Welcome back to Hello Charlotte everyone. I hope that you enjoy this chapter, I worked hard on it. Please remember to VOTE and COMMENT, it means a lot to me plus I love chatting with you guys. Also, please remember to click on the video it goes with the chapter. ~XOXO BUTTERBALL~

The song is Bones by MsMr
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-Charlotte-

"Ivo, are you sure that the dragon den is this way?" Atlas asked him as he glanced at the map.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I know exactly what I'm doing?" Ivo grumbled.

I let out a yawn even though I was wearing two coats. "Yeah Atlas, Ivo always knows what he's doing," I said my voice full of sarcasm.

Ivo looked at me his eyes narrowed. "I do know what I'm doing though. And we're almost there so shut your damn mouths," he told us.

I caught Delilah rolling her eyes as she walked beside me.

I'm not the only person getting irritated from the cold.

Ivo had even changed into a black and red sweater with black slacks instead of his usual suit.

I think I've only seen him dress like this twice in my life. Well, now three.

When we reached the opening of a giant valley however Ivo stopped. "We're here. I told you all I knew what I was doing," he said proudly.

I looked at the valley, on each side were giant stone walls and carved into those giant stone walls were these giant holes. The grass in the valley was a mixture of both a lively green and a dead light brown.

"That's a lot of dragon dens," I said as I pointed to one.

"They're mostly empty..." Delilah whispered.

I walked forward a bit as I examined the area. Suddenly I heard a loud whoosh noise and heat fanned my face.

I stared unfazed at the small line of fire in front of me. The others rushed over to me instantly.

"Charlotte are you okay?" Atlas asked immediately.

"Relax guys it's just fire," I sighed.

Delilah hid behind Ivo as she let out a nervous laugh. "Y-yeah just fire...where did it come from exactly?"

I sniffed the air catching a large whiff of smoke, grass, and something else I couldn't place. Before I could say anything a large mass of purple and black scales dropped out of the sky.

I stumbled back as the dragon raised its head its large, glinting orange eyes narrowing as it stared down at us.

Its horns were more like a gazelle's, they curved inward then back out almost like a hand drill. On its horns were three golden hoops each, that glimmered in the sun.

Its scales were strangely smooth, shiny and clear they seemed to flow like a liquid.

The dragon opened its mouth and at first, I thought it was going to blow more fire instead, it spoke. "Therion king, who are you to enter my domain without permission," its voice was deep and rumbling yet still effeminate.

"You are confusing me with my father. I'm the prince, his son Ivo," Ivo told her with a scowl on his face.

The dragon lowered her head until she could look at Ivo more clearly. "Ah...you are correct. You're still a child compared to your father, still, why are you passing through my territory without permission?"

"We're heading to Malkavien, to meet someone. And this is the fastest way to the capital," I told her.

The dragon turned to me a visible scowl on her face. I noticed her nostrils flare slightly as she sniffed me. Her eyes went wide and she spoke, "Youngling...what is your name? You smell like...family," she asked softly a hint of surprise in her voice.

I frowned and flicked my tail against the ground. "It's Charlotte, Charlotte Marcel" I sighed.

She continued to stare at me for a moment or two before she turned back to Ivo a very toothy smile on her face. "Fine you may pass, I would like to see you later Charlotte. My name is Eden," she told us her gaze on me.

As she walked away towards one of the nests, Atlas turned to me. "Do you know her Charlotte?" he asked looking confused.

"I smell like family...hmmm," I whispered to myself.

"Aw look a bunny, oh wow that's a lot of bunnies," Ivo said as he walked forward.

I looked over and saw about fifty-eight bunnies hopping around the valley. "They reproduce so fast because they're nature's popcorn," I informed him, which caused Ivo to narrow his eyes.

"I didn't know Ivo liked things like that," Atlas said softly.

Delilah let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, Ivo loves small cute things just like King Vincent."

Atlas glanced down at me slowly. "Small and cute things huh?"

I flicked my tail out with a huff. "Why in the fuck are you looking at me?" I grumbled as I shivered slightly.

I hate the fucking cold!

Ivo stood up from where he'd been kneeling near the rabbits. "If bunnies are popcorn then what are guinea pigs and hamsters?"

