AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I straighten, flaring my nostrils. “My injury does not make me weak.”
Her lips form a tight thin line. “Must everything be about strength and weakness to you?”
“I am a Dragon,” I state firmly. “Strength is power among my kind.”
“Of course it is.” She shakes her head.
“Youare the one in danger,” I counter. “Not me.”
“And why exactly does a Dragon care about a human?” Her gaze travels over my face as if searching for something. “You’ve never quite explained that to me. And what is a T’kara?”
I have avoided speaking of this before now because I do not know how she’ll take it. But now that it has been brought to light by that meddlesome demon, I cannot withhold the truth. She is my Fated One, and I will not lie to her. “It means you are mine. My fated mate.”
Her head jerks back. “What?”
I did not want to have this conversation. Not yet. “T’kara meanstreasurein the ancient tongue. It is a sacred word for ‘Fated One.’”
“Fated One?” she asks. “I do not understand.”
I meet her gaze evenly as I speak the truth that resonates deep within. “We are fated—bound to one another.”
Her mouth falls open, but she quickly snaps it shut. “There has to be some mistake. This cannot be right. I cannot possibly be fated to a Dragon.”
“The gods do not make mistakes,” I state firmly. “We are bound. It is their will. You are mine.”
“I belong to no one but myself.” She levels an angry glare at me. “And I will not be forced into a marriage I do not want.”
“Forced?I would neverforceyou to do anything,” I growl, completely offended by her accusation.
“This is ridiculous,” she counters. “You cannot truly believe that we’re fated by the gods. I’m human and you’re a Dragon.”
I cannot tell if her expression is one of disbelief or disgust. I may not be human, but I am far from ugly. At least… I’d always thought so until now…
“You think I was not upset when I first realized this as well?” I ask, remembering my initial thoughts of the terrible history between our two races. “Why would I wish to be mated to a human?”
“Well, you know what?” she asks, cheeks flushed dark red. “Why would I want to be married to a Dragon? And an arrogant one at that?”
“Arrogant?”
“Yes.” She braces her hands on her hips. “I’ve lost count of how many times you’ve made it a point to remind me how superior Dragons are to all other races.”
“How is that arrogance if I am speaking truth?” I ask, completely confused by her outrage. “You cannot help that you are human, and”—I pause, searching for the right words before finally settling on—“although it was difficult at first, I have already resigned myself to accept it.”
Her jaw drops and fire burns in her gaze as she glares at me.
CHAPTER9
FREYJA
Iplace my hands on my hips. “Well, I’m so sorry that gods have saddled you with a human mate,” I say sarcastically. “I cannot imagine what a hardship that is to you.”
“I am pleased you understand my predicament,” he says in all seriousness.
I blink up at him in disbelief as he continues. “You have no idea how stressful it is to have a human T’kara. I mean… it is my duty to care for you and keep you safe.” He paces back and forth, his nostrils flaring as he runs a hand roughly through his shoulder-length white hair. “With your paper-thin skin, blunt fangs, and pitiful excuse for claws… your kind have absolutely no natural defenses. The gods could have given you scales or at least some wings to fly away from danger, but they did not. And I don’t understand why.”
Rage boils in my veins and it takes everything within me to bite my tongue as he continues.
“And I fear I will never know a moment’s peace from now on. I will always worry for your safety.” His emerald eyes meet mine, something akin to sadness flashing behind them. “It is not your fault you are human, Freyja. It is just very… stressful.”
