Filed to story: The Chosen Saga Novel PDF Free
“Talon, I am nervous. I look like a mess, and I don’t have my cloak right now to cover my glyphs.”
“Your power lines are supposed to be on display remember? Stand proud, and don’t worry. Just allow your power to showcase itself. It is trying to show off how powerful you are. Our powers have a mind of their own sometimes. You will get used to it.” Talon turned back and offered his arm to her. She shook her head and hugged him.
“If my power wants to show off how powerful I am, then I should be able to walk into this room without clutching your arm. Thank you for offering though. I will always need your strength in my life. I know you’re Shavon’s mate, but I need you too, Talon.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek, then stepped back.
“Always Araiya, I will always have your back.” Talon smiled and walked through the door.
Araiya took a deep breath and walked through the? door into a vast cavern. Her power glyphs brightened. She had to squint through her own shine to see. There were people everywhere, way more than the last mating line she went through.
The right side of the mating line was long and filled with men and women standing straight waiting for her to pass by. All were in varying shades of blue clothing. The right side of the line was surprising though; it was filled with different shades of red, and everyone was kneeling and bowing their heads. She walked down the line, slowly making her way to the end where she could see Talon and Amara until she heard a bellow so loud, she froze on the spot.
The roar shook the cave walls and floor, and everyone dropped to their knees. Araiya searched for the danger, turning to see where it was coming from. She heard footsteps and wheeled to a grand staircase cut into the far side of the ballroom. There she saw a familiar River standing there, with Zephyr and two other men. Zeph and one of the other men were holding back the third, but Araiya stopped paying attention to them. Once she made eye contact with River she knew. Mate. She started walking toward River, who was coming down the steps. She could feel her power reach toward him, wanting, needing, begging to join his. She started running, trying to get into his arms faster when another rage-filled roar ripped through the room. She skidded to a stop and looked back at the men still on the stairs.
This close she could easily make out how these men, these Enforcers, looked. She looked up at them and as soon as she did, mate. All of them, mates.
The one being held back stared at her. Anger coursed through the bond that had so quickly snapped in place. Araiya looked back and forth from the men to River.
“Talon,” Araiya called back. He got up and walked over. “How does someone know that a person is their mate?”
Talon raised his eyebrows and looked through all of the Enforcers. “When you lay your eyes on them, as long as there is no other mate bond in place, then the word ‘mate’ will come from your inner beast or whispered through your power. Why?”
“Are multiple mates a thing for Chosen?”
“No way. A dragon might have multiple mates, but it’s super rare. Almost unheard of nowadays. At most I think other than the All-Mother, only two others have had a double mate bond. Again why?”
“I think I messed up. I had a mate bond snap into place for each of these four,” Araiya whispered in a panic. “I don’t know what to do, and that one seems super pissed off about this.”
“That’s the Fire Enforcer McKenna, he did just lose the only mother he has ever known, and you are holding her power.”
“Oh shit, okay, okay. I got this. I will just give it back.” Araiya stepped away from Talon and reached inside to the piece left of Firwyn. She pulled on it and pictured a bright spot in her hand. She opened her eyes and saw a dark blood-red flame dancing in her palm. She slowly walked over to the bottom of the stairs where the men were still standing. “I am so very sorry for your loss, Fire. Firwyn was powerful, amazing, and overall, a beautiful soul. She gave everything to protect her kin, the Chosen, and myself. The darkness attacked because of me, because I was there. I am so very sorry that I am the reason we have lost her.” Araiya paused. “The darkness latched on to her power, and he was draining her. She said she couldn’t allow that to happen, and I was the only one there that could take hold of her power and survive. She told me to protect her kin, and I will with my life. I don’t think I should hold on to her power. I gave it back as soon as I could to the others. I can still feel some of her that has dug deep inside of my soul, I am sorry I couldn’t get it all, but this power in my hand, I believe it is meant for you.” Araiya slowly walked closer to the men, who had frozen.
“You are giving up the Fire elemental’s power. Why?” a gruff voice from one of the three men standing before her demanded. She was too afraid to look into their eyes and see hatred. These men were destined to be the loves of her life apparently, and she didn’t want to see the hatred or anger that she was used to from these men.
“She gifted me her power for safekeeping. She gave her life so that we could escape. I do not need nor want her power. She has already given me more than I could ever ask for. She gave all of us a chance. I kept her power until I could find somewhere safe. Who but you are the safest spot for her final gift?” She funneled the last remnants of the Fire elemental’s power into her hand and stopped at the step below. “Enforcer McKenna, please take back the Fire element. I am not strong enough nor balanced enough to keep it. I don’t want to draw power unexpectedly from the younger dragons. I don’t want to hurt anyone by lashing out. You are strong enough to manage it.”
