Dragon 6 Chapter 20 (Patreon)

I stared at my mother from the other side of the iron bars. “You said you’d help me with The Dreamer.”

“You said you’d stay a week,” she replied airily as she looked around the ‘room’ as she’d called it. “And that you wanted to leave to get your other women. You can’t leave. You just got back!” She shook her head, staring back at me. “I missed you so much. You could stay, become king here.”

“My mates are wandering the Wilds. They could be in danger. I’ll stay with you for a week, but then I need to get them.”

Tiamat just crossed her arms outside the cage she had stuffed me into. “Fine. I’ll have the others go find them.”

“They have my marks; I can find them easily,” I argued back.

“You have to at least stay until I can find you a reasonable mate. One that is strong. Besides, you said you wanted to go make a deal with The Dreamer; you need me for that,” she reminded me.

“Yes, I do. So I’ll stay a week with you, and then I will be out of time. I need to get Winter and get out of the Wilds and back to my mates for my wedding.” I rubbed my face, trying to hold back the groan.

This Tiamat was so similar to her reincarnation. But I hadn’t realized how much Bart had helped keep her at least slightly reasonable. Pausing, I decided to see if it helped at all.

“By the way, when I was at the dragon conclave, I found this.” I pulled the crystal with Tia and Bart out of my bracer and held it up to Tiamat.

She picked it up with a strange expression. “You’ve met the me in here?”

“Yes,” I admitted.

She growled and took it away from me, peeping inside to see Tia and Bart. “Have you called her mother?”

“Hello!” Tia shouted from the crystal.

Tiamat fumbled and nearly dropped it. “You can speak from there?”

“Oh, yeah. One of my son… our son’s mates helped upgrade it. She’s a wonderful wizard. It’s so nice to meet you!” Tia paused, her smile leaving her face a moment later. “Where have you been? I cannot believe you abandoned our son! Get in here. I want to have a word.”

Tia started to throw a fit in the crystal until Tiamat covered it in both of her hands, muffling the noise.

Tiamat studied the crystal for a moment, considering her other self. “I can fix this. I’ll share memories with her.” Tiamat eyed my cage. “Don’t do anything funny or I’ll have to start putting more guards on you. Besides, I think it’s a lovely room.”

No matter how much my mother tried to spin it, it was a cage, a jail cell to be particular. “You aren’t getting out of this that easily,” I growled at my mother.

She smiled and waved at me as she skipped away with the crystal.

I shifted my gaze to the two guards she had put on me. “I don’t suppose either of you would let me out?”

“And risk her wrath? No way.” The first guard shook her head with a little laugh. “I haven’t seen her so worked up in ages.”

“You really are her son?” the other asked.

I nodded. “Yes, so does that mean I have enough authority to free myself?” I put two hands on the bars. I knew that with just a little strength, I could bend them.

“Please don’t get us in trouble. If you were to escape, we’d probably both be dead as soon as she found out,” the first pleaded with me.

I paused, thrown by how pleasant they were being. Apparently, I wasn’t quite the lowly man to them that I once had been.

“Besides, there is a tournament tomorrow for the opportunity to mate with you,” the second tried to cheer me up. “Whoever wins will treat you right, especially since Tiamat is your mother. You have powerful blood.”

I sighed and leaned back against the cool stone wall. “She’s really something, isn’t she?” I grumbled.

“Yes, Tiamat is incredible.” The guard looked honored to be working for my mother.

All I could do was press my head against the wall in hope for a miracle.

***

Regina wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, still working to heal the wounds from being tossed about by Tiamat. She’d just walked out of the sacred dwelling, and she was trying to figure out what had gone wrong.

Regina had been so kind to the male. She’d expected to earn his respect and his seed, and for Tiamat to embrace her as the one who had brought back her son. But instead she’d been thrown on her ass and called unworthy.

She should just move on, but there was something about the male that drew her to him. He was stubborn and headstrong, and she should have wanted to run the other way, but she didn’t. She wanted to know more about him. He was so different from the men of the village. Something in her, yearned for a strong man like him.

“Did you hear? There’s a tournament for Zach’s mate.” Fauldina caught up to Regina as she stepped back out into the village.

“It doesn’t matter; he’ll fight anyone she places before him.” Regina knew the stubborn male well enough to know that no one would be the satisfied winner of that competition.

