The Dragon's Bride
Chapter 21

Seeing that, Fang had become conflicted with Catori’s words. Lilith thought of taking matters into her own hands.

“Well, you little unwanted bitch, I might just have to do this myself.″

“And what purpose does this even serve you?” Catori asked. “It’s not like you will be the one to rule, you still will be a slave to someone.’’

“Better than being devoted to this family, or a whiny child like you.″

Catori soon wondered if no one ever came down this path, thinking that there was just no way so many dragons lived in the Palace for no one to not happened by.

“You best be careful how you talk about us,″ Catori warned.

“And you better be careful about what you say to me. Or you will be the only one to suffer.”

“Catori, just go. I will be fine,″ Nita said.

She hated the back and forth. But she knew that no matter what Lilith was telling Fang, he could never hurt her, or the gods would step in.

But Catori was determined to help the both of them.

Lilith checked her nails before saying.

“People always say nymph are whores.”

″But you are. I guess you never heard of the word nymphomaniac.” Catori teased.

“You humans are the lowest of the low, yet here you are talking big. You better watch it.″

“Fang, as you Queen. I order you to throw Lilith in the dungeon.″

Fang once again looked conflicted, but he complied and threw the orange hair girl in the room Nita was and slammed the door.

“You think you are smart and have done something? Fang, just remember to punish your mate.”

Catori didn’t understand why Lilith was so caught up on Fang punishing Nita.

“Fang, you didn’t have to hurt her.”

“You don’t understand,’’ Fang told her.

In the same moment Fang grabbed hold of Nita, Catori screamed for him to stop. Her scream was powerful enough to shake the hall they were in. It caused small rocks to fall down the side and Fang to stop.

Lilith leered at Catori, her eyes showing uncertainty.

But Fang didn’t let go of Nita, and when he pulled her to her feet again, the hall quickly changed. As if it was changing scenes like in a movie.

Bringing Catori, Fang and Nita to an old cave that had water surrounding a little land that had three humanoid octopus sitting on it.

Whenever they moved, water would splash on the banks where the three stood.

“What is this place? And what are those things?” Catori panicked.

“I don’t know.” Nita was the one to respond.

“We are the ones that created you, the reason for your being and the reason why you have such great power.” The three creatures said in raspy voices.

“We only summoned one, Fang.” They spoke again.

Fang did a bow. ″the Fates, why the unforeseen visit?″

Catori couldn’t believe her ears or eyes. She didn’t know what she expected the Fates to look like, but she certainly didn’t think they were so hideous.

There was a growl off to the left, which caused Catori to jump and move closer to Fang.

“Fang, the treatment of your mate is unacceptable. Remember, we see all and know all. What we see doesn’t satisfy us. You have taken on others that aren’t fated to you. You have shamed your mate.″

Catori stepped away from him at that, afraid that they would strike him with their wrath and hurt her in the process.

“If it wasn’t for the daughter of Nightwing, who is trying to talk some sense into you, we would have been meeting on different terms.” Their voices hissed.

One of the octopus tentacles reached out to wrap itself around Fang’s body, squeezing him until a few of his ribs cracked.

Catori gasped out, ready to beg for him, but thought against it.

“Have you forgotten what a mate is?” One of the three old ladies inquired.

“Or should we remind you?″ Another hissed.

″Or kill you since you are mistreating your mate. Why would you choose others over the one we made specifically for you?” The other said.

This time Catori spoke up.

“I know it isn’t my place to speak, but I believe he was cursed, and Lilith, the nymph, has something to do with it.”

A tentacle flicked, splashing water everywhere.

“A curse!?”

“Yes, I was somehow able to talk him out of it, but the nymph still seems to have some kind of control over him.”

“Has something gone unseen by us?” One Fate asked the other.

“Or she lies.” Another said.

“No, she speaks the truth. Someone seeks our end, but that person is able to do it unseen.” The other side.

“Must be the dark one.”

The other two agreed, seeing that they were on the pure side and despised the dark one.

“His father tried it before.” The three said at once.

The Fates threw Fang away, causing him to land in the acidic water.

“Very well, seeing that your queen has spoken for you. We will give you another chance. Break the curse and treat your mate right or else you will suffer.”

A nasty thought flashed through Catori’s mind. She thought that if whoever succeeded, there was nothing the three ugly creatures could do.

“I still say we punish him for the ill treatment of his mate.”

“No sister, Rydstorm will need him to fight by his side.”

“Nee, the daughter of Nightwing, is right there. All she would have to do is come into her powers.”

That caused Nita to glance at Catori.

“I agree. Suffering would be the best choice for Fang and his family.”

“But if you kill him, that will destroy Nita.” Catori hurriedly spoke.

Nita glanced at her again.

“Very well. Since you are in our good grace, we will give Fang a second chance. Now go, and you better make things right with your mate, Fang!”

The Fates jumped in the water; waves of acid splashed about. Thankfully, none of it got on the trio.

Catori blinked several times, realizing that she was having an out-of-body experience.

“Thank gods, I was worried about you three.” Rydstorm said, pulling Catori into a hug.

“What was happening to you? I have been calling your names for the longest while.”

“The Fates.” Was all Catori said at first, trying to overcome her shock.

“The Fates? What did they want?”

Catori glanced at Fang and decided to leave out the part about his transgression.

“I think someone is trying to overthrow the Fates, or maybe the gods. And I think they are starting here.” Catori told him.

“Why would you think that?”

“Because...” Catori once again stopped short, then thought about what to say.

“Lilith the nymph, she was playing tricks on us earlier and told me her plan. She said she sent you away on a false lead, hoping that you would die.″

It was after those words left her mouth, did Catori noticed the huge gash that was running down Rydstorm’s arm.

“What happened?”

“You are right, it led us into an ambush. It was a good thing we figured it out in time.”

“You’re hurt.”

Rydstorm took Catori’s face in his hands.

“Don’t worry about me. It will take a lot for them to hurt me.”

Catori looked at her mate’s already healing arm.

“See, I’m alright. You need not worry about me.”

“I’m sure that nymph can provide some answers.” Nita put in.

Everyone looked towards the dungeon, but it was empty.

“She’s gone.” A guard said.