Page 30 of The Monster's Mate

Not at freaking all.

He sits with his back against the headboard, and I follow him up.

“You should know better than to tell someone that. All it does is freak the person out.”

“Yeah, well, I feel like you’re going to freak the fuck out onme,when it’s not anything I’ve done.” He sighs. “Look, I know who Eldritch is. I didn’t know him in dragon court, but I put the pieces together not too long after he appeared.”

“Okay,” I say, willing him to go on, so I don’t have to continue to wonder.

“I also know who Veryn’s father is.” Bane grabs my hand, linking our fingers together. “I had suspicions the first time I scented Veryn…”

Aline told me once that there are only something like three thousand dragons, which seems like a lot and also not that many, all at once.

I’ve never been to Faere, outside of my dream last night, so it’s impossible to visualize what dragon society may look like, but I’ve worried a lot about if the two of them could possibly know each other.

Bane knowing my ex sucks on an entirely different level.

The embarrassment I felt when I realized Cyril ghosted me comes back in full force.

I don’t even know why the idea bothers me so much.

I didn’t do anything wrong.

All I did was meet a man I genuinely liked, who I thought cared about me in return.

“You know Cyril?”

“Everyone in dragon society does,” Bane says with a solemn tone to his voice.

It makes my head shake.

I almost thought I was ridiculous for assuming that all dragons knew each other, but three thousand doesn’t feel like a lot of people.

Haven has just over ten thousand, and it seems like everyone knows each other.

“Cyril is next in line for the throne. His father is king,” Bane says, holding my hand even tighter. “Veryn is a full-blooded dragon. The last I’ve heard, Cyril’s mate hasn’t been able to produce any heirs…”

My jaw falls as my head tilts. “He has a mate?”

Bane nods. “They’ve been bonded for several hundred years, and that’s not your fault.”

“I know it’s not,” I hiss as my free hand flies to my forehead.

It still makes me sick to my stomach. It’s illogical, but I feel like I should have known.

“He used your innocence and lack of understanding of dragon culture against you.” Bane releases my hand, grabbing my hips and lifting me into his lap until I kneel over him. “I heard Eldritch explain it to you that night in the cave.” He frowns. “Part of it, at least, but we have to be vigilant. Under dragon law, Cyril could claim Veryn. He’s full-blooded, which only occurs when a dragon breeds with another dragon?—”

“I’m not a dragon,” I say, exceptionally confused. “Wait, did you say you were in the cave?”

“I was the nightmare fuel,” Bane says bitterly. “Listen, we can talk about that part later. I don’t want to get off track.” He tenderly squeezes my hip, moving a hand up to cradle the back of my head. “The other way dragons are born is when a dragon breeds with a dragon’s heart—a fated mate of another species. They’re incredibly rare these days, due to a dark history I’d rather not get into.”

“I think if I am one, I should probably know…” My hands rest on his strong chest. He makes me feel so tiny, even when I’m on top of him.

“It’s not pretty,” Bane says. “About four hundred years ago, the population of dragons dwindled down to dangerously low levels. Someone realized thatanydragon could mate with a dragon’s heart and produce viable offspring.”

“It didn’t have to be their intended mate,” I whisper as my mind races, trying to read between the lines. “Did Cyril seek me out, knowing that?”

“Look, I don’t have a fucking clue what that jackass was thinking, but if I had to guess, I would say he came to the human realm purposely to seek out a dragon’s heart.” Bane wraps his arms around my back, pulling me close to his chest.

---