******************

**********************

I watched Dristan in the mirror as he paced in what I assumed were his quarters. The rooms looked similar to mine, but more modern. He was in his human form again. His hair was wild, standing on end from him constantly running his hands through it. A sure sign that he was upset. But why was he so aggravated? He growled as he paced, punching the wall at one point.

I had to find him. But I had no idea where his quarters were. I growled in frustration as I snapped the mirror shut. I walked into the living room, pacing in front of the coffee table, much like Dristan had been doing. I chuckled at the irony.

"I have to find him..." I whispered to no one as I slumped onto the couch, rubbing my temples. The hangover was subsiding, but I still had a bit of a dull headache. I groaned.

A familiar popping sound went off in front of me and I jumped, gasping in surprise. I snapped my head up toward the sound, and blinked open mouthed as my eyes landed on the coffee table.

Upon it sat a map, a glass of orange juice, and two pain pills. I grabbed the map, squinting at it, and realized it was a map of the Aviary. Each room was labeled, the name of the owner of each chamber scrawled in perfect penmanship beneath the rooms.

I grinned and then scooped up the pain pills, swallowing them eagerly with the crisp, refreshing orange juice. I drank until there was nothing left in the glass.

"Thank you..." I whispered to the magical room.

I jumped up, taking the map with me, and ran to my bedroom. As quickly as possible, I stripped out of my pajamas and slipped into a simple, grey dress. The hem stopped just above my knees, flaring outward from the waist. The neckline was a bit low, but it would do. I quickly slipped on a pair of flat, black slip on shoes and then darted into the bathroom.

I freshened up my make up and untied the braid hanging loosely over my shoulder. It had dried while it had been braided, and when I combed my fingers through it, it hung in pretty, soft waves down to the middle of my back.

Five minutes had passed.

I rushed from the bathroom and to the front door, carefully pulling it open. I peered outside, making sure the coast was clear, before I stepped into the hallway and pulled out the map. I searched for Dristan's name for a moment, scanning the thousands of rooms.

Finally, his name caught my eye. He wasn't far. His rooms were near the grand ballroom, down the opposite end of the hallway from which we'd come yesterday. If I hurried, I could get there in less than twenty minutes.

I walked briskly down the corridor, following the map as I turned left, then right, then left again. It felt like I was walking in circles, but I knew I was headed in the right direction. After a dozen or so turns, and several different hallways, I finally found myself emerging into the grand hall which led to the ballroom. I was almost there.

I stuffed the map down the front of my dress, memorizing the number of doors I would have to pass to get to his.

I nearly sprinted down the hall. I neared the top of the staircase, and as I went to run past it and continue down the opposite hallway, someone who had been walking up the stairs collided with me, stopping me in my tracks.

"Brenya! I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there." Andromeda said, steadying me with her vile hands. She had two other dragon females with her. They both eyed me up and down, expressions of distaste on their faces.

I jerked away from her touch, my teeth automatically baring at her. She blinked and stepped back, confusion crossing her face.

"What's wrong?" She asked, concerned.

I tried to suppress the rising anger in my core as I stared at her traitorous face. I wanted to scream at her, slam my fist straight into her throat, claw out her eyes... But I couldn't. Not yet. If she knew I was onto her, she would intervene in my attempt to see Dristan.

I straightened my spine and smoothed out my feral facial expression, pulling on a fake, embarrassed smile.

"Andi, Oh gods, I'm sorry... I didn't realize who you were. I was taking a nap and I had a horrible dream... I just wanted to get out of my rooms for awhile and get some fresh air. Do you know where I can go to unwind? I don't know the first thing about navigating this place." I lied.

"Oh, that sounds awful! You poor thing. When I'm having a bad day, I like to visit the library to relax. Its very quiet there, and there are thousands of books to read." She said with a smile.

You also like to visit nasty little broom cupboards with strange men and fuck them senseless. I thought bitterly to myself.

