Page 36 of Dragon in Boots

He stared blankly at the gold-leaf ceiling, the early morning light sifting through a gap in the maroon curtains as he reminisced over the blissful moments he’d shared with Sky, along with the mistakes he’d made.

Like killing her.Her death was why he hated to throw in the towel, but maybe it was for the best. He’d only agreed to try to sway the dragon so that Sky could get another chance at life, one she might be more careful with next time.

Did he also secretly wish she’d grovel at his feet, regretting her mistake of throwing away their relationship, and then perhaps get a swirly tattoo of his name across the small of her back in remembrance of his heroic actions?

Maybe.

Damien sighed, feeling a weight in his chest.Is this how teenagers feel? All lovesick?Because when it came to relationships, that was probably his age. He’d lived a long life, yes, and he could kill just about anything with his pinky, but when it came to love, Damien was a rookie.

That didn’t mean he did not understand loss—his past was littered with it—but he had never been forced to navigate the complexities of dating. Sky had been his first relationship after breaking free of Willa, so perhaps he needed to accept it for what it was: practice.

Practice makes perfect.He really should consider trying out more people.Then again, my heart is fairly rancid.It would make more sense to go back to the way things were before Sky. Just him, tailoring, and nothing more.

“Sky, if you’re listening, I am sorry, but I cannot get you a new body.” It was difficult to admit failure, but he had to be honest. As well as honorable. “And you should know that my intentions were not entirely selfless. I wanted you to see what a mistake you made, throwing away a relationship with a man who truly cares for you.”

“I know,” said a faint voice to his side.

He turned his head to find Sky’s wispy outline lying next to him. Had she been here all night?

She continued, “But I didn’t want you, my sister, or my nephew getting mixed up in all the SBP business. It was my job to protect you, and I failed. Failed at everything.”

He rolled over to face her. She still had her dark hair in a ponytail, accentuating her oval face and large expressive eyes.So beautiful.Of course, it had been her large ass and curves that had first caught his attention.Nothing like a well-nourished woman.Something men had found very enticing back in the day.

“Yes, you did,” he said. “Spectacularly. But that does not make your efforts any less noble.”

“Thanks.” Her nearly translucent cheeks caught a faint pink hue. “I’m sorry I laughed at your hip thrusts last night.”

“Forgiven. Stripping was never my calling anyway,” he said.

“At least you’re an excellent tailor.”

“Thank you.”

“And you’re also good at all that saving-people stuff.”

He didn’t know about that. “I solve problems. Sometimes it helps that I’m older than most. More experience.”

“Oh, stop. You’ve changed MF’s and Maxton’s lives. You changed Bonbon’s and Gorgonzolina’s, too. You gave them a home and a sense of belonging. Then there’s Pet.” She paused. “Never mind. There’s no helping that one, but at least you tried.”

Tried to get rid of her.Pet simply wouldn’t leave. “Why are you being so nice and not making demands of me? Are you going to kill me now so Amelia and Miguel will be freed?”

Sky chuckled. “No, but I do think we should go home today and stage your death. After that, I’ve decided to move on. Permanently.”

She wanted to end her soul? His heart sank. “You do not wish to have another chance at life?”

“I followed Jac earlier when she met up with that Dash guy,” she explained.

Damien wondered why Sky would follow Jac, but it didn’t seem germane to the conversation.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Something Dash said made a lot of sense. He said that the time of dragons was over, and it got me thinking. Maybe my time is over, too.”

“You are not a dragon, Sky. You’re a journalist whose life ended prematurely because I allowed a sex fairy to distract me while driving a very large SUV.”

“True. But if I’d stayed dead that first time, Amelia and Miguel would be fine. They’d be safe. Instead, they’re locked up in some SBP warehouse.” She sat up and whisked away a phantom tear.

He sat up, too, wishing there was some way to make everything right for her. Watching her suffer killed him. “That is not your fault.”

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