A DRAGON’S TREASURE by Lorelei Moone

He could hear them coming from quite a distance. The footsteps echoed against the narrow shaft that led to his cell. The three doors were being unlocked, creaking and groaning as they were pushed open.

His heart was aflutter already. He’d made up his mind and was ready to leave this place. Here arrived his way out.

“You returned,” he said, as his visitor appeared inside the dark cell.

Rhea looked every bit as appealing as she had the first time around. He approached her with a smile on his face. 

“We have unfinished business,” she said. 

Saras nodded. “Where is your charming companion? The queen was not in the mood for another trip down into the bowels of the castle?” 

Rhea shook her head. Her expression was so serious, so stern. “She isn’t needed for this.” 

“Oh?” Saras asked as he reached for a lock of her dark brown hair and twisted it around his index finger. Wild, it was. Untamed. 

Even her scent reminded him of windswept mountainsides and choppy seas. Fresh, yet charmingly sweet. She smelled of vast open spaces, of freedom. Basically of everything he had been missing down here. 

She put up such a brave front, but she could not hide those involuntary reactions her body had when being touched. The slight dilation of her pupils, the flush in her cheeks.

As though he was the conductor, and she was the instrument. 

He’d always reveled in the dance of love. It truly made the world turn. Too bad it was so difficult to find a willing partner.

“I’ve given your proposal some thought,” she said.

“Have you?” Saras couldn’t hide the amusement in his voice. The more serious her tone, the more he felt like laughing. He wasn’t even quite sure why. “What proposal is that?”

“Don’t make me repeat it,” Rhea warned.

Her breath tickled as it hit his face. He breathed in deeply, then slowly opened his eyes again. 

“Forgive me, I have been alone for a long time. I’m afraid I may have gotten carried away and said whatever rubbish came to mind. Doesn’t mean I remember it all.” Saras grinned. “I remember you very well, though. You’ve been on my mind constantly since then.”

Rhea frowned. How adorable she looked when she was annoyed.

“When I asked for your assistance. To help us win this war.” 

Saras nodded. “Yes, yes. Not my war.” 

“I was going to release you, your freedom in exchange for your help,” Rhea continued. 

Saras waited. “And?”

“You said you’d do it for a kiss.” 

Saras laughed again. “That does sound like something I’d say.” 

“Well, did you mean it?” Rhea asked. Her face was now bright red. 

“You mean you came back for a kiss? Well, this is unexpected.” So far, their second meeting was going a lot better than he could have hoped. 

“For you this might be a joke, but I’m deadly serious.” Rhea folded her arms and tapped her foot impatiently.

“I can see that,” Saras said. “You’re a very serious woman, aren’t you, madam General? All work and no play.” 

She opened her mouth in protest, then closed it again. Her heartbeat had sped up significantly, as had her breathing. She was getting angry now, which wasn’t Saras’ intention, but it amused him greatly anyway. 

There was something about her that egged him on to keep poking and prodding, just to see how she’d react. Probably the fact that he did indeed get a reaction so easily. What were her limits? How long before she’d lose her cool completely?

Anger and passion were two sides of the same coin. She had some fire within, it was so clear to see. And he would love to see it exposed. 

“So you weren’t serious. You don’t want to get out of here and help us fight the Sea Folk,” Rhea said. 

Saras cocked his head to the side. “That’s not what I said.”

“So what will it take?” 

He reached for her, and although she flinched initially, she did not shake his hand off as it touched the side of her neck.

“Why? Why should I help you?” he whispered as he guided her face closer to his. 

She had offered him a kiss. What a tempting prize. Why shouldn’t he take it right now? 

Her eyes fluttered shut and she just stood there. Passive. Helpless. 

All their interactions so far suggested that she was the sort of woman who made sure she was always in control. This was completely out of character.

He shook his head. “No. This isn’t right.” Saras let go of Rhea’s face and took a step back. “I won’t do it.” 

“Why not?” she called out. He could see now that her eyes were moist. She was obviously disappointed. But it was all about the favor she wanted from him. General Rhea hadn’t come back to surrender, she had come to buy his involvement in her war.

“There’s no joy in it,” he said and shrugged his shoulders. Her offer was empty. Soulless.

“Is that all you seek? Joy? What about duty? Do you never do anything just because it’s the proper thing to do? We had an agreement!” Rhea argued. 

“Duty is an entirely human construct. I have no use for it. You don’t know very much about dragons, do you?” he asked. 

She was still red in the face, but it was different now. This wasn’t the blush of arousal, but rather of shame. He’d gone too far and embarrassed her. 

That hadn’t been his intention, but there was little he could do about it now. 

“No, I don’t. There are no dragons anymore,” Rhea spoke dryly. “You’re the last one.” 

Saras was stunned for a moment. No clever comeback or teasing comment came to him. 

“That’s probably for the best,” he mumbled.

“Probably,” Rhea agreed. “If there’s nothing else I can offer you to change your mind, then there’s no point in staying here and talking to you.”

Saras still didn’t know what to say. So he just watched as she turned around and knocked on the door. 

This wasn’t how this meeting should have gone. He’d gotten too excited and wanted to toy with her a bit. He wanted to test the boundaries, to uncover the real Rhea. But what he got was a shocking dose of reality he had no use for. 

His second chance was about to fall apart.

“Wait,” he called out. 

Rhea stopped, though she kept her back turned toward him. 

“Look, I’m sorry if I insulted you. I’m a bit out of practice,” he said. 

“A bit?” she asked.

Saras shrugged. “Fair point. A lot. For that I apologize.” 

“And?” she asked.

Her question puzzled him. He’d gone too far, and he’d apologized. “And, what?”

She shook her head and reached for the door again. “Sorry I asked.” 

He could do nothing but watch as she left him. 

Alone once again. Dejected, he returned to the corner of his cell, farthest from the door. He’d been awake for a while now and all it had brought was false hope and disappointment. Best to leave this world to these new inhabitants and retreat into his dreams. At least he knew what to expect there. 

It did not take him long to drift off.