Page 72 of Silent Jay

Jay:Why can’t the two of you get along?

“He’s a water dragon,” Tyson growled.

I pointed to my phone, refusing to engage with him.

Rehan:He’s a fire dragon who tried to force you. He marked you against your will.

I started to double-check that Rehan had sent his message to the group chat, but Tyson’s furious typing assured me he had.

Tyson:Fecking Sea Sponge!!

Tyson:And you marked her during the trial, against the rules. She didn’t even know what you’d done to her!!! How’s that asking first?!?!

I chewed on my lower lip and waited.

Rehan:It wasn’t, but I knew she was my mate. And Jay felt it, too. I didn’t need to ask.

Tyson:Then you know exactly how I felt after the social, you fecking muppet.

Tyson swallowed and rolled, so he gazed down at me instead of the stars. Both our phones plinked. The fire dragon caged me against the ground with his arms, ignoring the notification. “I wouldn’t take back what I did, but I regret how I did it.” His forehead wrinkled. “I don’t have answers. But I know you can make anything happen if you work hard enough.”

I bit my lips together and met his gaze.

Everyone has a dragon inside them.

Despite his missing fire magic, flames danced behind his eyes. He’d spent the last four days telling me about his life. How hard he worked to be the fire dragon his father and people needed. It broke my heart, but I couldn’t be the happy ending he envisioned for himself.

I pushed him off me and picked up my phone, switching it to our one-on-one chat.

Jay:Working hard will not regrow my uterus. No spell will make my body produce eggs or give technology the ability to extract my DNA.

Jay:Even if there was, I don’t want kids.

Jay:And I don’t have to justify that.

I looked up from my phone and grabbed his chin so he couldn’t look away. His smooth skin felt like marble under my fingers. He grimaced before pulling away and rereading my message. Guilt churned in my gut. I shouldn’t be playing date. I should be figuring out how to free him.

Jay:How about we call it a night?

Tyson narrowed his eyes before swiping his screen to type.

My group chat plinked.

Tyson:Fuck our deal. Wiggles stole my time by messaging you. If you can find us, you can have her back.

I blinked in confusion. I tried to ask ‘what,’ but all that came out was a squeak.

Tyson grinned. “Call it a night? What are you, an old lady?”

I wrinkled my nose, technically…

“Feck your curfew and whatever else.” Tyson pulled me to my feet and spun me. “Let’s dance with danger. Or, more specifically, a pissed-off water dragon.” He laughed and pointed us toward the dark forest.

My blood sang, erasing my guilt. Tyson’s joy and the thrill of being hunted tingled every fiber of my being.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

REHAN

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