Page 89 of I Dream of Dragons

“That’s a lie. You don’t hate it, do you?”

But he doesn’t crack a smile. “I know you are fond of Jai.”

“How did you figure that out?”

“Because you…” He’s still frowning down at me, but his brows jump. “You’re teasing.”

“Mm…”

“He’s not bad for a human.”

“High praise, I’m sure.” I cock my head at him, relishing the corded lines of his neck under my hands, the shifting chest muscles against my body. “Have you ever thought of discussing things with Jai … instead of fighting with him?”

“What a novel idea,” he grouses. “Who would have ever thought of that?”

“Stop it. Now you are the one teasing. I had no idea Eosphors teased.”

“I may have changed somewhat over the centuries. Inhabiting human bodies and minds is detrimental to my proud Eosphoric heritage.”

“I think it’s a good change. It suits you.” I hide a smile against his shoulder, when I should be freaking out for getting so close to an Eosphor. The original Eosphor, to boot. “So… talking. It didn’t work out, I take it?”

“You know the answer. We want different things. Our disagreement is profound. He doesn’t see…”

“He doesn’t see what?”

“That there is no other way. I have to open the gate, and so does the fae king. What chance does Jai think he has of getting his own way?”

I feel my mouth tightening, my mirth drying up. “That’s no reason for someone to give up. Not when his mission is greater than himself.”

“Jai’s mission.” His deep voice rumbles against me, vibrating in my bones. “You mean his fear that the fae will destroy his home world.”

“Isn’t that fear valid?”

We’re walking through the palace, his arms under my knees and back, and I realize the fae nobles are staring but keeping quiet. It makes me wonder if that always happens around Athdara, whether he is Jai or Phaethon. I wonder if they remember his shadows clashing with the king’s power at dinner, dashing the flames of the candelabra and shoving back the chairs.

“Like I told you earlier,” Phaethon says, “I don’t know Jai as well as I should. I know certain aspects of him. In battle… ourminds meld more easily. For a mere mortal, he has the courage to rival any Eosphor of my army.”

“How did you enter him?”

“I have no memory of it.”

I stare at him. “You really don’t? So evenyoudon’t know who he really is?”

“An orphaned mortal? I was forced into the body of Marsyas?—”

“The dragonking. I know the story.”

“And after that, there is a long blank. I found myself in this body, in this palace when I awakened fully. Thankfully, the king’s motivation matches mine.”

“A big stroke of luck.” I inject as much sarcasm as I can into my voice.

“You think me devoid of emotions and compassion,” he observes.

“No offense, this is what everyone says. An alien, emotionless being.”

“Again they forget I’ve inhabited a human body for a long time. First, there was Phaethon.”

“Whom you made physically sick and then drove insane,” I say.