Page 58 of Red Dragon’s Flame

All his worry and frustration disappointment and guilt rose up inside him and spilled out of his mouth. “I have to watch you! Look what happened! And why the hell did you run off like that? You could have—”

He was going to say ‘You could have been hurt,’ but she interrupted him.

“Don’t worry,” she said bitterly. “I’m not going to burn down your forest and make you put it all back again.”

Did she really think he cared more about the forest than about her? He snapped, “I hope not. Restoration spells don’t work on living things. If you burn it down, it’s done.”

“Oh.” She hunched into herself even more, and he felt like shit.

And then he was angry with her for making him feel like shit. “Come on,” he said. “We need to get you back to the castle.”

“I don’t want to go back to your damn castle, and have you watching me like I’m a time bomb about to go off. I just want to be alone for once.”

That stung. “You said I made you feel safe.”

“I’m fine! Leave me alone!” Her voice broke. “Why won’t everyone just leave me alone?”

“Because we care about you!” he exploded. “I care about you! Why won’t you just let me do that?”

“Because I can’t! I’ve always been alone. And the last two years, there’s been no one to take care of me but me. I can’t let myself be dependent on you. Because what if you’re not there anymore? I have to be able to take care of myself.”

“You can’t,” he said without thinking. “You need—”

“Stop telling me what I need! Just leave me the fuck ALONE!” And she erupted into flames again.

Mikah was done. She didn’t have feelings for him, and she didn’t want his help. “Fine.” He threw the amulet at her feet. “Just put this on so the we can keep our forest.”

He stalked off.

Walking back home, he felt like Devon had stuck all her assassin’s knives into his back. She was right; she didn’t need him. None of the wolves would hurt her, and there were no dangerous wild animals in the forest.

And there was an entire fucking road that led back to the castle—she didn’t need him to show her the way.

Apparently, she didn’t need him for anything.

His dragon was yelling at him to go back and take care of Devon. Shut up, Mikah said. She doesn’t want us.

She was never going to want them. The mating bond was a thing that either you felt, or you didn’t.

She clearly didn’t.

Devon’s flames died down the minute Mikah walked away. She felt a pain in her chest and for a minute she thought the phoenix had left her, because she couldn’t breathe.

But it was just the pain of her own stupidity. Mikah was her best friend, the person who had gotten her through the last couple of years. He’d rescued her, browbeaten his king into giving her a safe place.

He’d made love to her like she was the most precious thing in the world.

He’d just told her that he cared about her, and she’d driven him away, like she didn’t care about him back.

But it was true what she’d said to him. She couldn’t afford to be weak. Because the people around her always died, and then she was alone.

But Mikah’s a dragon, a little voice inside her said. They don’t get sick, they heal magically, they’re practically impossible to kill, and they live for centuries. Of the people least likely to leave you on your own, he tops the list.

But he didn’t love her.

He cared about her; he felt responsible for her. But he’d never said he loved her, and if he didn’t love her, then he still might leave someday. After she was safe.

That would tear her heart out. And if she let her guard down, if she admitted that she already loved him, it would tear her heart out even worse.