Page 15 of Must Love Dragons
He dressed quickly and told Lyra what he’d witnessed before getting hit with whatever magic the warlock had used.
“It was definitely Uncle Rorik though?”she asked.
“Yes,” he said.“I was following his scent, and when I saw the warlocks with him, I got attacked.They were loading him onto a boat, so they could have taken him anywhere.”Once he was dressed, he turned his back to the door and focused on his sister.“I think the warlocks who destroyed our clan are behind this.”
“Come home, Zay.”
“Not until I find Rorik.”
She let out a worried sigh.“You have to be careful, okay?I can’t lose youandRorik.”
“I’ll be careful.You make sure that Sierra and Ronan are keeping an eye out for danger.Anyone could be watching.”
“I will.When will you be home?”
“I’m not sure.I’ll keep you posted.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too.”
As the call ended, he let out a grumbling sigh.
Then he was distinctly aware he wasn’t alone.
Turning slowly, he faced Kinsley in the doorway, arms crossed, and an unreadable expression on her beautiful face.
His dragon was an utter traitor.Itlikedher.
Zay clenched his fists.He wasn’t weak, damn it.He wasn’t going to fall for any of her witchy tricks that would lead him down the road to destruction.Magic users were bad news.He’d seen that up close.Livedit.
And yet… there was warmth in Kinsley’s gaze.A quiet, steady compassion that didn’t fit with what he knew witches and magic users were capable of.
And that warmth?It was gnawing at his defenses like a dog with a bone.If he didn’t get the hell away from her and back to finding his uncle, he was screwed.
* * *
Kinsley was not eavesdropping.
Okay, shewas.But in her defense, the man had not been subtle about his dislike of witches, and she figured anything she could learn about him was fair game.She’d known the moment he woke up, there had been some kind of awakening in her, too, a spark in her heart.
Then she listened to him tell his sister about the warlocks and his missing uncle.She’d known who he was talking about because when they’d looked at his phone while he was unconscious, the screen was filled with notifications and one of them had a contact name of:Little Sis Lyra.
She didn’t have the whole story, but she had enough to tell her why he hated magic users.
He’d lost his clan because of warlocks.
He didn’t just have a bad attitude about magic users, he’d been grievously wounded by them.The battle Mother Gibson had mentioned may very well have been his clan’s story.
How awful.
She knew what it was like to lose people, to have the world change in a heartbeat.
When he’d ended the call, she approached the room but stopped in the doorway.He’d done nothing but try to get away from her, snapping and snarling despite her wanting to help.But he was her truemate whether he wanted her or not, and she was going to let him know he wasn’t alone.
He’d dressed while on the phone with his sister, his slim hips encased in tight jeans, a flannel over a T-shirt hugged his muscles, making it seem like he was one good flex away from being naked again.
His jet-black hair, still slightly mussed, curled at the ends, the kind of effortless dishevelment that made her fingers itch to find out how soft it was.Blue eyes, sharp and dark with frustration, locked onto her as he slowly, deliberately turned toward her.His jaw was tight, a muscle ticking beneath the shadow of stubble that only made him look more dangerously appealing.
