A Dragon's Heart

12.

The lights flickered for a moment, before fully illuminating the tower. The long hallway was filled with dragon sculptures and Arabic inscriptions on the walls, as well as carvings. I couldn’t focus enough to figure out what the carvings or any of the inscriptions meant because of the loud thudding of my chest; nothing else made sense.

“Loosen up, Noorie. I am sure she’ll like you. I am the one she doesn't like.”

“And why is that?”

He sighed deeply. “That is a story for another day. Let’s just say I messed up.”

“Uhmn,” was my simple response as we continued down, until we came to a small bend and turned. I clasped my hands over my eyes quickly, as a blinding light shot through.

I halted in my tracks, Bilal stopping right beside me as he hissed. “Why she thinks she needs additional jewelry every time is beyond me,” he murmured quietly, then loudly, he said. “ ‘Ana huna. Ana huna, Malika. (I am here. I am here, Malika).”

A huffing sound, and something warm cascaded down my skin, causing pringles of irritation to rise.

‘I don't like this place. And I hate the idea of meeting the dragon queen even more!’ Jay whined.

“You can drop your hands now, and open your eyes slowly. The bling won't affect you that way,” Bilal said.

“I see you’ve finally decided to grace me with your presence, Shabb (young man),” a deep, majestic voice said. For a moment, the sound almost made me lose my footing before Bilal steadied me. “To what do I owe this visit?”

‘Always being snarky,’ Sameer grumbled from behind me while Bilal guffawed.

“Tell me about it,” Bilal said, feigning a cough.

“I see you are still a chicken. Can't say anything to my face. This isn’t the boy I raised. ‘Ant takhib zaniy kathiran hadhih al'ayaam.”

“You are one to talk,” Bilal answered. “Not that I think I am better than you imagine, but let’s assume you are right, that I have disappointed you a lot these days. Want me to leave?”

“Leaving before you introduce me to her? It would be an absolute shame if she doesn't get to meet me. Trust me on that.”

“Malikaaaaa!” Bilal sounded like he was whining, and I chose the moment to finally pry my eyes open. The bling was still there as Bilal called it, but before me, was the most beautiful dragon I have ever seen.

‘I thought Mina’s dragon was the most beautiful?’ Jay asked, clearly as flustered as I was.

‘Not anymore, Jay. Not anymore.’ I answered, taking in the dragon.

She was a white dragon with golden flecks scattered around the curve of her neck and her mouth. A golden crown with a red diamond in the middle sat atop her head. Golden eyes with a fleck of silver on the inside, and golden armor over her scales. Her long tail swished from side to side as she sat on a golden chair, or for lack of better description, throne. Little dragons of different colors littered around her.

She did deserve the name: the Golden Queen. And it made sense that the bling was too much for my human eyes.

“She is a curious one,” the dragon spoke, and unlike Sameer, her mouth moved as she spoke. “Come. Come introduce yourself, beautiful.” She beckoned at me.

I hesitated, afraid she may decide to devour me once I take a step closer. But Bilal nudged me, a small smile dancing on his lips.

I took tentative steps towards her, before finally stopping with a considerable amount of space still between us. Then I placed my hand on my chest, having no idea how to greet the queen and murmured. “Long live the queen.”

A sound rippled through the tower, and it took me a moment to realize that she was laughing. Laughing at what I said. Or was it me in general?

“I like her,” she finally said, staring down at me. Her gaze was so intense, as though she was looking right through my soul. The sensation was overwhelming, prickling all over my body, like little insects walking all over. “I really do like her. Such a pure soul that will get ruined,” she added, her voice losing its cool.

“Malika…” Bilal’s gravelly voice carried a certain urgency I hadn't heard, as he walked up to my side, taking my hand in his and squeezing lightly.

“There's something hovering around her,” she continued, her voice now having a sad edge to it. “And it is intense. It is pulsating. Does it have anything to do with what you did?”

“Don't scare my woman that way. If you are trying to put her against me, then it won't work. She already knows what I did.”

I thought she chuckled. Or maybe she did chuckle. “I see you are growing wiser. Not that it made what you did any less insane. Giving up your mate and the bond even before you found her?” She tsked. “Again, that wasn't the boy I raised.”

“This isn't about me,” Bilal said in a thick voice. “You can stop throwing jabs. I am simply here to introduce my wife and if you aren't ready to meet her yet, we can leave.”

“Ant la tahadatj maei bihadhih altariqa.”

Bilal ducked his head down, his eyes blazing with something before he spoke. “I apologize, Malika.”

“You deny me seeing you for over a year. And when you finally come, you dare disrespect me? Is this the prize I get for choosing you over the others?”