I pulled the corners of my lips upward, faking a smile. "That sounds wonderful. Where can I find it?"

She gestured back toward the direction from which I'd come. "If you go down that hall, take a right, and then a left, and one more right, you'll find it at the end of the corridor. You can't miss it, there's a statue of a dragon just outside the doors."

"Great. Thank you." I said, turning to leave.

I paused when she spoke again. "I heard that Ronan came to your rooms today. I'm dying to know what happened.... He's arranging a council meeting for later today to discuss something important. Any idea what it's about?"

I turned slowly to face her. "It'll all be discussed at the meeting." I said vaguely.

"Not even a single, juicy detail?" She pouted. "Did Ronan make a move on you?"

I scowled. "You could say that."

She smiled from ear to ear. "How exciting. He's quite a catch, you know. I think you should go for it. I've heard rumors that he's an excellent lover." She mused.

Yeah, I'll bet you know that about a lot of men in this place...

I forced another smile to my face. "Oh, I don't know... I have other things on my mind right now. I have a kingdom to think of, after all."

"Yes, but you'll need a king." She winked. "All right, darling, I'll let you get on about your day. I'll see you later tonight, at the meeting?"

"I'll be there." I said, keeping the fake smile snugly in place while I envisioned myself ripping out handfuls of her hair, pulling out bloody chunks of her scalp right along with them.

"Wonderful. Till then..." She said, turning and walking down the corridor. The same one that I needed to go down to get to Dristan.

As soon as she turned her back, her two minions following behind her, I scowled. I turned on my heel and went back the way I'd come, making a right as she'd instructed. I listened to the click of their heels echoing through the wide hallway, and stayed where I was until they faded into nothing.

After a few minutes, I peek around the corner. There was no one in sight.

I sprinted down the hallway, flew past the staircase, and skidded to a hault before the door of Dristan's quarters. This had to be his room... I pulled out the map and double checked. Sure enough, I was in the right place.

I lifted my fist and knocked softly on the large, wooden door.

***************************

(

The bourbon burned as it slid past my lips, over my tongue, and down my throat. I'd downed nearly half a bottle today, desperate to calm the beast inside of my aching head. I paced the dim room, frustrated at his constant voice in the back of my mind. He had never behaved this way before.

Normally, one or two of his thoughts or emotions would slip through our mental bond, echoing inside of my own conciousness, but it only happened a few times a day. It had never been like this before.

Ever since I'd arrived back at the Aviary, he'd been at the front of my mind, a constant stream of anguished thoughts and emotions. Mostly, he was angry. It was growing more and more difficult to keep him contained. I'd snapped at several people today and nearly ripped out Warrick's throat this morning over something trivial. His emotions were so strong that I couldn't tell them apart from my own anymore.

Where is she...

Where is she...

Where is she....

His growling words echoed over and over, bouncing off the walls of my mind. I took another long pull of the amber liquid, squeezing my eyes shut, desperate to drown out his pain.

"Stop worrying about her. She is fine. We cannot be with her anymore." I thought to him, curling and uncurling my fists and I continued to pace.

Why, why, why...

Need, need, need...

Brenya, Brenya, Brenya....

His sudden roar of torment exploded inside of my skull and I clamped my hands over my ears, trying and failing miserably to block out the horrible sound.

"Stop! She cannot be ours!"I thought to him urgently.

No, no, no, no, no...

I growled and took another swig. The more drunk I became, the less loud he was. Would he ever stop? Would I spend the rest of my life like this? A drunken, furious mess?

I halted in my tracks as a sudden, soft knock sounded at my front door. Who the hell was at my door in the middle of the day? I had no obligations on my schedule today. Could I not have one rutting moment to my self?

I growled in frustration as I stalked toward the door. I thought for a moment that perhaps I should throw on a shirt, but I just didn't care.

"What?!" I snarled, throwing the door open.

