Page 268 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

“Put that away while we argue,” Razik muttered, eyeing the blade.

She sent him a dry look before sheathing her blade.

“I brought glasses for all of us,” Luka said, holding up the bottle and stack of shot glasses.

“See? Now we get alcohol,” Eliza said, gesturing in Luka’s direction.

“There is alcohol in our rooms,mai dragocen,” he gritted out.

“Yourdragocen?” Xan said, nodding stiffly in thanks when Luka handed him a glass before pouring the amber liquid into it. His father knocked it back, careful not to disturb that stonecollar too much, before immediately holding the glass out for a refill. “You have completed the proving ritual?”

Razik’s jaw clenched again, hard eyes sweeping over them.

“Dragocenis a word from our home world,” Xan tried again.

“I’m aware,” Razik growled.

“And you know what it means?”

Razik looked visibly affronted. “Yes, no thanks to you.”

“What Razik means to say,” Eliza cut in, “is that we have not completed the Trials yet.”

But Xan shook his head. “You are blessed by the gods and Fates to have a twin flame bond, but that is not the same.”

“What do you mean?” Eliza asked, taking a few steps closer until Razik’s hand shot out and tugged her to a stop.

“What doesdragocenmean?” Luka asked.

“It is an ancient language from the Beginning,” Razik replied, his tone pure arrogance. “Dragons hoard treasure. Their most valuable is calleddragocen.Maiis a claiming. My most valued treasure.”

Luka looked at their father, who was sipping on his second glass of liquor. “That is true, but it is more than that.”

“By all means, enlighten us,” Razik drawled.

Xan’s lips twitched as though he was fighting a smirk. He’d already picked up on his son’s love of knowledge and was using it to pull him into a conversation.

Luka finally poured his own drink, settling into a chair. He still couldn’t believe he was sharing a drink with his father.

“Dragocenis from an ancient language, but it refers to a bond that emerged with the Beings of Chaos,” he answered. “It is the bond the twin flame was modeled after when the gods created it as a gift to their children and the Fae who fill their magic.”

“Modeled after,” Eliza repeated, shrugging out of Razik’s hold.

Xan nodded. “I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you.”

“You don’t need to,” Razik snapped.

She sighed. “Eliza. My name is Eliza.”

Xan’s smile was warm. “I’ve only witnessed your interactions with Razik for an hour or so, but I can tell you are his inevitable.”

“That is the second time you’ve said that,” Luka said.

“At its core, it is what adragocenbond is,” Xan explained. “An inevitable bond.”

Eliza stiffened. “You mean a forced bond?”

“No,” Xan said. “A bond can always be rejected. But if the proving ritual is done and accepted, it becomes inevitable.”

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