Chapter Twelve

Evette slowly opened her eyes. She felt different, tired and weak, but no longer having trouble breathing. The debilitating pain was gone too. She guessed the doctors had been right. Their conventional treatments had kicked in, and she was better.

Where was everybody? The last thing she clearly remembered was her brother-in-law rescuing her from Joe's clutches and being taken to Kathy's house. The baby was here! She wanted to see her, so she tried to get up.

Her eyes widened. This wasn't Kathy's place. She didn't recognize this room at all. What the hell was going on? Then, a tiny idea began to surface at the back of her mind. Valen had something to do with this. She vaguely remembered opening her eyes a slit and him leaning over her. She had been comforted by his presence and fallen back to sleep. Soon after, a nightmare had started. In the dream, she was screaming bloody murder. A creature with golden wings was flying above the clouds with her in its grasp. It squeezed her tighter when she fought against it. Eventually, she had lost control of her senses and passed out, in the nightmare, that is. In reality, she was already asleep, wasn't she?

If that was the case, how had she gotten here, and where was here anyway?

She called out for Kathy, but there was no answer. Okay, the last face she had seen was Valen, so she gave his name a try.

Someone came into the room, however, it wasn't Valen. It was a strange man she had never met, a new doctor maybe?

"Ah, it is good to see you awake," the man said. His voice had an odd strain to it, as if he didn't use it much. "I am pleased to see you survived the treatment and that its effects were miraculous, as usual. There must have been some hidden strength inside you, for the treatment is sometimes fatal if the recipient is weak of heart."

"The treatment I got at the hospital isn't that harsh. You're exaggerating. It wasn't anything that could harm me, just help my condition and slow the progression. Who are you? Where am I? Where's my family and Valen?"

"Valen will be here shortly. I sent for him as soon as I heard you shout. He only left a short time ago. I'm Stathim, the healer of our people. I know that means nothing to you. All will become clear when Valen returns. You have many questions, and he will answer them. Just know that you no longer suffer from your disease. You have been healed, permanently." Stathim turned his back and walked out, leaving Evette with her mouth hanging open.

Valen came running into the room and swung her in the air. "We did it! You're well. No more doctors, no more tinctures, and no more worry. You are alive and healthy for the first time in years."

"Valen, I don't get it. How can I be well? There isn't a cure for MS. It's a progressive disease. You can slow it, but you can't go backward. You better explain what's happened." She couldn't allow herself to believe in a dream she thought would never occur.

"You've read the stories. I know you have. There were books under the counter at the apothecary. I read every page you marked. The one that described your illness was terrifying, but there were others, and I found the same information on the computer. You had a website written in the margin. I looked it up. It was all about dragon's blood. The lady was right. A dragon's blood can heal if the patient is strong enough to handle the infusion. You were." Valen ended his ridiculous explanation with a grin.

"I was desperate, so I read everything. Dragons don't exist. They are creatures of fantasy. Have you been drinking or something? If you're trying to make a joke, now is not the time."

Valen huffed, and warm air surrounded her. "Did you feel that? You kept telling me I was always warm. It's the fire inside us. Dragons are real, and I am one. I left my home a year ago, because my father and I don't see eye to eye. I wasn't coming back, but you were so close to dying that I had to bring you. I risked a lot for you, and there's more to come. It was worth it to see the color back in your face and your curves returning. The healer and I are friends. He taught me until I was ten. That's why I chose the job with you. My father said it was below my station and forced the healer to banish me. He gave you the infusion at my request."

"Dear god, the medicine the doctor gave me is causing wild dreams and hallucinations! My heart wants to believe this and stay right here in the dream, but my head is arguing that this is crazy. Prove it," she finally demanded. That was the only way she would know for sure that she wasn’t dreaming. 

"There isn't room for me to change in here, but come with me and look outside." He took her to a window and showed her his home. She stumbled backward into his arms, because there were honest to goodness dragons outside.

This could have easily been a hallucination or a dream as well, but in all honesty, Evette was a logical woman. She did not have the imaginative capacity to come up with this. She felt her body below her and assessed herself quickly. She truly did not feel sick anymore. In fact, she didn't feel a day over 22. Could this be real?

"It's true, you're a dragon and I'm healed! We have to tell the world. So many others need your help. Cancer, MS, liver disease, heart failure, and diabetes are just a few things we could use help with. How many of those can dragon's blood heal?" Evette had instantly turned back into her work mode. She wished to cure everyone. This was an amazing breakthrough.

"We can't tell anyone. Our home would be overrun and our lives in jeopardy. I broke laws to bring you here. I got away with it only because I'm the prince. The guard and the healer obeyed me. We still have to face Father, and he could destroy both of us. He had me arrested and threatened your life already. I convinced him to leave you alone for now, and my mother got me released, but it's not over."

"Haven't you left out some very important information, my love?" They both froze at the sound of the voice. "Are you done playing with the human, Valen? I've waited a year for you to come home to me. Tell the woman goodbye. She will be dead soon, anyway."

"Petra, what are you doing in here? This doesn't concern you. Get out!"

"Of course it's my concern! You are to marry me, so everything you do concerns me."

Evette was stunned. Valen hadn't mentioned being betrothed in all this time. He had dated her and kissed her, when all along he was supposed to marry someone else? How much more was she supposed to comprehend? First, she had to wrap her head around the fact that dragons were real, and their blood had saved her. None of it felt right. A part of her believed she was dreaming, yet standing in front of her was the most gorgeous woman she had ever met. Petra had long, dark hair that fell in gentle waves all the way to her perfectly rounded bottom. She had sultry dark eyes and pouty, full lips that didn't require the enhancement of makeup. Her body was that of a goddess. No human could look that good.

