He swallowed. “It’s about Jem. And some other friends from Caldiri.”
Hearing my best friend’s name amplified my anxiety. “Tell me,” I hissed.
Jasper sucked in a breath and released it slowly. “Qwell told me that Jem joined the rebellion.”
31
“Is something wrong, Lissa?”
I sat in the captain’s quarters, staring blankly at the open book on the table. I looked up when I heard Brion’s question.
I blinked to clear my blurry vision. “What?”
Brion stood up from behind the desk, abandoning his army reports. He walked across the modest space and knelt, so he could gaze into my eyes. “Are you all right?” he said. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
More like I’ve been picturing the future corpses of my brother and best friend.
“It’s nothing.” I tried to sound convincing, but I knew I failed. “I’m fine.”
Brion picked up the hand closest to him and began to kiss each of my fingers. “I know you’re lying.”
I watched his lips move against my digits. “How?” I blurted.
The corner of his lip lifted. With his free hand, he tapped his temple. “I can hear you in here.”
I frowned. “What?”
He spoke softly in an attempt to not frighten me. “Sometimes, when your emotions are high or you’re upset, I can hear your thoughts.”
The clock on the captain’s desk clicked with the passing seconds. I stared at Brion, mouth agape, unable to believe what he’d just said.
I watched his dark eyes, looking for any signs of a joke. There wasn’t one. “You’re serious.”
“I am,” he answered. “Don’t you remember me speaking to you before we flew to Villam?”
I gaped like a fish out of water. “I-I thought I’d imagined that.” I’d been physically exhausted from traveling all night, as well as mentally fatigued, when the prince had taken me into his beast’s talons for the flight to Villam.
“You didn’t imagine it,” said Brion. “It is another side effect of our bond.”
I leaned back, forcing him to release my hand. Brion moved to sit in the chair across from me.
“When were you going to tell me this?” I felt like my privacy had been violated.
“Whenever the subject was brought up,” he responded calmly. “Like right now.”
I resisted the urge to yell at him for his nonchalant attitude. I’d learned my heightened reactions were a result of my emerging draekon traits, so I needed to keep my composure.
“You should have told me sooner.”
Brion watched me, searching my expression. “You’re right. I apologize.”
I could only stare at him, baffled he’d backed down so easily. Where was the dominating draekon from my early days of recruitment? When had he become so agreeable?
“I’ve always been agreeable,” Brion answered my unspoken question. “You were just too scared of draekon to see it.”
I shook my head. Brion knew he’d been distant and borderline rude. “Don’t do that,” I told him, unnerved by the demonstration that proved he could actually read my mind. “It’s too strange.”
“I’m sorry,” he apologized again. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to his new behavior. “Will you tell me what is bothering you? And before you say nothing, please remember I know that’s not true.”
I clamped my mouth shut, eyeing him suspiciously. “Couldn’t you tell what I was thinking?” If he really could hear my thoughts, he would already know my troubles were about my loved ones.
“Believe it or not, I don’t try to read your mind all the time,” he replied. “I could only sense you were upset. Reading your most recent thoughts, though, that was on purpose.”
I digested the information and watched Brion, admitting I believed him. He was attempting to be semi-honorable about his mind-reading advantage.
I sighed, my shoulders slumping. “Jasper told me my best friend has joined the rebellion.”
Brion’s expression dimmed. “And you are worried about him?”
“Him. Lin. Lorie… I’m worried about them all.” I leaned forward to rest my elbows on the table. I rubbed my eyes, trying to dispel the gathering moisture. I refused to acknowledge I also worried about the parents I barely remembered. They didn’t deserve my concern after abandoning me in Caldiri, but I couldn’t deny a part of me still worried for their safety. They led a dangerous organization, and the king was determined to exterminate them.
“What can I do?”
I met Brion’s gaze and crossed my arms on the table. “I don’t think there is anything you can do. They’ve made their choice.”
