Rauk, surprisingly, shakes it, showing me he is capable of some civility. “Kaldar.”
“This is Kinsley, my mate, and the queen of the Jaguar Kingdom.” Kinsley nods at him, and he does the same in return. Kaldar glances between Rauk and I, and I can see the wheels turning. “He’s leaving,” I supply.
Kaldar doesn’t look surprised. “What’s the plan?”
“Oh, I mean he’s leaving and not coming back,” I explain.
Kaldar frowns. “Did they explain to you what’s going on with the guivres?”
“We did,” I answer for him. “He turned us down flat. Isn’t that right?” I ask, looking up at the man.
He doesn’t look happy, but he nods, confirming what I just said. Kinsley steps up next to Kaldar. “I thought...” her voice trails off.
“That he would help? That he would bring some of his people and their spirit dragons to help us defeat the guivres?” I ask. “Yeah, we all did. He’s not; he’s leaving.” Kinsley’s face falls, and I immediately regret my harsh words. I don’t regret the jerk standing a few feet away from me hearing them, but I do regret Kinsley hearing them. They’ve had the worst of the attacks in their kingdom, and I know she was pinning her hopes on help from the Dragon Kingdom. We all were, and how very wrong we were in that. It’s time to move on. “Are you guys headed to Rysden and Farrah’s?” It’s a dumb question; of course, they are.
But they both nod graciously. I glance around, looking for Redara.Where are you?
She doesn’t answer for a moment.With my mate.
I scowl.You said that last night.
And it’s still true this morning.
I resist the feeling of abandonment and roll my shoulders. “I’ll go with you guys.” I don’t give Rauk another glance.
His voice follows me. “I need to get back to my kingdom.”
I don’t turn around. “Nobody’s stopping you.”
“You are.”
His accusation is my undoing. I whirl around. “I am not keeping you here. Go and take your dragon with you.”
I feel Red’s pain in my head, but I steel myself against it. The realization that she’ll probably go with them hits me hard, but I don’t allow it to show on my face.
I won’t leave you,Redara says fiercely in my head. I don’t respond, but I won’t make her choose between her mate and me, her bonded. I’ll make the choice for her and send her with them.
“Noxlyn won’t let me leave,” Rauk says through gritted teeth.
“That’s a you problem.” I start after Kinsley and Kaldar, who are trying to pretend they’re not listening.
“I have to get back to my people.” Rauk’s words follow me. For the first time, the anger and arrogance isn’t there.
“Then go,” I snap, not looking back.
“You have to go with me.”Thatmakes me snap. I whirl around, ready to strangle him with my bare hands. “If you go with me, I’ll consider helping in your fight.” I go still as shock reverberates through me. An urge to refuse immediately fills me, but Farrah’s stricken expression at the table last night flashes through my mind’s eye, as well as Rysden’s blank look. I knowhim well enough by now to know that look means he’s carefully guarding his emotions behind a blank mask. I glance over at Kinsley and see hope shining through her eyes. When she sees me looking, she immediately wipes it away. But it’s too late; I saw it. I know just how bad it is in the Jaguar Kingdom. Everything in me resists giving in. I can’t stand this man, and I don’t want to leave this place. I don’t want to leave my friends, the first home I’ve ever had. Regret burns through me. And yet, if there is even just the slightest chance that he will come and aid us in this war...I take a breath and push every emotion deep down.
“I’ll go on one condition.”
He stares down at me. “Pretty sure you’re not in a position to negotiate.”
I stare him down. “Okay. You can just stay here forever, I guess.” I spin around to walk away.
“What?” he growls, and I slowly turn back.
I take a steadying breath. “No matter what, you can’t separate Redara from her mate.”
He scowls down at me. “Deal.”
