Page 49 of Real Scale Blazer
She moved deeper into the chamber, her scientific observations falling away into stunned silence as she took in the ethereal beauty around them. The crystals cast her in shades of blue light, making her dark hair shimmer like the night sky. The sight stole his breath.
“Kai?” She turned to face him, her expression shifting from wonder to concern at whatever she saw in his face. “What’s going on? Why did you really bring me here?”
This was the moment. He squared his shoulders, calling on centuries of royal bearing to steady his voice. “Because you need to know the truth about what’s happening to my kingdom. About why you’re really here.”
“What do you mean?” Her guard went up immediately, arms crossing over her chest. “I’m here because your kingdom is experiencing unprecedented seismic activity that could threaten its stability. That’s it.”
THIRTY-EIGHT
“If only it were that simple.” Kai moved closer, drawn to her despite her defensive posture. “The instability isn’t just geological, Quinn. It’s magical. More specifically, it’s tied to my ancestral magic—magic that’s been unraveling ever since my father died.”
She blinked, processing this. “Magic? You’re saying these earthquakes are caused by...magicmagic?”
“Yes. My magic flows through this land and helps maintain its balance. But that magic has grown unstable, and only...” He hesitated, knowing the next words could send her running. “Only my fated mate can help restore that balance.”
“Your... fated mate.” She took a step back, her analytical mind visibly wrestling with concepts that defied scientific explanation. “And you think that’s... me?”
“I know it is.” The words came out softer than he intended, heavy with certainty and need. “I felt it the moment you arrived. My magic recognized you, even if you couldn’t feel it.”
“That’s...” She shook her head sharply. “That’s insane. I’m a scientist, Kai. I deal in facts, in measurable data, not... not fairy tales about magical destiny.”
“You’ve seen the evidence yourself.” He gestured to her monitoring device. “Those energy readings you can’t explain? That’s my magic reaching out to you. The tremors increase when you’re near because the magic recognizes its other half but can’t fully connect while you resist it.”
“So now the earthquakes are my fault?” Her voice rose with indignation. “Because I’m not jumping at the chance to be your magical destiny?”
“No, that’s not—” He raked a hand through his hair in frustration. Why were words so difficult? He could command armies, negotiate treaties, but explaining this to her tied his tongue in knots. “The instability is my burden to bear. I’ve carried it alone for centuries, watching my kingdom slowly fall apart, powerless to stop it. Until you arrived.”
Something in his voice must have reached her because her expression softened slightly. “How long have you known?”
“That you were my fated mate? Since the moment we met. That’s why I’ve been so...” He trailed off, searching for the right word.
“Overprotective? Controlling? Frustratingly present whenever I try to work?” But there was a hint of humor in her tone now.
“All of the above.” He managed a small smile. “Though in my defense, you do have an alarming tendency to walk into danger.”
“I don’t walk into danger. I study it. There’s a difference.” But she was moving closer now, her scientific curiosity winning out over her skepticism. “So these crystals... they’re somehow connected to your magic?”
“Yes. They amplify and channel it through the land.” He reached out to touch the nearest crystal, and it flared with golden light. “Here, give me your hand.”
She hesitated only briefly before placing her smaller hand in his. The moment their skin touched, the crystals around themblazed brighter, their haunting melody growing stronger. Quinn gasped as the energy flowed between them, a tangible current that made her skin tingle.
“That’s... okay, that’s harder to explain away with science,” she admitted, staring at their joined hands.
“You don’t have to explain everything.” He stepped closer, drawn by the way the magical light played across her features. “Sometimes you have to trust what you feel.”
Her breath caught as she looked up at him, and for a moment, he thought she might finally let her guard down completely. The air between them crackled with more than just magic.
Then the ground began to shake.
The tremor started small but quickly intensified, sending shards of ice raining down from the ceiling. Quinn stumbled, and Kai pulled her against his chest instinctively. The crystals around them flashed in warning.
“We need to get out of here,” he growled, already calculating the fastest escape route. “Now.”
“Wait—my readings—” She tried to pull away to check her device, but he was already sweeping her into his arms.
“Your readings can wait until we’re not about to be crushed by falling ice.”
To his surprise, she didn’t argue, instead wrapping her arms around his neck as he sprinted for the exit. His dragon strength made her weight negligible, but the feeling of her pressed against him sent his protective instincts into overdrive. The cave entrance had never seemed so far away.