Page 4 of A Dragon's Curse

“Where?” I asked, still silently pleading with River to wake fully before I was forced to leave his side.

“To Drago,” he replied. “There is still much to do before our big reveal. Claiming you was only a small part of the plan.”

My shoulders shuddered when he mentioned claiming me. The disgust inside my heart only continued to grow with every passing second, but at least River was okay.

His heartbeat was growing stronger, which at least relieved some of my worries.

“How will I know the warlock won’t kill him once we leave?” I asked, this time turning to look up and face the dragon shifter.

He stared directly into my eyes. “You’re my mate now, Dawsyn. If I make you a promise, I intend to keep it.”

I was tempted to vomit on his feet but refrained. If he was going to hand me an olive branch, I’d accept it. For now.

My attention went back to River. He was still unconscious, but the color in his face was getting back to normal and his breathing was even. I got up from my knees and kissed his forehead. “I love you, Riv. Please don’t blame yourself, and tell…themI’m sorry.”

Knox grabbed my wrist and jerked me against my chest. “We’re done here.” He snapped his fingers at the warlock. “Get us to the portal.”

Cillian could be there, my wolf said.He was close enough. The timing could be right.

Something told me we weren’t getting that lucky, but I’d stay alert regardless.

The faceless warlock used more of his magic this time, and he put his hands in front of him to open the portal. His black sleeve separated from the gloves he was wearing, revealing a star of sorts. Almost like there were several stars overlapping each other, but the points never lined up.

At least I had something else to go on when I went after him later.

The portal widened, and Knox placed his hand on my lower back, branding me with his touch. This brand wasn’t filled with affection like it had been with Cillian. This was repulsive and rancid, making my stomach churn.

We stepped through the portal, and the temperatures instantly dropped. My shoulders curved in on themselves. My spine ached from my muscles tensing. Hell, it was literally freezing out here.

It wasn’t snowing, but there was fresh powder on the ground and covering the tall pines around the corner of what I assumed to be a mountain. Though, I still had no clue where we were.

The warlock stepped through the portal to stand next to Knox, and I was suddenly intrigued about him joining us. Cillian had said only those mated to a dragon or with dragon blood could enter through the portal, so who the hell was this guy?

“Go back to…” Knox trailed off, seemingly considering his words because of my presence, “—where you were waiting for me before. Don’t go near the academy again unless I need you to. We don’t need you getting us caught.”

The warlock nodded. Instead of opening a portal this time, he disappeared into thin air, assumingly teleporting to where Knox had been talking about.

It’s interesting that he never spoke, my wolf said.

Interesting indeed.

My body shivered and teeth chattered. The frigid air was making it hard for me to think or move, but I wasn’t completely out of it.

Cillian wasn’t here, and there were no other footprints in the snow, meaning he hadn’t gotten here yet. He must have turned around when our connection was shattered. An understandable but frustrating fact.

Still, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t put the pieces together once River woke. I had to leave him a sign.

Before Knox could grab me again, I ripped a piece of my red shirt and let it drop to the ground before placing my shoe over it.

Someone would find it, and they’d know where I was. Worse, they’d know I was bonded to a dragon.

Fuck. The pressure on my chest—the ache there from imagining what this was doing to Cillian—nearly suffocated me.

Knox had the portal to Drago opened and reached for me again, this time digging his fingers into my bicep. “This might hurt a little the first time.”

Nothing would hurt me as badly as shattering the bond already had, but I merely nodded in understanding.

He walked us into a rock that had a slight shimmer over it in the form of an oval doorway. Barely perceptive to the normal eye, but not hard to miss if you were looking for it.

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