Page 115 of Lord of the Lone Wolf
“Stay,” Kitsuki said, the word carrying the weight of command despite its softness. “You need rest, and I want to keep you where I can watch over you.”
Joy blossomed in Maseo’s chest at the request, though he tried to maintain a neutral expression. “Are you sure? I don’t want to impose.”
“It is no imposition,” Kitsuki assured him. “Nothing is more important right now than ensuring your recovery. The Living Realm is safe because of your courage. Let me honor that by caring for you now.”
The sincerity in Kitsuki’s voice made Maseo’s throat tight with emotion. He nodded, unable to trust himself to speak without revealing the depth of his feelings.
Kitsuki moved to the other side of the bed, sitting against the carved headboard. “Rest,” he said, gesturing for Maseo to lie down. “I will be here if you need anything.”
Maseo hesitated before shifting to lie on his uninjured side, mindful of his bandaged wounds. The silken sheets against his skin were a luxury. The mattress yielded to his weight, cradling his battered body in comfort.
From his vantage point, Maseo could see Kitsuki’s profile as the dragon king gazed into the distance. The strong line of his jaw, the regal set of his shoulders, and the deep blue of his eyes all conveyed a power that was contained but not diminished. Yet there was a vulnerability that Maseo had never noticed before today.
The herbs in the poultice made his thoughts drift, like leaves on a gentle breeze. He studied Kitsuki’s face, memorizing each detail as if it might be the last time he could be so close. The events of the day felt almost dreamlike now, too momentous to be real.
“What are you thinking?” Kitsuki asked, shifting to meet Maseo’s gaze.
The herbs lowered Maseo’s usual defenses. “I can’t believe it’s over. It’s unbelievable my father is gone.”
Kitsuki’s expression softened. “You did what many thought impossible. You faced your greatest fear and emerged victorious. Few can claim such courage.”
“It was rage,” Maseo confessed, the words slipping out before he could reconsider. “When I saw him on top of you, when I realized what he intended to do…” He trailed off, unable to articulate the fury that had consumed him in that moment.
“Rage born of protection is its own kind of courage,” Kitsuki replied. “You could have fled. You could have decided the risk was too great. Instead, you stood your ground and fought for something beyond yourself.”
Kitsuki’s expression grew more serious, his voice taking on a note of fierce determination. “I will not let necromancy claim you, Maseo. Whatever it takes, however far I must search, I will stop the corruption before it is too late. You saved my life today, and I swear on my throne that I will save yours in return.”
His vow spoke of a determination that could move mountains if necessary. For the first time since the auramancer had delivered her grim prognosis, Maseo felt a flicker of hope that he might survive the ordeal after all.
As the herbs worked deeper into his system, Maseo’s remaining eye grew heavy. He struggled to keep it open, to maintain his precious connection with Kitsuki for as long as possible. “I couldn’t let him hurt you again,” he murmured, the admission hanging in the air between them.
Kitsuki reached out, his fingers brushing against Maseo’s uninjured cheek in a touch so gentle it felt almost imagined. “And I cannot bear that you were hurt protecting me,” he replied, his voice deepening with emotion. “But I am grateful beyond words for your sacrifice. It will not be in vain.”
His touch sent warmth rippling through Maseo’s body. He longed to lean into it, to turn his face into Kitsuki’s palm and feel that connection more fully. But even with the herbs dulling his inhibitions, he knew better than to act on such dangerous impulses.
“Rest now,” Kitsuki said, withdrawing his hand. “Tomorrow, we fly back to Tiora. Let us hope Auslin will know how to help you.”
The mention of Auslin stirred a fresh wave of complicated emotions. Maseo had grown fond of the healer during their time together at the palace. Auslin had shown him kindness when he deserved none and had saved his life when it would have been easier to let him die. The thought of seeing him again, of merging auras and feeling those gentle hands tend to his wounds, created a warmth in Maseo’s chest that both comforted and confused him.
“Do you think he’ll be able to save me?” Maseo asked.
“Because of Auslin’s heritage, his abilities surpass those of ordinary healers and auramancers. If anyone can save you, itwould be him. But even if he cannot restore your sight, losing an eye does not diminish your worth or capabilities.”
Maseo fought against the drowsy effect of the poultice. The quiet intimacy of lying in Kitsuki’s bed while the dragon king kept watch over him, and the knowledge that tomorrow they would fly together to Auslin, felt too precious to surrender to sleep.
“What do you think Kizoshi meant?” Maseo asked. “About salvation wearing the mask of destruction, and Auslin’s greatest gift being what his courage can unmake?”
Kitsuki’s expression shifted, something complex and unreadable passing across his features. “The Powers have their own plans, and Kizoshi, being the best friend of Fate Power Sophina, sometimes glimpses fragments of their intentions.”
His hand moved closer to Maseo’s on the silk sheets, not quite touching but close enough that Maseo could feel the warmth radiating from it. “Some fates require extraordinary strength to bear them. Perhaps yours demanded that you learn resilience before it could reveal its true purpose. Whatever trials you must face in the future, you will not do it alone.”
The quiet certainty in his words and the underlying promise they conveyed filled him with anticipation. He needed to be more careful to hide his feelings for Kitsuki before he ruined everything by falling for two men he could never have.
Chapter 38
Kitsuki
The wind carried them across the cerulean expanse of the sky, sunlight glinting off Kitsuki’s iridescent scales. Six hours had passed since dawn broke over the horizon as they started their journey to Tiora.
