Page 40 of Killian
A few tense moments of silence followed. Dravyn yearned to lift his chin and stare at Killian, but that was too bold an action for a man used to being at the mercy of others.
Conley cleared his throat. “I’ll step away to allow you two some privacy.”
“My thanks,” Killian replied.
Dravyn noted Conley’s retreat, then was startled to find ten bare toes peeking from beneath Killian’s cloak as the druidic leader moved closer to him.
“I was glad to receive your letters,” Killian said.
Daring to glance up, Dravyn rubbed his lips together and searched for his confidence. “But you are here to discover why it took me so long to write.”
“Over a hundred and fifty years have passed, Dravyn. Surely I am owed some explanation.”
“Did word reach you that Imperial Duke Bernal declared himself ruler of the dragons after Fate did not select a new Emperor?” Dravyn asked.
Having Killian near brought Dravyn a sense of both strange peace and fear. Fate had paired them, but was she mistaken? Dravyn had long ago lost his issues with sorcery. He had spent too long being punished by his own people not to believe evil existed, but it wasn’t relegated to a single race. It could flourish anywhere. Would Fate be so cruel as to offer Dravyn a mate with a dark heart?
“Yes,” Killian replied. “But he is dead now. The dragons have no ruler. Yet they continue to prey upon magickind. Their lust for our demise has not wavered. I hope you spoke the truth about not having any part in the many lives lost since 1369.”
Dravyn shook his head. “No, I have harmed no one. I have nothing against magick.”
Reaching out, Killian placed two fingers on Dravyn’s chin and forced his head up gently. It reminded Dravyn of their firstmeeting when Killian had done the same. “Why will you not meet my gaze?”
His mouth suddenly dry as they stared at one another, Dravyn swallowed thickly. Up so close, he was startled anew by Killian’s beauty and the haunting light of his eyes. There was no shyness about the leader of the druids. He peered at Dravyn as if he wished for a way to discern every secret in his soul.
Dravyn’s lips parted to speak, but Killian’s dark brows snapped together, and he frowned severely. “You are injured,” Killian growled.
“I-I was chained in the castle’s garden. The shackle was thick and heavy. Often my skin was torn away, and the links scraped to the bone.”
“Sit down,” Killian ordered.
Without thinking, Dravyn did as he was told and ignored the cold ground beneath his cloak. To his surprise, gentle fingers tugged at the laces of his boot, and moments later, Dravyn’s foot was bared to the cool air.
“Look at the scarring,” Killian murmured as he traced over the unsightly grooves left behind by Dravyn’s many years of servitude.
A soft glow formed around his skin, and Dravyn’s gaze widened as Killian used magick to mend him. His dragon screeched with fear, then roared with triumph. In a flash, his beast went from fearing magick to elated that Dravyn was restored to perfect health.
“Who did this to you?” Killian asked.
So preoccupied with the change in his dragon, Dravyn barely heard the words. “Imperial Duke Bernal declared the D’Vaires cursed. We were blamed for the deaths of the Emperors. Aleksander was imprisoned in the dungeon and beaten for our every misstep. He is a changed man. The rest ofus were forced into servitude. I was kept outside, chained in the garden.”
“I wish he wasn’t dead so I could kill him myself.”
Shocked by the fervent words, Dravyn dared to meet Killian’s gorgeous gaze again. “With the help of another, Bernal’s son aided us in our escape. Now, Zane and Marcus are D’Vaires too. The dragons do not know where we are. We wish to keep it that way.”
“Have no fear, I do not converse with other dragons. They continue to diligently work toward destroying magickind. But we will persevere. They cannot end us.”
“I could not write,” Dravyn confessed. “My every move was watched. Once we were free, we had to build a life. We are safe now. I know my words were short, but…but I do not know what is expected of me.”
Killian said nothing as he helped Dravyn secure his boot and rise. Then Killian took a step back and bowed his head. “All I ask is for a chance to know you.”
With his dragon now curious about their mate, Dravyn’s answer was an easy one. “I wish to know you too.”
“I hope you will allow me another visit with you soon. You are far more beautiful than I remembered.”
Blushing at Killian’s praise, Dravyn smiled at the ground. “I thought the same of you. The gold in your eyes is new.”
“I have devoted myself to growing my magick. Fate and nature have rewarded me with some changes to my appearance. Some permanent—like the gold—and others temporary.” Killian stretched out his hands to touch a nearby tree, and Dravyn’s gaze widened as vines appeared on Killian’s fair skin. It was as if the druid himself had grown into a living thing. Dravyn had never seen anything as beautiful in his sheltered life.