“What do you mean?” Fauldina asked.

“If you are interested in him, there is another, much more effective way to get his attention.” Regina rubbed at her jaw as a plan started to form in her mind.

“What would that be?”

Regina didn’t answer immediately. “Gather the girls. I have a plan, but I need all of your help.”

***

Hiplina had been the one to find the group first as Regina and the others in her group had scoured the Wilds, trying to track down the other dragons that didn’t belong in their village and the winged woman.

Regina stalked the group, assessing their strengths. There were two Winter Fae, two dragons, and the angel. They had been heading straight for Tiamat’s territory, most likely to find their man.

“Should we capture them?” Brit asked.

“No,” Regina sighed. “Let me try to talk to them first, but be ready.” She stepped out of the bushes in front of the group. “Hello.”

The angel spun her spear around, and the taller of the dragons looked like she was ready to spring into action. Regina eyed the dragon’s stance. Something about it was familiar, and she instinctively knew the woman was an incredibly seasoned warrior.

“I come in peace.” She held up her hands, showing her spear.

“Who are you?” The dragon squared up against Regina.

“Friends of the king, Zach.” She fudged the truth a bit, but she had a feeling starting out with the fact that he was in a cage may not go over well. And she wasn’t sure she could call herself a friend. But she was trying.

The tall dragon snapped a kick that nearly took her knee out. Regina turned into the kick and she still was hit, but at least the joint was still functioning.

She tried to defend herself with the spear, but it was like the tall dragon knew her moves. The dragon flowed along with her movements, twisting Regina’s arm behind her and using the leverage to push her down to the ground.

“I am Polydora, mate of Zach Pendragon. Where is my mate?” the tall dragon demanded.

Regina was going to reply, but then her fellow dragon burst out of the brush, trying to defend her.

Regina’s team rushed Polydora, who kicked Regina away, using her spear and blocking two of them. Then Polydora spun the butt of her spear into another’s gut and used that dragon as a shield from Fauldina.

“Stop,” Regina shouted. “She’s a very skilled warrior.”

“Better fucking believe it,” Polydora snorted and played with her spear. “But you all fight like people I used to know. You are all from Themyscira?”

Regina shook her head. “No, but our people were. I was born in the Wilds. Why, did you train there once?”

“I did. And then returned from time to time to train the new whelps.” Polydora smirked and played with her spear before leveling it at Regina’s jugular. “Now, where is my mate?”

“Captured by his mother,” Regina answered honestly.

The entire group looked at each other with frowns.

“His mother?” the smaller dragon asked. “His mother is dead.”

Regina shook her head. “No. Tiamat is very much alive. She is the leader of our village. We took him back to our village, and she took him from us. Now there is a tournament for which woman gets to mate him.”

“Then why aren’t you fighting for him?” the smaller dragon growled.

“My hopes of winning are low. I’m a hunter, not a duelist.” Regina sat. “Besides, I have spent enough time with him to know that anyone to ‘win’ him this way will not win at all.”

“At least she’s not stupid.” The angel barked a laugh. “Zach is far too stubborn for something like what his mother is arranging.”

Regina nodded. “I thought maybe finding all of you will help me stop the tournament, and maybe have a chance with him.”

“That’s not what you said,” Hiplina growled. “You said this was so we could all mate him.”

“I stand by it. This was the best route,” Regina said. “If you want to be with the fiery male, you must show that you understand them and will back their needs. If you can’t at least respect him, you have no shot.”

Polydora grabbed her elbow and lifted her off the ground. “I love a good tournament. Show me the fucking way. I’m ready to rip some females a new one. What are the rules?”

“Halspa,” Regina replied, and Zach’s tall mate seemed to recognize it as she grinned ear to ear.

“Well then, let us go.” Polydora nearly skipped as she pushed Regina forward.

***

I had been under constant watch before they finally let me out. I was angry at my mother and not in the mood as I stood next to her near a fighting pit.

“Oh boy, is this where I meet my new wife?” My tone was dripping with sarcasm.

“Sit, dear.” My mother patted the throne next to her, which was decorated with bones and bright feathers. “All of these women are here to impress you. Look at them. Are there any that catch your eye?”

I scanned them briefly, but I barely even paid attention. Regardless of who I liked, she was set on the woman being the supposed strongest. She didn’t seem to understand that there could be other skills that I needed.

