Page 78 of The Lost Princess

“What was that?” Kaida asked, leaning closer.

I shook my head. Tattoos indeed. It didn’t make any sense.

“L-l-leave. Too dangerous,” I slurred out.

She made a sound of distress in her throat. “I won’t leave you,” she whispered.

My cock twitched once.

“That’s my girl …” My hand reached for her, and she grabbed and brought it to her cheek. Her eyes seemed more indigo than blue now, and bore down at me with extreme sorrow.

She released my hand and dropped to her belly, ripping at the flesh on the underside of her arm with her teeth. She freely bleed over me, letting it drip onto my lips and in my mouth.

Too little, too late. This wasn’t a physical injury. This was something else. Something magickal that I had been too young to know of when the other drakens died.

“I’m sorry I didn’t save you sooner. I followed you to the castle, but I thought you were fine. I didn’t, I didn't know—”

“Ssh … ssh. It’s fine. In the end you came. That’s all that matters. You came.” Her fingers threaded through my hair, and her own blood smeared her lips as she tilted my head to the side and gave me a quivering kiss.

“I thought I’d pushed you away. I shouldn’t have left when we argued. It wasn’t right to leave things like that,” she sobbed.

I summoned the last of my strength and kissed her back. Her hands glided over my back and I vaguely acknowledged there were worse ways to die. Her eyes closed and so did mine. I broke the kiss, unable to hold my own head up any longer.

I met her eyes one last time. “I am honored you chose me as a mate twice. My only regret is not sealing the bond with you. I love you, Kaida.”

She growled in defiance and tightened her grip on me.

I closed my eyes, and the world went silent. I was gone far enough that I didn’t immediately notice she’d started humming. It wasn’t a tune I recognized, but a pleasant numbness surrounded my body. I didn’t resist it and sank deep into the darkness’s embrace.

ChapterTwenty-Five

KAIDA

Ididn’t know what to do. Nasi was dying in front of me, his body practically crackling with potent magick. I didn’t know anything about it, and there was no one left to ask. I was still reeling from Jarrett’s rescue, but he was gone now, and I doubt he’d know anything that would be useful to me.

It wasn’t fair! After all we’d been through, I’d end up killing him because I had no sense of judgment.

I put my hands on his back and closed my eyes. Perhaps there was someone who could help: my inner draken.

She was calm, and trying to nudge me toward something. I needed clarity badly, so I closed my eyes and fell away to listen to her.

Sing.

I started humming, a low, soothing pitch that felt velvety as it came from my throat. Nasi had said something about tattoos.

“Tell me what you know,” I whispered. “Guide me.”

My inner draken surged forward as I continued to hum.Tattoos. Tattoos. The word kept echoing in my head. Did it mean something, or had Nasi just been rambling?

My draken scoffed. Our mate never said anything he didn’t mean.

Ourmate.

He loved me.

He came for me.

Tattoos.

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