I give him a sharp look.
His lips twitch the slightest bit. “I mean swallow the soup.”
I study his face. The scar that mars one of his eyes. The golden skin. He looks like a man. Granted, a huge one with scales, but a man all the same. Nothing in the childhood tales about the DragonKin prepared me for this. We heard stories of shapeshifters in Oblivion. Monsters that can mimic humans to lead you to your death. Even monsters capable of taking on the appearance of people you love, also to lead you to your death. But I’ve never heard of a dragon capable of taking the shape of a man.
“You’re the dragon.” I watch as he carefully dips the spoon into the broth.
“Yes.”
“You’re the dragon that came to Raingreen. The one who took me from the castle.”
“Eat.” He presses the warm spoon to my lips.
Reconciling this creature with the enormous dragon is like a hammer to my skull. The impossibility of it even in the realm of Oblivion, it’s as if I can’t fathom how it could be true. But I saw it with my own eyes. Why does no one in the mortal realms know about it?
“Come now, Larellin.” He tips the spoon up.
I open, the broth pleasant on my tongue. Once I swallow, I ask, “You don’t make soup from mortals, do you?”
He pauses, the candlelight dancing in his green eyes. “Is that why you wouldn’t eat before? You thought we were feeding you your own kind?”
“You eat us.” I lay my head back on the pillow, my vision going hazy.
“We do?” He reaches behind me and gingerly repositions the pillow.
“Yes.” I scoff. “You know you do. The DragonKin?—”
He presses the spoon into my mouth.
I glare at him.
“There may be other of my kind that have eaten mortals, but I have not.” He grabs the napkin from the tray and dabs my chin. “And I would be the worst sort of host if I tried to feed you mortal flesh.”
I don’t trust him. Especially not when there’s a rainbow coming out of one of his ears. I stare at it.
“Open.” He feeds me another spoonful. “Lenka put some medicine in here. You’ll have to eat as much as you can stand.She also sent to the borderlands to get some vegetables for you.” He says it as if it’s distasteful to him.
“You don’t like vegetables?” I feel like giggling, the thought tickling some part of my addled mind. This huge dragon turning its nose up at vegetables like a fretful toddler.
He dabs my chin again. “I’ve never had the desire to eat them.”
The rainbow is swirling around him now, the colors turning darker.
“Why are you helping me?” I swallow more soup, my stomach warming with each spoonful.
He meets my gaze. I follow the line of his scar through his eyebrow and down until it stops at the top of his cheek. I wonder what happened to him. Was he in dragon form when he was hurt? I can’t imagine anything being capable of harming that scaly creature. But what could harm this male? He’s formidable without changing shape.
“Why did you jump?” His tone is level, but his mouth goes tight as he feeds me another spoonful.
My stomach turns at his question, and I close my eyes against the swirling rainbows of color that flutter around his head.
“No more.” I turn away from him.
“More.” He grabs my chin and pulls me back to face him.
I scowl but take another spoonful of soup.
“I asked you a question.” He leans closer and strokes a lock of hair from my cheek. I realize I’m sweaty, my hair drenched.
