Draziel's POV
I had been pushed to the brink, and maybe I lost my mind.
The last time I invoked my phoenix was the time I needed to find a way away from the wolf pack. And that was the day my sister died. My phoenix was a firebird exclusive to purely bred royals.
We were given one that would serve as errand birds, a warning, or an attack, maybe an eye in a stranded area, and there I was with my eyes tied with a white cloth. In the middle of my room, drunk on liquor and burning with sensation, I watched everything from the eyes of my bird.
She was at the dining table now, talking with someone who seemed to make her laugh. How jealous it made me just seeing it. At first I could tell she wasn't so pleased with being spoken to, the same way she didn't eat anything. But seeing her ease herself into being in the presence of someone else. I needed to know what she was being told.
For her sake, I had made sure more human options were presented today, yet she didn't choose anything to eat. She isolated herself. Still covered in bandages, I could not help but beat myself up for the damage.
But a part of me was so happy she only sustained that damage. It could be worse with the state I was in. I could have killed her, and I would have died before I could get myself to leave the room.
My eyes trailed down her hair, it was so long and luscious. If she wasn't human, I would confuse her for a dragon she definitely had similar features. Maybe that was why my beast chose her.
Why her?
What's so special about her?
She smiled again, and though I couldn't hear what she was saying, I found myself smiling again. For the hundredth time in mere seconds. She looked so beautiful. Could it be the beauty? I had seen generations of women pass me by, but her? She was something else. She was like the flames of the sun god, so pure and too holy to behold.
I felt so near her yet too far. It had been so long since I felt fascination and mad curiosity. I tried to control it, but the movement of her lips, how her cheeks moved when she tried to stop herself from smiling. I dared to crave even more. I dared to imagine being close enough to feel her again, this time doing more—maybe smelling her skin, touching her, kissing…mounting.
The thought made my mouth water with desire as my organ grew harder and moved with life.
She was like the sun itself.
She made me want to seek help from the enemies. I just wanted to understand why it felt like I had known her all my life. I needed to know why, and until whatever madness this was was cured, I could not dare to go even an inch close to her.
For an hour or more, after the time for dinner was over, she then walked out of there, still not taking anything. My heart broke. If she decides to starve herself, she might die.
Elie My bird must have noticed the discomfort in my heart as it let out a loud scowl.
I was in so much pain already.
"Retreat…" I whispered before standing up and removing the blindfold from my eyes. Around me were several bottles of liquor I had taken all throughout the day. Now I reek of booze.
Shit.
To the left was a pile of books, in merely two days I had deteriorated so badly the thought of it alone made me scoff.
This pain was immeasurable; it was as though the sun god wanted to remind me of the pain of being mated. Like he too was scared as well for me to be mated to a human.
Elie flies through my window, landing on my hands his flames shone with so many colors. I needed to make sure no one saw him. It had been so long since I saw him too.
"Elie." Patting him gently on its head, it shook in my hands, its flaming eyes burning so tenderly.
"Thanks." And just like that, it evaporated into thin air right before my door burst open.
"Draziel, I sensed Elie. Did you release your phoenix, or is it Kealith playing with me again?" Lord Vancuz said, walking into my room with urgency like someone had just died. But then the look on his face was replaced by shock as he took a look at the room.
"Yes, I had to check something, I didn't want to leave the room. You should leave I am fine." He remained silent.
I was a mess I didn't need anyone to tell me that. And I most definitely do not need anyone's help at the moment.
"Since when did you start taking liquor?" He said, kicking the bottle.
"We make the finest wine in the entire dragon precinct; what's bad if I had a taste?" Slipping on my bed, I tucked myself beneath the duvet.
"What's bad about taking more than twenty bottles in a day?"
"Leave…"
"Draziel… What's wrong? Ever since that lady walked into your room, you have been bedridden, and not just that. Everyone is talking, it would be best if you came out and addressed what happened before the blooming festival. You are the ruler you know the people look at you for everything. They would want to know their ruler is fine before the celebration."
"Postpone it, Vancruz."
"What?"
"Postpone the blooming to three weeks."
"What? Are you out of your mind?"
I am out of my damn mind, yes but it would be worse if the festival occurred without knowing how to cut tiles with this woman.
"You want what's best for me, right? Then call a board meeting and tell all the lords to be there in two hours." I said, pulling the duvet over my head.
"I don't know what she did to you, Draziel."
"Call the damn meeting."