Page 29 of Bound By Roses

Erwyn takes a step forward. “I will go first, then. He should be put out of his misery.”

Gasps and grumbles of objections sound from the dragons, but Abby remains silent at my side. A quick glance in her direction is all I need to see that her face has gone entirely white. What’s surprising is that Aurelia’s face looks to have done the same.

Rhett steps forward before I can respond and jabs a finger into Erwyn’s chest. Brave, but stupid. “You shouldn’t even get an opinion. You aren’t part of this.”

“I agree with him,” the old healer says, and this time I can’t keep silent.

“You can’t be serious. You’re a healer!”

“Some injuries cannot be healed. He should have been allowed to die peacefully.” I don’t miss the look she gives Abby, and if she wasn’t ancient, I might just throttle her.

“It’s still early,” one of the dragonesses says. Nuri, I think. Or is this one Dru? I really need to work on remembering their names. “Next time—”

The old woman cuts her off. “Next time? You wish to wake him again? You saw the pain he was in, and that was not just physical. His mind is broken. Gone. That is not your friend. That is an empty shell that will know only pain. You cannot do that to him again. It is cruel.”

What’s cruel is that we’re even having this debate to begin with. I was in that room, too. I saw the look Jade gave Abby. I sensed the malice. The bloodlust that comes when predator spies their prey. If Rhett and Merrick hadn’t been holding onto him—if I hadn’t jumped in—he would have killed Abby without even realizing he’d done it. That wasn’t Jade, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still in there. Even with a direct threat to my mate, I can see the value in trying again. If Jade is still in there, we can’t just kill him.

“This is Jade we’re talking about,” Rhett says, only fractionally calmer now. “If anyone is stubborn enough to get through this, it’s him. We need to give him more time. More time to heal and more time to calm down.”

“You mean more time to suffer,” Erwyn grumbles. “I will do it while he sleeps. It will be painless. A clean death.”

“No!” Rhett looks to Merrick. “Say something! They’re talking about killing Jade!”

I hadn’t even realized that Merrick hasn’t yet said a word on the matter and he has more reason to object than most. Jade is his cousin and the only family he has left. And not only that, Jade is still his heir. One of them must survive if the dragon lineis to continue. Without that blood magic, they truly will be the last of the dragons and their species will finally be eradicated.

“Rhett,” Merrick sighs. “We tried. Maybe—”

Rhett darts around the table and comes to a stop in front of Abby. “They’ll listen to you. Tell them this is wrong.”

Tears brim in Abby’s eyes in response to his desperate plea, and fuck, this is killing me. I can’t protect her from this, and even if I could, it isn’t my place. This is happening because of the choice she made and we’re not going to get anywhere until this happens. I brush my hand against hers to remind her it’s there. She has my support if she needs it. If she feels weak, she can borrow my strength. The Gods already know that she’s the source of mine.

Abby chews on her lip a moment before answering in a voice that’s so low that I’m uncertain anyone on the other side of the table can hear her. “I couldn’t change him. Ican’tchange him.”

Rhett takes one of her hands in both of his and gives it a gentle squeeze. “So that doesn’t work. We have other options.”

“Like what?” The question came from one of the other male dragons. Ory? Wyatt? Fuck it, it doesn’t matter who said it.

“We can tie him up.” Rhett’s suggestion is met with eye rolls and grumbles.

“It is too dangerous,” the old healer says. “There is strength in pain. If he breaks the glass, he will flood us. We cannot risk it.”

“So we’ll take him to the ruins. You said yourself, his body has healed. He doesn’t need the water.” How is it that Rhett became the most reasonable person here?

“That water is the only thing keeping him alive.”

“If that were true, then you’d get your way, wouldn’t you?” His pleading eyes flicker between Abby and I. “You can’t agree with them.”

“I don’t,” I say, honestly. I was content with letting Jade die that night, but killing him now would be murder. “He saved my life. I won’t take his.”

Erwyn squares off with me from across the table. “This is not up to you. He is a threat.”

“And so am I, according to you. Are you going to kill us both?” I regret the question instantly when I feel a jolt of fear through the bond.

“Maybe I will just let you wake the dragon again and he will do it for me.”

“Enough!” It’s Aurelia this time. “We are not murdering anyone. End of discussion.”

Erwyn scoffs. “You sound so much like your mother that you may as well sit upon her throne. You do not get to decide this. You are not our queen!”

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