Page 36 of The Dragon King

He stared at me for a while, the flames reflecting off the scales around his snout.I’ve missed you, Talon Rothschild.

“You don’t have to say my whole name, but I missed you too.”

It killed me to stand by and do nothing while you fought alone.

“You would have destroyed the whole forest.”

The forest can burn to the ground. You’re all I care about. And Pretty.

I was hungry, but it was too dark to hunt now. I’d have to wait until morning.

You’re different since we’ve come here.

“Different, how?”

Before we left the castle, you detested Calista so deeply you wanted to abandon her. But the moment you set your eyes upon her again, you’ve become a different man. You water her like she’s a flower. You carry her like she has no legs. You show her a tenderness that a gardener shows his roses. It’s a version of you I’ve never known before. And even when she’s not with you, I can still see it.

I leaned against the log, one knee propped while I crossed my arms over my chest.

I feel replaced.

“Khazmuda, you’re irreplaceable.”

His eyes shifted to the flames.I understand how things are. Dragons are no different from humans. We find a mate, and that mate becomes our nest mate, our best friend. When we first met, you were so broken you didn’t want to live, but all these years later, you’vefound someone to live for. Instead of being selfish, I should be happy for you…and I’m sorry I wasn’t.

It’d been easy to carry this lie for so long because success always seemed out of reach. Decades had been spent going in circles, but now we were closer than we’d ever been. The lie felt heavier. “Don’t apologize, Khazmuda. Having a woman in my life is no excuse to ignore you.”

Perhaps I’ll find a mate when we free my kin.

The thought gave me a pain of sadness, because I wouldn’t be around to see that happen. “I’m sure you will.”

I’ve always wanted to have hatchlings. Teach them to fly and breathe fire.

My hands squeezed my arms as I waited for the pain to leave my heart. As I fought back the tears I didn’t expect to shed.

His eyes locked on mine, probably because he felt my surge of unexpected anguish.Why does that hurt you?

I tried to find the words but failed. It took Vivian and me a couple months to get pregnant, and the discovery was one of our greatest joys. I pictured my life with a son or a daughter, all the things I would show them and teach them. Knowing I had a little girl in the Realm of Caelum, a daughter I would never know, would always kill me. “I hope you experience the joys of fatherhood, Khazmuda.” And I wished I could see it. Little dragons with his black scales. Dragons that grew up strong and fast, hatchlings that became fierce predators.

I didn’t mean to be insensitive.

“You weren’t.” My hands relaxed on my arms.

Your dream can still come true, Talon. Calista will be a great mother to your hatchlings.

I couldn’t take any more of this conversation. I hadn’t had these dreams when I’d sold my soul to Bahamut. I hadn’t thought I would ever feel anything for another woman as long as I lived. But then I saw Calista on a starry night…and I was lost. It was a slow burn, from a lit match to a fire in the hearth to an inferno that engulfed the land. And now it burned me alive, burned me from the inside out.

You’re still in pain.

“I care for Calista deeply, but she’s not my mate.”

Then what is she?

“I—I don’t know.”

He stared at me with his dark eyes, blinking every few seconds.It’s okay to have another mate if your previous one passes away?—

“Let’s not do this.”

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