Page 226 of The Wild Prince's Favorite
“Let’s go back,” Alezya said, just when Kassein was pulling her in a different direction.
It hit her then that he wanted to take her where Kein would reach them, to bring her back to his clan.
For a second, Alezya was very tempted to follow him. But, first, would they have the time? Their assailants could be heard approaching fast, and even if Alezya didn’t lack faith in Kassein’s fighting skills, the Munsa Clan’s men were exhausted. If there was another battle, they could lose more, and they might not even make it back to their tunnels, and that would be on her conscience.
Moreover, their plan was now known. They’d told other clan members who had fled, and they had been seen with her. If Alezya left them now, the Munsa Clan would still be known as the clan that had allied with the Dragon Clan. Now that others had seen Kassein with them and how they had defended her, they couldn’t go back to how things were before, to them being just some neutral clan...
“Alezya, we have to move,” Ekata insisted.
Alezya made her decision in a split second. She turned to Kassein, grabbed his face, and kissed him. It wasn’t one of their soft kisses. It was a strong, determined kiss, one of the few where she was the one leading.
She didn’t even give him the time to respond. Alezya pulled away, she intertwined her fingers with Kassein, and she pulled him toward the Munsa twins. Her clutch wasn’t so strong that he couldn’t get away, and she marked a clear stop, turning back to him with pleading eyes.
“...With me?” she asked, at a lack for better words.
Thankfully, Kassein only took a glance at her, at the Munsa, and he nodded. Alezya felt a wave of relief, but she didn’t have time to linger. Pulling Kassein with her, she walked up to Ekata.
“Let’s go,” she urged her.
“Really? We’re taking... the Dragon Clan Chief to our clan?” Ekata asked, although they were all already moving.
“They know,” Alezya said, trying to breathe as they quickly trekked their way back. “The other clans know you have me, and they’ve seen him. Your clan might be attacked in the next hours, Ekata. We need to get back to your people right now.”
Realization seemed to dawn on the twins, who exchanged a nervous glance, before everyone accelerated.
“Alright, but what are we trying to accomplish by bringing him?” Ekut asked.
“I need to explain to him,” Alezya said. “I need to tell him there are clans who do not want to fight the Dragon Clan, and then he can— Oh, no, I forgot Niiru. Niiru!”
She called after the young dragon, somewhat unwilling to let it wander on its own. She didn’t doubt Kein, but Niiru was a small dragon and the mountains were vast, and somehow, she felt responsible for it.
Thankfully, she only had to call the young dragon twice before a little dark arrow landed ahead, jumping excitedly on the rocks ahead of them.
“...Niiru?” Kassein asked behind her, a light teasing tone in his voice.
Alezya turned back to see a rare grin on his lips, and she blushed.
“I don’t know the baby dragon’s name,” she said.
“The name is Niiru,” he said matter of factly.
He was going along with her choice then, and Alezya found herself pleased but also confused. Didn’t that young dragon have a name already? Wasn’t it one of his nephew’s dragons or something?
She didn’t have time to ask more, unfortunately. They were rushing to get back inside the tunnels, too aware of the enemies somewhere behind them and trying to catch up before they made it to the tunnels. How secret was the entrance the Munsa had used? What were the chances they would be followed inside and tracked all the way back to their homes?
They didn’t have time to wonder, and they had to rush either way. Alezya heard Kein growl angrily above them, and she sure hoped that would deter their enemies from rushing to their deaths. With Kassein right behind her, supporting her waist every time she showed the first sign of slipping on the rocks, she managed to follow the Munsa twins and their incredible pace back to the tunnels.
The pain was gradually leaving her body, and she was aware of the white scales that felt like dry skin, but she didn’t have time to think about it. Alezya was blindly climbing and rushing behind Ekata, feeling like the journey back took twice as long than it did on their way down, until finally, they reached a cave. The twins ran inside first, and with Kassein still behind her,Alezya followed them, the surviving Munsa Clan men closing their reduced group.
This time, they were in the dark, but the twins didn’t seem to have much trouble navigating the tunnels, and after Alezya stumbled for the second time, nearly hitting a wall, Ekata grabbed her hand to guide her. She could feel Kassein behind her, and strangely, his large frame didn’t seem to slow him at all.
When she felt his hand block her head from hitting a rock above, she realized he could somehow see in the dark, another thing to add to his strange half-dragon self.
“Alezya.”
Kassein gently pulled on her hand, making her stop, and their entire group came to a halt. She turned around, her free hand finding his bicep under his cloak, effortlessly finding the heat of his body.
“Alezya?” Ekata asked. “What’s going on?”
