The Secret of the Dragon Fire (COMPLETED)

Chapter 17

The night was quiet. There was not a sound to be heard. It was like nature knew something dreadful was about to happen. Even the night owls were quiet.

The only movement in the forest was that of four hunters. Even though they were in different parts of the forest heading to different kingdoms they all had the same goal. Kill the duke's advisor. Their bodies willed themselves forward while their minds begged them to stop. But they were not in control of their bodies. They were being controlled. They were being forced to kill. No matter how much they begged to be released they were forced to continue.

They all were trained to slip in quietly, do the deed and disappear into the night. That was their orders and if they did get caught they were on their own. They would probably be killed either way.

As the red liquid covered their knives they wanted to gag. This was inhumane. Killing these creatures without a second of question or doubt.

When the deed was done they disappeared into the night, no one saw them. No one knew who they are. But all will know about their horrendous deeds...

Jayk and Haylee spent the rest of the week exploring the kingdom and the castle. He even showed her all the hidden passages and doorways he used to slip through as a child. The people of the town treated her with kindness and were to glad to show of their wares to her.

He saw the way she treated the people in his kingdom. He saw how she was slowly healing. He wished more than anything that he could take away her pain. Make her forget about everything. He tried his best to take her mind of things but there were moments he would find her standing still and staring ahead. Like she was looking at something and he realised she must be seeing memories of her parents.

He tried to help her as much as he could but the sad fact is that people can't carry each others pain. We can't take others pain away. But we can support each other, we can be there for each other.

And that was all he could do. He was there for her. He held her when she cried, made her laugh when things got to overwhelming. He even helped her bake her mother's famous cookies, discovering why they were so famous. But you see all these things only distract you from your real pain and the sad truth is, when you lay alone in bed at night all this pain overtakes you, because no one can escape the clutches of pain.

Haylee started to love Jayk more and more. Not just because he was an amazing guy and he was so sweet and kind to her, but because he was a great ruler. She saw how he handled day to day petitions and strives and she admired his knowledge and the way he dealt with issues.

She was also glad to have him and the knights distracting her from her sadness and pain. Where would she be without them?

Probably dead, especially if Baelon left her that night.

Where would she be without Jayk. He has helped her so much over the last week. She knew how strong her feelings were for him, but she didn't know how to tell him. She also feared how he will take it. Things were going so well between them and she didn't want to spoil it.

Jayk felt the same way as Haylee. He was currently in his study overlooking kingdom stuff when he realised that hasn't yet told her that she was his mate. He wasn't just in love with her because she was his mate, no he was in love with her also because of who she was and he wanted to tell her so badly.

He dragged his fingers through his hair before he sighed in frustration. He couldn't take it any longer. Today is the day. He was going tell her that he loved her and that he wanted her to stay here forever.

With his mind made he rushed up the stairs to the tower. He needed to tell her before he could stop himself from doing it.

Haylee was sitting cross legged on her bed while she drew the castle on the volcano with the mountain range behind her. Or she tried to draw it. She was adding detail to her picture when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in," she called out.

When she noticed the disgruntled looking Jayk entering her room her mind immediately thought the most terrible thoughts.

"Don't tell me it's another murder?" She asked worried as she approached him.

He looked confused.

"What?...a murder? Oh no, no there hasn't been another murder. I wanted to tell you something?" He asked.

"Okay, what do you want to tell me?" She asked as she gave him an encouraging smile.

"Well dragons have things that we call mates..."

"Yes, like Cason and Lydia," she said perplexed as to what this could have to do with her.

"Well I have a mate..." Jayk said. Haylee felt her mood plummet.

"Oh." She said and Jayk had to stop himself from laughing from joy. He quickly placed his hands on her shoulder looking her straight in her eyes.

"Haylee, you don't understand. You're my mate!" Jayk said with a huge grin. He couldn't hold his excitement anymore.

She looked up at him.

"Haylee I wanted to tell for a long time now how I felt about you. I know that you might not feel the same-"

"Jayk-" Haylee wanted to tell him how she felt but the door was suddenly thrown open and Baelon stepped inside.

Jayk and Haylee turned to face him.

"The dukes are here, they demand your presence." Jayk looked torn between the two.

"Go, we can talk later," Haylee said as she urged him on. He gave her a smile before he planted a quick kiss on her lips and followed Baelon to the dukes who were waiting for them.

When Jayk arrived at the bottom of volcano he was surprised to see all the dukes with their own huge armies behind them.

"What is going on?" Jayk asked.

"All our advisors have been murdered," Ashell said gravely.

"We don't want to do this, but we need to take action your highness," Dwarrel said.

"We need to send them a message that shows them that if they want a war, they will loose. If we don't, who know where these murders will end," duke Argon said.

"We can't take innocent lives! Killing other humans will not solve our problem, we should use our skills and abilities in tracking the guilty party and bringing them down." Jayk tried to reason. He never wanted more blood to be spilt and he never wanted to start a war. He had tried his whole life keeping peace in this kingdom and now this had to happen.

He couldn't allow a war against Haylee's race. Not after he told her that they were mates.

"Jayk, we know that Haylee is your mate and that she is very special to you, but she is also special to us and if we don't do something our queen might get hurt to. Please Jayk think this through," duke Lyle said. He didn't want to start a war either, but when he saw the body of his murdered friend surrounded by a pool of blood, his choice was swayed. He couldn't risk anymore lives than they already lost.

Jayk wasn't so easily persuaded. Right at that moment he looked up and saw Haylee looking at them from high above on the balcony of the tower. He was at a crossroad. He didn't want to risk Haylee's life, but killing others to avenge another doesn't justify it.

As he looked around he saw the anger, sadness and despair on each and everyone's faces. He knew how hard it was for them to have lost their close friends, but killing innocent people wasn't going to bring them back.

He didn't know what to tell these men, what could he say or do to stop them from making a horrible mistake?

Haylee watched the small people on the ground. She wondered why all the dukes brought an army of knights with them. She wished she could hear what was being discussed down there, but she was way to far away.

"Isn't it a big gathering down there?" She heard a voice behind her say and when she turned around she found the dragon duke Magnar behind her and besides him stood a man she only saw in a photo in her mother's diary.

"Dad?"