I scowled as I began walking. "Guinea pigs are nature's caramel apples. Hamsters are nature's baby carrots, you don't see them much in nature but, when you do you're like oh my god I have to have that!" I explained as we walked through the valley.

As we walked toward one of the empty nest I noticed a large lone dragon egg. It sat in an empty nests alone, but for some reason, I felt the urge to go over to it which I ignored.

~~~

By the time we set up camp a flood of dragons began to return, as soon as they landed they slithered over to their individual caves.

I frowned and took a drink from my flask as I watched.

I wonder if that egg is okay?

"Charlotte are you okay? You're not too cold right?" Atlas asked.

I forced a smile, "Yeah, I'm okay. A little cold and tired but I'm okay,"

"Alright, if you ever wanna talk I'm here," he told me as he stood next to me.

I wrapped my tail around his leg and just nodded. "I know," I whispered.

I walked out of the den. As I walked back to where the egg was I noticed a giant mass of purple outside the den.

Eden looked up at me as I approached. "Oh youngling, why are you not with your friends?"

I bit my lip as I shifted from one foot to the other. "I...was worried about the egg," I whispered.

Eden's eyes widened then she gave me a gentle smile. "This egg was not abandoned willingly. The mother was killed by the Aveon foundation while gathering food. It is highly likely that it will not make it," she informed me.

Kessel...what happened to you? Why have you changed so much?

"But can't you or another dragon watch it?" I asked my voice taking on a slight frantic edge that I really disliked.

Eden shook her head a bit. "Many of the dragons that returned are male. About five female dragons have returned but they are busy nesting their own young," she said sadly.

I bit my lip before I let out a sigh. I walked over to the egg and sat next to it taking off my coats and scarf. Eden watched me with a look of shock on her face as I carefully wrapped my coats around it, using them to make a slight pouch.

"I'll take care of it then," I whispered.

Eden nudged me giving me a small smile. "Child, I mean Charlotte what was your father's name?"

I jumped slightly at the mention of my father and my stomach churned slightly. "Um, he...his name was Raevali..." I whispered.

It took me a moment to notice it but I had curled in on myself. Eden frowned, however.

"Was he a large man with a broken horn, purple scales on his arms and the ability to spew fire?" She asked.

I just nodded as I tried to get my body under control.

Just breathe slowly, in and out.

"Charlotte...the man you are describing is my great-grandson. You're the baby he showed me all those years ago. My adorable great, great granddaughter," she whispered softly as her eyes lit up.

However, the fact that Eden was indeed family seemed to only make my condition worse. I struggled to take in air as my breathing became frantic, my skin felt warm despite the chill. My mouth refused to move as my tongue felt heavy and tasted like cotton. My eyes stung as tears gathered there.

Kessel...please help me!

Suddenly I was wrapped in something black fuzzy and warm. It took me a moment to realize that it was Ivo's demonic energy. "I-Ivo!" I gasped out.

He appeared out of a swirl of demonic energy standing next to me. The moment he appeared he turned to Eden growling his therion hand out. "What did you do to her?" He growled.

Eden flinched back seemingly understanding what was wrong. "I told her that she's my great, great granddaughter," Eden explained carefully.

Ivo scowled his demon energy dispersing from his hand. "Fucking hell," he mumbled, "Can you leave? I need to help Charlotte."

Eden slowly nodded, before she left she gave me one final look.

Ivo knelt next to me, as he did his demonic energy disappeared from around me. "It's okay Charlotte, I'm here." He whispered as he wrapped me in his arms.

However, that just made me cry harder. "I'm-I'm sorry Ivo," I whimpered.

"Charlotte, honey you haven't done anything wrong," he reassured me as he rubbed my back.

"I know but I-I couldn't help but call out for Kessel," I whispered.

Despite his attempt to hide it, I felt him flinch slightly. He laid back against the wall with me in his arms and let out a sigh. "Honestly I'll admit it. I don't like the fact that you and Kessel were close. I'm not angry that you went to him, neither am I angry that he means so much to you, I'm pissed because it sounds like you met the old Kessel before I destroyed him."

I frowned as I shivered slightly. "The old Kessel?" I whispered.

Ivo let out a small sad laugh. "Yeah, the old Kessel, the one I loved and treated like an older brother. We were close, I remember when we first met at this park that his dad Lawerence took him to because our dads were close friends. I was eight and he thought he could talk to me like a regular little kid. The moment he knelt down and tried to talk to me in that patronizing voice I yanked on his ears," He told me.

I couldn't help but smile however I noticed that I was beginning to calm down. "When Kessel took me under his wing we...used to read a lot. Sometimes I would fall asleep in the library as he read to me. Sometimes I would sit in his lap as we read different books. Every day he would ask 'how are you doing Lotte?' He was just really nice to me...he was the only person there that actually treated me like a person," I whispered.

I felt tired and sluggish from the cold, so I clung to Ivo as close as I could. As he stroked my hair I heard him let out a small chuckle. "Yeah...that definitely sounds like Kessel, he was really responsible and kind even when we were kids. So it's no surprise that he was student council president for four years."

"So you're four years apart then," I yawned.

"Yep, in human years I'm twenty-five I think. So Kessel would be twenty-nine, it really has been a long time since everything changed. Since Kessel came back wrong," he whispered.

I closed my eyes as I began to doze off before I fell asleep I felt Ivo kiss my forehead.

