Page 80 of Betrayed By Dragons

It didn't seem strange at the time, but it sticks out like a sore thumb in my memory now. Atina and Li each approached their respective prince with some sort of excuse and led them to the other end of the building. Seconds later, the entire place burst into flames.

That can't be a coincidence.

"They knew it was Shadow Dragon magic, too," I tell them.

When Atina and Li accused Amy of carrying out the attack, their prime evidence was that she was part Shadow Dragon. We only learned about the moonflower crystal residue this evening, and Atina and Li weren't part of the call. How else could they have known, unless they were responsible?

"Everyone knew it was Shadow Dragon magic," Atina scoffs, but there's a nervous edge to her laugh.

Creases of doubt mar Jianyu's face, and Rafe seems frozen in place.

My certainty grows, but so does my desperation. "They've been betraying us at every turn." It all seems so clear now. "Jianyu--you tasked Li with finding a contact from Bedrock. Who do you think reported that to your father?"

Jianyu's eyes widen, like he's never even considered the possibility.

"I have been nothing but a faithful servant these many years," Li insists, but I'm not hearing it.

"And Rafe, how did you get blindsided by your father and his advisor?"

"Bullshit," Atina counters.

A new realization dawns on me. "They've kept trying to get me alone. Li tried to pull me away at the club, and then again yesterday. Atina tried to assign me to a different room, here at the castle. And just now..." I swallow hard, darting my gaze between my mates, begging them with my voice and with my heart to believe me. "They tried to pin the explosion on Amy. They accused her of all kinds of things--they wanted to get me in a car with them, and they didn't want you with me." That's the most damning evidence of all. My eyes sting harder. "They're trying to separate us."

They're trying to rip the three of us apart, and it hurts. The very idea of being pulled from my mates is a pain that stabs straight into my chest. They attempted to separate us physically, by getting me alone, and then emotionally, by accusing me of pulling off the bombing on my own.

And they're right--I do have powers that I've concealed. But...

"The bracer," I tell them, finally touching the hot metal, "my magic. I never told you about it because I didn't understand it myself. Everything's happened so fast. Up until a few weeks ago, I was just..." A broken shifter. A lost, defective, abandoned, wretched thing. Left behind by my parents, bullied mercilessly by the dragons of the Air Kingdom, rejected by Prince Storm. His words reach out to me now, poisonous and sharp; the wound they left still fresh. "I was nothing."

Full-body tremors shake me, but I won't give in to them.

"And then this bracer found me, and I found you, and these powers have emerged, but I didn't want them. I don't know why they've suddenly appeared." I shake my head, my vision swimming. "But I would never hurt anyone. You have to believe me." My voice breaks. "You have to believe in us."

Rafe and Jianyu share a wary glance, and the pain takes my breath away.

I can feel them pulling back. Doubts swirl in our bond, and I can't take it. I want to cut my own heart out. I want to scream.

Atina's mouth twitches up. "Your majesties, surely you can see that this woman has been using you. She admits that she's been keeping secrets."

"You're twisting my words."

All the power I felt earlier abandons me now. I feel helpless and weak, just like when Storm cast me out.

"Jianyu," I plead again, desperate. "Rafe. Please."

I try one last time to pour my love and my devotion into our bond. I watch their faces, waiting for any sign that they can feel me, that they believe me, that they want me. Our connection is terrifyingly blank, though. They're giving me nothing.

They're going to reject me.

"Please." A single tear slips down my cheek.

And then there's a warmth. A soft, golden glow, deep in the very center of my chest. I pull in a ragged breath that burns like fire. In my feet, I feel the strength of rock and stone.

"Mate," Jianyu says, and something cracks open inside of him.

"Our own," Rafe agrees.

And then they're crossing the space, pushing past Atina and Li. Jianyu takes me in his arms, and Rafe stands in front of me, reaching for my hand while shielding me with his body, and it's like my heart knits back together with brilliant light. Their touch infuses me, and I can breathe again. They choose me. I can feel their love, their devotion, their trust.

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