Page 70 of Bound in Blood

The protector of man.Anikêtos’s voice rings in my head now.

“I am not…” I clench my teeth and ball my hands into fists. “I am not a part of some ancient archaic prophecy.”

Then why do you rail against it so, Dragon Whisperer?

“I thought you did not believe in such nonsense?”

Another thick plume of smoke drifts from his nostrils.I have never claimed to not believe; merely to not care.

There is a flash of pink in my peripheral vision, and I turn to see Ophelia headed straight for us. Despite the grave nature of the situation we all face, she bears, as she often does, the sweetest of smiles. It both pleases and saddens me to see it.

Say nothing of this to her,Anikêtos, I warn him.

You do not believe she deserves to know?

I do not believe it would do any good to burden her with such knowledge. Who in their right mind would want to learn that the fate of an entire world rests upon their shoulders?

He blows out a breath that singes the hairs on my forearms even from thirty feet above me.She shall not learn of it from me.

As soon as she is within touching distance, I pull her to my side and wrap a protective arm around her waist. “What are you boys talking about?” she asks, glancing between the two of us.

I run my nose over her hair, and she smells so good it takes all of my restraint to stop myself from biting her. “I was simply thanking Anikêtos for his and Elpis’s help.”

She smiles up at him. “I am forever in your debt.”

He dips his head.I am well aware, Ophelia, as you swore me an oath.

I glare at her. “You swore a dragon an oath to be in his debt?”

She blinks, confusion all over her face. “Yes. I had to so he would come back and help us.”

I speak to her through our bond so he cannot hear.Ophelia, you do not make such a promise to a dragon. They do not see the world in the same way as you and I.

But it’s Anikêtos. We trust him, don’t we?

With my life, agápi mou. But he would ask for yours in an instant to save another dragon. You never make such a promise to a dragon if you are not prepared to wager your soul.

She hardens her gaze, her jaw tipped defiantly. “If that ends up being the cost of getting you back and saving the boys, it was a price worth paying a hundred times over.”

Anikêtos snorts.You are a true warrior, Ophelia Hart, and you, my old friend, underestimate her.

She folds her arms across her chest and flashes me a triumphant grin. She does not have to say or even think the wordsI told you so. They are clear in every other way.

I press my lips to her ear. “One of these days, little one, I am going to spank all of your sass right out of you.”

She flutters her eyelashes. “I hope so, sir. But right now, lunch is ready, and I would love it if we could all sit down to eat together.”

The only thing I want to eat is her. The beast inside me growls, desperate to feed. That only makes her laugh, and she rubs her stomach. “You can eat as soon as I have. I’m starving.”

We bid Anikêtos goodbye, and I slip my hand into hers, unable to stop staring at her as we walk back toward the house, her skin shimmering in the light of the midday sun.

Anikêtos is wrong—I do not underestimate her. I am all too aware of the things she is capable of. Not her power, for we still lack knowledge of the full extent of her might, but her strength and her courage. Those traits which she had in spades long before her powers were awakened. She is noble and selfless. That is how I know of the sacrifices she would make to save those she loves. And my greatest fear is that she will one day be faced with such a choice, and there will be nothing I can do to prevent her from making it.

Chapter

Thirty

OPHELIA

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