Fairy Warrior: Love and War

Chapter 4 : Betrayal

"Only the blood of a royal can open the chest and prevent the trap from setting off. I will have to ask that you wait for me to retrieve the stone. Do not worry, my father will not think that you have failed your mission. After all that is why he sent me with you. We knew from the start that the blood of a royal was needed and the reason why my father kept the location secret. He did not want my mother to learn the location for she is royal and could retrieve the stone." Dragon said.

"I am not worried about that; I just want you to be safe." I said in a kind voice.

"Always worried about my safety dear Ember." Dragon said and gave me a soft smile before walking toward the chest.

I was shocked when he cut his hand and laid it upon the chest, and it glowed a bright red. Once the light faded Dragon picked up the chest and turned me and smiled. It really was simple, and I was shocked that it was this easy. The king did say that only dragon would be able to retrieve and open the chest. Something was bothering me about all of this though, it almost felt like something dark was close by. I wanted to shake the feeling and pretend like it wasn't there, but something told me that Dragon needed to reseal the chest for now. I started to say something but was interrupted by FoxFlame.

"Now that you have so kindly freed the chest from its protection you can hand it over or I will kill her." FoxFlame said and grabbed me and put a knife to my throat.

"What are you talking about?" Dragon asked, hiding the chest behind him.

"I think that it would be obvious at this point my dear prince, I am a dark fairy. Always have been. I have been in disguise for centuries trying to get that stone. Befriending you and Ember was the best way to get to it. Honestly you were so gullible, and I am tired of pretending to be disgusting good fairy." He ground out.

"How could you betray us like this? You know what will happen if the evil Queen and King get that Stone. They will destroy us." I yelled.

"Do you honestly think that I care. It's about time that you goody goodies got what was coming to you." He sneered.

"So, you were never my friend then?" I asked.

"As if a dark lord such as myself would befriend a lowly servant like you." He laughed with an evil voice.

"Dark lord?" I questioned.

"Yes Ember, I hold the title of Lord and I don't befriend servants." He scoffed.

"I won't hand this stone over; you will have to kill me first." Dragon said in a warning tone. He was clearly trying to get him away from me.

"Then I will kill Ember where she stands, and you will lose your precious mate." FoxFlame said.

"Why kill her, it's me that you want!" Dragon stated.

"The only way to get you to do what I want you to do I need leverage; she just happens to be the perfect choice given the occasion." He laughed.

"All I have to do is replace the chest where it was, and the stone will once again be sealed away and you can't get it." Dragon said.

"You do that, and I kill your mate. Now hand it over or the both of you die." Fox said tightening his hold on me.

"I guess that you leave me no choice than." Dragon said and I could feel Fox smirking at his words.

"Glad that you decided to come around." He said.

Before I knew what really happened Dragon had disappeared and reappeared behind Fox and snapped his neck. FoxFlame fell to the ground with a thud, his eyes open in shock and fear. Dragon used fire magic to burn his body so that he couldn't be brought back by dark magic. As for me I was still standing there in shock. I could not believe that we had been betrayed like we had, and I was hurt more than I was mad. I wanted to know why he chose me to be his friend knowing that he was going to betray me. He could have used anyone to get close to the royal family, so why me? FoxFlame was supposed to me best friend, not my enemy.

"Ember my dear, are you okay?" Dragon asked, pulling me into his arms.

"I feel betrayed and hurt. I don't understand why it had to be me. He could have used anyone to get close to the royal family." I cried, finally letting my tears flow over.

"He wanted to get close to my mate because he knew that would be the most efficient way to get to the stone. By threating you he thought that he would get the stone. He forgot one thing though and do you know what that is?" Dragon asked lifting my chin up to look at him.

"What is that?" I asked.

"No one tries to harm my mate and live to tell the tale. I am stronger and faster than him in every way and he should have known that. His foolishness was his demise." Dragon said.

I didn't get to say anything more to him because his lips were on my in an instant in a raw and passionate kiss that consumed me body and soul. I wonder what it would have been like had I accepted him soon rather than rejecting him. That didn't matter now though, I was with him and in his arms and that was all that I needed. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled myself closer to him never wanting to let go. His arms were wrapped tightly around my waist I let out a moan that stopped both of us in our tracks and I looked up at him.

"Sorry I didn't mean to take it to far." He said and I could have sworn that he blushed.

