Filed to story: The Chosen Saga Novel PDF Free
Another blast blew through the Keep and stone went flying. Araiya stumbled back and closed the book shelf as the door was blasted apart.
Araiya jolted from the tub, gasping for breath.
River jumped to his feet and rushed over to the tub. “What in Goddess’s name is wrong?” He dropped to his knees and pulled her into his arms, where she lay naked and shivering.
“We have to go to Metal.”
“Metal? What are you talking about?”
Araiya coughed a little more and looked up at her slightly panicked mate. “I had a dream; we need to go to Metal. There is someone there that has something we need.”
“Whose there, where is Metal? I’m confused, lamb.” River looked down at his very naked, very wet mate in his arms and his dragon chuffed. River’s arms tightened around her, and Araiya froze.
“River.”
“Give me a moment, lamb. My dragon is fighting for control. He wants his mate, and you’re bare.” River’s eyes closed as he leaned down and buried his face in her neck. Araiya held still as the man and his dragon held her in his arms and took a long deep breath, tickling her. “Don’t move.”
Araiya couldn’t help the gasp that came out when River latched on to her shoulder. His teeth pressing into her skin. “River.” Her voice came out breathier then intended and River pulled back.
“Sorry lamb, you smell so good, I had to have a little taste.” He leaned down and captured her lips in his. He kissed her softly, and then released her. He placed her back into the murky water and turned to leave. “I will step out for a moment, I just need-“
Araiya grabbed his hand and stopped him. “Before you go, the water is quite dirty, can you change it for me?”
River swallowed, and then nodded his head. He kept his gaze averted as the water drained out of the bath. He started to fill it, but Araiya pulled on his hand. “Lamb?”
“Do you have a pulley on this bath to have the water come from the ceiling?”
“Like a rain shower? No, but I can make it rain for you if you would like.”
“I think it would be best so I could get off all this dirt.” River swallowed again before he turned and froze. His mate was bare except for a few small patches of bubbles on her skin. Blood and dirt trickled down her with the water she was currently ringing from her hair.
With a wave of his hand, the water started to fall from above, as if he created her personal thunderstorm. The water slicked off more of the dirt, but she was far from clean. River quickly made his decision and just stepped under the water with her, clothes and all.
“River, your clothes!”
“It is fine. Let me help you.” River lathered soap in his hands and then washed Araiya’s hair until the water ran clear. He quickly looked down to ensure most of the dirt was off her body. Once he was sure she was clean he stopped the shower, and refilled the tub with fresh, hot water. As Araiya settled back down into the water he took off own shirt, leaving his pants, as he gently sat behind her. He poured a generous amount of hair oil on to her hair and picked up the brush.
“What are you doing?” Araiya looked over her shoulder at him and he smiled sheepishly.
“I asked Brooke what I could do to help you, and she told me your hair is a mess to deal with. Oil and patience are needed to be able to untangle it.” River looked down at her hair in his hands. “I can do this while you relax and tell me about your dream.”
Araiya sat against him and then leaned forward so he would have room for her hair, and then explained the dream. That they needed to find Metal’s Keep and get to the spark. River listened without interruption as he worked his way through four moon cycles worth of matts and knots. Once she had explained her reasoning, River agreed. It was a smart play, but they had no idea where Metal was, same as Spirit.
“So how do we go about pinpointing where Metal’s Keep even is? Did you see any clues, or ideas on how to find it?” River was working on the last knot and was almost through.
“All she said was across the deep.”
“Yes! Wait, what?” River finally untangled her head and brushed her hair. “What did you say?”
“The only direction I have is across the deep, why?” River’s silence had Araiya turning. His hands were frozen mid-air, and he was pale. “River?”
River jolted and then shook himself. “Sorry Araiya, the deep is forbidden for us to fly over.”
“We have no choice, River.” He nodded along and then shook himself again. “We need the spark. It is the only way we can win. War is coming. Donal is collecting men and…”
“The darkness is collecting dragons.” River finished.
“What?”
“While you were being held, Zeph attacked Mac. He had almost killed him with the help of black dragons. There has never been any black dragons. Not in any known history. Dragons are a colour of their element. Bright or dark all Water dragons are blue, all Earth green. Same for Fire and Air, the only dragon in known history was the Al’ta Moir, she was white.”
“What of her mate?”
“I don’t remember…” River trailed off. “I can’t remember, it is like there is a block on my mind.”
“Soren said that you would all forget until it was time to remember. There is only one way to break the block on your minds, and only the man in Metal knows.”