~~~

I opened my eyes my whole body jolting as I suddenly sat up. I winced as something fell hitting me right between my horns.

"Oh, are you okay Charlotte?" Kessel asked.

"Yeah, I'm alright. I just kinda forgot where I fell asleep," I said softly as I glanced back at the bookshelves.

Kessel chuckled as he set his paperwork aside. "Oh you're reading that book, I thought I had it put away," he said as he stared at me.

I smiled. "You did but I was bored and I picked the lock. Besides, you spent the time teaching me this weird language from your world. So I should use what I've learned while I can," I pointed out.

Kessel laughed as he got up and came over to me. "Well, I'm not going to fault you for being right about that Lotte."

I frowned as I looked at an unfamiliar word. "Kessel, what's a Therion?" I asked as he sat down next to me.

Kessel leaned over and looked at the sentence I was pointing at. "A Therion is a problem but also a very powerful solution. Think of it as a very powerful tool that can turn on you at any minute," he informed me.

I looked at him. "But the book says that they're powerful demons that eat their demon brethren. And that they're children of the gods," I told him as I looked through the book.

Kessel stretched. "I know, I'm speaking from personal experience. I've met two therions in my current lifetime. And they were both awful people, one literally had a torture room in the basement and happily burned down people's villages. The other was..." he suddenly trailed off.

He flinched and began massaging his temples with his eyes squeezed shut. He let out a shuddering sigh as I watched him stand up. "Um...Charlotte I'll be back, y-you can keep that book if you want," he said quickly as he rushed out of the room.

The door seemed to slam behind him as he left, the moment it closed though large grey bars appeared on the door.

My eyes widened as I clutched the book to my chest. The room began to grow darker and darker until I sat in a pitch black room.

"K-Kessel? Kessel!" I called out as loudly as I could.

Someone grabbed my hair yanking me back and causing me to fall to the ground. Suddenly she was leaning over me, my mother.

She was covered in blood, her throat slit down to the bone where Ivo had decapitated her. There was a large puncture wound in the middle of her stomach where I could see her organs glistening and pulsing.

As her blood dripped on me I could only watch as she began to speak the slit on her throat pulsing and wiggling as it moved like a mouth. "Where in the fuck do you think you're going? Kessel can't protect you forever you know. And one day that Therion you summoned will either abandon you or take your life," she told me.

