Page 79 of Blood of Dragons

You’re assuming.

“She fucked me over, Khazmuda. I know you like her, but read the writing on the wall.”

I can’t read the writing on the wall because so much is concealed from us. We don’t know what her predicament is with these people. She may not even know where the dragons are. She never told you that she did.

“Because she didn’t tell me anything.”

Just because she can’t tell you this doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to. Whomever she’s with has a lot more power than she does, if they’re the keepers of the dragons. She was probably only granted entry into their society because of her father’s ties. They probably don’t even trust her.

“It would be wise not to.”

She said she’s let go of her revenge, so she holds no animosity toward you?—

“She said she never wants to see me again, like I meant nothing to her.” It hurt me more than I wanted to admit. It hurt me to see some muscular, handsome man in her home, staring at her with the same intensity that I stared at her, my fucking replacement. She betrayed me, and then she abandoned me. Perhaps it was what I deserved, but I still felt like a fool.

You cared for her more than I realized.

I gave a slight shake of my head. “I don’t care for her anymore.”

Talon—

“We’ll examine the map and figure out where to begin our search. Remember when we found Inferno and the entrance to the cave was on top of the mountain and not the side like we assumed? We need to think that way once again as we examine the lands we’ve already searched. They’re here somewhere—hidden from our sight. And I wish never to speak of her again. She’s dead to me.”

Talon—

“I said, she’s dead to me.”

I progressed down the hallway and passed the guards who protected this section of the castle. They remained at attention and didn’t look at me as I passed. They were too busy enjoying the whores to service me, but that was about to change.

One of my servants spotted me on my way to my chambers. “Sir, I wasn’t sure if you would be home for dinner?—”

“Well, I am.”

“Then I’ll have the chef prepare it immediately.”

I didn’t care about food right now. “Send Nadia to my chambers. Dinner can wait.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” He bowed and scurried off.

I entered my chambers, the fire in the hearth already going, stripped down to nothing, and got into the shower. The water was warm and soothing on the skin, and even though I was clean, I stood there longer than necessary, thinking about the last conversation I’d had with Calista.

She wore a dark green dress, like wherever she resided was a lot warmer than it was here. Her eyes were nearly the same color, illuminated like emeralds hidden deep in the earth. Her beautiful hair was done differently, with a white flower tucked behind her ear. Her eyes held such emotion…but also defeat.

It was hard to think of her without getting angry, so I chose to forget her.

My thoughts cleared once I made the decision, and I stared at the tile in the shower, my mind empty for the first time in days. The water continued to fall, and I was reminded of the warm ocean from the Southern Isles, swimming in it at the height of summer at midnight when it was still warm.

I stood there a while longer before I turned off the water and dried myself with the towel. When I returned to my bedchambers, Nadia was on my bed, naked and ready to go, her eyes enthusiastic because she’d been selected over the others. Every one of my whores hoped to become my wife, to birth my children, to be promoted from concubine to queen.

That was a hopeless dream.

I approached the bed naked, seeing her beautiful skin in the light of the flames, the curves of her waist and the perkiness of her tits.

She raised herself to her hands and knees and crawled to me, flipping her hair back when she sat back on her ankles. Her palms went to my chest, and she felt me, felt the muscles under the skin, traced the line that bisected my strength. “How may I please you, m’lord?”

I wanted her ass in the air and her face pinned to the mattress, but the desire left me as soon as I had the thought. I’d nevertaken Calista that way. It was always face-to-face, me on top of her or her on top of me. Not once had I thought about taking her in that way, in the least intimate way possible.

And then she was all I could see.