Page 59 of The Dragon's Captured Heart
We parted, and Cleye continued on, but I stayed in the hallway for some time, thinking it over and trying to puzzle it out.
All I got was a headache. There were too many questions and exactly zero answers.
Whatever I did next, I vowed, would produce results.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Madison
Everything went downhill after lunch.
“This was nice. Thank you.”
Laura smiled at me as we rose from the table, lunch finished. “Yeah, it was. We should do this more often.”
“I agree. Next week, maybe?”
“Making plans a week in advance? You weren’t kidding when you said things with Cal were going well.”
I laughed. “They go well whenever his first mate isn’t mentioned or brought up. I know I shouldn’t be doing this, that I should be creating space, but damn it, I just—”
“Want to be around him, and you don’t know why,” Laura finished.
“Exactly,” I said, not needing to rehash what we’d already gone over.
She understood the pull better than anyone else, and it was such a relief to have someone who understood what I was going through on such an intimate level. For Laura, it had happened while Vicek was in human captivity. If anything, it had been harder for her to deal with.
“Things will smooth out eventually,” Laura said. “Just give it time and don’t push in the meantime. He’s feeling things, too, but he’s also probably conflicted.”
“Yeah.”
“He’s also a guy,” she added with a shrug of one arm.
We shared a laugh at her joke, despite its accuracy, and then said our goodbyes before heading our separate ways.
For me, that was back to the rooms I was sharing with Cal, who should be done with his guard shift and waiting for me. We’d discussed going to see some more of the lands around the palace to help me get used to riding dragonback.
Nervous though I was, my lips were still pulled back into a smile as I pushed open the door.
Cal’s name died on my lips as I took in the state of the room.
There was stuffeverywhere. Papers. Clothing. Drawers were opened, contents strewn about.
I froze, my brain immediately jumping to the worst of possible conclusions. Someone had ransacked our place.
Cal!
Looking back into the hallway, hoping a guard or someone would be nearby, I tried to temper my worry for him. Had something happened? Was it about the investigation? Had the other palace guard come to try to stop him?
The halls were empty, however, leaving me with little choice. I either went running for help or—
“C’mon, there’s gotta be something here!”
“Cal?” I called. “Is that you?”
A moment later, his head popped out of his room. “Hi. Sorry about the mess,” he said before disappearing again. There was the sound of items being moved haphazardly.
Confusion overtook alarm as I entered, watching my step.
