Enchanter of dragons an.., p.1
Enchanter of Dragons: An MM Shifter Romance (Bonded Hearts), page 1
Enchanter of Dragons
A BONDED HEARTS PREQUEL
ZARINA ASTON
Copyright © 2024 Zarina Aston and Ariella Zoelle
Published by Sarayashi Publishing
www.zarinaaston.com
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. No generative artificial intelligence was used in its creation or the cover. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All products and brand names are registered trademarks of their respective holders/companies.
This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
The author explicitly prohibits the use of any portion of this book, in whole or in part, for the training or development of artificial intelligence systems, algorithms, or any related technologies.
Any violations or unauthorized use of this book can result in legal action and may incur severe penalties under applicable law.
Cover by Trif Book Design
Layout and Map by Ariella of Sarayashi Publishing
Editing by Pam of Undivided Editing
Proofreading by Sandra of One Love Editing
ISBN: 978-1-954202-40-5
Dedication
This is for my amazing alpha readers, who gave me the confidence to share my Bonded Hearts series with you.
Contents
Note from Zarina
1. Jaega
2. Fersen
3. Jaega
4. Fersen
5. Jaega
6. Fersen
7. Jaega
8. Fersen
9. Jaega
10. Fersen
11. Jaega
12. Fersen
13. Jaega
14. Fersen
15. Jaega
16. Fersen
17. Jaega
18. Kitaro
Glossary
Thank You
Next in Series
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Note from Zarina
As Ariella Zoelle, I write fluffy, low angst books, which are full of all the cute sweetness. My Zarina Aston books are a very different experience, which is why I am writing these kinds of stories under a different name.
While there are plenty of cute and swoony moments for you to enjoy in my Bonded Hearts series, there are also lots of dramatic twists and turns with a touch of angst you would never expect in an Ariella book.
All of that is to say if you are hoping for the normal Ariella light-hearted book, this is not the series for you. But if you are looking for something with a little more dramatic flare, then please enjoy diving in to this new adventure!
Chapter 1
Jaega
“Leave me alone!” The fear in the young man’s distant voice sent icy dread through Jaega. His army had captured the castle in Shadron after a fierce battle, and it sounded like one of his men was about to commit a heinous crime that the general couldn’t abide. “Don’t touch me!”
He sprinted toward the disturbance, arriving to discover a disturbing scene of a naked man cowering against a wall next to a bed from an aggressive jaguar shifter who was part of Jaega’s ranks. “Torval!” He withdrew his sword, ready to use it if need be. Jaega wouldn’t tolerate anyone in his army breaking his strict moral code of ethics.
The corporal flinched at the booming voice and from being caught in a compromising situation. “General, I was just—”
“About to make a huge mistake?” Jaega glared at him with an angry fire burning in his amber eyes. It did not pay to anger a powerful dragon shifter who controlled an entire army. “Agreed. Return to camp to await your punishment. Now.”
The command in his voice left no room for negotiation. Torval hung his head with a defeated sigh. “Yes, General.” He bowed, then exited before his commanding officer could change his mind about letting him live.
The naked man standing in front of Jaega was fearful but defiant. “You may as well kill me. I’d rather be dead than be your whore.”
He was dirty and shackled, with both his hands and feet bound with heavy chains. His long white hair was badly matted. There was the faintest trace of shifter markings on his pale skin, but they were a dull silver and not vibrant like they should be. Even under the filth, he appeared to be very handsome. What was strange was that Jaega could smell the taint of neglect on him, but there was no hint of the man’s scent. It was an oddity, considering dragon shifters were renowned for their powerful sense of smell.
“I did not save you from one beast to inflict myself upon you in such a dishonorable way.” Jaega sheathed his sword to put the man at ease. “I am Jaega Ariake, the head general of Valzerna’s army, under the command of my oldest brother, King Tatsuki Ariake. You have nothing to fear from me.”
The man watched him warily. “So you say. Everyone knows military men rape and pillage as they please.”
“Not in my army. I would sooner strike one of my men down than allow that.” Jaega held his hands out in surrender. “Will you let me help free you? Now that King Decius of Shadron has been dethroned, you can return home.”
The man’s brow wrinkled with distrust. “You’re not going to keep me for yourself as a war trophy?”
Jaega shook his head. “I have never claimed any person as a war trophy, and I am certainly not about to start doing that now.” He sensed the man wavering in his resolve to stay distrustful. “What is your name?”
The man hesitated for a moment. “Fersen Rohesia.”
“Please allow me to undo the grievous wrong that has been done to you by a cruel king.”
“You can’t.” The despair in his voice tugged at Jaega’s heart. “These are enchanted to electrocute me if anyone tries to use magic on them.”
