Page 55 of Dragon's Honor

“There are dragons trying to get to the bottom of it. Some think it’s witches. Some think it’s something more powerful, though I’m not sure what. Others think it was always supposed to be this way to unify the humans and the dragons.”

“Hard to unify when we don’t even know you exist,” she grumbled. “Why is it against dragon law?”

He paused. A question he’d never considered.

“I don’t know for sure. I’ve never questioned why laws exist, just that they do.” He took a breath. “I lost a friend to mating with a human. Ryker had been one of my trusted men, someone who would stand with the Tourmaline Clan. But he found a mate in a human, and the clan wouldn’t stand with him. I didn’t stand with him.” If he’d been a better prince, a better friend, he would’ve fought for Ryker, begged him to stay and make it work.

Things had changed dramatically for him in such a short time, now he knew why Ryker had to go. Finding a mate was everything. They were taught not to question the tourmaline when it glowed, when it revealed your mate.

He might not have had a mate at all if it weren’t for Syrena’s quick thinking. The witch sent his and his siblings’ heartstones into the world to protect them during the attack. If Tristian had gotten his hands on their hearstones and destroyed them, they would’ve really truly been lost.

“I should have fought for him,” he said finally.

The look on her face left him shifting uncomfortable in his seat. Her upper lip curled, her eyes wide, and pure disappointment and disgust radiating off her.

“But you’re a prince. Haven’t you been taught how to lead?”

The shame hit him unexpectedly. Laws were meant to be followed, not questioned. Something that had been drilled into him like a soldier. Do not question, only obey.

Except now he was in charge of a bunch of laws that made no sense. What a dumb unhatched egg he was. He spent so much time trying to gain his father’s approval, but he hadn’t even done that properly. He was a constant disappointment.

And now he was disappointing Finley.

“Ash?”

The quiet, softness of her voice brought him around to look at her.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be so judgmental. I don’t know anything about your world. I’ve wanted to be right where I am, in the know, and I immediately started judging with my humanness. It’s not fair. You’ve been nothing but patient with me.”

Fuck. The woman before him was a marvel. She had every right to be furious at his complete idiocy, and yet here she was apologizing.

“I thought my father was the perfect king. He was loved by his people. But I’m not sure he was as beloved as I thought. And what of those unmated males? If dragons are mating with humans, who am I to stand in the way of fate? Who is anyone? The choice to be mates lies between the couple and no one else. Not even fate can force a match.”

Finley’s gaze was on his face for too long and her expression was too curious. He lifted his plate and headed for the kitchen. Not only could he hear her following him, but he felt her the closer she got. Their connection was off balance. Or maybe it was just making him off balance. Did she feel anything for him?

“I know there’s danger, but I want to see more.”

“See more.” He turned to find her standing behind him.

He lifted her dishes out of her hands and turned back around. Grateful for the distraction so he didn’t just take and claim. She needed time. Hell, he needed time.

“Tomorrow, after you’ve rested some more, I’ll take you back to the Sea Glass. I’ll introduce you to some of my friends.”

“That bar we went to before?”

He nodded.

“Is there something with that bar? I’ve never heard of it or remember seeing it before you took me there.”

He chuckled. “Gavin had a witch put a glamor on it to keep humans away for the most part. It’s a sanctuary for shifters. Mostly dragons, but there are some wolves and felines there too.”

“I’d like that. Thank you. And thank you for dinner.”

“You’re welcome.”

They stood there staring at each other. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was filling with a tension Ash was unsure what to do with. The attraction between them was obvious, it had been since they met. The number of erections he’d had around her was embarrassing, like he was some youngling dragon just figuring out what his cock was for.

He knew exactly what his cock was for and how he wanted to use it, but she wasn’t a dragon and he needed to court her.

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