Without the onslaught, Jasyn had no time to analyze his next move. His only goal was to ensure neither of them got hurt.
In his desperation, Jasyn didn’t notice the hole in the ground. His ankle twisted, and he fell backwards. His body screamed at him as he hit the ground. He lost his grip on his sword, and Bron was on top of him in seconds.
Bron leaned down so he could whisper in Jasyn’s ear. “Perhaps these words will affect you then: I hope you are able to sleep at night after killing Iskra.”
At first, everything was a blur. Jasyn’s eyes moved wildly, trying to comprehend his statement, but it didn’t make sense until Bron clarified. His words pierced his heart more intensely than a sword ever could.
“Iskra is a dragon shifter, and you’ll need to kill her to get the Heart.”
Nineteen
“No.” Jasyn shook his head frantically, his breathing hurried and unstable. Bron was lying, trying to throw Jasyn off guard. Iskra was safe at that shop.
Flames licked at Jasyn’s neck, and he screamed in pain, the sound guttural. He didn’t realize he had the capacity to yell like that. Jasyn didn’t have a moment to recover, though, because Bron held the tip of the sword right under Jasyn’s chin. If he moved too quickly, the blade would pierce his skin.
“Maybe it’s a good thing I plan to win this and end her instead,” Bron announced like it was nothing, like he didn’t plan to end a precious life.
“No,” Jasyn said, more forcefully this time. “You aren’t touching her.”
Right on cue, the dragon—Iskra—flew over them, and his heart broke. His mind couldn’t wrap around the fact that the dragons were shifters, people all along.
“She’s not herself anymore. She’s just a wild beast, thanks to Kryth.”
“Don’t you dare speak of her like that,” Jasyn growled. Even if she had lied to him, his mind couldn’t let her go. He couldn’t imagine his life without her. His Sundrop had been the best part of his life after years of grief and pain, and he wouldn’t let some traitor near her.
His anger and defensiveness manifested as a burst of energy. He spit in Bron’s face and used the quick moment of distraction. Jasyn fumbled as he grabbed his fallen sword and rammed the end of the hilt in Bron’s temple. He didn’t want to kill him. There was still a deeper truth lingering in the air, and he had the desire to learn it.
As Bron yelled in pain, Jasyn moved into a fighting stance. His whole body hurt, and the burn stung as he moved his neck, but he didn’t care about that.
He approached Bron until they were practically chest to chest.
“You will not kill her.” Jasyn enunciated each word, making sure Bron absorbed each syllable.
“If it’s not me, it’s you or another competitor. She must die so someone can get the Heart.”
There was another way. There had to be. Iskra’s life couldn’t end, not when he felt like he had so much to say to her. He didn’t know what the future would look like. He would be marrying Lady Esi, but the future had to at least have Iskra alive.
Jasyn looked up to find Iskra perched again on the highest ledge. Her body was relaxed, as if she was bored, waiting for whoever attempted to climb up next. He didn’t know where the rest of the competitors were, or if any more were alive aside from Jasyn and Bron.
We’re both coming out of this alive, Jasyn thought to himself as he took her in. He only got to see the real Iskra for a short time, but it was hard to forget the auburn shade of her hair and how it perfectly matched the scales of her dragon or those ambereyes. He had been falling for those eyes, dreaming about them. They were like precious jewels, more valuable than any crown.
His next steps were unplanned, but he needed to act fast.
“You’ll only be killed if you think you can get the Heart without ending her first.”
Jasyn ignored Bron’s words, even if they poked at exactly where his mind was headed.
“I’d be more worried about what your life will look like if you come out of this alive, Bron,” Jasyn spoke clearly, without any fear of what was to come. “You betrayed the trust of so many. Was it worth it?”
Bron smiled, but it wasn’t a sign of glee or pleasure. It was like he was laughing at the dire situation, recognizing the ridiculousness of it. He didn’t want to be here, Jasyn took a guess.
As Jasyn left Bron, he ran out of the crater, never taking his eyes off Iskra. She was his priority now.
Iskra, Iskra, Iskra, Jasyn repeated in his mind until he convinced himself the dragon above was actually her. He wasn’t fighting a beast—he was fighting for his love.
His foot slipped on a loose rock as the realization dawned on him.
He loved Iskra. Every day over the last few weeks, he had spent almost every waking moment with her. Not Esi. He barely knew Esi at all. No, if he survived this, if he left with the Heart in his hand, he would be marrying a stranger. Esi was a lady, a woman of noble blood a prince like him would be expected to marry as he took the throne, not a commoner like Iskra.