“Then I will not use magic.” Jaega took a step closer to Fersen, who stood his ground.
The chains between the wrist shackles were also connected to the ankle ones. Jaega made quick work of breaking off the adjoined chains and the ones that bound Fersen to the wall. However, the cuffs themselves were impossible to pull apart, even with Jaega’s considerable brute strength. He frowned with frustration as he came up with a different plan.
“Since I cannot remove these, I would suggest you come back to camp with me so that one of our lock pickers can free you from these.”
“So you are taking me as a war trophy,” Fersen said in a flat voice.
“No, I am merely suggesting that you accompany me as a guest to my quarters. You will be fed, clothed, and you can bathe. After a good night of rest, you will be better prepared to start your journey home tomorrow.” When Fersen still didn’t seem convinced, Jaega spoke more directly. “On the honor of my royal family, I will not lay a hand on you, nor will I allow anyone else to. You will be treated the same as any honored guest of the royal clan of Ariake.”
“Why would you do that for me, though? You don’t know me or owe me anything.”
Jaega took off his jacket and draped it over Fersen’s thin shoulders. It dwarfed his smaller body, but it at least covered his dignity. “Because it is the right thing to do. No one deserves to be kept like a caged animal, especially not you.”
Fersen looked down at the floor as he held the coat tighter around him. He was clearly struggling with what decision to make.
But Jaega was good at waiting. He didn’t know what drew him to Fersen, but something told him the young man would be worth the effort.
Chapter 2
Fersen
It felt like a trap. What the general was offering seemed too good to be true. Fersen feared putting his trust in the hands of such a ferocious-looking dragon shifter, but what other choice did he have?
“Thank you.” He took a steadying breath before speaking again. “I would appreciate your help if it’s not too much trouble.”
“It is no trouble at all.” Jaega scooped Fersen into a cradle hold. He was careful to make sure the jacket preserved Fersen’s modesty.
The suddenness of being so high in the air made Fersen give a startled yelp as he instinctively steadied himself by wrapping his arms around Jaega’s neck. “What are you doing?”
“The castle is not in a state that is safe for a barefoot person to walk. Therefore, I will carry you back to camp.”
Fersen’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. “You don’t have to do that.”
Jaega walked out of the room, carrying Fersen as if he weighed nothing. “Based on the scars under your manacles, you have been held captive for quite some time. That would make it difficult for you to endure the long walk, even if the conditions were ideal.”
Fersen’s cheeks burned with shame. He had spent months in the captivity of King Decius, a scorpion shifter who had kidnapped him to use as a personal sex slave. Every day, he had prayed for death, but somehow, he had found unexpected freedom instead.
As if sensing Fersen’s upset, Jaega hugged him a little tighter. “You are safe now. That foul creature can never hurt you again.” There was something soothing about Jaega’s deep, rumbling voice. He was a man who was meant to be feared, but Fersen felt safe in his strong arms.
Wh
The sight of warfare was more than he had been prepared to handle. It made him feel pathetic to hide his face against Jaega’s broad chest, but he did it anyway. He couldn’t help but breathe in deep. Underneath the smell of blood and death that clung to Jaega, he smelled like a burning campfire in the woods. It was a comforting scent that relaxed Fersen on a primal level, despite all his worries.
Jaega gave him a soothing pat. “Good. It is better if you do not look. Civilians like you are not meant to see the aftermath of a battlefield.”
Fersen didn’t bother explaining it wasn’t the first war he had been witness to. “How did it come to this?”
Jaega continued making his way through the winding maze of the castle hallways. “King Decius attacked the neighboring kingdom of Elyenbell, intent on taking it over as part of Shadron’s lands. As Valzerna has a treaty with Elyenbell and a stronger army, it was our duty to defend them.”
Fersen did his best not to look at all the dead bodies. “What happens now?”
“Since King Decius had no children, his next living relative is his uncle, Prince Balbinus, who will take the throne. My brother has dealt with the prince in the past and assures me that this will be the best thing for the good people of Shadron.”
“The good people of Shadron?” The phrase surprised Fersen. “You don’t hate them?”
Jaega shook his head. “There are very few people in this world whom I hate. And rest assured, those few I have hated in the past earned that hatred and paid the consequences with their lives. But the citizens of Shadron have no control over who their king is. They were suffering from his tyrannical reign, so I only feel pity for their burdens.”
The question was out of Fersen’s mouth before he could stop it. “Why are you so kind?” Everything about Jaega screamed dangerous warrior. He was the tallest shifter Fersen had ever seen, with a broad chest and massive muscles. His fiery orange hair and amber eyes made him look like a deadly predator. But under all of that, there was an unmistakable gentleness that didn’t make sense to Fersen.
