Page 9 of Mage of the Dragon Prince
“You will walk through the gate once more. If that fails to return you home, then we will go to the castle in Tiora to speak with my father,” Kitaro said. “Clearly, there was a reason I was brought to that clearing to meet with you last night. Perhaps this is the reason why.” It finally made sense why his enigmatic half sister, Kizoshi, had told him to work on training his dragon form in that specific area the previous night.
With a stubborn set in his shoulders, Vanra tried once more to go through the gate, but it failed to activate. Tears gathered in his unusual purple eyes.
Kitaro stood up and offered the human his hand. “Come, Vanra. Let us find a way to get you home.”
Vanra hesitantly accepted Kitaro’s hand, who used it to pull him closer. Kitaro only let go when they reached the clearing once more. He shifted into his dragon form so they could get home faster.
He had never had anyone ride him before, so it was a curious experience. It was one more thing about the unusual human that intrigued Kitaro.
They made good time heading back to the castle in the center of Tiora. It was a sprawling stone building with many turrets that towered high over the city. Massive walls surrounded the building with several guarded gates. Kitaro landed outside the rear entrance, then led Vanra through the gardens and up to his room.
Vanra glanced around in shock when they entered Kitaro’s living quarters. His jaw dropped as he looked around the enormous space. “Wow.”
Kitaro gestured to a sitting area off to the side. “Make yourself comfortable while I see if my father is back from his hunt.”
“Sure, thanks.” Vanra looked tiny in one of theoversized black leather chairs in the sitting area next to the fireplace.
“I shall return shortly.” Kitaro left the room, the door shutting behind him, leaving Vanra alone.
Chapter 5
Auslin
It made Auslin nervous to be left alone in such an enormous space. He looked around the bedroom covertly, as if he was afraid of being caught spying. The gigantic bed that dwarfed the one in the cave drew Auslin’s attention, several luxurious furs covering it.
There was a door off to the right side of the bed on the same wall that led to what Auslin assumed was the bathroom.
On the left, there were several black lacquer cabinets decorated with mother-of-pearl and gemstone images of dragon spirits playing under four different trees that represented the seasons. They were beautiful works of art that Auslin would have been afraid to touch, let alone use. He wondered if they were a wardrobe for clothes. They looked like they cost more money than Auslin could spend in three lifetimes.
The surrounding wealth and luxury made him feel very shabby in his plain black breeches, simple white shirt, and his well-worn boots that had traveled countless roads. Mages were known for their modest lifestyles, but he still felt horribly underdressed in such a rich environment.
In the back corner, there was another door that looked like it led to an outdoor veranda. There was a large desk made from the same black lacquer off to the side of that. There were neat stacks of papers and books on top of it that prevented Auslin from seeing the designs illustrated on it.
It surprised him there was very little in the way of personal touches that he could see. The room was impressive, but it felt lonely to him. He fidgeted nervously as he waited for Kitaro to return.
When the shifter prince finally reentered, Auslin couldn’t stop himself from jumping like he had been caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to be doing.
“Unfortunately, my father is not yet back from his hunt. It may be some time until he returns,” Kitaro said.
The news was disappointing. “Oh.”
“While we wait, I have ordered lunch to be served,” Kitaro continued.
Auslin was starving since he hadn’t eaten in over a day. He bowed his head. “Thank you for that.”
“Should you wish to avail yourself of thebathroom, it is through that door over there. It is soundproof if that is your concern.”
Flushing at the comment, Auslin thanked him before heading in that direction. It surprised him the door once again slid open automatically as he approached and shut behind him once he entered.
The enormous bathroom was far bigger than anything he had ever used before. The first thing that drew his attention was the large bath that was sunk into the floor. It was full of steaming water that looked like heaven after having been on the road for so long. Auslin longed to get in, but he knew he couldn’t do that until after he met with Tatsuki. He couldn’t risk washing off the evidence he had a connection with their clan, embarrassing as it was for everyone to know what Kio had done to him.
There was a wall-length mirror in front of the shimmering marble sink and counter area. It was big enough that Auslin could see his entire body in it. Normally, mirrors only showed a face and were often cloudy and distorted because of the poor quality of glass. He had never seen mirrors so large, let alone as clear.
It was deeply impressive, but it also made him self-conscious about his appearance. His black hair was still tousled from sleep, and his clothes had seen better days. Auslin badly needed a proper bath since his river bathing tended to be cut short by the frigid waters and Kio’s limited patience for such things.
Auslin scowled because he wanted to make a good first impression on Tatsuki. His unkempt appearance was not the way to do it. However, there was very little that Auslin could do about that now. He hurried to the toilet so Kitaro didn’t wonder why he was taking so long.
When Auslin went to wash his hands, it astonished him when the water flowed automatically from the silver faucet. Auslin stepped to the side, causing the water to shut off. As soon as he stood in front of the sink again, the water ran once more. The biggest shock was the water was instantly hot instead of cold, like in regular bathrooms.