"Now is not the time to discuss this. Evette doesn't need to hear your pronouncements. I'll talk to you later, when our fate has been decided," Valen commanded.

"That is why I am here. Your presence is required in the palace. You must hurry, for they are waiting, and they are impatient. I will keep the human company. We don't want her to be alone. After all, she has had quite a shock," Petra purred.

"I'm not leaving you with her. Father can wait."

"The guards on the other side of the door will force you, if necessary. Do you want that? To go before your parents in chains? Evette is safe from my claws, for now. Go, or I will summon the guards." Petra's evil smile meant she knew she had won.

Valen roared and stomped out. Hopefully, she could hold up against the female dragon's petulance until his return.

"Well, human, you have caused quite a stir among the dragons. Valen overstepped his authority by bringing you here to be healed. He must hold you in high esteem to stand up to the king's wrath. Not to worry. All will be forgiven once he marries me and resumes his position as prince." Petra looked her up and down, then declared, "You're not much to look at, are you? Why was it so important that you be saved?"

Evette hated the patronizing woman on sight. Her haughty attitude toward Valen hadn't helped. "He cares about me and finds my work important and intriguing. We are close, and he didn't want to see me slowly dying. What makes you think he's going to marry you? He didn't show any signs of loving you. He's kissed me many times, but he acted as if you were a thorn in his side."

Petra laughed. "I am a thorn, but one he can't remove. He has had many women, none of whom he cared to keep. It is his way. He uses them, then tosses them aside. He will do the same to you. Only I am worthy of becoming the dragon princess. No, he does not love me, and I wouldn't expect him to. Unlike you, I don't require love in marriage, only the high rank he will give to me. Valen will do his duty."

"Valen isn't the same man you knew. He left here to get away from his father's demands. He apparently left you as well. He has a home among us and a job in my apothecary that he is very good at. He cares about humans in a way you probably do not understand." Evette argued.

"He's grown soft living in the human world. That too will change. He always did have a desire to learn medicine, but the king nipped that in the bud at an early age, and he will do so again. You are nothing but a fly in the ointment. If you were to walk out that door without Valen or the guards to protect you, you would be ripped apart instantly. If I had not promised Valen I wouldn't harm you, I would do it myself."

"You could try," Evette declared bravely. She was feeling too good to be brought down by this uncaring dragoness. "I would fight back. You can't transform in this room. Valen told me it's too small to contain a dragon, so we would be more evenly matched. I was sick and weak, but thanks to dragon blood, I am strong again. For all I know, I am stronger than I have ever been."

"Ah, now I see what drew him to you. It was the spitfire soul inside. It makes you appear beautiful when you are angered. Also, the longer the dragon's blood flows through your veins, the more enhanced your face and body become. You won't, however, become as beautiful as me, and the king will never allow Valen to be joined with a human." Petra raked a long nail down Evette's cheek. "So delicate, I could scar you so easily."

The door opened, and a guard appeared, startling both women. "I am to take the human to the palace for sentencing," he stated.

Evette showed no fear as she was led out of the room. Her eyes remained downcast all the way to the palace, for if she looked around at the dragons, she knew she would lose her courage.

Valen stood in front of the thrones where his parents sat. He nodded in greeting, without expression.

The king's voice boomed out, "Human, you must remain quiet while we finish speaking to our son. Afterwards, we will discuss your fate."

"There's nothing to discuss, Father. My views haven't changed. We will never see things in the same way, even more so since I have been living among the humans." Valen had clearly been arguing for a while, and a swell of pride hit Evette over it. She knew he was not just going to forget about what he had learned as a human or what they had with each other, even if it couldn't last.

"Unless you wish to forfeit your birthright, you will marry Petra. The wedding will be in three days. We have waited too long for it due to your absence. It will bring peace and contentment to our home, which has been in a state of turmoil since you disappeared. The dragons do not like dissension among their ruling class. You will obey my order," the king replied in his booming tone.

"If I refuse, what will you do?"

"You can't refuse. The human will be allowed to live if you follow my rules." The king turned his eyes on Evette. "We have discussed it among my council, and we are to wipe your memory of us. You will be sent back to your home to live your life in peace. You will not remember how you regained your health, where you have been, or that Valen ever existed. We cannot guarantee that you won't lose other memories as well. However, we will do our best to keep your past intact. We are being lenient in our judgment because you were not consulted in this arrangement. Valen took you without your knowledge and had you treated without consent.    You should not be punished for his misdeeds. I have had time to calm down and assess the situation. Our home must be protected. I'm sure you can understand that. I know of your profession and that dragon's blood would be a miracle for your patients. We can't oblige."

She nodded humbly, though she was sad about it all. Evette was resigned to her fate. Valen couldn't lose his birthright. He would marry Petra regardless of his lack of feelings for her. She would have to say goodbye, with the knowledge that she would forget him and everything else. Kathy would wonder why she didn't remember her apprentice and how she had been cured, but there would be no answers. She prayed her knowledge of tinctures and cures would remain. Without them, she had no reason to live. That was the most important. At least, that is what she had to tell herself to not break down right there in front of all of them.

Taking a deep breath and looking at Valen with tears in her eyes, Evette announced, "I accept your decision. Valen has a place here, and I don't. Thank you for saving me with something as precious as dragon's blood. You were right, I would want to use it to save humans from suffering. The best way to stop me is to make me forget. I only ask that you do your best to leave my memory of my work, so I can continue to help others. Otherwise, there is no purpose for me to have been saved."

Valen burst out, "Stop this! I don't accept your ruling.” Evette’s head popped up to look at him, and their eyes met. She felt something there, and she wondered what in the world he was doing. There was no convincing his father. She could see that. So, why was he stirring things up even more? “I choose Evette as my mate. You will send me back to her, or we will both remain here. It doesn’t really matter which, as my choice will be the same."