Her hands wrapped around my throat, her claws were gone leaving bloody and torn up fingers that tried desperately to rip my throat apart. "I can't wait for you to join me," she whispered in my ear.

~~~

My eyes snapped open as I let out a low hiss, slowly I lifted up as I realized where I was.

She's dead. She can't touch you and she can't hurt you.

I looked down when I noticed that I surprisingly wasn't cold. Underneath me was my heating pad that Ivo bought when I was younger.

He found this thing to stop me from crawling into dressers and chest when I was cold. I didn't even know we had batteries for it unless Ivo went and found some for me.

"Are you alright Charlotte?"

I turned around to see Atlas, he was sitting down and leaning back against the cave wall with half a bottle of wine next to him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I checked the egg. It was still in the makeshift pouch I'd given it.

Atlas extended his wings, stretching them out before laying them down on the floor. "I came to see if you wanted a drink but you were sleeping and Ivo told me not to disturb you. He left your backpack here for you though," he told me as he scratched his head. "By the way what's the deal with the dragon egg?"

I stood up and stretched as I began going through my stuff. "Its mom was killed apparently so I'm hatching it. In fact, it should hatch soon," I told him as I took out a small locked box.

Atlas's eyes widened. "Wait, you can tell that it's going to hatch soon?" He asked sounding very surprised.

I nodded as I entered the combination on the lock almost instantly the box opened. "The spots change color when it's ready to hatch, they go from darker colors to warmer looking colors. Depending on the dragon it may even radiate slight heat. Before you ask though I know this because of a lot of reading, I am two-thirds mammal after all," I informed him.

Atlas let out a soft hmm as he watched me open the book that had been in the box. It was an old book with a black, red and golden cover, a small latch was on the book the lock long since missing. As I held the book though I noticed that it seemed to pulsate with a strange energy.

Was this book like this when I was a kid? I think I would've said something to Kessel if it did. Ivo didn't say anything when I asked him to watch over the box for me either.

"Charlotte, I brought you some food. Your therion was busy helping the nature nymph, but he told me not to give you anything spicy," Eden said as she landed in front of the cave.

She used one large hand to carefully place a medium sized piece of roasted meat in front of me on a large leaf.

I couldn't help but smile at her. "Thank you, Eden," I told her softly.

She also smiled. "It is no problem child. I got to hunt in my human form which I have not done in ages. It was-" suddenly Eden froze her attention on the book in my hand.

"Child, where in the gods' name did you get that book? It reeks of age and a dark power. Not to mention those colors," she growled.

"The colors?" Atlas and I both asked at the same time.

She let out a hiss. "Those are the colors of the Therion king's kingdom. It reeks of his power but not just his, it reeks of the awful power of many therions!"

I sighed as I stopped on one of the pages that I had read so many times as a kid.

Since Kessel gave this to me I should've known.

As I read the page I couldn't help but worry a bit.

A contract with a Therion is usually highly unadvised unless in life or death situations and extreme desperation. Due to the way Therions eat there is a very high chance that their contractor will meet a grim fate. Especially since a Therion can-

I jumped as a cracking noise entered my ears. I put the book down as I rushed over to the egg. As I took my clothing off it I noticed the giant crack in the middle of the egg.

The crack spread as the baby dragon punctured the egg. Then it just burst through tumbling to the ground. For a few moments, the baby dragon just lay on the ground looking confused as it struggled to stand up.

I held my jacket up to my face so that the first thing it saw wouldn't be me. I heard Eden move and then she spoke to the baby dragon.

"Come to me little one...there we are," she whispered.

Hesitantly I lowered my coat to see the dragon nuzzling Eden's arm. The baby dragon had beautiful shimmering bright green scales, instead of the usual horns it had tiny pencil-thin antlers. Its bright purple eyes looked around slowly.

"So it finally hatched. It's so adorable though," Ivo said as he as Delilah came over.

"It's cute but it doesn't spew fire does it?" Delilah asked as she hid behind Ivo.

"No, it breathe's lightning-like mother," Eden informed her.

Ivo walked over to me, however, he froze when he noticed the book I had. He carefully picked it up a serious look on his face, "Charlotte where in the hell did you get this?"

"Is that book what I think it is?" Delilah whispered.

"Yes, it's that book I saw Kessel reading in the palace library. But I thought my father took it and locked it away. Charlotte you have to tell me where you got this." Ivo said.

I winced knowing that he'd hate my answer. "Kessel gave it to me when I was younger," I told him.

Ivo froze as he looked at me. "Charlotte you can actually read this book?"

"Y-yeah, Kessel taught me how to read it," I whispered. "Also your kingdoms language is confusing," I told him trying to lighten the mood because I already knew what was in the book.

Ivo scowled as he opened the book. "It's not my kingdom's language. It's the language that belongs to Therions. I learned it from my father so I don't know who taught Kessel. Unless he..." Ivo trailed off as he read the page I had marked.

His eyes grew wide and if possible his face grew paler, he instantly closed the book. "I-I have to go. I need to speak to my father," he whispered as he quickly left.

As he left though I couldn't help but notice the expression of true horror on his face.

From his expression, I guess he didn't know what was written in the book.