Page 18 of The Dragon's Stone Hearted Mate
“Not always. Not most of them. There is something they enjoy about being sad together,” I said.
Neither of us said anything for a long moment. I rested my head against my dragon’s chest and let his thoughts roll by until he was ready to speak again. His head was full of the past and the future and trying to figure out how the present tied into them.
“You know, if you let his death dictate how you live, it’s like he killed you anyway,” I said when the silence began to ring in my ears.
“Before meeting you, I’d have said it would’ve been better that way. Now, I’m not so sure.”
“I am,” I told him. “I’d rather have you here with me than your brother walking around as a murderer. It doesn’t sound like a very pleasant life for either of you. Murder has a way of circling back around to gobble you up.”
“Do you think Cutter would forgive us if we slunk off into the forest?” Morvan asked.
“Probably. He seems to be a very forgiving cat,” I nodded.
“Just don’t offer to carry his pack.”
“Some things we cannot set down,” I shrugged.
“I don’t know what he has in there but he’s not keen on anyone touching it,” Morvan said, rising to his feet and lifting me up with him.
“I always did like it when you show off how strong you are,” I said and stole a kiss. “Which direction would you like to go?”
“Um… I was going to ask you that question. You’ve been here forever.”
“In one spot,” I shrugged.
“Let’s just pick a direction and start walking,” he said.
I wasn’t sure that was the safest thing to do in the Other World, but I’d stood rigid in one place so long that walking anywhere sounded like an adventure.
Chapter Nine
Morvan
I left a short note telling Cutter not to worry if he woke up and we weren’t back yet.
“You’re sweeter than you like to let on,” Rho said as I shut the door of Cabin Three behind me as quietly as I could.
“My friends used to call me a golden retriever,” I shrugged.
“Even the friendliest dog will bite to protect their people,” Rho shrugged back at me and reached out to take my hand. With our fingers entwined, our hands fit together perfectly.
I was once told that the Other World anticipated the needs of its guests, but results varied by who and where you were. I crossed my scales that wherever we ended up in the woods was exactly where we needed to be. Where did you take a gargoyle who spent years rock hard and pining for you?
“The Raven’s Perch and then maybe let the triplets throw you a mating feast,”my dragon chimed into my head sarcastically.
Back before Torvan died that would’ve been the plan but first came our matingmoon. My thoughts turned to children again as we walked down a dirt path lined with trees so tall that their summits were eaten up by the night sky and blocked out the starlight. Where would we even raise the kids? Here? Some people lived in the Other World. Back in London? Would I raise my kids in the same house where Torvan plotted my death?
“That would be the best revenge. Even better than him not carrying on the legacy,” Rho commented.
“I should be used to having people in my head by now,” I squeezed his hand. “Torvan and I did have a twin link. At least, I thought we did but maybe it was a lie too.”
“If we stumble upon his spirit in our wanderings, I will kick him in the nuts with a stone foot for all the headaches he will cause me.”
“I don’t think they let guys like Torvan wander free.”
“They let warrior ghosts attack Cutter. Whoever they are,” Rho shrugged.
The path stretched out in front of us seemingly endless. We could’ve walked for a few minutes or a few hours, I wasn’t sure, but when I glanced back over my shoulder, not even my draconic eyes could find any sign of Camp Air. When the path is empty both ways the only thing to do is to keep walking. So that is exactly what we did until Rho stopped.
