Page 127 of Silent Jay

He let out a relieved breath. “It hurt me to mark you. I’ve never experienced that much pain.” He ran his knuckles along my cheek. “I would experience ten times that for you.”

Ten times that, and you’d be dead.

He’s expressing his love for you. Stop making everything negative.

He has no idea you already have mate marks.

God fucking damn it. Why can’t anything be simple?

He groaned, though I was sure it had nothing to do with my inner monologue. “I’m an asshole, I didn’t even know that dragon had you. Once the rut took over, I just needed an outlet. Damn it, I can still feel the rut. Whatever happened just delayed the issue, again.” He clenched his fist. “And now I’ve messed everything up. We can’t go back to the air temple. I’ve marked you, so I can’t call the other princes…You’re hurt, and I have no way…” He trailed off.

I blinked rapidly, and my fingers twitched with my need to reach out and comfort him. But no sound came out when I triedto talk. Even if it had, it probably just would have been a series of more useless squeaks.

Maybe. Four mate marks. Four elements. It’s time to see if your theory is correct or if you’ve made everything worse.

My blood chilled. That hadn’t occurred to me.

“My name’s Lux. Ah.” He scowled. “Prince Lux.”

If I could nod, I would have. His status as a prince didn’t surprise me. Whoever designed this curse wasn’t just bringing random dragons together. I would have been shocked if he was anything less. However, I would not have guessed he was a prince based on his disguise as a priestess teaching kids.

He has a golden heart.

Or a guilty conscience.

How can you see the worst in everything?

It’s what got me to a thousand years old, bitch.

Lux narrowed his eyes. “I wish I knew what was going on in your head.”

I flushed, very grateful he didn’t have any concept. He lifted me over his shoulder, holding my legs in place with his shortened arm. I relished being able to feel again.

“I’m taking you to my old home.” A slight tremor passed through him. “I don’t have any other choice.” He pulled his long silver hair before rubbing his cheek. “It’s a bad idea, but it’s all I’ve got.” His face fell. “I didn’t even ask if I could mark you.” He dropped back to the ground and set me down so he could cup my face. “Did you want this?”

I blinked once and held his gaze.

“Over Rehan?”

I blinked rapidly to try and signify ‘too complicated.’

“Right, maybe that wasn’t quite a yes or no question.” He hoisted me again before rising on one leg as if he couldn’t even feel my weight.

You’re fucking loving this part.

Don’t, but yes. God, I enjoy feeling delicate even when I’m not.

You kind of are right now.

You’re ruining it.

Brilliant white-scaled wings rushed out of his back, though I could only see a bit of them from where my head rested against his chest. He jumped, angling down the mountainside, and caught a draft which took us up.

The sound of his racing heartbeat filled my world while his strong, firm body kept the wind from stealing my heat. This wasn’t like flying with Tyson, who existed to make my heart race. Lux held me like I was precious. He kept his flight steady and low, checking in on me often but without idle chatter.

A rush of blood made my fingers tingle. By the time we landed, I’d managed to curl one of my fists, though the arm still dangled uselessly. Unable to lift my head, half my view was Lux’s hard pale chest, while the other, the night sky and the smooth white platform below us.

Lux gently set me down. “I’ll be right back.”

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