Page 75 of The Dragon's Mate Proposal

“I knew it,” he said to the other two dragon-men. “We should have seen it when we were here. But now we have it. Kalann will be most interested in knowing about your little gold mine here. He’ll be taking it for himself, I’m sure.”

I struggled angrily, but it was of no use. The other dragon held my shoulders in an iron grip.

“And I think we’ll be taking you along for insurance,” Reed chuckled. “Just in case Cade thinks about getting cute.”

I didn’t have time to scream before my captor wrapped a hand over my mouth and leaped into the sky, holding me against him with his other arm.

Cade!

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Cade

“Help me. Please,” I begged, my voice raspy, nearly unhinged.

I was barely holding on.

A pair of imperious eyes stared down at me, their jade circles harsh and unyielding. They were framed by hair so platinum it nearly glowed, the locks flowing down and over the shoulders of the one person in the Dragon Isles who could help me. Who could give me what I needed.

The money to save Samantha.

“Why?”

I reared back at the sovereign’s steel tone. It wasn’t at all the response I’d expected from her.

“Because I asked for it? And a leader should help their people when they need it?”

The eyes glittered. “I know you asked for help,” she said with a hint of frost coloring her tone. “I am also aware of the duties of a ruler to her people. Unless you are saying I do not?”

“Um, no, my sovereign,” I said, coming sharply to attention, fist to sternum, elbow out, in the standard dragon salute of respect. The shape of my arm was symbolic of a wing. Of our other half. “That is not what I meant at all.”

“I thought not,” she said more gently. “Perhaps you misunderstood my question. I did not ask why I should help you. I am asking why you came to me for help.”

“Because they have her,” I said through gritted teeth. “Kalann and his goons took the human woman Samantha. They are holding her. Using her against me. I need the money to pay off the debts as we talked about.”

The Sovereign of All Dragonkind nodded sagely. “So you say.”

I gaped at her. “Are you accusing me of lying?”

“No,” she said, stifling my protests with a single word. “But you also bring no proof, Cade. You say they have her, but you also told me the two of you were at odds with one another before you left. Could it be she decided to end things?”

“Perhaps,” I said, hesitating.

I hadn’t told the sovereign about the bonding. About how Samantha’s panicked cry for help had slammed into me mid-flight, nearly knocking me from the sky.

Something had gone wrong. Very, very wrong.

“Come closer,” the sovereign said, gesturing with one hand for me to approach the throne.

I did so until she could lean closer and speak quietly, so only I could hear.

“There are times, Cade, where I wish to act. Where I would love to help you.”

“Then help me, please,” I replied. “Just give me the money.”

She watched my face as I spoke, looking deep into my eyes.

“You care for her.” It wasn’t a question, but I nodded anyway. “How much?”

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