Page 49 of Primal Dragon

“Anything,” he replied, glancing at her.

She was facing forward, her eyes carefully scanning the area, continuously roving. From their position, they could see the front of the building and the mouth of the alley. It didn’t allow for much else, but they would at least know if someone was coming and going.

“Why don’t you want to be king?”

Henrik glanced over at her. “What do you mean?”

She shrugged. “The cliché is that the first born takes the throne.”

“The eldest is usually groomed in that fashion, but Ash was the first to find his mate, that’s what dictates which of us takes the throne first. His mate and heartstone returned to him first.”

“Oh. So, if your sister had found her mate, she would be queen.”

He nodded. “Yes.”

Her brow furrowed. “Seriously? Why is it the mate that triggers that?”

“You can’t rule without a mate. Ash had the throne because he was the eldest, but without a mate, he wouldn’t have held it. As you know, our people take fate pretty seriously.”

“Because fate has revealed your mate, you also get to rule?”

He nodded stiffly. “If fate has deemed you worthy to have a mate, then you’re worthy of taking the throne.”

“How did your family end up on the throne? Are there other royal families?”

“The dragon elders keep all the history written down and packed away. They’re not great at sharing the information. We’re trying to petition they give up that tradition. As dragons we feel we have a right to our history. I do know that my father killed the reigning king because he was working with a vampire, the very vampire that ended up destroying him anyway. My father killed the tourmaline king and assumed the throne to keep chaos from breaking out. And for a long time, the kingdom was in peace.”

“Until the opal kingdom destroyed it?”

“Under the influence of Grey, yeah. Grey is pulling all kinds of strings. I’m sure we don’t even know the extent of his reach yet. I’m determined to at least gain some knowledge if I can’t take the fucker down myself.”

“What is he trying to accomplish?”

Henrik shook his head. “I wish I knew. He had a lot of time to plan and plot while he was in prison for hundreds of years. He escaped the tourmaline prison and now he’s out for blood.”

Quinn shook her head. “I don’t know how you deal with that day in and day out.”

“It keeps me focused. I don’t have a lot going on in my life other than this. We lost our home. We’re slowly losing our clan.”

“I know it’s your job to protect them…but they have to be grateful that you’re holding them together.”

Henrik chuckled. “Little human,” he purred, “if only there were more like-minded people like you.”

She studied him again and then turned her focus back out to the street. “I think you would make a good king.”

That surprised Henrik. He hadn’t expected such a declaration from anyone, let alone her. “Why do you say that?”

“You think of everyone but yourself. Even between us, you won’t claim me because you’re afraid of the consequences. You’re not just taking for yourself.”

“Trust me, Quinn, taking for myself has certainly been a choice I’ve wanted to take.”

She blinked at him. “If you feel that way about me…” She shook her head. “I just think you’d make a good king.”

“Do you think I should fight my brother for the throne? That’s a story as old as time. The younger brother wants the power for himself.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh, no. That’s not what I meant at all.”

Henrik burst out laughing. “I know, sweetheart. I know.”

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