I stared furiously into a familiar pair of mix matched irises, which widened in surprise at my outburst. She shrunk back a bit as her eyes swept over me. I probably looked like complete shit. I hadn't slept much the last few days.

I felt my expression softening as I fully realized who was at my door, and regret seeped from my pores as I realized I'd probably scared the hell out of her.

'Brenya, what are you doing here-" I started to say, but she inturrupted me before I could finish.

"Let me in!" She hissed, pushing past me, nearly knocking me down as she shoved at my towering body which was blocking her way.

As she passed by me, her scent filled my senses and I briefly closed my eyes, letting her cactus bloom and vanilla bean smell calm me down.

The beast inside of me perked up, his attention zeroing in on the familiar scent and the soothing sound of her soft voice.

Brenya, Brenya, Brenya...

His booming voice echoed inside of my skull, his energy the calmest it had been in nearly twenty four hours, since the last time we'd seen her. Comfort flooded though him, leaking through and doubling my own sense of relief.

I turned to face her after shutting the door and securing the several deadbolts I'd had installed on it. She was gazing around the room with furrowed brows and I grimaced as I mirrored her action. Chairs were turned over, paintings on the wall were crooked, and the only light in the room was cast by the large windows near the back wall.

She turned to face me, her perfectly groomed, arched brows furrowed in concern. "What the hell happened in here? What's going on? It looks like you've been wrestling with a bear."

I snorted. "Not a bear."

She narrowed her indigo blue and seafoam green eyes.

I walked past her, picking up the crystal decanter of liquor from the table and swallowing a burning mouthful.

"You're drinking in the middle of the day? What's wrong with you? Tell me." She walked forward and tried to pull the bottle from my hands. I lifted it higher so that she couldn't reach it.

"It is no concern of yours what I drink, and how often I choose to do so." I muttered. She gazed up at me, her lower lip poking out. She took a step back and crossed her arms.

"What's wrong?" She asked stubbornly.

I stared at her. How could I tell her in a way she'd understand? She was concerned for me, but if she knew the reason I was so upset, she'd wish she hadn't asked.

"Do you truly want to know?" I said, an edge of warning in my tone.

She nodded slowly.

I ran a hand through my hair, unsure if I should tell her. But I knew that if I didn't, she would just keep asking. The woman was the most incessant, stubborn thing I'd ever encountered. My dragon snickered in the back of my mind, pleased at the way she frustrated me. He liked her stubborn attitude. It challenged him.

"It's my dragon." I said, tearing my eyes away from her. I turned toward the window, staring out over the rocky terrain in the distance. "I've been shifting into my human form in an attempt to drown him out, but it doesn't help much. The liquor helps the headaches..."

"What's wrong with him?" She asked softly.

I sighed. "Brenya, some things are better left unsaid."

"Not when it's causing you to suffer!" I felt her move closer to me, but she kept a few feet of distance between us.

I took abother swig of the bourbon. "There is nothing to be done about it, so... It doesn't matter..."

Her footsteps sounded behind me and I felt her energy draw nearer. She stepped in front of me, forcing me to look into her eyes, as she stared up at me.

"Of course it matters." She said, studying my anxious expression.

"Why?" I whispered.

Her eyes softened. "Because I care about you." She repeated my own words back to me, the same ones I'd said to her in her rooms.

I stared into her emerald eye, switching slowly to her cerulean colored one, and then back again. My dragon purred quietly as he gazed down at her with me.

"Ever since we arrived here..." I began hesitantly. "Ever since you've been away from us... He's been out of his mind with grief and anger. He cannot stand it when you aren't near."

My eyes fell to her full, pink lips as they slowly parted, my words registering in her delicate mind. I waited, knowing that no matter what I told her, she would never be mine. She wouldn't allow herself to be with someone who was already intended for another, no matter how much she claimed to care for me. And I didn't blame her one bit. Even if I wasn't betrothed, I could never deserve her.

She was good.

