“Ack!” I squawked, cheeks blazing. “Thorne, get out of here!” I covered my breasts, lurching to my feet. Despite my sad attempt at modesty, those damn sky-blue eyes of his turned heated, sending a shiver running down my spine.
Heart pounding, I bolted for Alaric, racing around to hisopposite side. Without my needing to ask, he dipped the tip of his wing down to shield my nudity. Luckily, it was his uninjured side.
“Don’t let me interrupt.” Thorne stormed into the room, stopping in front of the dragon.
“Alaric, don’t move.” I peeked out from beneath his wing to find Thorne still glaring at me—clean, dry, and dressed for once. The sight only made my temper flare hotter. “Well, don’t just stand there. Give me your shirt.”
“Why?” He folded his arms, appearing furious for some reason I could not fathom. “Before I arrived, you were quite comfortable strutting around naked in front of Alaric.”
“That’s different.”
“Different how?”
I stomped my bare foot and immediately regretted it, pain spiking in my calf. “Because Alaric is a dragon, and you’reyou.”
A muscle ticked in Thorne’s jaw, those damned blue eyes locking on me as though he’d cornered prey. “Because I am a man, and he is a beast. Is that why?”
“Yes. I mean, no. I mean...” My cheeks blazed. Why was Thorne behaving as if I’d slighted him in some way? “Just give me your shirt.”
With hard, jerky movements, he whipped off his shirt and tossed it to me. In seconds, I’d pulled it on, then stepped clear of Alaric’s wing.
Instead of letting me pass, Thorne stepped into my path. “What if I told you Alaric is as much a man as I am?”
Alaric’s head snapped toward him, green eyes narrowing.“Don’t.”
“No.” He splayed his arms, his defined biceps flexing. “If she truly isthe onesent to you by the goddess, then she should know.”
The one? The one to what? Had Thorne seen Hathor’s brand as well?
“Thorne,”Alaric said in a low, heated growl.
“Come now, Alaric. You asked me to help you. Honesty is important in relationships,” he sneered, turning his full attention to me once more.
“So, tell me,slave.” At the word, I sucked a wounded breath, my chest tightening. I couldn’t begin to count the number of times I’d been referred to as a slave. None of them, not even Mortis, had made it sound so vile. “While the two of you were cozied up in here sharing all your darkest secrets, did he tell you about his curse?”
“Damn you, Thorne,”Alaric growled, anger rumbling in the words.
I spun to face him, only he avoided meeting my eyes. “Cursed how?”
“You see, Alaric isn’t merely a dragon,” Thorne continued, not done with his game. “He’s a Draconis.”
Draconis? “What are you talking about?”
“Little did you know, while you pranced about naked before your dragon. Your captor is in fact a shifter, cursed to remain a beast.”
My laugh came out brittle. “Say what now?”
But the expression on Alaric’s face—fury laced with shame—stripped away any hope he’d deny it. With a thunderous growl, his wings snapped wide, a rush of wind scattering droplets from the pool.
“Thorne, you bastard. You’ll pay for this.”He turned, shoulders rigid, and stalked from the cavern.
“Alaric, wait,” I called with little effect—he was already gone. And there went my so-called friend, abandoning me to face Thorne alone. I spun to face the infuriating male, fists planted on my hips. “Why did you do that?”
“Do what?” He took a threatening step closer. As he did so, the scent of alcohol wafted from his lips. “Tell the truth?”
I was beginning to thinkintoxicatedwas Thorne’s naturalstate. Still, even drunk, I had no doubt he knew exactly what he was saying. Not even a full cask of Ambrosia could excuse his cruelty.
“Embarrass him and shame me,” I snapped.
