AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His grip around me tightens ever so slightly. "I'd bet my life on it."
The realization washes over me like a tidal wave, and for a moment, I can hardly breathe. The closest thing that fits both me and him are... "Dragons," I whisper, praying it isn't true to whatever god might be listening.
Loric's eyes shift away, his silence a confirmation.
"That's why he imprisoned me, isn't it? I was born there because I was a child of one of his captives."
"Not just any prisoner," Loric says, his voice so quiet, I barely hear him over the crackling of the mage lights.
I freeze, the air trapped in my lungs as I study him. The paintings, the reaction he had to meeting her, Meg's stories – it all aligns with chilling clarity. My voice deserts me, the realization dry and heavy in my throat. "Meg."
His lips find my sternum, placing a gentle, grounding kiss. "Megara, the Flame Keeper.... The Queen of Dragons."
In a sudden movement, I arch my back, gripping his face and forcing our eyes to meet.This is a joke... It's a lie... It has to be.Except the only thing I see in his eyes is raw, untwisted honesty.
"She was my mother... the queen." That's why the king treated her well, when he regarded the other prisoners like scum on the bottom of his shoe. Meg knew about the dragon kingdom, because she was one. My eyes are dry by the time I take a breath.
He nods solemnly. "That makes you the last fury alive." His lips press a tender kiss to one of my hands. "And the rightful heir to the dragon throne."
I'm not sure how long I lay there in the dark, staring at the stone ceiling. I've memorized every line, every crevasse by now, and still, I can't wrap my mind around the fact that Meg was my mother. Why didn't she tell me? Why didn't Asmo? Surely, he knew.
Loric hadn't needed to use his magic tonight. I wasn't sure if I'd even get to sleep after learning that my entire life has been a lie. Yet, he still stayed. He didn't put the pillows between us like before, and instead, he lay with his back to me. His faint snores fill my ears, but I can't be bothered by them.
I still can't stomach the fact that dragons have been taking care of me. Actualdragons. Days ago, I would've ran for my life, blackout or not, but they haven't killed me yet, and since Meg was their queen, once upon a time, I don't think they plan to now. It wouldn't make sense for them to.
Loric shifts, turning on his other side, now facing me. His long eyelashes flutter a moment, then sterling eyes meet mine. He blinks quickly, as if he's still trying to pull himself out of a dream.
"Did you have a nightmare?" he asks, rubbing the palm of his hand into his eyes.
"No... I never went to sleep." I pull the quilt a bit higher, but his arms snake around me, tucking me against his chest. "You don't have to do this, you know… Stay with me."
Loric's grip on me tightens just a fraction. "I want to," he whispers, nuzzling my neck. "If it makes you feel safe, even if it just helps to ease your mind, I want to."
I nod, snuggling closer to him as his breath tickles the skin behind my ear. He presses a soft kiss there, making my heart flutter wildly in my chest. The steady rhythm of his breathing soothes me in a way I never thought possible. Gently, Loric brushes his fingers through my hair, untangling any knots he finds, and the tenderness brings tears to my eyes.
"You'll have to get some sleep at some point," Loric murmurs against my skin.
"You must hate me," I whisper, catching my lip between my teeth. "For what the king has done to you, and your kind...Ourkind."
"I don't hate you, Chaos. Trust me, you'd know if I hated you. I wouldn't be holding you..." He places a kiss against my throat. "I definitely wouldn't be kissing you." His hand slides down my side, running over the curve of my hip. "I wouldn't be here at all."
"But my father—" I protest as he hooks a hand around my thigh, pulling me onto my back.
"The king's sins are not your own." He rests his head on his hand, peering down at me. "Do you understand?"
I nod, blinking back tears. "Does Brenn know?"
Loric chuckles softly. "Brenn knows. He wouldn't have changed his mind about you otherwise."
"He said it was because he could see my aura now."
"Brenn can't see auras." Loric rolls his eyes. "He just has these gut feelings about things. Whether it's things he invents or people. It's his gift, but for him it's easier just to tell people he can see their aura than to try to explain that he knows things about them just by looking at them."
"He said he couldn't see mine until after I shifted in the woods."
Nodding gently, he smirks at me. "That part is true. He couldn't read you."
"But he can now." It's more of a statement than a question.
