Page 65 of The Forbidden Dragon King
When I arrived in Aurelius’ capital after a long, difficult journey and a parade through the center, which was just as humiliating for Daire in his gilded cage as he warned me that it would be, I expected to be sent to dorms similar to the ones that I’ve lived in all my life.
Especially after Aurelius’ reaction to noticing the snowflake bonding mark on my wrist.
He stood frighteningly still.
He didn’t say a word.
But his eyes…
They glowed. Swirled. Became fathomless.
Dread gripped me. I quaked, shrinking back in the face of a predator, an entirely different man.
I didn’t know him.
Then he turned on his heel and stormed away.
Aurelius refused to talk to me for the remainder of the journey. Yet he made sure that the Beta guards cared for me and kept me safe, while allowing me to sleep in his tent and visit Daire openly as much as I liked.
I didn’t know whether that was a kindness or a cruelty.
Once we arrived in Bael two weeks ago, Aurelius installed me in this small stone room, which is attached to his study. His bedroom leads off the study on the other side.
He has returned to an affected coldness, as if he is frightened to look at me for too long.
As if it hurts him.
I don’t know why.
I happily slip my hand underneath the mattress to my stolen treasures and the silk purse, which is crimson with a knot of golden threads on the front. It holds my first pay.
Still there.
Do all servants get given their salaries this way? Or is the silk purse a courting gift?
Aurelius is a strange Alpha.
He barely does more than bark orders at me. But thenhe gives me this room to myself close to him with a nest fit for his own Omega, a gold bracelet, silk purse, and fresh roses every day from what the other servants whisper is hisprivategarden, which he doesn’t allow anyone into.
Why?
I sniff the sweet, floral scent of roses, which fills my bedroom. Then I purr, when I notice the gorgeous red roses, which Aurelius must have placed last night in a delicate dragon vase on the table beside my bed.
I rub at my throbbing temples.
The King works too hard, even when it comes to sneaking around and leaving gifts for me in secret in order to keep up the act that he doesn’t care.
A couple of nights ago, I found him in his large, intimidating study asleep over his official court papers.
I sighed, pulling a blanket from my own bed to wrap around his shoulders against the night cold.
Of course, I also moved his arm to the side to read those official papers, in case they would help Daire and me.
I am a secret spy, after all.
Thief and spy.
I’m a lifelong learner.