“I can’t take it back that way, young Chosen,” McKenna gruffly replied. Araiya jolted up in surprise after hearing his voice filled with such emotion.
“What, why not?” Araiya looked down at the power in her hands. Confused she looked back up at the men standing in front of her.
“Power cannot be handed off, and I am sure you are already acquainted with how power must be transferred. It’s either eaten, siphoned off, or freely given with a kiss.”
Araiya took a step back looking up at McKenna. He was dangerously handsome with his golden skin. The longer she looked him over with his dark eyes, full lips and tousled hair, she could feel her skin turn pink. Kissing this man seemed like a fantastic idea, but what if she did it wrong or didn’t transfer the power?
“So, you see, you offer the power freely but don’t want to give it up,” McKenna scoffed and turned and stalked away a few steps, when Araiya called after him.
“That isn’t it. I will give you the power. I just…. I do not know what I am doing. If one of you would tell me how to do the kiss of power, I’ll do it. Just stop looking at me like you are so fucking disappointed that I even exist. I got enough of that at home.”
River started to chuckle and came over to her side finally. He hugged her and took a deep breath when he was holding her. Araiya stepped back and cocked her eyebrow at him, and he just smirked. “I knew from the second I saw you that you were who I have been waiting for. I just didn’t want to get attached in case I was wrong.” River leaned down and softly placed a kiss on her mouth. “You were worth the wait Araiya.” He stepped back and they walked over to McKenna. “Okay, so remember when Fire gave you the kiss, what happened and how it felt. When you initiate the kiss, you have to reach for that power attached to your very soul, rip it out, and push it into Mac here.”
“Is it going to hurt?”
McKenna growled again. “You’re pathetic. Of course, it’s going to…”
Araiya turned toward River, interrupting him. “Will it hurt him?”
McKenna started, and River shook his head toward him. “It does hurt a bit. Why?”
“When Firwyn kissed me, it felt like lava was pouring into my very soul. She had to hold me in place, or I would have moved away. I don’t know McKenna, but he seems like he doesn’t want me to touch him. I need someone to hold him in place. I won’t be strong enough. He’s a giant.”
River chuckled again and motioned to the others. The two men stepped up behind McKenna as River and Araiya stepped in front.
“McKenna step down a few stairs so she doesn’t have to climb you like a tree to reach your mouth.” River pushed him down a few more stairs. Araiya finally looked at the man that so clearly hated her. His eyes were a red so dark they looked black; his hair was the same. His strong jaw was covered in a short beard, and his face was set in a permanent scowl.
Araiya was fed up with his attitude towards her. She didn’t do a fucking thing wrong. What gave this man the right to look at her like that? She was tired of seeing anger and disgust on people’s faces when they looked at her. None took the time to even get to know her, and it was apparent this “mate” of hers would be the same. Fuck this dude. Araiya stared McKenna down, anger changing her demeanor. She wouldn’t cower. He didn’t deserve any respect. She would make this man regret his words. She hoped he choked on this power.
She stepped to the edge of her stair and leaned over to McKenna who was three steps down. Araiya grabbed him by the shirt, pulled him over so she could reach him easier, and steadied herself on his shoulder. Holding him as much as she could by the fist bunched into his shirt, she leaned closer and looked him in the eye. “I hope you choke on this power. I would have given it back freely and without any remorse. You made Firwyn’s sacrifice dirty with the way you acted today. She gave everything to save everyone and ensure the Fire dragons remained strong. She made me the safe keeper of the power until I could return it. Not only did you act like it meant nothing to me, but that I had something to do with it. Invalidating her sacrifice and her judgment in one fell swoop. You shit on your mother, the Goddess, and the mate bond with how you have treated me today, so I hope you choke on this power. I hope it was worth ruining any other possibility.” Araiya smashed her lips against McKenna. Just the contact was heaven, the mate bond singing between the two. She forced his lips open and kissed him deeper. She could feel a moan building in the back of her throat and that realization snapped her eyes open. She reached down to her power and called out to Fire. The element came like an obedient pet to a beloved owner, responding and molding itself to her needs. It pulled itself up as painlessly as it could. She kept pulling, feeling it gather at her lips. She kept kissing McKenna, forgetting anything but the power. She pictured it behind her eyelids, the strings gathering into a ball of red, streaked with violet. She wasn’t as careful as she thought, and she started to pull back the purple strand by strand. She felt Mckenna begin to pull away, and she pulled back enough from the power to focus on hearing what the rest were saying.