Pure... The opposite of me.

"Can he see me?" She finally whispered. I nodded.

She moved carefully, slowly, as she lifted her arm, her hand reaching for my face. I stilled, my entire body tensing, unsure of what she was about to do. I prayed that I could control myself as soon as I felt her skin touch mine. I mentally grabbed hold of the beast, forcing him into submission so that he would not take over and cost me my self control.

Her hand cupped my jaw line gently and she lightly brushed her thumb over the plane of my cheekbone. I stared into her eyes, paralyzed by her touch.

"Listen to me you silly, overgrown skink." She said with a faint smile.

The beast purred louder, thrilled with the fact that she was directly addressing him, and slightly amused at her use of words.

"I am perfectly safe. You don't need to worry. You are going to drive Dristan into insanity if you don't calm down, so please... For me, won't you behave yourself?"

I felt a weight lift off of my consciousness as my dragon obeyed her, slipping further back into the depths of my mind. His thoughts and emotions quieted, and my head instantly stopped throbbing.

I lifted my own hand, gently grasping her small fingers, and pulled her hand away from my face. I lowered it to my chest, directly over my heart as relief cascaded over me like a tidal wave.

"It worked... A little. Thank you." I said, furrowing my brows, in awe of her. How was she capable of making my dragon completely lose his ever loving mind, and yet was also able to calm him simply by speaking to him? He'd never reacted to anyone this way, not in all of my long existence.

She smiled. "Anytime..."

As my head cleared a bit, I suddenly wondered what had brought her to my door in the first place. She made it quite clear that she didn't want to be within one hundred feet of me.

"Why are you here?" I asked, letting go of her hand.

She lowered her eyes but not before I saw a flash of horror within their multi colored orbs. She pushed past me and went to the couch, sat down, and gazed into the crackling fireplace.

The scent of her fear and anger wafted past me as she'd moved. Something was wrong. Something had happened. I felt the familiar, protective fury bubbling up inside of me as I walked to her, sitting down beside her on the sofa.

"What is it?" I urged.

"I don't know where to begin..." She said, burying her face in her hands.

Confusion, mixed with curiosity and irritation, flared inside of me. "Tell me." I commanded.

She lifted her head, staring toward the fire again. "I was... using my scrying mirror this morning. I saw something terrible, Dristan..."

I recalled the feeling I'd had earlier today, after I'd left the dungeons. I'd felt eyes on me, but couldn't find anyone in the staircase with me. I couldn't smell anyone. I'd even sent out a wave of power, hoping to feel a presence nearby, but there had been nothing.

"Were you watching me today? With Warrick in the dungeons, and after, in the stairwell?" I asked, my eyes narrowing.

"Yes, but-"

Anger caused my nostrils to flare. She'd been eaves dropping on me. I'd done nothing wrong, why was she so upset?

"Is it so terrible that I'm putting the wolves to work? You wanted me to give them an opportunity to prove themselves. I haven't harmed them, and you must've heard me tell Warrick that I don't want anyone to kill them. I'm trying to-"

She cut me off, waving her hand. "Dristan, that's not what I'm upset about!"

She turned to look at me and I glared at her, stone faced.

"Then what is it?"

She sighed. "I don't know how to say it!"

"Just fucking tell me Brenya, before I lose what little patience I have left for you." I said through clenched teeth. I gripped the arm of the couch, my knuckles turning white.

She sucked in a deep lungful of air and squeezed her eyes shut.

"I saw Andromeda fucking a man in a broom closet."

Silence fell. After a few moments, she cautiously opened her eyes and stared at me warily. I stared back at her, unsure if I'd heard her correctly.

Her words echoed in my mind and my dragon growled with lethal intent near the surface of my consciousness. His anger grew more potent with each passing second, as her words sunk into our minds, and my own fury intertwined with his, causing pure rage to boil within my chest.

Her face grew more and more panicked as she watched my face darken further and further.