This is weird. This is so fucking weird.
For someone who had been treated like shit the whole of her life, for her to be treated like someone who deserved respect, she didn't know how to react.
She was tongue-tied, watching them as their scream bounced off the wall in worship, like she was a descended god, creating a sound that made Roxy's teeth ache.
Roxy stood there, clutching her tunic, looking down at the top of their scaly heads.
She looked up at Zarek. The Dragon King looked like he was about to commit homicide. His golden eyes were slit pupils, his whole form vibrating with rage.
"Silence!" roared. The sound was loud and filled with authority. It slammed into the kneeling Elders like a shockwave.
The chanting cut off instantly.
"You enter my lair," Zarek growled, stepping in front of Roxy to shield her from their gaze. His chest heaved as if he was building his rage intensely. "You interrupt the feeding of my mate. And now you make noise? Do you wish to be turned to ash?"
Roxy blinked.
Okay, feeding of my mate makes me sound like a pet hamster, but I appreciate the defense.
The Elders trembled, but they didn't leave. They couldn't. The scent of the pheromones coming off Roxy was too strong. It was like crack cocaine for their biological instincts.
They wanted to have a drop of that cocaine.
Roxy, who watched them, could sense their greed, and she knew she needed to clarify things, or she could be ready-made bacon.
"My King," Malcor, the Head Elder, wheezed, keeping his head low. "We meant no disrespect. But the scent... it has been a thousand years since our tribe smelled of... Hope."
"That is not something to concern yourself with," Zarek snarled, "I care about my peace. Get out."
He raised his hand, ready to breathe fire from his mouth.
Roxy sighed. Of all the men she had to sleep with, why did it have to be the Dragon species first? A lot of politics she didn't like.
It would have been better if they had been left alone, so I could train him into my pet dragon.
As much as she wants them gone, she had to do this for her mission...
If he kills them, I'm stuck alone in this cave with Mr. Tall, handsome. And I won't be able to return to my soft and inviting bed.
She stepped out from behind Zarek's massive back and slapped his bicep. It was like slapping a hot pipe.
"Hey! Down, boy," Roxy commanded, her voice breaking the tension in the air. "Calm yourself. You're smoking the place."
The Elders gasped. One of them actually choked. No one had ever treated their king like that. So disrespectful.
But they couldn't do anything about it.
This was the Dragon Queen, the one who was pregnant with the King's heir.
Zarek froze. He looked down at her small hand on his arm, and his eyes narrowed at her. Then slowly, he swallowed the flames. He didn't look happy, but he stopped.
Roxy patted him in satisfaction.
[Ding! Affection +1%. Target is confused by your audacity, but likes it either way.]
Only one percent? Tough crowd.
Roxy stepped forward, crossing her arms. "Okay, listen up, you old geezers. You can get off the floor. The bowing is making me uncomfortable, and frankly, you're blocking the exit. I need fresh air."
The Elders look at themselves.
They couldn't understand some of her words, but they heard her command and slowly rose, looking confused. Their eyes were glittering with hope and high expectation for her.
Except one.
While four Elders looked at her like that, Malcor, who was the leader, was looking at her like she was a piece of gum stuck to his shoe.
Wasn't he the one who first acknowledged her?
He was the biggest of the bunch, with grey scales patching his skin and a long, jagged scar running down his snout. He wasn't crying tears of joy. He was seething.
For whatever reason, that might be.
"An Unknown species," Malcor spat. "The king has mated with a hairless, weak-skinned human?"
Roxy's eyebrow shot up. "Excuse me? Hairless? Buddy, I have great hair. It's called conditioner. Look into it."
Malcor ignored her, not understanding her silly words. Roxy felt insulted; she was about to give him a piece of her mind when he spoke again, this time directed to Zarek.
"My king, this is a disgrace! The bloodline is sacred! How can a weak, short-lived, unknown species bear the weight of a Dragon heir? Her womb will crumble! The child will be a runt!"
"Watch your tongue, Malcor!" Zarek warned, his eyes spitting fire at the old man. "She carries my child. And bears my mark."
"She carries lies!" Malcor roared, pointing a clawed finger at Roxy.
The latter pointed to herself skeptically. Malcor continued, "How did she even enter the sealed lair? How did she wake you up from the deep slumber? No one can wake a Dragon during that state without the proper rituals! She took advantage of you and used witchcraft!"
Roxy snorted, rolling her eyes. "Witchcraft? Really? That's the best you got?"
"My daughter," Malcor continued, his voice shaking with rage, "Lyra was waiting! She has prepared for fifty years to be your mate, my King! She is strong! She is a Dragon! She has scales to protect your heir! And you choose this? This soft, squishy thing that looks like it would break if the wind blew too hard?"
Ah, Roxy thought. There it is. Nepotism. He wanted his daughter to get the big D, and I swooped in and stole the prize, more like rode the prize.
She felt a little bad for about half a second. Then she remembered he just called her squishy.
"Listen here, you dried-up gecko," Roxy snapped, stepping forward. Zarek tried to pull her back, but she shrugged him off.
She was never the type to stand aside and get bullied. "Your daughter had fifty years? Well, clearly she snoozed and lost. I walked in, saw what I wanted, and I took care of business in eight hours. That sounds like a skill issue on her part."
She literally took him by herself without his permission, but she didn't want to talk about that. Zarek was a beast; they fucked like beasts. At least that was what she thought.
The cave went dead silent. The other Elders looked like they were about to have heart attacks. This female was absolutely dangerous. Malcor looked like he was going to explode.
"You dare?" Malcor hissed. "You dare speak of Lyra like that?!"
"I dare," Roxy said, resting her hands on her hips. "And as for being weak? Your king seems to think I'm strong enough. In fact, he seems pretty happy with the results. Isn't that right, Z?"
And besides, you were not the one who had to ride a dick as large as his.
Zarek looked at Malcor, his lips curling with pride. "She speaks truth. She cooked the meat. She woke the dragon. She is strong."
Malcor looked like he had swallowed a lemon; his face went red. "Cook... meat? What madness is this?" He turned back to Roxy, his eyes narrowing into hateful slits. "You have bewitched him. That is the only explanation. An unknown female like you cannot conceive a Dragon child! It's biologically impossible! You are faking it!"
"Fake it?!" Roxy laughed, a sharp, mirthless sound. "Buddy, what exactly do I have to do to prove it to you?!"
Malcor sneered, his jagged eeth glinting in the light.
"The Trial of Purity," he spat.