Adaela Swan is a girl with many talents. One of those talents is that she can transform into a hero to fight crime. She is contracted under the king of Kirium and must report to him every two weeks what activities she has done. As far as she knows she has no past, no ties, and a raging crush on the Ancient King Dragon. Despite her appearance and bravery, sheās nervous sheāll lose what little she has. Whether she realizes it or not, she can no longer run from the past she no longer remembers.
King Leon Cedarvine is the Ancient King Dragon of the kingdom of Kirium. His family has ruled for hundreds of years. He has fallen for the girl who poses as the Author, a vigilante who cares as much for his people and country as he does. He longs to protect her and to call her his, to call her his queen. Itās a shame she canāt recognize how blatantly heās flirting with her.
Adaela Swan is a girl with many talents. One of those talents is that she can transform into a hero to fight crime. She is contracted under the king of Kirium and must report to him every two weeks what activities she has done. As far as she knows she has no past, no ties, and a raging crush on the Ancient King Dragon. Despite her appearance and bravery, sheās nervous sheāll lose what little she has. Whether she realizes it or not, she can no longer run from the past she no longer remembers.
King Leon Cedarvine is the Ancient King Dragon of the kingdom of Kirium. His family has ruled for hundreds of years. He has fallen for the girl who poses as the Author, a vigilante who cares as much for his people and country as he does. He longs to protect her and to call her his, to call her his queen. Itās a shame she canāt recognize how blatantly heās flirting with her.
This was the third time she had found something on her balcony this week. Adaela Swan needed to find out who was doing this or why they were showing interest in her this way.
A basket filled to the brim with goodies and trinkets sat properly outside her window sill. It would be charming if she wasn't on the third floor. Someone had been climbing up to her balcony and leaving the baskets for her to find.
It was creepy on paper. She had to admit that she should probably have been more concerned than she was. There was never anything malicious about it though. The baskets typically held a flower, a warm meal (or groceries), and some little thing for her to put around her apartment.
Adaela had moved to the Kingdom of Kirium three years ago with nothing but a backpack and a small child's wagon. Her apartment wasn't even on a nicer side of town. But it's hard to be worried about robbers when the house is bare and empty.
Slowly, that's been changing though. Adaela had been keeping bits of pocket money to help furnish her humble abode and the baskets also had knick-knacks and paddy whacks to allow her apartment to look more and more lived in. The baskets also always had a poem attached, but no name. The baskets were getting more frequent in general too.
What used to be a small monthly thing, turned weekly then bi-weekly; and she was beginning to suspect that they were turning into a daily thing. She had to make multiple trips to her local thrift store to donate the excess baskets. She kept the prettier ones, of course. Adaela found many ways to put them to use around her kitchen and bedroom to hold her minimal items.
Part of her worried that whoever was doing this was spending too much of their money on her. But seeing that the last basket had a new set of dining wear with plates, cups, and some nice utensils to match, Adaela wasnāt inclined to have them stop anytime soon when they were improving her living conditions. Even if she felt a little guilty.
That being said, this basket had a warm meal already prepared. It was still steaming in the glass tupperware. There was also a small bouquet of roses near the top and a small little box that she opened to see a single slice of chocolate cake.
The card was attached on the inside as usual but it lacked the typical poem. It simply read: "Rest well, Love. You've worked hard today. Dinner's on me. I just want to see you smile in the morning."
Adaela tilted her head, smiled, and tucked the card back into its place, bringing the basket back into her apartment.
She had to figure out who this secret admirer was. It has to be someone with access to her floor but it can't be a neighbor. Right? She was on the corner so it couldn't be anyone to her left. But maybe her neighbor to the right? That's a creepy thought, she stops herself. Adaela hardly ever saw him and she didn't think he showered throughout the week.
It can't be him. Or at least she was going to deny it if it was.
Maybe it's someone from above? That's more likely. There is this cute guy that she knows who lives on the floor above her, but she doesn't know which apartment. It wouldn't be hard to drop the basket secretively onto her balcony from above if that was the case, though. It could be him.
