Page 6 of Lord of the Lone Wolf (Bonded Hearts #3)
Maseo
D espite having come closer to crossing into the Beyond Realm than he was comfortable with, Maseo had never felt more removed from his problems than when he was holding Auslin while they flew on Kitsuki’s dragon.
Combined with the blue sky, warm sunlight, and refreshing wind, soaring through the air made Maseo grateful to be alive.
They had almost reached the border of Balsimi and Laylan by the time Kitsuki’s dragon landed for the night. With every mile they put between Maseo and Kunushi, he felt better.
As Kitsuki started a fire while they made camp, Maseo wanted to be helpful but didn’t want to step on the dragon king’s toes. He offered, “I would be happy to hunt for dinner tonight.”
Kitsuki hesitated long enough that Maseo thought he would refuse. But he relented with a tilt of his head. “That would be acceptable. Would you prefer a weapon?”
“I hear a river not too far away, so a spear would be helpful to catch fish. But I can also hunt for rabbits or other creatures if you prefer.”
“It has been some time since we enjoyed fish.” Kitsuki summoned a spear with his magic.
Maseo accepted the weapon with a bowed head. “Thank you. I’ll return shortly.”
He headed deeper into the woods and soon came across a stream, where he speared several fish before bringing them back to the camp. “I brought back velfite.”
Auslin beamed at the sight of the distinctive blue rainbow scales. “Oh, that’s one of my favorite fish! What a treat.”
“You did well,” Kitsuki said, a faint hint of a smile on his lips as he accepted Maseo’s offering. “I appreciate your help, Maseo. Rest while I take care of the prep.”
Maseo brightened under the praise. It was rare for him to hear kind words, especially from someone as magnificent as Kitsuki. “I’m glad I could help.”
“How was your flying experience today?” Kitsuki asked as he filleted the fish. His dexterity with a knife showcased his warrior abilities, which Maseo admired, having trained with various weapons in the army.
“A little overwhelming at first, because I was afraid of falling off,” Maseo admitted with a chuckle.
“Even in the unlikely event of that, I would catch you before any harm came to you.” Why did Kitsuki’s promise fill Maseo with such joy?
“I trust you. It’s myself I’m not so sure about.”
Auslin laughed at Maseo’s wry grin. “I understand.”
“Once I overcame the shock of being so high in the air, it became an exhilarating experience,” Maseo said. “I’ve never been anywhere close to that elevation before, so the view was astonishing.”
Auslin nodded in agreement. “It gives you perspective.”
“I’m not entirely sure I didn’t cross over to the Beyond Realm’s Everlight Vale. Flying so high, with such a peaceful feeling, felt like the closest thing to heaven this realm offers.”
Auslin reached over and squeezed Maseo’s hand. The gesture made his breath hitch as Auslin said, “I promise this is very real.”
D espite his exhaustion from the eventful past few days, Maseo couldn’t sleep. He thought he was being subtle by shifting positions, but Kitsuki asked, “Trouble sleeping?”
Maseo gave up the pretense and sat up to face Kitsuki.
The dragon shifter king possessed an ethereal beauty, made even more entrancing in the flickering silver firelight.
With his pale skin and long, white hair in the moonlight, Kitsuki appeared to be carved from the finest Divine Realm marble.
The sight took Maseo aback, momentarily distracting him from answering. “Sorry.”
“No apologies are necessary.” Kitsuki’s expression was more sympathetic than Maseo expected. “Are you anxious about what awaits you in Tiora?”
“Nothing can be scarier than facing almost certain death at my father’s hand,” Maseo replied. “I expect to be hazed by the warriors in your army. But that’s pretty much how I’m treated everywhere for being a halfling, so I’m used to it.”
Kitsuki frowned. “I hope my soldiers will treat you better than that.”
“If Rylan is any indication, maybe others will react to me as he did.” While Maseo had been suspicious at first, he had come to appreciate the raven shifter’s dry sense of humor as they talked after exchanging messages for Kitsuki.
