Page 5 of The Dragons’ Eternal Mate

The bedroom that had been mine since the day Kiki had taken me in was part of the healing facility—it felt odd to call the multi-room building a hut, but that was what Kiki called it, so it was a force of habit. And I’d forgotten that, whenever I set foot outside the bedroom, I’d be visible to whoever was in the lobby.

The dragon sitting at the desk must have been in his late thirties. His hair was dark, but there were a few strands of gray starting to make themselves known at his temples. He had eyes that crinkled when he smiled, which suggested he did it a lot.

I liked that.

I had to assume this was Cormack.

“Sorry if I’m getting in your way,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair.

He held up his hands. “When Ash brought me on to take care of this place, he made it clear it was yours, first and foremost.”

A scoff left me, and I paused. “Even though I left?”

“I think he hoped you would come home one day. I’m only temporary. If you want to come back, I’m demoted. Kiki was a legend, and you were her favorite student. But I have no say in that. I’m here to help. Do you want some tea?” he asked, pointing to the kettle he had boiling.

The smell of lingering herbs filtered in around me, and I nodded. “Sure. How long have you been here?”

“I came on a few months after you left. I was taught by one of Kiki’s old students, so Ash reached out to me. I was having… issues with my old horde, so I was more than happy to come here and lend a hand.”

“You haven’t changed things at all,” I said softly, looking around, my chest tight and warm. Apparently, sleeping hadn’t rid me of the chaotic, conflicting feelings I had about all this. Too bad.

Other than a few structural repairs, the building was nearly exactly the same as I remembered it: the same tan-colored walls, lined with bright, colorful tapestries, medical charts, and even the same trinkets on the bookcases. Seeing them again felt strange. Seeing all of it was strange. I’d come back to the place that had been both my salvation and the reminder of what horrible things had been done to me.

Things I knew with certainty Cyrus wanted to do again.

Cormack shrugged. “It felt wrong to change things. Ash said I could box up some of the decorations, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I could see how much you cared about the place. And about Kiki.”

The kettle whistled, and Cormack stood from the desk, walking over to the kitchenette area and taking a squat mug from the cabinet near the sink. He pulled out a tin of tea, one I actually recognized, and scooped some into a metal ball-shaped tea strainer.

The smell hit me. Kiki’s healing blend. I’d know it anywhere. A pressure formed in my chest as I watched Cormack make the tea and then give it to me. The mug was hot in my hand, so I took it carefully to the waiting area, using the small table there to set it down.

I stared at the liquid in the cup, the occasional bubble rising from the tea ball, where air had finally found its way out.

“I miss her.”

I didn’t realize I’d spoken aloud until I heard Cormack hum in agreement.

“I hear that a lot. Only wish I could have met her myself.” He offered me a kind smile, his eyes crinkling slightly as he regarded me. “I have to ask, though. Consider it healer’s intuition. Why’d you come all this way? It’s been so long. I have to imagine it didn’t just pop into your head like it was a good time for a vacation.”

A humorless laugh left me. “No, it didn’t. Well… I have my own issues with the North Oak Horde. Something tells me mine are just a bit trickier than yours. Unless you have someone trying to kill you, too.”

Cormack’s brows shot up, and he blustered, unable to think of a response. I hadn’t meant to blindside him like that, not really. I just couldn’t wrap my head around what Cyrus had done, and frankly, I was pissed as hell about it.

Exhaustion and anger didn’t mix well. “Jeez, that’s… something. Well, I can assure you, you’re safe here. Ash says nothing but good things about you. Says you are the only person who can out-Kiki the woman herself.”

My heart warmed, easing some of the irritation. “That’s a hell of a compliment. I⁠—”

But the thud of heavy footfalls stopped me, and I turned, just as Cormack did, to see Ash running up to the clinic door.

He burst in, clearly out of breath. “Hey, Rowan, you happen to mention where you were going when you left North Oak?”

I shook my head, sitting straighter. “No, not at all. I just left. Why?”

My heart was going double time, and nausea simmered in my stomach. Had Cyrus followed me? Had I led that asshole here?

“Well, I think we’re about to get another visitor.” Ash chuckled, looking at his phone where a security feed of some sort was pulled up.

“I don’t—” But I stopped when Ash rolled his eyes, his energy anything but panicked. “Oh no. I thought I at least had a few days before… Ugh, they drive fast,” I muttered.