Adrian groaned. “You’re a dragon. I can’t imagine what you would see as big and scary. Never mind. No, he’s not. If Haru hadn’t announced that Tyche was a god, I would never have guessed it. Fuck. He’s the most normal, scrawny, average-looking guy you’ve ever seen. Crazy red hair and enormous green eyes. Also, he’s obsessed with coffee and is terrified of Haru.”
“No shit!” Drayce gasped, and even Caelan chuckled in the background.
“It is true. He is odd and afraid of me,” Haru admitted with a smug smile. “He seems afraid that I will blame him for the war between the dragons and the gods.”
“Thoughts?” Caelan chimed in.
“I like him.” Those three words earned Adrian a dark glare from Haru, but he continued as if he hadn’t noticed. “He’s funny and seems nice. Kind of harmless. Even though I did see him kill three armed guards with nothing more than some really bad luck.”
“Whoa.” Drayce exhaled. “Freaky.”
“I am reluctant to trust him. He may appear harmless, but he is still a god. They are all tricky. Even my own cousin.”
Adrian thumped Haru in the middle of his chest with his fist, but the damn dragon caught his hand and continued to hold it despite Adrian’s efforts to pull it free. Butterflies fluttered in Adrian’s stomach, but he ignored them.
“Shey trusts him,” Adrian pointed out stubbornly.
Caelan sighed as if he could see them bickering. “Remain cautious. All gods and goddesses are dangerous. He may be trustworthy, but we don’t yet know what he wants. After everything that has happened, I know it is silly to ask, but…when do you think you’ll be coming home?”
Adrian’s shoulders slumped, and Haru loosened his grip, allowing Adrian’s hand to fall back to his lap. “Your Majesty…”
“That’s never a good start,” Caelan muttered.
Adrian corrected himself. “Cael, I’m hesitant to leave. I know our job was to find Shey, and we’ve done that, but I don’t think he’s ready to return to Sirelis. He was tortured, and people with no one to protect them are dying here. Shey’s the type to want to finish a job, regardless of the threat to himself. Besides, what if they get their hands on a god or goddess more powerful thanTyche or Yesuntei? A lot of people died after the Goddess of Nightmares’ magic went crazy. We’re all better off leaving the gods alone.” Adrian sucked in a deep breath and noisily released it. “Plus, Shey really came through during our fight to reach you and the others in the Ordas. I don’t want to leave him now.”
Caelan grunted, and Adrian could see him frowning in his mind, a little furrow forming in his brow. “Understood. Just know that I see your mission completed and successful. You are free to come home at any time. But if you stay, I ask that you keep me apprised of the situation. Especially the situation with the gods. I can send you help. You must come home safely. I need my personal guard back.”
“Yeah, because apparently I’m too distracting,” Drayce interjected, making Adrian snort. He could imagine how Drayce was distracting his fiancé.
“I will. I promise.”
“Haru,” Caelan continued. “If things get too dangerous, you have my permission to scoop Adrian up and fly him here immediately. To hell with gods and princes.”
“I will endeavor to bring AdrianandPrince Shey out safely,” Haru promised.
The call ended shortly after, but the unsettled feeling grew in his chest. Adrian set his phone on the table and paced the small room. It wasn’t all that long ago that he’d been eager to get home to Stormbreak and return to his old life. That feeling was still there, but so was the need to settle things here in Damardor.
The trip to the containment facility in Milway had only added to the urgency. He’d witnessed firsthand the hundreds of people who’d been held against their will in Voxmore, but what had happened here was even more terrifying. When actual gods became involved, there was no telling how their powers would lash out.
“These people have no idea what kind of magic they’re messing with,” Adrian muttered under his breath. There wasn’t much space for pacing in the tiny room. The hotel they’d found in Milway was a tiny thing. They’d wanted a place that was likely to fly under Ruben’s radar until they could return to Bellcairn. For the time being, they had no interest in running into the rich schmuck.
His gaze skimmed the surroundings. It was a narrow room with beige walls, a pair of double beds with green comforters with a disturbingly busy design, a couple of chairs, and a coffee table. The other room was a bit nicer, with a view of the street. After being stuck in a cell for so long, Adrian thought Tyche and Shey would appreciate some natural light. The plan was to stay here for a night and return to Bellcairn on the morning train, where they could hook up with Vitor and make some plans.
“Am I making a mistake staying here? Would it make more sense to argue for Shey to return home? He’s the freaking crown prince of Caspagir. Shouldn’t he be more concerned with his own people than those of Damardor?”
“What business is that of yours?”
Adrian stopped where he was, and his head popped up to find Haru watching him with an inquisitive expression and a slight smile. “It’s my business because I’m worried about him, and I don’t want to see him get hurt.”
“True, but you can’t decide for him how he’s going to live his life. Even if he wasn’t a prince, he would still have the freedom to make those choices, whether you agree with them or not.”
Adrian lifted a hand and pointed at Haru. “You…are not allowed to spout so much sense. You’re supposed to agree with me.”
“You are too strong to surround yourself with people who will agree with you blindly.”
“But you think I need flattery?”
Haru lifted one elegant shoulder. “Yes, but we all do.”
