Lemon

  A pain of being jolted back into the world ran through her choking her breath in her lungs as she curled around a fabric that was… Fuzzy? Slowly she opened her eyes that felt glued together, the light pained her. Soft fire lit the area. Dread dropped into her belly knowing she’d been caught. She looked at the ceiling and her brows furrowed. A huge skylight that she’d seen before never this close before.

  It was the dragon’s shops ceiling. Why would the merchants keep her there? She also noticed with a frown that the skylight… had hinges.

  Lemon sat up and looked around. She was in the loft she noted. The shop keeper stood in an area surrounded by books some on shelves, some on stacks, some just teetering on surfaces. She was in a small bed. Though the only reason she’d classify it as small was because the one more toward the center of the space was huge.

  “You’re awake.” The shop keeper stated closing his book pulling her attention to him. He sounded pleased. She gripped the fabric under her and tried to piece together a plan.

  “I didn’t steal anything.” She blurted out. His brow rose and he pushed up the glasses nodding.

  “I know you didn’t… Well maybe you technically stole yourself but that has no baring on me.” He considered out loud. She glanced at the stairs going down from the platform. They were equally between them. Lemon weighed the chances she was faster then a most probable fucking dragon. She decided the odds were against her so she simply shifted the edge of the bed while giving him her attention. “Tell me how did you end up in the possession Cronlen?” He asked her. At the name of that creep she stiffened fear running through her blood.

  The shop keeper frowned looking her over placing his book aside and stepping toward her. A new wave of fear had her blurting.

  “My mother skipped town and left me to fulfill her debts seems she gave him a list of why I should be able to cover them.” She offered using it as an excuse to stand. The list was in her pocket. Her pocket that was on her cloak. Where the hell was her cloak. Of course Cronlen could still tell people what was on the list but the list made it so he had nothing to back his claims.

  “A debt of four hundred-thousand chips?” He asked. She blanched at the number he’d offered.

  “No, she owed sixty-five hundred chips.” She stuttered. The shop keeper nodded like it made perfect sense. “Seems he thought he could make a high profit.” Then he seemed to consider and shrug. “We I guess ha did make a higher profit.” He added. Lemon froze and her blood ran cold. She shot for the stairs slipping not expecting to be barefoot she nearly went of the ledge. A single arm threaded around her and pulled her back against him. “There’s no need for that.” He breathed out. His hand ran over her hair as if to calm her. “I won’t hold you here. You can leave whenever you like but if you wish to stay you may.” He offered his tone a soft warm rumble that flickered sounding like a threat that might burn her later.

  Her heart was still skittering in her chest her breathing was still uneven and her mind was spinning. One thought kept echoing in her mind.

  Where would she go? She hadn’t really thought that through. Her friends as much as they adored her they weren’t prepared to handle all the issues that she brought. Her mother. Lemon would never trust her again. She’d just known she’d had to escape before she was sold. But what stopped it from happening again.

  The warm touch moved to her back supporting her as she tried to find her breath.

  “What’s your name?” The rumbling voice asked. The question seemed so insignificant with all of her fear and panic so she answered as simply as she would to anyone.

  “My friends call me Lemon.” When he words processed she glanced at him. The shop keep blinked tilting his head looking bewildered. He looked her over and considered.

  “I would think Orange or Peach would fit better.” He murmured. She groaned and chuckled the rather dumb topic helping her ease a bit. She stepped back and he simply shifted her so she was less close to the edge and met her eyes again. Lemon looked him over and chuckled again.

  “It started with me being one in a crowd my hair that day I guess looked like pink lemonade so that’s what they called me” She started pulled the top parts of her hair back so they didn’t fall her face shrugging with the motion. “and after a while of me sticking around it became a mouthful so it was shortened first to Lemonade and then Lemon.” She offered shrugging again looking at the ground feeling weirdly self-conscious. “I like it.” She grumbled. “What’s your name then?” She pushed back her tone she could hear flickering to a challenge.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  His lips turned up. Everything about him looked like it was just about to go up in flames. His skin was a coppery color with molten flickers that were not as prominent as when he was angry but were still a pointed reminder of what she thought he was. Even his eyes though looked in at some angles like a warm honeyed yellow and others the starts of a deepening orange.

  “My name is Zohar.” He breathed. His eyes sparkled and he looked all to pleased when he breathed. “Lemon.” He then as an after thought inclined his head in something like a greeting.

