Page 73 of No Ordinary Drakeling
“Don’t apologize. You’re my mate—you are entitled to know the truth. I have his blood in my veins. I don’t know if someday I’ll turn into someone evil as well.”
Tiri shook his head emphatically. “I refuse to believe it. You need not take his deeds onto your shoulders. Only he is responsible for what he did. How did you come to live with Chrysander and the others?”
Zane let out a breath slowly, and the tension left his muscles. His glare gentled and it settled the thumping of Tiri’s heart. He did not like pain on Zane’s face. “The other dukes in the castle were in on the plot to kill Drystan and Conley. When Chrys, Damian, and Costas arrived, they were determined to get to the bottom of the conspiracy. Bernal tried to deflect blame onto the other men, and they decided to take matters into their own hands. There were so many wounds in his body, it was difficult to say who executed him. As his only child, I was caught in the fray and beaten badly. It robbed me of any memory before the age of seven, which is probably a good thing since I don’t want to know anything about Bernal. I do wish I could dredge up any moments I shared with Drystan and Conley, though.”
“Why would they beat up a child?”
“I can’t answer that. I nearly died. Costas carried me to Chrysander’s room, and they made me part of their little family. All the men that had a hand in Drystan and Conley’s murders eventually paid with their own lives. It took a century for Chrysander to rid his castle of the treachery.”
“I’m so grateful to Chrysander and your brothers for giving you a happy home.”
“I am too. I owe them everything, and I’d lay down my own life to protect any one of them.”
“Don’t be so quick to dive under a sword, Zane. I’ve waited twenty years to find you.”
“How can you be only twenty?”
“What year does your memory begin?”
“1369.”
“What marvels you’ve seen in six and a half centuries of life. Only Chieftain Chesvarin in my village has more than a century of life.”
“Tiri, sprites are immortal. Why are there so few of you, and how is it possible that you’re all so young?”
“I told you. The Warrior Sprites hunt us.”
Zane reached over and caressed his shoulder. “Have you ever seen a Warrior Sprite?”
“No one ever lives to tell the tale of seeing a Warrior Sprite.”
“I’d like to have a matebond without secrets.”
“Me too.”
“You told me about Ninthali. Do you remember?”
“Of course, it wasn’t so long ago that we met.”
“Baby, the Warrior Sprites didn’t kill him. Skeleton Lord Cassius Daray watched Chesvarin’s guards lead him out of your village. He was tied to a pole, and they read his sentence. Accused of stealing food, Ninthali’s punishment was death. They drove a spear through his chest, then set him on fire.”
Tiri was aghast. Zane’s troubled eyes were begging for him to accept the truth, but his mind rebelled at the idea that his former chieftain would kill Ninthali and lie to the rest of them. “I don’t—” Tiri licked his suddenly dry lips and tried again. “I don’t know what to say.”
Someone bumped into Tiri, and Zane pulled him close, wrapping him into his arms. “I’m sorry. This was not the best time and certainly not the place to lay that on you.” Zane let him go and reached down to grab their tickets. “We’ll come back later to redeem these. Let’s go upstairs and get some food.”
Tiri didn’t like leaving Zane’s embrace, so he lay his palm in his mate’s outstretched hand as he grappled with the dragon’s words. “Okay.”
“I’m really sorry.”
“No, I’m glad to know the truth.”
“We haven’t picked the best topics tonight for our date.”
“Even our troubles should bring us closer,” Tiri responded softly as they went up the stairs and strolled across the vivid carpet to whatever place Zane decided they would dine at. “Zane?”
“Yes?”
“Are the Warrior Sprites real?”
“I have no idea but so far, we haven’t found any proof of them.”
“Why would Chieftain Chesvarin murder my people?”
Zane came to stop outside a restaurant with giant trees growing inside it. “I can’t answer that question either, Tiri. And we have no idea how to save them.”
Without allowing himself any time to think it over, Tiri stepped close and wrapped his arms around Zane’s waist as he fought back tears. Learning of Zane’s past and how they broke the small boy he was, on top of discovering Chesvarin’s betrayal was simply too much for his heart. Thankfully his dragon pulled him even closer and squeezed him tightly. Zane pressed his lips to the top of Tiri’s head. “I’m so glad you came to my village that day.”
“Best day of my life by far.”
Tiri’s smile broke through the pain. “Oh, Zane…mine too.”