The thought rotated in her head as she ate the food. It was delicious. Decadent, even.
Gratitude filled her heart and soul. Adaela thought about how to return the favor somehow after everything this person had provided for her. She just didnāt know where to start. Brushing her brown hair away from her face, she put the dishes to clean in the washer and decided to call it a day.
She headed to bed with a smile on her face and a full stomach. She'll have to start small in terms of repayment but surely she could think of something.
The next morning before she went to the castle, she called her magic to properly disguise herself and walked straight to the throne room as she had grown accustomed to.
It was a deal that the king had proposed personally to her.Ā
Since she had come to Kirium with nothing to her name, Adaela had to start fresh. That didnāt mean that her services were sought after or readily welcomed within most kingdoms.
Not wanting to work in her new home and step on any toes, she went out in uniform and went to ask the king himself for permission. He was striking in every sense of the word, but a reasonable man if people behaved themselves. Thatās when the king came up with the deal.
She was able to work concern-free in his kingdom but had to report to him every other Tuesday. He claimed it was for the safety of his people and for the sake of keeping her in line with her less-than-agreeable crime-fighting ways. Seeing as she had nowhere else to go, Adaela didn't think it wise to refuse.
They had grown somewhat close over a few years, but with his power and status by his side, Adaela couldn't help but be slightly intimidated by him even now.
The king, like most royals of the kingdoms of Hycipia, was a dragon. Sure, he could take the form of a typical man, but he stayed in his half-form more often than not. His age and strength added to his credentials. As the current senior amongst dragons, all sheād gathered was that he'd lived longer than he appears. The older the dragon, the stronger they were.
In short, King Leon Cedarvine was a force to be reckoned with.
However, he's kind and patient. Adaela couldnāt remember a time he so much as raised his voice at anyone. He's not all that bad, she thought. Just insanely powerful.
Adaela nodded and grinned at the captain, who was affectionately called Luke, although his full name was Lukas Abdue. He was another dragon hidden among the people. She didn't know his story, but she knew was a hard-working fellow. Lukas had also come to the king in a time of need, looking for asylum just like she had, and had been working under his employ ever since. He was the king's right-hand man. He was very rarely seen anywhere else.
Lukas smiled back and saluted her softly as she entered. His golden hair floated over his eyes as a soft laugh escaped him. The striking cobalt clue of his eyes twinkled at her as she passed. Adaela tossed her now pink hair over her shoulder and bowed back playfully toward the captain. She never understood why she had been given free rein of the castle, but with Lukasā approval, she felt better to head on directly to the king.
āYour Majesty,ā Adaela walked into the throne room and met the king with a clumsy curtsy, feeling rushed. The king had asked her to call him Leon, but she could never do that. She wasnāt even sure if such an idea was legal.Ā
King Leon, in a more casual black button-up and tailored black slacks, stood from the throne. His face was kind, amused even. A chuckle tumbled out of him as he walked toward her, his marble-like tail swinging behind him. He brushed his oily black hair from his face, running his hand over his marred eye. His singular shamrock green eye held boundless delight. "I thought we were past the formalities, my dear."
She cleared her throat, fighting back the blush on her face. She had always admired the king. She thought he was the most handsome male creature to have ever graced the earth. But her arrogant puppy crush was getting in the way of her professionalism. And that just canāt be. "Were we? I don't recall."
He laughed again. "Come. We have much to discuss."
Adaela nodded and followed without question. He led her to the back room with a gentle touch on the small of her back. It's a familiar routine that sheās grown comfortable with. Even if her heart felt as if it was going to pound out of her chest at any moment. As a dragon, he had superb superhuman hearing. She dreaded the thought of him hearing how nervous he made her.
There was a small rounded table with a pale blue lace tablecloth in the room. On it, there was a delicate tea set and it was covered to the brim with snacks and treats alike. Adaela thought she could see a few of her favorites. Her eyes lit up at the sight.
