Page 43 of Dragon King’s Bullied Mate

Beside him, even Malaya visibly relaxed.

“Where is home?” Mikael asked.

Every expression in the bakery hardened again.

Meren shook her head at once. “Absolutely not.”

“I only want to speak with her.”

“And you’re still a royal,” another villager muttered from one of the tables.

“They’ve suffered enough already,” someone else added quietly.

Mikael could feel the walls closing around him now. Lyra truly had no one protecting her except these people. Somehow that realization only made him respect them more.

Malaya leaned against the counter and pulled out her phone. “Fine. If nobody wants to cooperate voluntarily, I’ll make some calls.”

Meren narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Calls to who?”

“To guards who actually know how to do their jobs,” Malaya replied dryly. She glanced at her brother. “Some of the guys I talked to were with Dag when they recovered you from Lyra’s cottage. One of them may be able to point us in the right direction.”

While she stepped aside to begin her search for directions, Mikael remained near the front windows watching the street outside and that was when he noticed the man.

Tall. Dark coat. Nervous energy.

He stood near the center of the road stopping nearly every passerby who walked near him, speaking urgently before growing visibly frustrated whenever they shook their heads and moved on.

Mikael’s instincts sharpened instantly. The man kept scanning faces, searching for something. Mikael stepped outside and crossed the road directly toward the stranger. The man’s posture stiffened the moment he realized Mikael was approaching.

“What are you looking for?” Mikael asked.

The man’s eyes narrowed immediately. “None of your business.”

Ordinarily Mikael might have let the hostility pass but something was off about the man, and he had no patience left.

“You’re questioning villagers while behaving like a hunted animal. That makes it my business.”

The man turned and started to walk away.

It was time to pull rank. Mikael spoke again, colder this time. “I am your king. You will answer me.”

That finally stopped him. Slowly, reluctantly, the stranger looked back and really saw Mikael. Recognition flickered across his face followed quickly by alarm.

Mikael stepped closer. “Answer me.”

The man hesitated before muttering, “I’m looking for my son.”

Beckett?

Something about the answer felt rehearsed. Mikael opened his mouth to question him further when the bakery door suddenly swung open behind him.

“Mikael,” Malaya called.

He turned toward her voice.

“I found one of the guards.”

The distraction lasted only seconds, but it was enough.