Page 19 of Wynter and the Stone Dragon

“Yes,” Khalid said, not expanding on the subject.

Adham’s gaze moved to Wynter. “The woman… who is she?”

“No one you should be concerned about,” Khalid answered.

“I would like to speak with her,” Adham stated.

“No!” The denial burst out of Khalid with such vehemence that it surprised the men standing around him.

Adham looked thoughtfully between Wynter and his king. He could see the wariness in his friend’s eyes. Khalid rested his hand on Adham’s arm.

“She is not a threat to me, Adham. She… is an old friend.”

“Where did she come from? What was she doing in the palace? Khalid, you don’t know if she supported your uncle. Even though he is dead now, that doesn’t mean she might not have an agenda of her own.”

Khalid smiled and shook his head. “She has nothing to do with my uncle. You’ll have to trust me on this, Adham. I… promised her long ago that I would always protect her. She means me no harm.”

Adham didn’t look convinced, but he bowed his head. With a sharp order, Adham instructed two men carrying body bags to remove Inarus’s remains.

Wynter closed her eyes and turned her head away from the gruesome scene. Khalid walked over and gently cupped her elbow.

“Come, let’s go inside,” he said.

She nodded, a shudder running through her as the men performed the grisly task. Khalid didn’t miss the way she glanced up at the sky before they entered the palace. He looked up as well but saw nothing.

“Where is it?” he asked.

She bit her lip as they climbed the steps. “He’s flying overhead, keeping an eye on me.”

He guided her to a seat in his mother’s library. She looked pale in the dim light the emergency generators provided.

“Would you like something to drink?” he asked.

She shook her head. Her eyes moved to the gardens outside the French doors. She looked sad and worried, but most of all, she looked fragile.

“I should leave as soon as the garden is clear of people,” she murmured. “It was wrong of me to come here.”

“No! You left once. I won’t let you go again,” he growled.

“You have no choice. I don’t belong here,” she quietly responded.

* * *

Wynter’s stomach churned with stress. She had broken the most crucial rule of the Mage-line order. Worse, she had betrayed her parents’ trust.

Khalid had reacted to Pow-pow with horror and intense fear. This world was not at all like Erindale, a place that was probably not used to dragons but had already been visited by aliens, already used magic, and was… sort-of a home for Wynter. She was born there, and in some ways, she belonged there—and Pow-pow belonged wherever she belonged. Khalid’s world, however, was not accustomed to creatures such as herself and Pow-pow.

Fear for her friend poured through her. Pow-pow assured her that the humans’ weapons could not hurt him. The worst thing that could happen to him was being forced to chomp down on more humans.

They squishy and taste terrible,Pow-pow said, trying to spit out the horrid, metallic flavor.

Wynter returned her attention to Khalid, who was pacing in agitation. He kept glancing at the garden in nervous apprehension until he abruptly twisted around and faced her.

“You do belong here—with me,” Khalid declared.

He looked wild, confused, and fierce. His expression reminded her so much of when they were younger.

She rose from her seat and walked over to him. He had become a strikingly handsome man with strong features. She touched his neatly trimmed beard. The coarse black hair was surprisingly pleasant under her fingertips. His jaw was clenched, and his lips pressed together. His defiant eyes had darkened until they appeared almost as black as his hair.

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