Page 93 of Beautiful Beast

My heart stuttered.

Sirrus wrapped his arms around my waist—a clear declaration to the Elders and all the dragons witnessing this. I was theirs, and they were utterly unapologetic about it.

But I…

It was impossible to love anyone after so short a time.

It had to be.

History and fiction was filled with tales of people who saw each other and fell in love. I’d never been in love, so what did I know of the shape it took?

All I knew was they were the ones who set me free. The thought of leaving them behind by either distance or death was a dagger to the soul. What did I care? If I were going to die, then I would die with love in my heart.

I leaned back into Sirrus, letting him subtly take my weight. Zovai was speaking, and I hadn’t fully been listening as he did, but now I heard what it had been through his eyes.

She was nothing but a human, and I let my flames rise. But my beast would not allow it. To kill her would have been to kill myself. There is no other explanation. So instead I chose to take her.

The golden dragon looked between the four of us. Her gaze was gentler than the rest. I looked to the left, and Idroal murmured, “Eloith.”

I take it from the way you hold this human that you feel the same, Sirrus. And you, Endre?

He looked back at me, pain in his eyes and a faint smile on his lips. I tried to kill her. I went to where she was kept with every intention of ending her life and fulfilling our command. But like Zovai, I could not.

Even with a dragon’s face, I saw Cieso sneer. You could not.

No.

Light and heat flared from the right. Sirrus spun me in a moment, and I fell. So hot it stole my breath, but it passed, and when Idroal helped me up mere moments later, Sirrus had his wind around Relkym’s head, suffocating him.

Release him, Varreo commanded.

I saw Sirrus fight the command with everything he had.

“Sirrus.” His name was a whisper on my lips, but I wouldn’t let him destroy himself for this.

He released Relkym, who choked on his own breath before smirking and speaking aloud. “Well, I have no impulse to stop from killing her, honored ones. So at the very least, you know she isn’t a weakness of all dragons. Merely the Heirs.”

“I shall rip you to shreds and enjoy it,” Endre told him.

Sirrus finally turned to me, running his hands over my arms. “Are you harmed?”

I shook my head. Whatever flames had come in my direction, he had stopped them. The heat alone probably should have burned me, but I was fine. “No.”

He pulled me into his arms and kissed my temple before whispering. “Thank the Fallen.”

Sound rose all around us as the court of dragons as people spoke. It was a cacophony both in my ears and my head. Endre was the next to touch me, taking my hand and lacing our fingers together. Zovai still stood staring at Relkym, daring the dragon to try again.

I didn’t think even the Elders would be fast enough this time if he did.

A low growl shuddered through the earth, bringing all of us to silence once more.

Eloith tilted her head. I nearly smiled at the similarity to Varí and the other dragons I’d met. The little dragon was in his favorite spot. On a shoulder, his tail tucked around Idroal’s neck. I was grateful no one seemed to have noticed him.

Zovai approached us as Eloith watched, still carefully angled to the right where Relkym smiled and retrieved his goblet of wine from a beautiful blue-skinned female.

You are very dedicated to her.

Beimani snorted with derision. That does not matter. Will we let our own Heirs flout our commands so carelessly? She must be destroyed.

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