“And Varus, the prince of the Fire Clan—the one who has my friend—you said you were like brothers once.”
He nods and I don’t miss the sadness lying behind his eyes as he murmurs, “We were. Once. But in my anger over my mother’s death, I pushed him away. Blamed him and his people for allowing her to die.”
I take his hand and squeeze it gently. He lifts his pained gaze to me. “But you know they weren’t responsible for her death, right? She loved you, Raidyn. It was her choice to save you.”
He sighs heavily. “I realize that now, but I have been bitter for so long, and this,” he points at his scar, “has only made it worse.”
I frown in confusion. “Why?”
His expression shifts before he looks away as if hesitant to answer my question. I don’t understand why.
I place my free hand on his forearm, drawing his attention back to me. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
Sadness flits across his expression. “It is just… difficult,” he finally admits. “The sandstorm that killed my mother also gave me this mark. I hit a rock and the wound was too deep for the Healers to completely repair. The scar is a painful reminder of her death and has become the reason that no female wants me.”
I jerk my head back in shock. “Because of a scar?”
He nods. “It is a disfigurement. Drakarian females want only attractive, unblemished males.”
I huff. “It’s ridiculous to judge a man because of a scar.”
He turns to me, studying me with intense curiosity. “It is not this way with your people?”
I shrug. “Some human women judge guys by their appearance, but not all.”
“And you?”
I lift my gaze to find hope reflected in his eyes. “I just want a guy who cherishes and loves me as much as I do him.”
Cautiously, he reaches out to cup my cheek, brushing the soft pad of his thumb across my skin. “I would give you all this and more,” he whispers, “if you would be mine. My vow.”
His gaze holds mine intently with a face so full of love and devotion, it steals the breath from my lungs. He leans in and gently presses his forehead to mine. Closing his eyes, he clenches his jaw.
“You already know how I feel.” He places his hand over his chest, the scales glowing dimly beneath his palm. “And I will wait for as long as you need to decide if you want me as your mate.”
Words lodge in my throat, but I somehow manage to voice them. “How do you know you truly love me? How do you know it’s not just this bond that is making you feel that way?”
He sighs heavily, shaking his head. “You may as well ask me why the sun is bright or the moon only appears after it sinks beneath the horizon. These things just are and have always been, even in the time of my ancestors. Not all Drakarians are blessed with the fated bond, but those who are blessed do not question it. We embrace it for the beautiful gift that it is.”
His response saddens me. I push away from him, staring down at my hands. “So my identity doesn’t matter,” I mumble despairingly. “This bond is all you need to know I’m the one for you.”
He frowns. “You say this like it is a bad thing.”
“Well, isn’t it?” I ask incredulously. “You don’t care who I am as long as you feel the bond.”
He huffs, frustrated. “That is not the intention of the bond. It—”
A subtle noise downstairs draws Raidyn’s attention. He freezes.
Panic spikes through my veins. “What is it?”
He stands, pulling me up and spreading his wings wide as if to shield me from danger. “Stay here,” he mutters under his breath. “I must check downstairs.”
I grip his forearm to stop him. “No. It might be dangerous. Stay with me.”
He shakes his head. “Do you not know I would face down an entire legion of enemies to keep you safe?” He cups my cheek. “Please, my beautiful Skye. Wait here for me.”
The sound of voices drifts up the stairs and I still beside him, gripping his forearm tighter. “Please, Raidyn. Don’t go,” I beg. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Is that you, Raidyn?” a voice calls up from below.
A smile crests his lips. “Yes, it is me. I am coming down.”
I face him, frowning in confusion.
“They are the caretakers of the house.”
“Friends of yours? You’re sure they won’t betray us?” I’m still hesitant to let him go.
“They would never betray me. Dyren and Mauryn are like family.”
Chapter 14
Skye
As we descend the stairs, I stay close to Raidyn’s side. I’m not entirely sure I trust these people as much as he seems to. After all, what are they doing here in the middle of the night? Their timing is suspicious enough. But his posture seems completely relaxed as we make our way into the living room space.
A dragon man with light-gray scales and silver hair smiles brightly as soon as he sees Raidyn. The dark-gray, white-haired dragon woman beside him rushes forward to hug him. “It is so good to see you!”
“Likewise.” Raidyn beams. “It has been too long.”
When she pulls back, I step out from his back to stand by his side. She blinks several times, frozen. “Who is this?”
“I have never seen your species before,” the man interjects almost simultaneously.
Raidyn wraps his arm around my waist and tugs me to his side. The scales on his chest glow brightly as he presents me to them. “Dyren, Mauryn. This is Skye. My linaya.”
They gape at me. The woman—Mauryn—speaks first. “But… this is unprecedented. A fate bond outside of our species? How is this possible?”
“She is human,” Raidyn explains. “Prince Varus of the Fire Clan has claimed another female