I pointedly let out a yawn and leaned back, deciding not to give it the time of day. But then there was a small commotion as another woman strode into the fighting pit.

Unable to help myself, I looked down. The woman stuck out. She wasn’t wearing the traditional clothing of the village.

I squinted and my eyes shifted.

Poly-motherfucking-dora was down there standing next to Regina, looking smug as shit as she prepared to fight.

“Oh, who caught your attention?” Tiamat asked me excitedly, even though she was already following my line of sight down to the pit where Polydora stood.

Her face fell. “She’s marked… by you.”

“Yes. She’s one of my mates, and when she wins, I’ll happily go with her,” I said proudly. “If you go back on your word, you’ll never see me again.”

Tiamat growled so loud the whole arena looked up at her as the mountain shook. “No woman is good enough for my son,” she hissed. “How dare she have your mark.”

I jumped up while my guards were distracted. “She’s my mate. I chose her.”

“She’ll take you from me,” Tiamat whined. “I just got my baby boy back.”

Glaring at my mother as she gave me puppy dog eyes, I had no idea what to do with her. “Then tell me, what was the purpose of this?”

“To stall more,” she answered honestly. “The winner will likely be very injured, and you’ll have to wait before you can leave with her.” She smiled brilliantly. “That way, you have to stay here!”

You weren't supposed to just tell me the grand plan. I rubbed a hand over my face.

“This is insane. You might as well cancel this whole thing.” I waved at the women lining up for a chance to fight for me.

“Can’t.” She smiled and leaned back on her throne. “They are too excited, and it would be poor form. But if your mate dies fighting for you, then don’t worry, momma will be here to comfort you. You can mourn here for a decade or two. I won’t mind.”

Rolling my eyes, I sat back down and waved at Polydora, who smiled in response. She wasn’t going to die. The arena wasn’t that big, and there was a rack of weapons in the center. That meant it was a fight in human or hybrid forms. I was confident Poly could match their best fighters. The only reason I managed to subdue the seasoned warrior was that my dragon was bigger.

My attention didn’t go unnoticed. A number of other participants were now sizing up Polydora. The women in general were lined up like they were on two teams.

Another two women came down and placed a few more weapons up against the wracks in the center. The fighters each bowed and backed up to touch the wall.

I watched as Polydora went through each motion as if she’d done it before. She seemed to know the customs.

“This is the fun part.” Tiamat stood while the warrior women all rested a single hand along the wall of the pit, looking eager to rush the rack of weapons. “Fighters! Standard rules. The last one standing will win the right to mark my son.”

I rolled my eyes and looked down at Polydora, who grinned back up at me confidently. I trusted her, but I’d fought with these women. They were highly skilled, and I wasn’t sure she could take all of them.

“Fight!” Tiamat shouted and sat back down, clapping her hands in glee as the fighters rushed the rack of weapons.

But not every fighter went for the rack.

Polydora tackled a woman rather than fight over the weapon, bringing her to the ground and swiftly wrecking her with an elbow to the temple. Two other experienced fighters did the same, opting for a scrimmage on the ground rather than a battle with weapons.

Near Polydora, Regina tackled one of the dragons who had just taken down another, trying to knock them out. But Regina ended up on her back in short order and was just trying to survive as the woman tried to choke her out.

Polydora got up and dove across the area, ripping the opponent off the red dragon and rolled with her new opponent until Poly dragged her down to the floor of the arena. Then Regina came running like a kicker ready to punt.

I had to look away and wince.

“Come on. That’s the best part!” My mother popped grapes into her mouth and chewed while she leaned forward, enjoying the blood sport.

I looked back, watching the mess. Women had weapons from the rack now, and not only were they tackling each other, but they had sharp enough blades to draw blood.

Poly used her bracers to block someone coming at her with a sword, twisting the blade out of their hand and tossed it to Regina. The red dragon watched her back as Polydora bobbed around the dwindling mass in the center.

Fighters were going down left and right, a few women not in the fight coming into the area to grab the wounded and drag them out. A few black dragons seemed to be on standby, helping heal those who were out of the fight.

But there were still a number of fighters left. A large woman that I recognized had gotten ahold of a heavy looking ax. Tindrel walked forward, cutting down a dragon in front of her as two others flanked her, keeping any others at bay.

