Page 12 of Burned

“Tea?”

He’s out of his chair and brushing past me in a flash. My reaction to the mysterious man is weird, but I don’t sense immediate danger. If I want to get out of here in one piece, find my sword, and make it back home, I better play nice with the dragon.

So I guess we’re having tea.

Chapter

Five

LORD

I’m intensely aware of everything Alrick as we make our way downstairs to the kitchen. The way his hair hangs like golden curtains across his shoulders, the flex of hismanymuscles straining my too-small clothes, the hypnotic scent pouring from him.

I amalsointensely aware of what we’re both refusing to acknowledge. It feels like as long as neither of us admits that I’m a dragon and he knows it, we can keep a tenuous peace. I know the only reason he’s going along with it is that he doesn’t have a plan to get back to his brothers yet and he’s trusting me when I say I’ll let him go in a few days. What will happen when I refuse to let him go, or, gods forbid, he finds out we’re bonded? I don’t even want to think about it right now.

He grunts and rubs the center of his chest, his bare feet padding softly against the polished wood floor, his eyes roaming over everything, taking it all in, no doubt making note of every possible exit and weapon along the way.

“Something wrong?” He’s effectively immortal now. He would have healed even without Dahlia’s potion, it just might have taken a little longer. But the image of him lying pale and limp with his chest torn wide open refuses to leave my mind.

Alrick shakes his head and drops his hand.

“Like I said, just a weird ache. That one felt kind of… I don’t know, fluttery. Like nerves or something.” He darts his eyes to me then stands a little taller. “But I have nothing to be nervous about.”

He says it so defiantly that my blood heats and my dragon tugs inside my chest again, and Alrick frowns. He can feel it, obviously. Just like I can feel the complicated tangle of emotions that flicker and churn inside of him. He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s not stupid, so how long will it take him to figure it out? Hopefully I can find a way to break the bond before he does.

My dragon growls and my throat burns. I grit my teeth and swallow the smoke that threatens to pour from my mouth. I haven’t had this much trouble controlling my dragon since I was a welp. Is this how my brothers feel all the time? Dragged around by unruly, scaled beasts who refuse to be leash trained?

Alrick gives me a strange look and I realize I’ve stopped in the middle of the hallway to stare at him. I clear my throat, thankful that no smoke comes out of my nose when I do, then I jerk my head towards the swinging doors that lead into the kitchen.

“After you,” I say politely.

He narrows his eyes suspiciously, then inches toward the doors without turning his back to me. He stops just outside of them, tilting his head subtly, clearly listening for any sign of an ambush waiting for him on the other side.

I bark out a hoarse laugh. “I know you won’t believe me, but I can assure you that you’re safer here than you’ve ever been in your life.”

He bristles and grunts again, hesitating for just a second before forcefully shoving the door open. When he sees that the kitchen on the other side is completely empty of any would-be attackers, his shoulders visibly relax.

“See?” I say softly, my hand reaching out without my permission, intent on stroking his tangled mane of hair. I catch myself at the last second, curling my fingers into a fist and yanking my hand back. Luckily, Alrick doesn’t notice.

He saunters over towards the large island counter, his head on a swivel, looking around the room the same way he did all the way down from the bedroom. I stride past him to fill the kettle and pull out my large box of various teas to give him options. I slide it across the counter towards him and he eyes it suspiciously.

My lips twitch with amusement.

“What? Do you think one of the teabags is laced with poison and it’s my diabolical plot to let you choose your own demise?” I tease. His eyes dart up to meet mine and I can see wariness and exhaustion in them. “They’re all perfectly safe. In fact, I’ll let you pick mine for me too. I wouldn’t risk poisoning myself, would I?”

Granted, there isn’t a poison I’m aware of that would stand up to the fire in my veins, but we’re still not admitting he knows that.

He chooses a cherry infused green tea for both of us and then settles onto one of the stools in front of the counter.

“Constant vigilance was the number one rule in my house. An attack can come at any time and in any form, so we always had to be suspicious and prepared.”

My heart rate spikes, and I turn away from him to put the kettle on the stovetop. I use that brief second to pull in a steadying breath before turning back around to face him.

“An attack from a dragon?” My voice is even, and Alrick’s eye contact is just as unwavering.

We stare at each other across the counter, faces stoic, breathing even. Tension rises between us like a gathering storm. This game of chicken we’re playing has impossibly high stakes, and neither one of us wants to be the one to blink first.

“Yes,” he finally answers. “Do you believe in dragons, Lord?”

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