Page 93 of I Dream of Dragons

Hells.

That hurt in his eyes when I asked if I was going to find Jai with me come the morning… it bruises my mind.

Is respect enough? Have we reached a truce? Does it matter when he stated clearly, over and over, that his goal and the king’s align? In the greater scheme of things, he’s still my enemy.

Fucking or no fucking.

His head lolls to the side and he lets out a little snort.Wait.Is he… snoring? Was that a snore?

Oh my Gods, why is that so cute?

Athdara, dragon summoner and army general, host of a moody, dangerous Eosphor and wielder of bloodthirsty shadows, cannot be cute.

Oh no.I can’t be feeling like this, the awareness of him meshing with the realization of a deeper truth, the truth of who he really is.

His tousled black hair beckons, the itch to touch it too strong to resist. I reach out and stroke an inky lock, tuck it behind his ear. So soft. His hair is so soft, it?—

His eyes fly open. Fingers like nightgold wrap around my wrist, squeezing. His dark eyes stare at me, unblinking and unseeing.

I fight to free my hand but his grip only tightens.

Shit. Ow.I grit my teeth and struggle some more, gritting my teeth. Shadows unfurl around him, wrapping around my arms, around my neck. I choke.

The noise has to register because he blinks, his dark gaze regaining focus.“Makhair?Fuck.” He releases my wrist instantly, then reaches for me again. Stops, hand hovering in mid-air. “Fuck, I hurt you.”

The shadows fade, tendrils sliding against his neck, curling like a cat’s tail.

“I’m fine.” I rub my wrist, giving him a rueful smile. “Never touch a sleeping warrior. I should have known better.”

“No.” He shakes his head, frowning. “You shouldn’t have to worry about touching me. I should stay away?—”

“Jai. Stop. I’m fine.”

He watches me, his mouth turned into an unhappy line. “I almost snapped your wrist. Almost choked you.”

“I’m alive.” I wave my hand. “And it’s not broken. See?”

Then it hits me.

It’s him. It’s Jai. I should have guessed from the way he talks, the concern he shows. From the shadows and the leather pants and boots they materialized as he slept.

I grin, relieved—but would it have been so bad if it had been Phaethon I woke up to? For the first time, I think… not. Maybe? Gods, this is hurting my head.

Yet I’m glad to have Jai back. Jai, who now shifts on the bed and grimaces. “Dammit.”

“Are you okay?”

“Fucking Phaethon, he made the wound worse.” Then, before worry gets the better of me and I demand he shed his pants so I can examine the wound, unexpectedly he grins. “I would have done exactly the same.”

The impact of what he’s saying hits me and I have to look away for a moment, to collect myself and contain the huge grin that splits my face.

He touches my arm and I turn my gaze back to him. “Would you have?”

“Oh yes.”

“Did you feel anything? When we were… You know.”

“When you were with Phaethon?” Jai nods. “I felt it. It was as if a barrier fell for a while and I felt everything.”