The weight of his wordssettled over us.
Dragons. The creatures that had saved us both, appearing when death seemed certain. What connection did they have to breaking a curse that had plagued Lore's family for generations?
And why did I have the unsettled feeling that we were about to find out?
Chapter 33
Reyla
“Dragons,” I whispered after Lore had taken Dorion to the window outside Laphira’s sitting area. They planned to wait there until they were sure the room was empty and after Dorion had climbed inside to grab the effigy, Lore would flit back to me.
“How did it go?” I asked a while later.
“She went to sleep. He…” He raked his hand through his hair. “He’s upset about it. I don’t blame him. The boy wasn’t there, or I think he would’ve been tempted to take her now. He will soon, though. He won’t allow them to hurt her any longer.”
We stripped and climbed into the tub, bathing quickly. After, I sat on his lap, facing him with my thighs spread around his and our exhausted bodies soaking in the heat.
“Dragons.” I lifted the borgon claw by its chain, watching it twist in the lamplight. I was unsure why I’d brought it with me other than I didn’t want to let it out of my sight. “The creature that saved you in the woods, the one in the labyrinth, the onebelow the throne room, and the tattoo that appeared on your arm. They're connected.”
His jaw tightened. Whatever connection he suspected between himself and dragons, I had the feeling he wasn't ready to voice it. “Maybe they are. Maybe they aren't.”
“Why won't you consider it?”
His fingers trailed up my spine. “I'm holding my naked wife, and that makes me interested in everything but dragons.”
“They’ve always fascinated you. You alluded to that more than once.”
Leaning close, he trailed his lips along my damp jawline, pattering kisses. My bones started melting.Everythinginside me started melting. “What boy isn’t fascinated by monsters?”
“You're trying to distract me.” My breath hitched as his lips found that sensitive spot below my ear.
“Is it working?” His voice rumbled against my throat.
“Always.”
A flit, and we landed on the bed, me beneath him.
Dragons became the furthest thing from my mind.
We made love with desperation,as if we could chase away the curse through the force of our connection. But morning came anyway, bringing us one day closer to the end.
Dorion didn’t join us for breakfast in our room or in the foyer, where we gathered again to wait for the queen. I was itching to know what he’d discovered. Would his mother know what the effigy was? Any clue into what was happening here would be helpful.
I leaned into Lore’s side, studying the group mingling around us.Not as many today.
Losing the first competition may have soured some for the next.
Can’t win if you don’t play.
Which we will do.
It would be easy to get sucked into the dream that we won this next competition and could flit back at Evergorne with days left to discover how to fuse the three talismans. But I had a feeling this wouldn’t go any easier for us than everything else.
I’m surprised Prager hasn’t made an appearance,I said.
Me as well. I’d kill to have my hands wrapped around her throat right now.He scanned the room with a narrowed gaze.Would she blatantly stroll through the court or come in disguise like us?
Or would she take over someone’s body?Queen Naveer would be my first guess,I said.It fits.