  “You really are a dragon aren’t you…” She trailed. His brows cocked up.

  “I am. Is that an issue?” He asked. She chuckled and considered that.

  “That depends, are you the type that’s diligent and makes sure they release energy or…” She hissed out a breath not bothering to finish the question when his eyes darted away. He was the type to ignore it either until it exploded or became too painful to ignore.

  Became too enticing to ignore.

  Lemon shook her head pushing that thought far, far away. His hands touched her shoulders and he ducked forward as if putting himself on her level.

  “I won’t let you be harmed.” He stated with such surety and ease that apart of her wanted to laugh. After all she was sure she was looking at that aspect of him as being the threat to her, and it was on some level but she’d probably survive the experience he? She let out a breath. Probably wouldn’t.

  The Dragon’s lips flicked down looking her over frowning.

  “Those who came looking for you think you were a half elf… You don’t read as one though.” He trailed. Lemon rolled her eyes at the assumption.

  “Why if the fae is hard to pin they always go with elf?” Lemon asked shaking her head it wasn’t the first time someone assumed that her mother was an elf, when she wasn’t and when they found that out assumed that Lemon’s father must be and elf when he wasn’t. “What fae outside of elves don’t intermingle? It’s not like we’re still in the age of over all chaotic wars and hard border lines.” Lemon hissed out it being a topic that particularly annoyed Lemon.

  “I think it was more the energy you embodied.” Zohar offered looking her over.

  “Again, not an elf.” Lemon pushed. She’d specifically chosen and energy that wasn’t elf, didn’t convert the energy to anything relating to elf and yet.

  “I’m not arguing with you.” He stated running his knuckles affectionately down her cheek. Lemon took a step back and purposely gripped the balcony wall.

  He looked her over considering. Then he dug around in his pocket and held out a few of the stones she’d embodied energy in.

  “These stones. You added magic to them, right?” He asked looking curious. Lemon cocked her chin.

  “It’s a trick I picked up.” She offered him a half truth. His eyes flickered with curiosity letting her know he recognized it and then his grin at her grew leading her to believe he didn’t mind it.

  “You are very interesting.” He breathed looking around. “Please consider staying a bit. I own this entire wall I can make you a decent room.” Zohar offered stepping forward. Lemon braced herself but he walked passed her and headed down the stairs. Lemon let out a breath blinking. Then she followed him down. He looked over the wall hidden behind shelves considering. Lemon took his arm pausing him. He looked at her and looked crestfallen and pouty. Like she told a child he couldn’t play with his favorite toy.

  That’s when it clicked in Lemon’s mind. His interest wasn’t necessarily in anything to do with her, herself. She’d interested him and Dragon’s keep interesting things in their hoard. Lemon considered her mother’s home that she’d had no choice in but it wasn’t so different then a hoard she thought at least. Being apart of a Dragon’s hoard would make it very difficult for anyone to take her from it.

  And he had said she could leave whenever she wanted to.

  Lemon sucked in a breath.

  “Where the bed you made upstairs could you make just like a hatch with a ladder?” Lemon asked him. “That way it won’t disturb the store space.” She offered shifting where she took his arm to a softer touch. Smiling at him and if anyone tired sneaking up on her they’d have to deal with a dragon first.

  Again he ducked forward as if trying to exist on her level.

  “It wouldn’t be uncomfortable to have to cross through my space to ger to your own?” He asked his eyes almost sparkling under his glasses. The question was kind of thoughtful so she sighed and spoke her mind.

  “Right now, I’ve been taken from home, instead of my mother paying a debt to get me back she gave list of reasons I would fulfill it. I woke up in a dungeon.” She scoffed. “To all of this information. Found out I was going to be sold. I guess I was fucking sold.” She hissed out a breath glaring at him. “But you have said that I can leave at any time is that right?” Lemon asked him.

  “Yes.” He offered without a second thought. Lemon let out a breath and nodded smiling at him.

  “Well then I’d prefer a bit more security then a twenty step walk where someone could abduct me again.” Lemon offered to him. “And you can’t exactly promise I can leave and keep a theft protection charm on me can you?” Lemon pointed out. The frown on the Dragon’s face deepened as he seemed to be thinking through. Then his glittering eyes settled on her and he ran a hand over her hair again.

  “I can do better then a ladder though.” He stated as if that were very important turning away and heading back up the stairs leaving her where she could confidently run out the door without him being able to catch her. Lemon scuffed again and headed up the stairs.