Page 144 of Mage of the Dragon Prince
“But I can heal myself! And Hibiki can help me, too.” Auslin felt like he was flailing. “I’m not a normal helpless human, damn it!”
Kitaro cupped Auslin’s cheek in his hand. “Pleaseunderstand I cannot fight the way I need to if you are there. I would fight to protect you, not win a war. It could get us both killed.”
As much as Auslin didn’t want to concede the point, he knew Kitaro was right. “But how can I sit here doing nothing while waiting for you to return?”
“I am asking you to stay here and be my reason to come home,” Kitaro brushed his thumb against Auslin’s cheekbone with heartbreaking tenderness. “I could slay ten armies single-handedly if I knew it meant I could come home to you. And Kizoshi has sworn to me you will be safe here while I am gone.”
Auslin didn’t have any way of refusing Kitaro’s request when he put it that way. He could only whisper Kitaro’s name, wishing there was something he could do to make things different.
Kitaro kissed Auslin, but it quickly went from sweet to having an edge of desperation. Auslin clung to Kitaro, unable to bear the thought that they were soon going to be separated. When they parted, he asked, “How long will you be gone?”
“If Father relies on Kisano’s advice, it should be only a couple of months.”
“Months!” Auslin exclaimed in distress. “Months?”
Kitaro pulled him into an embrace. “I have no choice, Vanra. Please understand, this is not something I volunteered to do. I would give anything to stay here with you and not go to battle.”
“Why is your father making you do this?”
“My suspicion is that this is a silent warning to Mitsuki that Father could easily choose me as the new heir to the throne if he does not start behaving in a manner befitting someone of his station,” Kitaro guessed.
Auslin’s stomach clenched with nervousness. “But what if Mitsuki sees you as a threat to his position because of this and tries to kill you?”
“Mitsuki knows perfectly well that I have no interest in ruling. Even if he becomes paranoid I was out for his position, I could easily defend myself against him. I am the superior warrior, even if he will never admit it.”
The answer was small consolation to Auslin as tears welled up in his eyes.
Kitaro wiped away Auslin’s tears as they fell. “If there was any way I could get out of this, I would. The thought of being away from you that long is torture.”
“What am I supposed to do while you’re gone?” Auslin’s entire life at the castle revolved around Kitaro, so to be faced without his presence for months was deeply unnerving to Auslin.
“Kisano would certainly be glad of your company,” Kitaro said. “Fersen and Tyrian will also be here. Kizoshi might even stop by for another visit. You could also resume your visits to the temple again.”
That didn’t keep Auslin company at night. It would be so strange sleeping alone again. “Swear to me you will come back homeunharmed.”
“I will return to you unharmed, as fast as possible.”
Auslin asked the dreaded question. “When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“But why so soon?” Auslin could feel his panic rising. “I thought these kinds of things took months of planning.”
“And so it has,” Kitaro said. “Father has been planning it while we were on our journey, but he neglected to tell me until now that my presence was required. I believe it was to prevent me from coming up with a credible way to get out of going.”
There were so many things Auslin could say, but he didn’t want to cry again. He resigned himself to a pouty “This really sucks.”
“It does indeed.”
Chapter 75
Auslin
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and the entire time was agonizing for Auslin with Kitaro gone at war. It was sheer hell not knowing if he was okay and imagining him fighting for his life. Auslin tried to stay strong for Kitaro’s sake, but it grew increasingly difficult the longer he was gone.
Auslin spent most of his time in the library with Kisano and Fersen. They often engaged in conversation, but there were days when Auslin was so worried that they would sit in companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts or books. Having Kisano, Fersen, and Tyrian for company helped lessen some of Auslin’s anxieties, but nothing made up for Kitaro being away at war.
The longer Kitaro was gone, the more Auslin realized how much he was hurting because of the distancebetween them. There was no way he could ever return to his own time and leave Kitaro in the past, regardless of what Satsuma said. All Auslin wanted was to be Kitaro’s mate and stay with him.