King Leon noticed, of course, and he smiled, pleased. "Sit."
She nodded and took her usual spot. Leon sat across from her and served the pieces that he had seen her eye earlier. Adaela almost felt bad to see him prepare the food for her. She was still full from the night before.
Leon noticed this as well. "Something wrong, dear?"
"No." She shook her head, afraid of insulting him. "Someone gave me dinner last night and I'm still a bit full from it."
Leon seemed to be shocked by the tidbit. His tail curled around one of the legs of the table. "Really? Was it good?"
"It was delicious!" Adaela couldn't help but gush. "I would normally cook for myself but they send food from time to time and it was still warm so I couldn't resist."
His smile turned a little tight. "Is that so? I'm glad that you were fed adequately then... May I ask who gave you such a fine feast?"
She faltered, the smile on her face turning more soft and shy. "Um... I think it was my neighbor..."
"...You don't know who it is?"
With a blush, Adaela hung her head and looked down at the table, playing with the treats on her plate. "I know that I should be more cautious. But they've only ever left it on my balcony... It's a secret admirer so to speak, I think. They've given me trinkets and flowers and food. It seems as if they've slowly been furnishing my house for me. I don't know... I've been trying to think about who it may be, but I'm coming up short. Regardless, enough about my lack of love life-"
Leon abruptly put his hand under the table but Adaela caught the reason why before he could properly hide it.
He'd bent the fork in half with his hand, seemingly without realizing it. Leon smiled brightly, as if nothing happened and the thought was put on the back burner for now. "Right... Well, you can always ask for my assistance, darling. If you need more for your stipend-"
Adaela shook her head with a small smile. "Thank you, but I'm here to report my work. Let's get to business then."
Leon clenched his jaw slightly but nodded in agreement. "Right. I believe last time you mentioned that you were following a trail of some suspicious individuals on the property of the farmlands for relief efforts. Did that bloom into anything substantial?"
With a large, blinding grin, Adaela pulled out a manila folder and handed it to the king. "Did it ever."
The time passed faster than either of them knew it. Little by little, as Adaela gave her report, the conversation drifted further and further away from the topic and they were talking amongst each other as friends instead of an employee to her employer.
Suddenly, Lukas walked in, informing Leon that he had another meeting to attend. The captain had the decency to look apologetic.
The king winced but Adaela was quick to stand up in a panic. "I'm sorry. I've overstayed my welcome."
"Impossible." Leon blurted, standing up abruptly as well. He reached out as if to stop her and moved around the table as if to block her path. His tail curled around her ankle, stopping Adaela in her tracks. Its grip was gentle but firm. Even if his grip was painless, Adaela could already tell that she wouldn't be able to escape on her own no matter how hard she tried.
She froze and after a beat, he let her go. Leon gulped quietly and stood aside, seemingly more aware of what he was doing. His grip fell away all at once. The king put his hand behind his back for good measure, even as his tail swished behind him. "R-right... I won't keep you from your work much longer then."
Adaela blushed with little control on her end. The king had always been fine with putting a hand on her shoulder or her back... But the tail is one of the most sensitive parts of a dragon. And he just grabbed her with it. For some reason, the thought was enough to send her heart racing with adrenaline.
The young woman nodded dumbly as if her schedule was as jammed-packed as the sole king of the kingdom of Kirium. Her heart was pounding. Without further explanation, Adaela followed Lukas out of the room as he led her back to the castle's main gate.
"Sorry," Lukas said quietly. "I didn't mean to interrupt."
"Nonono." Adaela was still shaken by the phantom feelings of the delicate scales around her ankle. Even if it was just a brush, there was nothing but power there. She didn't know why she was out of whack. The act was more intimate than she was able to admit. "If you didn't say anything, I would have kept going. Honestly, I swear he's just humoring most of the time."
"This is the only time we get him to take a break," Lukas told her. "He'd work himself to the bone if it weren't for you. It's not like he can't afford it. He's two years ahead of his work. By all means, keep him there longer."
