Page 150 of I Dream of Dragons

That made sense. More sense than everything else kicking around inside my head. The fragments of recent memories seem louder than ever, because… something is… different. I can’t pinpoint it.

It’s as if… I can hear myself think. My thoughts unfold unhindered, stretching out as far as they need to go, like ribbons, parchments. It’s… silent inside my head.

No howling.

No incomprehensible words echoing.

Phaethon?I cautiously send out the thought.

“Miss me?”his dry voice comes instantly, jolting me.

What in the hells? You’re quiet.

“Oh, now you want me to howl in your ear?”

Well, to be honest, with the pain in my back, going completely around the bend might distract me but…No. I’m good. Stay quiet.

“Don’t tell me what to do, human.”

I almost grin at the indignant tone and…

“Jai, are you listening to me?” Arkin shouts. “Jai!”

Great.“I have to talk to Rae,” I say.

“She seems to agree with you on that. Jai, listen…” He shifts on his feet. “About the fight we had.”

“About that night in the sacred garden?”

“He told her that you aren’t to be trusted. That you don’t want to help the humans.” He lifts a hand when I start protesting that she doesn’t trust the king. “That’s why we were there. To eavesdrop. To spy. Tru wanted to listen to what the king had to say. I… I switched my shift to accompany him. Look, I know we failed Lady Rae, but believe me, if he had forced her into anything, we would have intervened.”

Damn the king. He has always used me, but he never whipped me within an inch of my life before. And Arkin doesn’t know how he used my memories to trap her.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were there to keep tabs on the king?” I ask softly.

“Because the opportunity arose suddenly and I didn’t think we had to report on our every move. As we agreed. I mean, if you still don’t think we’re traitors.”

I sigh. “I don’t think you are traitors, Ark.”

He grunts back. “Good to know. But I still think you’re a fool in love.”

I bow my head. “I am. I won’t deny it. It’s her, Ark.”

“Her?”

“The woman I once loved.”

“That woman is dead, Jai.”

I have no reply to that, except… I was wrong. “She’s finnfolk,” I whisper.

He gives me a long look. “I see. Does Tru know this?”

“That she is my mate or that she’s finnfolk?”

“Either.”

“No idea,” I say. “You tell me.”