Page 73 of Fated to the Grumpy Dragon
I glared at him. “You and I are the furthest thing from friends there is. You’re just a bully who takes pleasure in picking on those weaker than you because you’re too scared to face anyone else.”
“How rich,” Killian cackled. “Coming from the one who’s too scared to see what dear old Rhyse truly thinks of her. Afraid to read it. Afraid to know the truth.”
I forced a laugh. “You’re just trying to find another way to hurt me. That much is obvious.”
Killian sighed. “Very well. If you won’t read it, then I suppose I shall do the honorable thing and read it aloud for everyone to hear. That way, there will be no mysteries.”
Unfolding the letter with dramatic precision, he stood straight up and cleared his throat.
“It is address to the Sovereign of All Dragonkind, honorable, noble, blah, blah, fuckin’ blah,” Killian said, earning him a laugh from Calan.
He paused, looking at me.
I glared at him, but he ignored it.
“I am writing to you today to address the issue of the human woman you ordered me to see to. As we discussed during your visit, I waited several days. That time has passed, and I am now once more requesting you remove her from my custody.
I have tried to be patient. To be open to the concept, the idea, of a dragon and human becoming a mated pair. However, at every turn, she has demonstrated exactly why this is a bad idea. Regardless of what I do or say, she continues to make things difficult.
There is no path forward between us. She is rash, stubborn, and having her stay here is quickly making my own house an untenable place to be.
I shall await instructions on how you wish me to send her back to you. But she cannot stay here. I do not want her.
-Rhyse.”
Killian whistled as he read the last sentence. “How do you feel? That’s got to hurt. ‘I do not want her.’ That isharsh. And here you are, standing up for his honor and everything while he’s trashing you behind your back.”
Calan laughed.
“He wrote that?” I whispered, stunned by the contempt. “You’re lying. He wouldn’t.”
I couldn’t summon the emphasis on my last words, though. It was too smooth to be fabricated by Killian.
Rhyse was the one who wrote it. About me.
“Oh, now, she wants to read it herself,” Killian said, sneering at me. But he thrust the light blue piece of paper in my direction anyway. “Here. Have a look for yourself. I don’t need to make this shit up. Not when it’s real.”
I took the letter but didn’t look at it. If I looked at it, that would make it real. Would make what Rhyse had said about me real.
I do not want her.
“You have a nice day now,” Killian said. “We’ve got all we want out of this. More, truthfully.”
Calan was already shifted into his dragon, the usual sparkle of red scales dulled by the matching skies, turning him almost rust in color. He grabbed one of the makeshift bags full of treasure in each paw and spread his wings, ready to leave.
“Go on,” Killian called. “I’ll catch up.”
The red dragon crouched and leaped toward the edge of the bluff, intent on using the fall to generate airspeed.
I cried out in shock as the dragon howled unexpectedly, turning on its side as it dove, falling awkwardly off the edge of the cliff in an attempt to avoid another dragon that was comingup.
The water streamed off the azure dragon in sheets, drenching everything, including myself.
“Killian!”Rhyse howled, blasting the other dragon without hesitation.
But Killian had the benefit of warning that Calan hadn’t, and he was already in his dragon form. Lightning met fire, and the resulting explosion threw me from my feet. I bounced and rolled toward the edge, fingers scrabbling across the rocky ground, trying to find something to slow me down.
“Rhyse!” I screamed.
