Page 8 of The Dragon's Captured Heart
“You’ll be busy,” she said. “With your mate.”
My blood ran cold, then hot, then cold again. “Explain yourself.”
It wasn’t how one talked to the sovereign, but given she’d just threatened me with death, as far as I could tell, I wasn’t overly caring. The sovereign knew full well the story of Noa’s death andmy continued living and how it made me feel. I hated her for bringing it up.
“Not Noa,” the woman said, several strands of her platinum hair swaying out of place as she shook her head. “That is in your past, Callum. I am referring to your future. You will go down there and select one of the humans.”
“I will not,” I said immediately.
The sovereign didn’t grow angry at my denial. If anything, she expected it. “I heard about what happened to you. How you froze on the battlefield.”
I looked away. “It was nothing. Surprise, little more.”
“And yet that surprise was enough for you to get driven back until the others arrived.”
“Surprise can do that,” I said.
“Tell me what happened.” The sovereign’s voice was strong, full of command, pulling my head back around to face her. “The truth.”
“The truth is I got distracted by movement in the helicopter, which gave them the opportunity to hit me with some of those anti-tank rounds. The ones that leave a bruise under the scales. It hurt, but they obviously can’t penetrate. I’m fine.”
“You’re lying,” the sovereign said. “You made eye contact. With a woman. I can feel it about you.”
“What are you, some sort of witch?” I accused.
The sovereign just stared back without answering.
“She’s down there, you know.”
I frowned. “Who is?”
“The pilot.”
My head whipped around to the stairs.
“That’s what I thought. Go, Callum. Take her. This is your future.”
I shook my head stiffly. “I had a mate. Shedied.”
“And now, you will find a new one.”
“A new one?” I sputtered, shocked. “No. I won’t betray Noa’s memory like that.”
“You aren’t betraying anything, Callum. She is dead. It’s time to move on.”
“Go to hell.”
It was crossing a line, and I knew it. Jade fire flickered in the depths of her normally calm gaze.
“Do it,” I whispered. “Kill me. Please. Then I’ll be reunited with her, at least. Everything will be set right, and people can stop hating me for surviving her death.”
The sovereign stared back.
“Come on,” I urged, tilting my head to the side slightly, baring it to her.
The flames faded from her eyes, and the sovereign was back in control. “You are still here for a purpose, Callum. That purpose is down below. The helicopter pilot who awaits you.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but she cut me off with a single raised finger.
