Beautiful Torment *Book One of the Beautiful series*

25) The First Living Flame

Lucy jerked her arm against his hold. "I do not need anything from her," she hissed, disguising her hurt with venom. She pulled again, but he did not let go, instead forcing her back down into her seat. "Let me go, Xander."

"No."

She looked at him, glaring, and watched the golden fire dance in his eyes. For some reason, the sight of it softened her and she relented, settling within her chair and turning back to her mother who had been watching their exchange with a curious expression. "Finish your story. Tell me about this fire the so called Forged made," Lucy grumbled, crossing her arms.

Ignoring the contempt in her daughter's voice, Sabrina began again with all the patience of a seasoned mother. "A Flame is not a fire but rather an essence. A magic heavily protected by our people. The Flame was infused into designated objects—a ring, a necklace, or something of the sorts—and sent into the world. And each time a new Flame was created, a baby dragon hatched from their egg, it's life-force tethered to the essence and object by invisible binds."

Lucy's jaw clenched and she squeezed her crossed arms together over her racing heart, casting a glance towards the prince. Though she wanted to laugh and call her mothers story ridiculous, she could not. A part of her knew it was true. She could feel it in her bones.

"A fledgling dragon without a flame shifts unexpectedly. They have no control, at the mercy of the fire daemon within. A simple tantrum could bring it on, lay waste to entire villages. And it continues that way until they locate their Flame. The object sings to them. It beckons them. Gives them power over their transformation."

Lucy could feel Alexander's hot gaze on the side of her face and she shivered. Every shared touch flashed through her mind. The molten lava in his eyes. His strength. His speed. His warmth. It all started to make sense. Dragon. The prince is a dragon! Her mind raced at the revelation, wondering how she had not put it together sooner. Right after the encounter with the changeling. Despite wanting to interrupt, she did what she could to hold her tongue and remain straight faced as Sabrina went on.

"For generations, the alliance between the Forged and the Dragons continued. We created their Flames and in return they gave us protection and wealth. Our village thrived and grew. The age of the Dragon was a golden one...but all that came to an end when I met him." Sabrina's expression darkened to the look of a sky before a thunderstorm. Her mouth turned down and she reached again for Bea who whined softly at her masters distress. "He was so charming. So otherworldly, like nothing and no one I had ever met before. He came to our village as an ambassador for the gods. To study our ways. To better understand their creations." A small shutter fell over her as she spoke with her faraway stare, as though traveling back through time. "I do not know why he chose me out of all the women he could have had. He put me under his spell. Made me feel special and wanted. But there was a price to pay for loving a god." Her eyes flashed back to Lucy's so quickly that the girl flinched in surprise.

"Too late I realized what the price was...Endon. the god of chaos and darkness. To be near him was to feed him. He drained the magic out of those around him like a leech on flesh. To love and be loved by him meant becoming powerless. I had already fallen pregnant by the time I started to notice...notice my gifts fading. He was overjoyed to learn I was carrying you. He had struggled for years to produce an heir, but his horrible dark power unintentionally killed the hosts—the mothers. I was strong. But I was afraid. So I fled."

Sabrina closed her eyes, tears rolling down her pale, sunken cheeks. "He became furious of course. Enraged. And in his fury came the chaos and darkness he was so aptly known for. His dark power transformed all the Forged in the village. Men, women, and children. It mutated them into the twisted creatures they are today. The Shadow Claimed."