It took a moment for the name to register with Kitsuki. “Ah, you are referring to Lieutenant Norkon.”
“I was scared he was one of my father’s cronies, so I didn’t give him a warm reception,” Maseo admitted. “But he didn’t seem to hold it against me.”
“His ability to find you impressed me a great deal. Speaking of which.” Kitsuki pulled the wish pendant Maseo had entrusted to him from under his tunic. “I believe it is time to return this to you.”
Maseo felt choked up at the sight of the orb necklace hanging around Kitsuki’s neck.
He had never expected the monarch to wear it.
It filled him with complicated emotions he wasn’t ready to process.
“I know I have no right to ask anything else of you, but would you mind watching it for me a little longer?”
Kitsuki fingered the filigree on the silver orb, which glowed a beautiful indigo in the dark night. “For what reason?”
“It’s silly superstition, but I’d rather you keep it for now so you could wish on it to protect you, Auslin, and your kingdom during the war. Maybe you’ll have better luck with it than I do. All my prayers to Mireya for love and happiness seem to result only in more heartache.”
Kitsuki’s expression turned thoughtful as he continued to toy with the orb using his claws. “Perhaps it is a matter of perspective.”
“I don’t follow.”
The dragon shifter was silent for a few moments before saying, “You and I may be more similar in that regard than I expected.”
Maseo struggled to grasp what Kitsuki meant. “How so?”
“To have my greatest joy, I had to face the worst sorrow.” An air of melancholy washed over Kitsuki.
“I was gifted the love of my life, only to lose him for six hundred years. Those centuries of solitude made me appreciate Auslin’s return even more.
It was the most painful thing I have ever endured, but it was worth it. ”
The romantic declaration moved Maseo’s heart. He couldn’t believe Auslin was the infamous Vanra of the past. “Are you suggesting my years of suffering abuse from my father and Kio are the price I had to pay to find my fated mate?”
“In my experience, it would be very much like Sophina to balance the scales of fairness.” He tapped the orb with a claw before releasing it. “For what it is worth, I have it on good authority that you will find your happiness after the war ends.”
The comment surprised Maseo. “You do?”
“My sister is best friends with Sophina, so she enjoys giving cryptic hints about things that lie ahead in the future.”
“Right, because your sister is the War Power Kizoshi.”
Kitsuki nodded. “She is indeed.”
“She’s the only person my father hates more than Vanra and Auslin.” Maseo had heard endless drunken rants from his father about her infuriating interference regarding Kitsuki.
Kitsuki chuckled, mindful not to wake Auslin. “In fairness, she has given him countless reasons to loathe her over the centuries.”
“I can’t even imagine what it’s like to meet the War Power.”
“Something tells me your path will cross hers in the not-too-distant future. She can never resist getting involved in matters concerning Nasume.”
Maseo blanched at the possibility. “I’m not sure I can handle being hated by someone so legendarily lethal.”
“She does not hate you.” Kitsuki made the claim with a baffling level of confidence.
“How do you know that for sure?”
“Because we have spoken about you at great length.”
The news didn’t make Maseo feel any better. “Why would she care about me if she hates my father?”
“She is aware you are nothing like Nasume, so you have nothing to fear from her.”
Maseo remained unconvinced. “If you say so.”
“That being said, if it gives you peace of mind for me to continue protecting your pendant, I will do so.” Kitsuki tucked it back out of sight under his tunic. But the knowledge that it was there filled Maseo with a rare sense of happiness.
“Thanks, it means a lot.” Maseo’s heart overflowed with gratitude for the shifter monarch. “I appreciate you indulging my selfishness. I know it’s an odd request.”
“It is no trouble.”
Maseo bowed his head. “I’m still grateful. I hope you’re right about better things lying ahead for me. If anyone could use a reversal of terrible fortune, it’d be me.”