Bilal sighed. “Can we please do this some other time?” His voice was pleading. Desperate. And I found I wanted to know his history with Malika.

Malika said nothing and simply growled. And then just like that, she blew a heavy smoke my way, closing my airways as I struggled to breathe. My eyes burned, my whole body in knots, feeling as though hot coals were being placed all over me. Yet, at the same time, I was shivering.

As quickly as the smoke started, it vanished, in its place was a circle of fire around me. But instead of burning, it felt like it was beckoning me to it. As though wanting to wrap itself around me.

“Normally, I have a test for every non-dragon who joins us. It's been forty years since another species joined our empire. I will not be testing you right now simply because you still aren't a part of us. A mate bond not consummated is not strong. Nor is it safe. I will test you when you are fully one of us, by carrying the scent and mark of your mate. This also means that I can't give you the gift yet. You aren't ready for a hatchling.”

“I thought it wasn't necessary yet and that she could still have her hatchling and bond over it…”

“Hush, Bilal. Stop interrupting me. How will the hatchling know that your mate is a part of us when she doesn't carry your scent? Being married started the bonding, but until you consummate it, we still don't know if her body will accept the bond or reject it. We have no idea if she will make it through.”

If I would make it through? Whatever did that mean? I looked at Bilal, wondering if that would happen tonight. If I was ready for it. Because let’s be honest, after the scary s****l abuse I’ve had, I wasn't sure that I would be ready to embrace the idea if Bilal were to ask. As much as I wanted it, as much as Jay and I joked about it, I still wasn't sure. Especially now that it became evident it was going to have to happen.

The queen rose, and despite her words scaring me, I couldn't help but notice how tall she was. She was big, bigger than Sameer, which said a lot about her position.

She picked one of the little dragons and passed it to me. Shocked, I cradled it in my arms, hugging it to my chest as the hatchling wiggled around. It was a small dragon hatchling. Completely white, with dazzling blue eyes. It was honestly the most beautiful dragon I had ever seen.

‘You say that about every dragon!’ Jay snapped, her voice had an edge which I chose to ignore.

“Being given a dragon hatchling means I accept you as one of us. Gifting you a hatchling of mine means I am trusting you with it, binding your life to hers,” Malika continued, at the same time, a sizzling in my wrist picked up.

I looked down, and there was a new mark below the one I got when Bilal kissed me on the cheek back at Zambele. It had the same rune marks Bilal’s mark has: a curled up dragon, and a moon right beside the dragon, which was something Bilal’s mark doesn't have.

“You own the hatchling. For now. However, until you are fully a part of us, you cannot take it with you. You are allowed to come visit it when you want to start learning to bond with it, just not constantly, and I will test you when I deem the time to be ready. When you two become one.”

“Does it have a name yet?” I asked quietly, never taking my eyes off the now sleeping dragon.

“It is your job to give her a fitting name, Tiffany.”

I looked up at her. “You know my name.”

She nodded. “I know a lot of things about you. Including things you haven't told the world yet. The moment you two got married, Bilal’s fire turned blue in the tower, and I was able to connect to the part of you that joined his.”

“A fire?”

“Every dragon has a fire in the tower. Once it dies, it means the person is no more.” She answered. “It was a tradition started ages ago by our ancestors, to collect a part of a dragon's fire and keep it in the tower,” and just like that, her gaze slid back to Bilal, and I didn't like it one bit.

I didn't like a lot of things. Like the consummation part. Or the look she gave Bilal now.

“Stop rolling your eyes at me Sameer before I claw them out.”

A huff came from behind us, as though Sameer was scoffing at her and then a loud growl from her, which instantly quieted Sameer.

“That's what I thought,” she laughed. “I need to rest my old bones now,” she turned, walking to a flat rock that emitted smoke. “Come see me tomorrow, Bilal. We have a lot of catching up to do.” She waved her claws, and just like that, Bilal and I were standing outside the tower, in the dark night, my arms empty.

I suddenly missed the hatchling.

“You think I’ll ever be worthy of having it?”

“I do,” Bilal answered without hesitation.

“It seems you have a history with her,” I continued as Sameer leaned down.

“I do,” Bilal answered again, and from his response, it was obvious he didn't want to talk about it just yet. So I let it go.

“Is the offer to see the caliphate still open?”

“There won’t be much to see now. It is late. How about tomorrow night?”

“Ughhh!” I groaned as Sameer shot up into the sky.

How could I even take care of a dragon? And enough to bond with it, at that? This felt like it’s about to be a long road

‘Guess we are about to test your skills. See if you have any talent at being a mother.’ Jay cackled, and I couldn't help giving her the finger.

Cheers to a new adventure.