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Eno returned a couple of minutes later. He must have overheard Drayce and Adrian’s banter because he hugged Drayce, offering his own warm words of congratulations.
Unfortunately, the happy mood dissolved far too quickly as they faced the great revelation handed to them by the Dead God.
Caelan was running out of time.
“How could he keep this from us?” Eno complained as he dropped on the end of the couch closest to Rayne. No one had to ask what he was talking about. The deal Caelan had been forced to make with Nyx was on all their minds.
Rayne shook his head. “I’m not surprised. I’m sure we would have all done the same. Cael knew the second we discovered what happened that we’d offer our own time to replace his.”
Drayce grunted, sitting next to Eno. “I don’t like it, but I understand it. If it was me, there’s nothing that would make me take his time. Since the day he was born, it has been pounded into his head that he must protect the people of Erya, and that first line in the sand will always be protecting us.”
Adrian lounged in the chair opposite of Rayne and dropped his head against the back with a low groan. “I can’t believe I’m even going to ask this, but is there a way around the king? Can any of us talk directly to the God of Time and offer some of our time without the king knowing it?” When he lifted his head to look at them again, there was a pained wince digging lines across his forehead. “Gods, why does this sound almost like treason when I say it out loud?”
“It’s not treason,” Rayne snapped. “It’s saving the king’s life, which is our job.”
Eno leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Then how do we talk to the gods? Prayers are a pretty idea, but has anyone ever gotten a clear response that way?”
“Can’t you talk to the Goddess of Life directly?” Adrian asked, his gaze locked on Rayne.
“I’m sure I can talk to her, but I don’t necessarily know that she’s listening. She’s never directly communicated with me. Only Caelan.” Rayne stared at Drayce, who immediately threw up his hands as if trying to ward off Rayne’s next comments. “You’ve at least seen the Goddess of Fire. She’s spoken directly to you.”
“Just the one time,” Drayce argued, holding up his index finger. “And that was when Cael was with me. Since that time, she’s never said a word to me.”
Eno scrubbed a hand across his face and through his hair. “Tula and Caris could potentially carry a message to the Dead God.”
“That’s assuming either of them would be willing to serve as a messenger for us,” Drayce muttered. “I didn’t get the impression that Caris was willing to be anyone’s messenger, even if it meant talking to her boyfriend, Nyx.”
That was a very good point.
“Maybe we have to face the fact that we must leave this in Caelan’s hands,” Eno interjected, his voice low and heavy. “He has already said that he would use the dragon time if he had no other choice. I know he’s not happy about it, but he’s aware that we all need him alive to stop Safa and Zyros.”
Rayne folded his arms tightly across his chest and slumped a bit in his chair. He hated this idea. He hated it with every tiny molecule of his being. But he also couldn’t argue with Eno. The truth was that unless Caelan changed his mind about siphoning a bit of their time off them, there was absolutely nothing they could do about it.
He closed his eyes against the memory of Drayce carrying a nearly unconscious Caelan into the loft, the king’s lips pale and starting to turn blue. His heartbeat had been erratic and he’d struggled to breathe. When Rayne had tried to heal him, his powers had been completely useless. It was as if he could feel something wrong with his friend, but there was nothing for the energy to latch on to in terms of mending. Never in his life had he felt so helpless and useless.
And to think, just minutes earlier Drayce and Caelan had been planning for marriage. It made Rayne want to hug the dragon all over again.
No, Caelan had to have a plan. He had to have some scheme in mind or some angle he was trying to work out. There was no way that Caelan would make such a beautiful plan with Drayce if he was planning to die in the coming days or weeks.
Caelan’s silence on this matter had to mean he was trying to keep them safe from something. Probably keeping them out of the Dead God’s sphere of interest. Nyx had been far too eager to snatch up their time.
“At the risk of stating the obvious, this fucking blows,” Adrian grumbled.
“You think?” Drayce snarled.
Eno reached over and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him in close for a half hug. “Deep breath, little dragon. It’s not like we’re going to stop trying to help him. We just need to trust Caelan as well.”
“Oh, my fuck! You are not allowed to call me that again,” Drayce groaned, shoving ineffectively against Eno.
While they bickered, the reality of the situation started to sink into Rayne’s mind: The king was planning to marry a dragon.
If Erya formed an official alliance with the Omari and other dragons of the Ilse of Stone, would Drayce then reveal his true heritage to the people?
Even if he didn’t, it did mean that the king’s consort wasn’t a normal human but a dragon.
Of course, even if they never married, Drayce would have still served as the king’s personal bodyguard.
Either way, the outcome was the same: fucking dangerous.
