Page 2 of Payne's Envy

“It’s there, I assure you.”

Mejiki looked at his mate and son before turning his gaze to me again. “You said you waited for us?”

I nodded. “Yes. I’ve had many visions of your son’s future. He belongs to this realm.”

“See.” Mejiki pointed at me. “The priestess spoke truth.”

I wondered if that person he spoke of saw the future like me.

Dasha’s lips trembled as she glanced at her mate. “Our world is dying. A great sickness has reached all lands. No one is safe from it.”

“Besides our son,” Mejiki added. “But our priestess said it won’t last. She said that he wasn’t meant for our world.”

“The priestess is right,” I agreed.

“So, it’s true,” Dasha whispered. “She said someone would be here.”

“You must take our son,” Dasha cried. “Every second he’s near us is another second he’s at risk.Deathrakasare a mighty race.” Deathraka translated todragonin the English language.“Until he reaches maturation, his body will be vulnerable. Youmustprotect him until he can reach adulthood, then no one will dare touch him.”

“I won’t be the one to keep him,” I stated.

Mejiki’s eyes widened. “What?”

“I’m simply here to make sure he stays alive.”

Dasha wailed. “How can he live if you do not keep him? A baby cannot feed and clothe himself!”

I’d upset the mother without meaning to. “I know where he belongs, and I’ll make sure he gets there.”

The babe’s future belonged to Grim and his family. He had to be near one of his daughters.

“He will be safe and cared for?” his mother whispered.

“Yes.”

“We must hurry, Dasha. We need to put distance between us and our son.”

“But we haven’t told her about Deathraka’s kiss.”

While some things were unclear about the mates, what the mother spoke of I already witnessed. “I know of this kiss.”

“Then you know that only another Deathraka can withstand a mating kiss. The kissburns.It ties two together. No woman in this realm could withstand it.”

“That’s not important,” Mejiki spoke. “Our son’s life is the only thing that does.”

“So, you’re not bothered by the possibility that our son may never know a mate or have his own sons or daughters?” Dasha coughed several times before looking at me. “When he dies,allof us do. Do you understand?”

“Someone will survive his kiss,” I told her. “He will have a mate.”

“So there are our others like us in this realm?”

“There are dragons in this realm, but not like you. She isn’t one, but she’s strong enough to become one by his kiss.”

Tears fell as Dasha smiled. “So, someone can withstand our son’s kiss?”

Mejiki added, “Noperson in our realm could survive a transformative kiss. It’s why we stick to our own, because it’s too devastating for the males to see someone die from their kiss.”

“Give me the babe.” I held my hands out. “Every second in your arms is another that he should have been far away.”

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