"You did nothing wrong." I said.

"Then maybe when we get back you won't mind if I do it again." He grinned.

"Maybe not." I smiled.

"Come on we need to get back and tell the King what has happened." Dragon said, smiling down at me.

"Very well, my mate." I said with a blush hoping he liked me calling him mate.

"I like it when you call me mate." He stated.

He gathered up the remains of FoxFlame and said a simple spell that stored them in an urn till we returned home. He grabbed me by the waist and chanted the spell that would take us home. I was worried about how the king would react and what he plans to do from this point on. FoxFlame was his right-hand man and was trusted above all other soldiers and he turned out to be evil and a lord at that. He only wanted the stone.

Oh, great fairy lord who have ruled over these lands since the being of time,

Provide us with safe passage.

Let us journey to the forbidden Island in search of the Sacred Treasure.

Great Fairy King Passageway.

I watched as a brilliant gold light flashed around the two of us disappeared and reappeared in the throne room where the king awaited and guest. Dragon's brother was there, but he looked upset. Most likely because he had to marry someone that his brothers was supposed to marry and the others must be from the neighboring kingdom. I was a bit worried at first but the look on Dragon's face held on the answers that I needed. I had no reason to worry because he would protect me. I let out a breath that I hadn't realized and been holding, and he smirked at me.

"Were you worried?" He grinned.

"Of course. I was worried that we would be in trouble or something." I said shyly.

"I already told you that I cleared it with my father and my brother will marry the princess." Dragon said.

"You just had to decide now to marry your mate, didn't you brother?" His brother Zephyr said.

"Now Zephyr you know that I have been courting Ember for over 30 years. This was bound to happen sooner or later." Dragon said, eyeing his brother.

"She rejected you until recently. Now she suddenly wants to be with you. Don't you find that a little bit strange?" Zephyr asked.

"No, I don't find it strange." Dragon ground out.

"I do, I think that she is using you to get the throne. You should marry the princess and let me have Ember." He laughed.

"What nonsense is this. I already told you she is mine Zephyr." Dragon growled, his voice sounding unlike anything I had ever heard.

"Now my sons please don't fight." The king said, entering with the princess.

"Father Dragon needs to marry the Princess." Zephyr said.

"That won't be the case. He will marry Ember and she will be queen. They imprinted the moment Dragon saw her. Both will die if they aren't together." The king said, and Zephyr's eyes went wide.

"It is rare for mates to imprint for that very reason. So why him and her?" Zephyr asked.

"Because they are special and clearly in love." The king said.

"This is truly something to celebrate." The princess said.

"Indeed, it is." Zephyr said, bowing his head as an apology.

"We should have a ball and announce the engagement." The princess suggested.

"What a splendid idea. I will meet you in the drawing room after I talk to my son and his queen." The king said and they bowed and left.

"Where is FoxFlame?" Zephyr asked.

"He betrayed us; he was after the stone the whole time. He was a dark fairy lord. When he threatened to kill Ember, I disposed of him. Here is his urn." Dragon said handing it to his father.

"That's a shame, I would have liked to kill him myself." Zephyr growled.

"A traitor among our ranks means the Dark King and Queen know of our plans and that is why they began attacking. Did you at least retrieve the gem safely?" The King asked.

"Of course, father. I would not fail you and neither would Ember." Dragon said handing the chest to his father.

"Good. I will have this looked up and sealed away with my blood. Only I will be able to open it, and should I perish, so shall the stone and that will be the end of this madness. Now go my sons and have the maids prepare the ball for tonight." The king said and walked away.

"I will have the maids prepare, take Ember to get a dress." Zephyr said.

"Thank you." Dragon said.

"Don't mention it." Zephyr said and was gone.

"Now that we are alone," Dragon started with a grin. "I think that I am going to kiss my bride."

He reached up and grabbed my chin and pulled me toward him in a passionate kiss and I nearly fell over, but he caught me around the waist and pulled me closer and released my chin. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. I felt fire spread through my body and explode in my core and the only thing holding me up was him. His kisses would never get old. I wanted this moment to last forever, but nothing last forever. A maid cleared her throat getting out attention and I blushed and pulled away.

"Your brother sent me to help Miss Ember found a gown for the ball, will you be Accompanying her?" The maid asked.

"Of course, I will." Dragon said and took my arm.