Hektor thought for a moment, searching for words to explain. “First, you must understand, these are not normal circumstances. A Drakkon would not have hurt a female he was courting.” It would be something he would always regret for the rest of his life. “If Zara were a human female from Vale Crossing and we were already in the later stages of our mating ritual, I would complete the Final Tasks.”
Pam’s eyebrows drew together. “The Final Tasks?”
“Yes. They are the tasks Drakkon must do to prove himself worthy of his mate.” If Lord Eros hadn’t meddled that day, Hektor would have reached the stage where he would perform the Final Tasks for Elea?—
“That’s it,” he breathed, clarity washing over him like a wave.
Pam cocked her head to the side. “What’s ‘it’?”
“I know what I must do.”
He didn’t do the Final Tasks for Eleanora.
And so, he would do it for Zara.
It would be something that would just be hers alone.
Something that proved he loved her above all else.
But how to begin?
“Tell me, Pam, Roberto, where is the nearest enchanted forest?”
“I beg your pardon?” Roberto sputtered out. “Enchanted forest?”
“Yes. I need a phoenix.”
“I’m afraid we don’t have phoenixes in the Upperworld,” Roberto said with a chuckle. “However, we do have something here called zoos.”
“Zoos?”
“It’s a place where they have all kinds of animals in one place. Do you think that will do?”
“Hmm.” He rubbed at his chin with his claws. “I suppose it might, but I won’t know until I see it.”
“Alright, then.” Roberto stood up. “I’ll drive.”
Clang!
Hektor winced as the sound of metal crashing on metal reverberated across the tiny cell.
Roberto, who sat beside him on the cold concrete bench, was about to open his mouth to speak, but Hektor held up a hand to stop him.
“Roberto, first, allow me to apologize for causing us to be in this situation. This is not only deeply humiliating, but also distressing. I’m sorry for the shame it brings on you and your mate.”
To his complete and utter surprise, Roberto let out a laugh. “What, you think I’ve never seen the inside of a jail cell? This isn’t my first rodeo.”
“I do not know of this rodeo you speak of, but do you mean to say you have been incarcerated before?”
He sounded rather proud when he said, “I didn’t go to federal prison or anything. Minor stuff, mostly bar fights or football rioting, things you get in trouble with when you’re a kid. Got locked up for a couple of hours until my mamá or one of my friends bailed me out. We’ll get a misdemeanor at best.”
“You are not angry with me?”
“No, because I should have known better. You’re the foreigner here, after all. When I first came to this country, I did many things wrong.” He chuckled. “Although I never got arrested for climbing into the zoo’s aviary and chasing down the birds.”
Hektor’s heart sank.
I’m supposed to mend things with Zara and I only made it worse.
