Page 60 of Burned

The craziest part of all of this is that I know in the deepest part of my heart that Iwantto be his mate. I want to spend my nights wrapped in his too-warm arms, and gods, I want to see that gorgeous dragon gazing at me. I’m happier than I’ve ever been, with a life I never dreamed of just within my grasp. Unfortunately, to get it, I have to burn down my entire life. I have to leave my family and figure out how to get them to stop this hunting nonsense. If they’re attacked, I can’t help. To keep Lord, I have to side with the dragons.

My chest tightens with guilt and sadness and the door opens suddenly. Lord fills the doorway, his handsome face marred with concern.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Just processing everything.”

He nods, staying in the doorway. “We’re almost there. Are you sure I can’t reason with you to come back with me? We can go together, talk with your family. I can?—”

“Lord, stop. Reverse the situation and think about how that would go. Your brothers obviously have too much respect for you to torch me alive, but they wanted to. It won’t be any different with my family.”

“I don’t want you to face this alone. I feel responsible.”

“You are. For giving me the best weeks I’ve ever had. Thank you.”

“Treasure…”

“I can handle it.” I hope. “I’ll be okay.”

“You have my heart, Alrick. It is yours. I’ll keep you forever if you allow it, and I’ll keep you safe. You can have a life of soft beds and long baths and anything else you want. We can go anywhere your heart desires.”

There’s no point in denying to myself how much I want that, but I can’t get my hopes up just yet. For all I know my dad will drive a sword through my heart.

“What matters right now is keeping your family and friends safe. Focus on that, not on me.”

“Impossible.” He smiles as his eyes shift and his dragon peers out at me. “Two things can happen at once. You have to stay safe too.” His brow creases for a second. “Perhaps this is a good time to tell you that you’re essentially immortal now. Like me.”

My mouth drops. “What?”

“But if you were to be killed, by a cursed sword perhaps, we would both die.”

“Oh my gods, Lord. What?”

“Our life forces are connected because of the bonding. You’re safer now than you’ve ever been. Your own family wouldn’t harm you, right?”

“I-I don’t think so. But, Lord…”

“It’s okay, Treasure. Don’t get yourself killed and it’ll be fine.”

“No pressure.”

“Of course, you can come back with me, and we can sever the?—”

“No!”

My outburst surprises us both. I clear my throat.

“We need time to make logical, well thought out decisions.”

He nods. “I agree,” he says as he steps back. “Rest. We’ll be landing within the hour.”

He’s gone before I can say anything else or drag him into my arms again. Now not only do I need to make sure I don’t get myself killed for my own preservation, but if I go down, I takeLord with me. That changes my strategy. Somehow, I need to get to Viggo without Digby or my dad finding out. He’s far more reasonable than they are.

He’s my only chance.

Chapter

Nineteen

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