons of old would come and fight to prove their worth. To prove their strength and cunning. Argothorn had told her about the fire pits as he ate his breakfast this morning.

He’d emphasized his own strength and how he would beat any challenger in the pits. The old dragon was delusional.

If Argothorn had to fight for his right to lead, he’d fail utterly. He might still have strength, but he had no cunning.

Unless he was bluffing her.

She looked around the empty pit wishing, not for the first time, that she had shifter senses. Was Ivan here? Or was she trapped in the pits alone with a malevolent dragon?

Argothorn prowled around the edge of the pit, sniffing the ground like a dog on a scent.

“Oh, Argothorn,” she called out.

Argothorn stopped moving and tilted his head toward her, his eyes unblinking as he watched her.

Larisa swung her leg over his back and slid down his shoulder. Argothorn dipped his leg and lowered himself to the ground so that she could dismount without injury.

So far, he had done everything to keep her safe. He’d even insisted his guards stayed behind when she’d told him this was a journey they needed to make alone.

Would her luck last long enough for her to make him admit his crimes?

“Here in the fire pits of Tolarth, you must prove you are worthy.” She held out her arms as the first rays of sunlight crested the distant mountains. “Here where the sun will wash you of your sins.”

The dragon stared at her unblinking and she shivered. She was vulnerable as she stood before him. All he had to do was breathe in and ignite his fiery breath and she would be burned to a crisp. She could never move fast enough to outrun the flames.

“Speak!” Larisa tried to capture the gravitas of the moment, but it felt too unnatural. Surely, he’d see that she was playing a part. Not a very believable part.

But the air shimmered and popped, and the dragon vanished from sight in a moment that stretched on and on. Then the man appeared. A man who sneered at her as he approached.

“Speak?” Argothorn put his hands on his hips and studied her. “I don’t need to speak. It’s obvious that I am worthy. If not, give me an opponent and I’ll crush them to dust.”

“Strength is not only about physical prowess.” Larisa walked around him slowly. “But the strength to admit your deepest darkest sins.”

Argothorn stared at her as unblinking as his dragon. Had she pushed him too far, too fast?

“The sun is rising, Argothorn, Dragon Lord of Cairnnor.” She stepped away, seeking the sun’s rays. “When it has fully risen, I will fade away. Forever. And with me goes your only chance of joining with the elves.”

Larisa closed her eyes, the warmth of the sun on her back. Would the dragon lord take the bait?

“And if I confess?” Argothorn stalked toward her.

“Then you will be the first dragon to be honored by the elves. And you will be unstoppable.” She cringed at the words. Would this dragon shifter believe her?

His eyes glowed a deep orange and a smile crossed his lips. Bile rose in her throat, his malevolent nature was in his very essence, looking into his eyes was like looking into a dark abyss. Had this man ever felt anything except malice for another person?

“Unstoppable?” He leaned closer to her, and she held her ground, not giving an inch to the man. “I already am unstoppable.”

This wasn’t going well. “The sun is rising.” She turned her back to him and took a step toward the sun. As she did, a flicker of movement along the side of the pit caught her eye. Was that Ivan? Were they here?

If they were, she’d need to get Argothorn closer so that they could hear. She mentally smacked herself on the forehead. They were shifters, they could probably hear everything she was saying.

Great. They would think she was as delusional as Argothorn with her talk about elves. She closed her eyes and composed herself. It didn’t matter what they thought as long as Argothorn believed her.

“What do you want to hear?” Argothorn asked.

“The truth,” Larisa replied. “Only the truth is worthy of an elf rider.”

She slowly moved away from him, placing one foot deliberately in front of the other as if she were being drawn toward some invisible force.

“I have killed,” Argothorn whispered.

She didn’t answer. She needed him to say it louder and if he thought she hadn’t heard him that was exactly what he would do. Hopefully.

Time was running out. If the sun rose too high, he would realize she wasn’t going to spontaneously disappear and that would give her away.

“I murdered two dragon shifters,” Argothorn called out.

“Name them,” Larisa replied even though the lump of emotion in her throat threatened to steal her voice. Surely, he wouldn’t be fool enough to do as she asked.

“Name them?” His eyes darkened. “If you are for real, you should know their names. You should know everything I’ve done. And you would understand why I did what I did.”

“I know.” She stepped closer to Argothorn and looked deep into his soulless eyes. “I also know you are a coward. That you murdered two dragon shifters to hold onto your power. You also murdered Andor’s mate. And then you killed another man to cover your tracks.” She held his gaze as his eyes widened. Then she smiled, her lips curling as she shook her head and walked away. “Only a great leader can admit his mistakes. Only a mighty dragon shifter can own up to those deeds.”

