Niyx by Samantha Kroese (websites to read books for free TXT) 📕

He laughed as he led her down to the dining room where dinner awaited. The servants scattered to bring them fresh hot dishes as they ate, but Onyx barely noticed them. He was too lost in her presence.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Niyx glared at Onyx. “Raijin is where?” he demanded. Onyx squirmed at the harsh tone but crossed his arms. Niyx could smell the woman all over Onyx and he sighed. Foolish of him to think his brother wouldn’t be persuaded by…he trailed off that thought as he glanced at Demi. The man-dragon smirked at him as if he could read Niyx’s thoughts and that unsettled Niyx into turning away and storming over to sit on his throne once more. Niyx stared out over the cursed graveyard. “You let him go so you could have the woman?”

“No. Well okay, maybe. Sort of,” Onyx admitted. “She thinks that Raijin was corrupted by that dragon magic infused light they were training with. He seems to be coming to his senses since he’s been away from there and you freed the dragons.”

Demi stirred from his place behind Niyx’s throne and sauntered over to sit on the throne’s arm, his long ears pricked forward with interest. He ignored the annoyed look Niyx gave him and focused on Onyx. “Dragon magic has never bound well with the light. They were fueling the Templars with it?”

“More specifically, with yours,” Niyx pointed out. “The corrupted Templars were part of the House that held you prisoner.”

Demi raised his brows, then laughed. He laughed so hard he actually fell off the chair and to the ground.

Niyx looked at Demi as if he had lost his mind. Maybe he had. If he had even been sane to begin with. “What is so funny?” Niyx asked, confused.

Demi propped himself up on the side of the throne and wiped real tears from his eyes as he gasped for breath. “Oh, that’s just beautiful. They hated your kind so much they decided to poison themselves with the power of the mad dragon king as though their puny little mortal frames could handle it. No wonder Raijin’s mind is addled.”

Niyx rolled his eyes. Perfect. His new lover was insane. That explained a lot, actually. He sighed. “So when he attacked me in the woods, he was lost to madness already?”

“I think so. That’s why he saw you as a monster and not a child,” Onyx agreed though he, too, gave Demi a wary look. “But the good news is, now that he’s not being fed the poisoned light, he seems to be coming back to his senses. All the corrupted Templars should recover. Ruel went to meet with the council today to explain those findings and try to persuade the few houses still being stubborn about releasing dragons to let them go.”

“Ah yes, that brings us back to the unfortunate matter of your adoptive brother’s pact with a dragon who should be dead, but is somehow not.” Demi sobered and narrowed his eyes at Onyx. “That magic is also really dark and corrupt you know. It will poison him.”

“I don’t think so. Ruel’s strong enough to handle it.” Onyx played with his daggers. “Why don’t you mind your own dragon business and leave the dead ones for me to worry about?”

“If I were a dragon, I would eat you as a snack, you arrogant little Night Creature,” Demi threatened with a growl.

“You would not,” Niyx said firmly with a warning glare. “Watch your words, Demi. That is my twin, and I cared for him first.”

“But you do care for me, yes?” Demi smirked at him with a shrug, then slunk off back to the village when he earned yet another glare.

Onyx crossed his arms and raised his brows at Niyx. “And you give me a difficult time over Callistra. Why are you playing with an insane, annoying not-dragon?”

Niyx let out a frustrated sigh. “The same reason you are playing with a Templar that would rather kill you than bed you. Neither of us can help ourselves. Blame the Night Creature magic and the bloodlust.”

Onyx grinned. “We do have something in common. Does he smell like flowers? Callistra smells like flowers and it drives me absolutely crazy for some reason. I don’t even like flowers.”

Niyx wrinkled his nose. “No, he smells like power. Magic. Something mysterious and dangerous. Irresistable.” Niyx rested his cheek on his hand. “It’s really quite irritating.” Niyx raised his gaze to meet Onyx’s. “What is the plan now? Are you any closer to rooting out the corruption in Aderaan, or are you too busy fighting with your woman?”

Onyx gave Niyx an aggravated look. “All business and no play makes for a very boring life, Niyx. Give me a break. I’ve been chasing her for a while now; let me enjoy the satisfaction of the catch.” When Niyx gave him a harsh look, he sighed. “All right. I’ll go back to garroting and stabbing tonight, just for you.”

“The enemy, Onyx. Not your woman,” Niyx reminded him with a smirk, then rose to return to the village.

Onyx trailed behind him. “What will you do?”

Niyx dodged Night Creatures running back and forth with supplies. He paused to watch them attempting to construct a wall from sharpened tree trunks. “We will build my city. A king must have a kingdom, yes?”

Onyx blinked at him and looked at the Night Creatures running around. “Niyx, why don’t you just make it out of ice? Actual ice, I mean, not your dragon pet.”

Niyx stopped short to look at him, startled. “What?”

“No, really. I’ve seen you summon ice to cover things, to make walls, so just make an ice city. Why not? It’d be a lot faster and more impressive.” Onyx laughed. “Didn’t you think of it?”

“I…no,” Niyx admitted. He realized suddenly that he had never thought to use his magic to build, only to destroy. “Do you think it would work?”

“Why wouldn’t it work? You can make it do whatever you