The Selection: Bride Of The Dark Dragon

MIRA

I blink. Then look at him and blink again. Then again and again. I can’t quite believe what he is asking of me.

“So, excuse me if I get it wrong”, I start after clearing my throat, “You want me to get into the rooms of all the girls at the Selection and check their jewellery boxes in search for the artifacts that Aspen created? Exactly how on heavens do you imagine me do that? Considering that most of them hate my guts!”

“Well, I always found you pretty…”, he pauses and I blush at the words, “Inventive.”

That son of a harpy!

“That’s eleven rooms, lord Derwood,” I flop into one of the armchairs near me and notice how not happy he is with me calling him by his last name.

“It’s easier for you than it is for me,” he insists, taking a seat opposite of me.

“Debatable,” I snort, “You can order them to let you in and then do whatever you want inside.”

“And give time to the murderer to hide what we are looking for?” he smirks, “If another participant of the Selection is desperate enough to ask for a jewellery piece that would be much less suspicious, don’t you think?”

“I think you are asking too much of me”, I straighten my posture, “If anything, you are asking me to do your dirty work. And I don’t see any reason to help.”

“Weren’t you interested in finding out who killed you friends?” he raises his brow and I try not to give away the fact that this little habit of his makes my heart beat a tiny bit faster.

“Of course,” I smile, “And I helped where I could. Also, I believe in your abilities. After all, you proved to me that you are ready to do ANYTHING for your job.”

You can cut the tension in the room with a knife before he sighs heavily and closes his eyes.

“Mira, it wasn’t like that…”

“Oh, please, don’t start that! I am not interested to hear any explanations of yours,” I turn away.

“Alright, forgive me. What do you want then?” he asks.

“A favour,” I turn back quickly and smiling, knowing pretty well that I got them.

“What kind of favour?” he looks at me sensing that I have something unspeakable on my mind.

“Empty jewellery boxes”, I grin at him, “I want you to make the gerdians who take part in the Selection send me empty jewellery boxes!”

“You are not dome with that idea?” he looks shocked.

“Oh, no!” I put my hand on my heart, “After everything I have seen here I am dreaming of marrying a gerdian whom I know nothing about probably just to be used for breeding purposes and never truly to be cared of. Not to mention to leave my family, friends, my life, my real dreams, and purposes. All just to live in an unfamiliar foreign Empire where I would probably be looked at as a second class citizen for the rest of my life! And who knows if my future husband would be a sadist or a man-whore, or both… Now, who wouldn’t dream of all that?!”

I look at him with a challenge in my eyes and he looks at me without saying a word. We sit like that for some time, just staring at each other. And, luckily, I played this non-blinking game with my brother Colton way too many times to lose in such a crucial moment.

“Alright, Mira,” he says after a while, “I’ll get you the boxes that you want. All but one, though.”

“I know,” I breathe out loudly, “I would take care of the Crown Prince on my own. For all we know he may lose interest in me any day now anyway.”

“That’s unlikely,” Derrien says way too fast and our gazes meet again, making my cheeks red for absolutely no reason. That’s not a compliment to you, Mira, don’t be a fool. He probably just knows his cousin all too well. That’s what it’s about.

“There is also one more condition,” I say quickly to change the subject.

“Oh, really?” he chuckles and my heart skips a bit, reminding me of the times I believed that man was infatuated with me…

“Yes,” I say firmly, “I may need to bribe a few girls to get what we need…”

“You can promise them anything,” he replies smiling softly, “I’ll take care of it. Anything reasonable that is.”

“Good,” I stand up, “Then it’s a deal.”

“Not yet,” he smirks, “I will have one condition as well.”

“I don’t think you are in the position for that here”, I snort in his face.Text content © NôvelDrama.Org.

“I have to insist,” he steps closer and gets a well too familiar necklace from out of the inner pocket of his jacket, “You will have to wear this.”

“No,” I reply at once, getting angry.

“Mira…”

“I said no!”, I interrupt him, “I can’t believe you are even offering me that! I would never wear this thing again!”

“It’s for your safety!” he growls and the sound is scary, to be honest. I look at him in surprise and see his eyes full of his dark magic. “Mira,” he rubs his forehead, “I charmed that necklace. So that I would be able to know at all times if you are alright or no.”

“In what way?” now it’s my turn to raise the brow.

“Your heartbeat,” he says after a momentary hesitation, “It lets me feel your heartbeat… And by that, I can recognize your emotions. It’s a dragon thing… I would know if you are worried or scared…”

“Was it always like that?” is all I ask.

“Yes,” he confesses.

“Why?”

“Because, Mira, believe it or not, but I care about you,” he sighs, “So, will you wear it?”

“On…Only for the task,” I squeak, taking the locket with trembling fingers, “After we are done, I am giving this thing back to you.”

“I would really like it if you could keep it…” he says.

“I am afraid I can’t,” I turn away and put on the jewellery piece onto my neck as quickly as I can, then turning back to face him with the fakest smile from one ear to another, “So, when do we start?”

“Tonight”, he says while his eyes look sad… very sad…