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CHAPTER22
AURDYN
Iunderstand her reasoning. She was betrayed by the person she loved most in this world, and I can only imagine how terrible that was. She was kept in a cage and her choices were taken from her, and she wants to make sure that I do not do the same. I will not keep her if she does not want to stay.
“When we reach my kingdom, if you still wish to dissolve our bond, we will go to the priests and ask for their help in severing it.”
She blinks several times. “You… would do this even though it has never been done before among your people?”
“As King of the Ice Mountains, I give you my word,” I state solemnly. “If that is your decision, I will honor it.”
She lowers her gaze, her brows furrowed as if in deep contemplation before she lifts her eyes again to me. “Then, I must ask you this: Do Dragons… love?”
“Dragons do not love.” At least, not in the way I’ve heard humans do. “My kind are fiercely protective of our mates.” The desire to claim and possess is a primal instinct deeply embedded in our blood, passed down from our ancestors. “If you chose to remain with me, my people would accept you because they understand this.”
“So… you would bind yourself to me simply because of the fate bond?”
“Yes. You are my T’kara. It is my duty to protect and care for you.”
“Duty…” she murmurs, lowering her gaze. She appears troubled by my answer, but I do not understand why.
“If I claim you before my people, as my T’kara, they will accept you, Freyja. The bond is revered among my kind.”
“If not for our connection, would you still want to bind yourself to me?”
If she had asked me this when we first met, the answer would be no. Now, the answer is not so simple. I only know that the thought of losing her makes an uncomfortable knot form in the pit of my stomach. And I cannot determine if this is the bond making me feel this way or if it is something else. And I do not know how to explain this to her when I don’t even understand it myself.
Instead, I give her the truth that I do understand. “We are bound by the will of the gods. That is all that matters to me.”
Something akin to disappointment flashes in her eyes, but it is gone too quickly for me to be sure. She moves to one of the chairs by the fire, and then turns her gaze back to me. “I cannot sleep. I know they have plenty of mead, but do you think the Dwarves have any tea here?”
Makingsure to wear the shade stone necklace to disguise my appearance, I make my way downstairs to the tavern. Many of the Dwarves have retired for the night, but there are still several gathered around the tables drinking.
I walk over to the bar and tap the counter to draw the innkeeper’s attention. His head snaps in my direction and he comes directly over. He gives me a conspiratorial wink. “Having a bit of trouble with the missus?”
Before I can answer, he places a tankard of mead before me. “This should fix you right up.”
I push it away and level a dark glare at him. “Tea,” I growl. “Now.”
He blinks several times. “Well, all right then.” He motions to his son across the way, and I watch Olmar rush to the back. “No need to get upset. I meant no offense.”
“My wife needs new clothing as well. Sturdy and warm, and a pair of boots half this size.” I hand him one of the ill-fitted boots given to Freyja by the Dwarves at the cottage. “I drop a handful of coins onto the counter, watching with amusement as his beady eyes widen. “This should more than cover it.”
He greedily gathers the coins, biting one to test it before smiling widely at me. “And when will you be needing these?”
“First thing in the morning.”
I expect him to protest, but the coin I gave him must be far more than I’d realized because he doesn’t bat an eyelash when his son walks up to him with a pot of tea and two cups. He turns to him. “Follow him up to his room with the tea and then come back down and wake the clothier. We’ve got an order needs to be filled by morning.”
Olmar follows me back up the stairs to our room. When I open the door, he moves past me to place the tea on the table. He gives Freyja a small bow and when she smiles in return, his cheeks turn bright red.
With a low growl, I usher him back out the door, slamming it shut behind him.
Freyja gives me a pointed look. “What did I say about growling at everyone?”
“How am Isupposedto react when a Dwarf makes eyes at mywife?”
“We’re not really married, Aurdyn.”