“They weren’t mistakes!” Argothorn ran toward her, his hand outstretched as he tried to grab her shoulder.

Larisa ducked out of his grasp and ran toward the wall of the fire pit where she hoped Ivan and Egan were waiting.

With a growl, Argothorn gave chase, but he’d been codified to his tower for too long and he couldn’t match her speed.

Where were they? Her legs pumped, her breathing labored as she sprinted toward the wall. Had she made a mistake? Perhaps they weren’t here after all.

She risked a look over her shoulder. Argothorn had slowed but he was still too close. She couldn’t get away. Not when he could shift at any moment and kill her with one bite of his powerful jaws.

Larisa stopped running and turned to face him. Argothorn skidded to a halt in shock. He was a coward not used to confrontation after so long in power.

“Who are you?” he asked.

Larisa didn’t answer, she simply stared at him as he took a step toward her. Sliding her hand under the folds of her dress, she closed her fingers around the hilt of the knife Gilliam had given her. Perhaps this was how it was meant to be.

Perhaps she was meant to kill Argothorn and end his reign as Dragon Lord of Cairnnor.

Sadness gripped her. She would fail at clearing her father’s name and instead become what he never was. A murderer.

Argothorn approached slowly. He sensed a trap.

The air shimmered around him and the hairs on the back of her hands stood on end. Argothorn was about to shift. She’d failed.

Larisa gripped the knife but before she pulled it from the sheath, Argothorn’s shoulders slumped forward and he stared at something behind her with his mouth open.

“Argothorn.” She instantly recognized Ivan’s voice. Relief was swiftly followed by fear. They were still in danger, and they hadn’t accomplished their mission.

Argothorn hadn’t admitted his crimes.

“I’ve conjured the ghosts of your victims,” Larisa told him solemnly. “Do you remember their faces, Argothorn? Do they haunt you?”

“No!” Argothorn replied but his face paled as he looked at Ivan. “Andor.”

Larisa followed Argothorn’s gaze and took a sharp breath. Egan had blood running down his chest from a slash on his neck. What had he done?

“Murderer,” Egan croaked.

“Why did you kill us, Argothorn?” Ivan asked.

“You stood in my way,” Argothorn replied. “You wanted to undermine me and remove me from power.”

“So you killed me. And my mate,” Ivan’s voice wavered but he didn’t flinch.

“And what about me, brother?” Egan spat. “Your own flesh and blood.”

“I did what I had to do.” Argothorn switched his gaze to Larisa. “There, I’ve admitted my crimes. I killed them to stay in power because I am the greatest dragon lord, willing to do what no other ever has.”

“Even though killing another dragon shifter is forbidden.” Larisa trembled as a wave of emotion washed over her. They’d done what they set out to do. But what happened now? Had Egan managed to get the other council members here?

“Argothorn!”

Larisa swung around, an elderly man entered the fire pit and approached them, followed by Elise and Caleb. Behind them, Silas and Fiona walked side by side.

“What is this?” Argothorn asked.

“You will be stripped of your titles and arrested for your crimes,” the older man said.

Argothorn snorted. “What power do you have, Lorelis? The council will never believe you.”

“The council is here, Argothorn.” Lorelis held out his arm and swung around toward the doorway in the wall where a group of men appeared. They didn’t move too far from the door. Argothorn either had their loyalty or they feared him. “They have heard your confession from your own mouth.”

Larisa sure hoped they acted through fear. Fear could be conquered but loyalty could be hard to break.

“Are you all right?” Ivan moved closer to her, and she nodded as Elise and Caleb came to stand on either side of her.

“Are you my bodyguards?” She was relieved to have them here.

“Yes. If anything goes wrong, we’ll get you out of here,” Caleb assured her.

“If that monster shifts and attacks, I’ll stab him with my knife.” She loosened the knife in its sheath but suspected she lacked the courage to carry out her threat.

“Where did you get that from?” Elise sidled up to her.

“Gilliam gave it to me. He’s the fae your Grandma Hannah sent us to see,” Larisa explained.

“Go home,” Argothorn ordered the council. “Only Lorelis needs to answer for this treason.”

“It’s not treason, Argothorn.” Lorelis approached the dragon lord warily. Once Argothorn knew his reign was over, things might get a little unpredictable.

Or a lot unpredictable since Argothorn didn’t care about anyone other than himself.