She flushed and looked away, walking out of the gate. "Oh please, he'll get sick of me before we know it. Thereās a reason we only meet twice a month."
Lukas was quick to bite his tongue, biting back the instant retort that no doubt sat upon it. He took a breath and shook his head. "...He likes you." The poor man looked pained. Like there was something there that he wanted to say but couldn't. Since Adaela wasnāt looking for it, she didn't see it. "Would you like me to walk you home? If I recall you live far enough away--"
"Not enough to cause concern, Captain." She smiled and patted his shoulder. "But thank you."
"His Majesty wouldn't like it if anything happened to you." Lukas tried to push a little bit.
Another shake of her head. Her pink hair tumbled over her face, covering the blue and gold mask she wore to hide her identity from the world. "And take more of your time away? You work just as hard, if not harder, than the entirety of the castle staff. I think only the King works harder than you."
Lukas pressed his lips into a thin line. His scales poked from under his skin. Something was riling him up but she didn't know what. Sheād never seen his dragon form or even his half. He seemed to hide it more often than any of the other dragons sheād heard of. Adaela would have never known he was a dragon if the king hadn't said anything in their earlier partnership.
Lukas sighed and ran his hands through his hair. Adaela saw him tug on it harshly before ruffling it up mercilessly. "Very well... Just... Be safe, yeah? I don't think the goddesses themselves would be able to calm the king should things go wrong."
"Like what?" Adaela laughed. "Like ending up in the hospital? I'll be fine. No worries. Iāve been doing this sort of stuff for a while. I know what Iām doing."
She winked for good measure and headed home, happy, fulfilled, and ready to take on the rest of the week.
She missed the next three visits.
In an enchanting world of dragons, fairies, and humans, Adaela Swan, who has no recollection of where she came from, arrives in the kingdom of Kirium led by the powerful and ancient dragon King Leon Cedarvine. She reaches an agreement with the king that permits her to continue fighting crime on the condition that she gives him reports biweekly. Confusing romantic feelings arise, with both of them driven by a passion to protect Kirium and its citizens. However, Adaelaās past quickly catches up with her and puts her in danger at the hands of an organized anti-magic group, the Pure Spectators. Pick up a copy of Scales and Feathers by Brittany Nightengale and get whisked away in this world of wonder, adventure, and magic.
The authorās world-building is one of the bookās main strengths, as she has created an enchanting and exciting world of wonderful and diverse creatures. The kingdom of Kirium, with its dragons, fairies, and humans, is a place that readers will eagerly want to explore, and the illustrations of dragon customs and laws are especially interesting, from how they chose their mates to how they act as protectors.
Adaela, an inspiring and brave protagonist, is at the heart of the story and is a well-rounded character who must confront her own demons, uncover the secrets of her past, and face the challenges of her present. Through her story, the author is able to infuse a healthy dose of twists and turns to keep readers guessing and trying to find out more about Adaela, also known as The Author, when she puts on her crime-fighting suit. Also noteworthy is the slow-burning romance between Adaela and King Leon, which the author expertly handled. The chemistry between both characters will keep the reader wanting more, but the author does well not to rush this aspect of the story.
However, the story relies on telling instead of showing in several areas, which does not give readers more of a chance to know the characters better. For example, instead of simply stating that Adaela discussed her life and hobbies with Leon or that their discussion was like one between friends, it would have been more effective to show these conversations unfolding, allowing the reader to be more intimately acquainted with the characters and their relationships. The same issues apply to the action scenes in the latter part of the story, which lack tension and reduce the readerās excitement. Some aspects of the story are not clear and can confuse the reader, like the origin of the name, āThe Author,ā or what it means. This name is suddenly introduced in the story, and it takes the reader some time to even realize that Adaela is being referred to.
Despite these issues, Scales and Feathers offers great world-building and intriguing characters. If the pacing, descriptions, and clarity can be improved in some areas, this series has the potential to become truly unforgettable. Fans of fantasy, romance, and adventure will find this book appealing.