Page 25

Damian

“S end for a healer right away!” I ordered as I swooped low over the palace roof, angling my wings to slow me down as fast as possible before dropping onto my hind legs.

The two guards nearest me glanced at one another.

“ Now! ” I roared when neither moved.

Spurred into motion, one of them took off at a run, while the other jogged over to me.

“What’s going on?” he demanded to know as I continued to rest on my hind legs. My front claws were wrapped cautiously around the unmoving form of the guard.

Despite momentarily rousing himself, after several minutes of alertness, the guard had slipped back into unconsciousness. During his time awake, he’d never become lucid enough to give us any information. After some discussion, both Aurora and I had agreed that he needed to be brought back to the palace sooner rather than later.

“I can’t discuss it,” I told him, relaxing my tone. “But I need you to take him from my paws.”

“Is he dead?”

“No. Badly hurt. Careful of his leg, I put a splint on it, but it’ll need further attention.”

Between the two of us, we got the guard eased down onto the ground without too much jostling. It was critical that we prevent further injuries because getting him well so we could hear his full story was crucial to understanding what had happened with the hole in the shield.

Aurora slid down my wing, moving with practiced ease. I noted the confidence of her movement, a far cry from the fear she’d once shown.

How much of that was simple repetition and how much of it was due to the abrupt change between us, I couldn’t be certain. Nor would I ask. It was not the time to be delving into personal … situations. Not after what we’d learned on our trip.

I refrained from calling it a relationship, mostly because it wasn’t. However, there could be no denying that things between her and me were different now. I’d never shared a kiss like that with anyone before. The fires her lips had lit in my mind and across my body were innumerable. Even now, as concerned as I was for the well-being of my people, I couldn’t push the image from my mind, the memory of her mouth and mine and the underlying hunger for more.

When did I start to think such a thing would be okay with a human? She was always attractive, easy on the eyes, but taking it to this level?

The truth was it had surprised me completely. Why I had said the things I said, did the thing I did by kissing her? It all happened so fast, and I was still trying to process it, even as we gathered up the guard and headed toward the healers’ wing.

Could I handle this and the situation developing with respect to the safety of my entire nation? Or would I become too distracted and do them a disservice? There were just too many questions. I needed to focus.

The healer on duty met us halfway there and took the guard from me, his dragon strength easily allowing him to heft the limp form.

“Severe break in his leg. Likely other internal damage,” I said, listing off all we knew. “Likely impact from high altitude. Healing does not seem to be engaging as per normal. He regained conscious for a few minutes but was not aware of himself or his surroundings during that time.”

“Understood. You did well. I’ll take it from here.”

The healer bustled off to do his job, leaving me alone in the hallway.

Aurora appeared at my side, a reminder that perhaps I wasn’t entirely alone.

Her presence was expected, but I was caught fully by surprise when her fingers slipped through mine. So stunned was I by her display of affection in public, I froze, unable to grip her hand back.

She gave me a quick squeeze and then her hand withdrew. Hopefully, she would understand that it was only surprise and not a flat-out rejection that had kept me still.

As if reading my mind, Aurora lowered her head to rest it on my shoulder. It was only for a second, and she quickly stood straight as if nothing had happened.

“Do you think he’ll be okay?”

“In time, yes.”

“What do we do now?”

Was I imagining the subtle undertone of that question? A hint about the unacknowledged change between us, perhaps, or was it a genuine curiosity? I wasn’t sure, and unfortunately, I couldn’t take the time find out either. Duty was a heavy burden, and its weight settled around my neck like a noose.

“The sovereign must be informed,” I said, wishing I could take the time to—

To what? What would you do if you had no duty at the moment? Would you take her to your room and seduce her, giving in to the urges you can’t control? Where would that get you? What would that do but further complicate your life?

Further complicate it? With the way things were going, could it get any worse?

In hindsight, I should never have asked myself that question.

Because it can. And it did.