Page 90 of Mage of the Dragon Prince
“He also informed me that his son will come home next week from a trip to visit our cousin in Mizujil.”
Vanra looked slightly fearful. “Please tell me he takes after his dad and is super nice and won’t hate me.”
Kitaro chuckled as he rubbed Vanra’s back. “Tyrian is good company. I am happy to say you will have another friend and ally in him. If my father had forced me to fight in Galinor, then I would have entrusted your care to Tyrian in my absence.”
“Then I look forward to meeting him later.”
Chapter 43
Auslin
Although Kitaro had assured Auslin he had nothing to fear from Jaega’s son, he was still nervous to meet him. He appeared while Auslin and Kitaro were working in the training hall.
While Tyrian wasn’t as large as his father, he was taller and broader than Kitaro. He bore a striking resemblance to Jaega, with the same warm and welcoming smile that immediately set Auslin at ease. “I must admit, I am quite impressed. I never in a million years expected Uncle Tatsuki to accept a human into our clan. But you are clearly no ordinary human.”
“It’s nice to meet you. Your father has kindly been helping with my training.”
They all took a break and sat on the floor.
“Father and Fersen both speak highly of you, so I have been endlessly curious about you,” Tyrian said as he leaned back on his hands. “Not to mention theorigin story of how you came to be here and part of the clan. It is almost too wild a tale to be true.”
Kitaro spoke. “I can assure you it is true. I was there when Fate’s Gate activated and brought Vanra to our time.”
“Oh, I believe you! It is just shocking to hear.” Tyrian chuckled, setting Auslin at ease. “So, have you survived meeting Kizoshi yet?”
Auslin was honest. “No, and I’m equal parts excited and terrified to meet her.”
“Something tells me she will have tremendous fun with making you an even greater enigma than you already are.”
“I cannot believe it is taking her this long to show up for her ‘I told you so’ celebration,” Kitaro added. “It is most unusual, when that is one of her favorite things to do.”
“Whenever she shows up, I am quite certain she will bring mischief along with her. She usually does.” Tyrian’s fondness for his cousin was clear in his tone. “I do so enjoy her special brand of chaos.”
Auslin gulped. “Chaos?”
“Yes, one would think she was a Mayhem with the way it follows her wake.” Mayhems were chaos agents who defied the Powers’ will and altered the course of peoples’ lives. They were created whenever an event foretold got disrupted and didn’t come to pass. Mayhems were the only thing in the Living Realm the Powers couldn’t control.
Kitaro chuckled. “He is not wrong. Things are always extra exciting whenever my sister is around. You shall see.”
“I’ll try not to feel like that’s an ominous warning.” Auslin scowled as the two shifters shared a laugh.
“I am confident you will come to appreciate Kizoshi’s air of mystery the same as the rest of us,” Tyrian assured the human. “There is no one else quite like her.”
“So it would seem.” Auslin sighed as he shifted positions to get more comfortable. “As long as she doesn’t hate me, I think I’ll be okay. After all the stories I’ve heard of her and Mitsuki’s bouts, I’m terrified of ending up on her bad side.”
Tyrian grinned. “Oh, Ilivefor the theatrics of her antics with him. It almost makes him being an unforgivable asshole worth it.”
Auslin arched an eyebrow in surprise at the royal swearing, but it also put him at ease that he could be himself around Tyrian. “I don’t know if I would gothatfar.”
“You have not lived until you have seen her throw him through a wall in the blink of an eye. Truly, she is her father and mother’s daughter.” There was great pride in Tyrian’s voice. “If our guards were a fraction as good as her, I would be thrilled. But there is no better warrior—not even Uncle Tatsuki or Father. She is a wonderful ally to have in your corner.”
“Thanks. It helps to know I have allies whenMitsuki hates me so much.” Auslin always feared a run-in with the tempestuous shifter.
Tyrian frowned with sympathy. “I can only imagine the terrible things he has said to get a rise out of you. It is hard not to pay him any mind, but do not let him get to you. He is a small, petty bastard with few supporters. I am always amazed he has any at all until I remember who they are.”
“They do not live here, so you do not have to worry about them,” Kitaro reassured Auslin. “Fate willing, you will not encounter any of them.”
“Do you honestly believe Nasume will stay away once he catches wind of Vanra’s presence in your life?” Tyrian asked with a scoff. “It is a miracle he has not already arrived to cause trouble.”
