Page 53 of Dragon Untamed

You could have just used the shield! You didn't need to shift.

Her dragon did not respond. She could feel the dragon inside of her mind, sulking in a corner. Kaida had no patience left and threw herself onto the waterbed. The faces of the townspeople came to mind again. Seeing them all looking at her, waiting for her to attack, shattered her heart. They would not see her as a leader if they feared her. Many people werescared of the King and Queen because they were not tolerant of people doing anything they disapproved of. She witnessed many conversations between her parents about how people reported that they did not go near the castle and the shops there because they feared they would be prosecuted if they made a mistake.

I can't even state that they were wrong now. They found out my dragon hadn't emerged yet and used it to their advantage. They influenced Enzo to reject me with that knowledge.

Kaida stared up at the ceiling and felt the growl in her chest as she remembered that moment and lived it as if it happened yesterday. They disapproved of her and used it to get their way. The people who looked at her and how she handled today's argument had the same effect on the people on this island. They thought they would be immediately prosecuted if they made a mistake, had a bad day, or said something they shouldn't have.

That is not how you rule. That is how you lose the respect of your people.

There was a knock at her door, and Kaida groaned. She didn't want to face Arlo. The look he had on his face was not something she was proud of either. The look of "that was not how this should have happened" made her stomach twist. Kaida begged her dragon to take flight and bring her home, and her dragon obliged.

"I don't want to talk about it, Arlo!"

"It's not Arlo," Esen's voice said, penetrating through the door.

Kaida lifted herself to her elbows and stared at the door. The scent of a warm summer breeze wafted into the room. If she paid attention, she would have known it was Esen before he opened her mouth.I need to get better at that.She wondered if Arlo asked Esen to talk to her or if this was something else. Part of her wanted to tell him to go away, and the other wanted him to come inside.

"Kaida, can I come in?"

Esen's voice was soft like a gentle breeze. Kaida swallowed hard as her mouth went dry as she pictured him whispering to her of the things he wanted to do to her. She rubbed her thighs together as she found herself aching for him.

Jeezus, I hope this is normal. I feel like I'm becoming a hoe.

He is our mate. Of course, we want him.

He tried to kill me.

He was trying to train you to get me to emerge. I doubt he wanted you dead.

On that note, Kaida thought her dragon could be right. Just because Blaze hated her didn't mean that Esen did. He could have just wanted her to become stronger. Their deal was to train her so her dragon could emerge, and then she would lead them back so she could see the look on Enzo's face that he was wrong about her.

"Come in; door is unlocked."

The door creaked open, and Kaida saw his dark blue eyes peering at her from under his dirty blond hair. His eyes didn't meet hers but instead stared at the headboard behind her. The bond between them was closed off, which made Kaida unable to know what could be going through his head. Beckett mentioned that they all were at the archives and learned they could be her mates outside Blaze. Esen knew that there was something between them. That's why he needed her to be around just like Beckett and Arlo.

He did defend me against Blaze. So, it does make sense. But I don't want to just forgive and forget. Why is it so hard to keep myself from holding onto the anger I felt after we trained on the beach?

Esen put his hands in his pockets and kept his head bowed. It looked as if he were trying to force himself to stay inside the doorway so he could run at any moment.

Am I that scary? Did Arlo tell him what happened, and he isn't getting close because I have no control over my dragon?

"How can I help you, Esen?"

Kaida could see Esen sucking in one of his cheeks as if he were going to bite it. He still wouldn't look her in the eyes either.

"I know about your dragon needing multiple mates, as you know. I'm wondering if you wanted to talk about it with me?"

Kaida tilted her head at him. "Sure, I guess we could. Did you want to sit down? Or close the door for privacy?"

Esen shook his head. "I'm good like this. No one else is in the house."

"Okay." Kaida pushed herself so she could sit on the edge of the bed so she wouldn't be bounding around like a ship on rough seas.

"I don't really know how to start." Esen paused. "This is all kind of weird. I always knew the Great Dragon had a plan for me. I didn't think it would be to share my mate with my best friends."

"You're telling me. I expected to have one mate. That mate rejected me, and now I have others. Not just one other, either."

"I guess it is weird for you, too."

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