Jaega chuckled, causing Fersen to blush hard. “I cannot blame you for expecting me to be the harsh warlord my oldest brother is known to be. While I am a fierce warrior, I am also compassionate. I will never be the kind of person who can stand by and do nothing while bad things happen to good people.”
Fersen didn’t want to admire Jaega, but it was hard not to be impressed. He was about to respond when they exited the castle. It was the first time since he had been kidnapped that Fersen had felt sunlight on his skin. He looked up at the beautiful blue sky with tears in his eyes, hardly able to believe that he had finally won his freedom after so many months of misery. He had almost given up hope of ever seeing the sun again. The majesty of it promised everything would be okay now that his captor was dead.
Fersen was startled from his thoughts when enormous dragon wings sprouted from Jaega’s back. The edges burned with an orange fire that matched the swirling color in his once amber eyes. The bright glow and color shift signified his dragon was in control, which sparked Fersen’s fears. But despite being scared, the sight of magnificent dragon wings up close awed him.
With a powerful flap, Jaega launched them into the air. He flew them high above the treetops and away from the hell Fersen had been trapped in for far too long. It gave Fersen an exhilarating rush as they soared through the sky. “How can you partially shift? I didn’t think that was possible!”
“It took a great deal of practice to master, but it has proven an invaluable skill.”
Fersen dared to look down at the world below them. Instead of terrifying him, it was thrilling to see everything looking so small beneath them. It made his problems feel a million miles away. But his body shivered as the air breezed by them while they flew.
The military camp came into view. The sprawling mass of thousands of tents made Fersen’s jaw drop when he realized the scale of the assault on Shadron Castle. It astounded Fersen that Jaega oversaw all those people.
Jaega landed outside of one of the largest tents in the camp, then carried Fersen inside it.
Fersen had expected a bare-bones accommodation, but it was furnished nicer than his own house. There was a small office set up, with maps and papers neatly organized on a large desk. In the center, there were four wooden seats around a fire pit, which burned with the same orange dragon fire that rimmed Jaega’s wings.
Off to the side, there was an enormous bed that looked cozy and inviting. Fersen couldn’t help but long to sleep in it. After months on the uncomfortable straw mattress, it would be like heaven to rest in a nice bed. It certainly was better than the simple military cot he had expected to see.
There was a door off the bedroom, giving Fersen a glimpse of what appeared to be a bathroom. It boggled his mind that the general would have that in a tent in the middle of the forest on lands so far from his home.
Jaega set Fersen down, careful not to move away until he was steady on his feet. His wings disappeared.
Fersen startled at the sight of an elderly dragon shifter in a well-tailored suit, who appeared as if out of thin air.
He bowed deeply. “Welcome back, Your Highness. Congratulations on your successful campaign.”
“Thank you, Grisden,” Jaega said with warmth in his voice. It wasn’t the way Fersen expected a general or a prince to speak to a servant. “It is always a pleasure to come back to you waiting for me.”
Grisden bowed again. “It is my great honor and privilege. Who is your guest?”
“This is Fersen. He needs our help, so I expect him to be treated to the same high standard as any Ariake guest.”
Fersen was oddly grateful that Jaega hadn’t explained how they had met. The fewer people who knew about his time in captivity, the better.
“Of course, I will personally see to it. How may I be of assistance?”
“First, I will need you to summon our best lock picker to free him from these enchanted cuffs. He will need a fresh change of clothes and boots, as well as a hearty dinner. Perhaps a filling meat stew if it is available.”
“Umm…”
Jaega glanced over at Fersen. “Do you prefer something else?”
Fersen rubbed the back of his head, feeling awful for having the audacity to make any demands when so much was being offered. “Sorry, it’s just…I’m an herbivore, so I don’t eat meat.” He held his breath, waiting for the fallout from a meat-eating dragon shifter, who surely wouldn’t understand.
But Jaega continued to surprise him. “Would you prefer I also refrain from eating meat?”
Fersen waved a hand in front of him. “No, please eat whatever you please. It’s a personal preference. I can’t stomach meat, but I have no problem with anyone else eating it. I’m sorry for the trouble.”
“It is no trouble at all.” Jaega returned his attention to Grisden. “Please make Fersen’s preferences known to the cooks.”
“As you wish, Your Highness. Is there anything else?”
“Have a healer summoned once the lock picker has finished.”
“Actually, that won’t be necessary,” Fersen said. “I’m a shifter, so once these magic-suppressing manacles are removed, I should heal.”
Jaega’s expression was filled with intrigue. “Interesting. I can tell you are a shifter from your markings, but I cannot tell what kind because you have no scent.”
