Page 61 of Dragon Blood
How to sum him up? She wasn’t sure she could.
She swallowed as her thoughts bounced to the memory of their dragons nestled together. The safety of his arms around her, providing security and balance during their journey into the nexus.
Those qualities were a deep part of who Kai was, gently drawing out that softer side of her trapped well below the ballast level of her consciousness.
During these last days, she was learning more and more about the man who’d stolen her heart.
Protector.
Former lover. No, that label was too small for what she’d felt for Kai. She swallowed the sentiment.
Love of her life, if she were completely honest with herself.
The tender fish nearly caught in her throat as sudden unwanted emotions wedged themselves there. She’d never allowed herself to feel that way about anyone else. Hadn’t needed it. She’d never told him about her past, nor he of his.
Seems they’d both led double or triple lives.
Kai Sun was also a member of the Dùn Zhao, fostered by the Shouwàng Zhe, and a son of Aeleftheria.
Aeleftheria.
Loss crashed over her, stealing her breath. Astred had walked away from Kai—the hardest thing she’d ever done in her life. Love was a luxury that Astred could not entertain.
He’d asked her for forever and she’d ended their relationship.
For Aeleftheria.
A thief of happiness. A life of duty.
These events had pushed Astred and Kai together while ripping away the surface to reveal the underlying growing chasm between them. When would the edges crumble, swallowing them both whole?
Until yesterday, she hadn’t truly allowed herself to accept the depth of the honor of this duty. Not to Aeleftheria herself, but to the protection of the Dragon Mother that her ancestral line had dedicated themselves to as the Oracles.
A duty Astred had run from her entire life. She still didn’t want it, but who else was there? How many others before her had done the same? Resisted the shackles of destiny? Had her own mother?
Somehow, she couldn’t imagine her mother shirking her obligations to the throne. She lived and breathed for it.
Or had she too, discovered resignation?
Astred dragged her thoughts back to her mission. Untangle the vision in order to get her mother back on her throne.
Ignoring the wine, Astred picked up her teacup, glancing over the steaming rim at her companions again.
Too many moving parts.
Have the guardians caught up with the Crimson Claw yet? Did the ship make it back to Mikrí Oasis, Carson’s island? She hoped so, she wanted Kane’s insights on the crudely scratched map.
Her crew were highly skilled on the seas, but the guardians were unmatched in the skies.
So long as they sailed beyond Aeleftherian territory, they didn’t have the right to detain her or subject the crew to questioning—though that might not stop them, given the circumstances.
As Astred’s ship, they could request permission to board her, but not rightfully force their way aboard.
Discussion among her companions floated past her as she clung to her worries.
Aaron reached for the wine bottle while Bayn and Kai cleared away the dinner debris. As he topped up Astred’s glass, his watch buzzed.
“Ah, Joey’s ready for us.” He grabbed his bag, extracting his tablet to set up on the counter island where they gathered around.