Tindrel and her group, now equipped with weapons, backed away from the confusing melee in the center of the arena.

Poly chose another woman, twisting a trident out of her grip and sending her sprawling with a sharp crack of the butt of the weapon. Regina pulled her back, and the two of them picked off lone dragons that escaped the melee.

I cupped my hands around my mouth. “Go Polydora!”

“You can’t cheer for one of them. That’s not in the spirit of the game!” Tiamat sputtered.

“She’s my mate, mother. And you’re lucky I’m still sitting here,” I growled back. “It’s taking everything in me not to go down there and rip the throat out of anybody threatening my mate.”

“Fine. Fine.” Tiamat grabbed my shoulder. “After this is over, you can bring your mates back to the temple. I’ll have my healers tend to them.” She seemed to realize it was time to give me concessions or she was going to lose this battle of stubborn wills.

I nodded, realizing my other mates were likely close by. I focused on my marks and felt Trina and Helena in the crowd as well. My heart soared when I found them, and using my dragon sight, I spotted two blue-skinned fae right next to them.

They had all made it safely through the Wilds. I let out a heavy breath as a weight left me.

Movement below caught my attention, and I watched as Tindrel caught a poor young dragon between her two supporters and cleaved her arm right off.

“They can reattach that, right?” I asked Tiamat.

She bobbed her head, eating grapes quicker in her excitement. “Not a problem. But it looks like we are down to the finals.”

“Are you rooting for Tindrel? She’s a brute.” I already didn’t like the woman.

“Yes, she’s broken a few males. But she’s quite strong,” Tiamat offered without much concern. “And she wouldn’t dare try to break you. It will be fine.”

Poly rushed forward with her trident, only to dodge back when Tindrel’s helpers tried to meet her. My bronze dragon was skilled and knew what to do. She used her trident to hook their weapon, twisting it out of their hands and cutting their bicep deep.

Tindrel swung hard with her heavy ax, forcing Polydora to block while Tindrel’s grunt rushed Polydora with a spear. But it was all a ruse.

Regina screamed and came from the side, cutting into Tindrel’s side as her supporter got Poly across the thigh. The onlookers gasped as the smaller hunter dragon dug deep into the fighter’s side.

Tindrel held her side and swung wide to drive Regina back, but the red had done enough damage. Tindrel wasn’t going to last much longer.

One of Tindrel’s helpers tried to attack Poly and finish her off, but my mate fought while hobbling on one leg, taking that helper down. But it required leaving herself open as the other helper got to her.

Polydora twisted, catching the second helper, but then holding her hands up in surrender. She was effectively hobbled. My dragon was going crazy, and I was moments away from ripping all their heads from their shoulders.

A black dragon rushed out to help Polydora. I watched carefully for how they would treat my wounded mate. But Polydora’s fighting had apparently earned the respect of the other women dragons. They immediately started treating her, leaving just Tindrel and Regina in battle.

The two circled. Tindrel was deeply wounded and dragging her ax on the arena floor.

Meanwhile, Regina was looking healthy and whole, holding her large blade in front of her in a very basic stance. Regina was being smart. She wasn’t a seasoned warrior. It was in her best interest to let Tindrel bleed and weaken.

Tindrel was holding her side, and I got the feeling she was literally holding her guts in given how deep Regina’s first strike had been.

Tindrel began slowing just slightly, and Regina took her shot. She charged forward, but then pivoted and threw her blade at Tindrel’s head. Tindrel had to block the throw with her ax, giving Regina time to reach her.

Regina grabbed her arm and both of them went down onto the floor of the arena.

Regina showed her skill as a hunter and wrestled the older dragon, pinning her weapon arm before saying something that was too quiet for me to hear.

But Tindrel clearly wasn’t giving up as she struggled to break free. Regina upped the game and Tindrel’s arm clearly snapped.

“Enough.” Tiamat stood. “Regina is the winner.” She said it deadpan, clearly not loving that the dragon she’d recently thrown out of her palace for being too weak was now standing, winner of the duel.

“Wonderful.” Regina let go of Tindrel and rolled to her feet. “Then I’ll take him home with me.”

“Not a chance.” Tiamat cleared her throat and lifted her chin regally. “You’ll be joining us for a meal.” She clapped her hands, turning and walking out.