Brion’s eyes were forlorn. “Do not give up on them. None of us knows the future. For all we know, the rebellion might defeat my father.”
A swift jolt of pain coursed through me. I didn’t want to consider what would happen to the draekon in front of me if the rebellion won. I doubted the rebels would willingly let the royal prince go free.
A soft smile played on Brion’s lips. I knew he’d unintentionally heard my thought, but I didn’t mind so much this time. I wanted him to know I worried about his safety. My concern didn’t apply only to my family and friends.
“This is strange,” I murmured, mesmerized by the bow in his strong lips. Ever since our kiss in Villam, the pull I felt for the prince had been growing. I’d succeeded in ignoring the feeling for the longest time, but it seemed impossible to maintain the distance any longer.
“The good kind of strange, I hope.”
His words lifted my lips into a smile. “Yes,” I agreed. “The good kind of strange.”
Brion reached out and covered my hand with his. “I regret I didn’t tell you about this sooner,” he confessed, surprising me.
I knew he spoke of our connection. “You had your reasons.” I referenced his fear of the king’s reaction.
“Yes, but I regret the time lost when we could’ve been experiencing this.” He gestured between us. “I’ve never felt so happy.”
My smile grew. His admission delighted me.
Brion sucked in a breath. His eyes glazed over as he took in my expression.
As I watched him, my happiness twisted and molded into desire. His did the same.
I rose from the chair, walking around the table to his side.
“Lissa,” he exhaled my name. He sat, staring up at me like I was the very air he needed to breathe.
My chest tightened and my stomach fluttered. Feeling bold despite my inexperience, I leaned down and pressed my lips against the edge of his mouth. I heard his sharp intake of breath, and the reaction encouraged me.
Relying on my newly developed strength, I pulled my mouth away and pushed back Brion’s chair. I straddled him, and I almost laughed when I saw his eyes widen.
I wrapped my hands around his neck and played with the hair there, but I didn’t lean in for another kiss.
Brion and I stared at one another, each caught up in the moment and our thoughts.
I surprised him by asking, “Will I ever be able to read your mind?” Based on his expression, I very much wanted to know what he was thinking.
“I believe so.”
I licked my lips. “When?”
“I don’t know.”
I pouted. “I want to know now.” I didn’t seem fair he had the advantage and I didn’t.
“You could just ask me what I’m thinking.”
I contemplated the offer. “Will you promise to be honest?”
“Always.”
I continued to run my fingers along his neck. “Okay. What are you thinking?”
“Many things,” he replied. “The main one, however, is how I wish my birth prophecy didn’t exist.”
I stilled and waited for him to explain.
Brion breathed a heavy sigh, then placed his hands on my waist to ground himself. “I want the chance to be with you, without hiding. My prophecy makes that impossible.”
I considered my options. I could either drop the subject or ask him to explain more.
I opted for the latter. I was tired of being silent when I wanted answers. “I know you didn’t want to talk about it in Villam, but what, exactly, does your prophecy say? How are you the doom of the kingdom?”
Brion never looked away from me. His hand reached up and curled a piece of my hair around his finger. He recited the translated version of his prophecy:
“An eldest son,
A prince of his people,
Disarm the cursed nation,
The days of old shall end,
The ruler shall die,
Killed by the eldest son’s own hand.”
32
I stared into Brion’s eyes, determined not to look away. It took so much for him to reveal the birth prophecy to me. I could see the uncertainty in his gaze. He worried about my reaction, thinking I would fear him.
But those days were long gone.
“You are destined to kill your father?” I asked, careful to not emphasize any word or reveal any judgement. I just wanted to make sure I understood the prophecy.
Brion licked his lips. “That’s the interpretation, yes.”
It was easy to understand why King Roderick hated his eldest son. Fear of the prophecy didn’t make it right, but fear was known to make people do deplorable things.
“How do you know the prophecy is actually about you?” I asked, still ignorant of many things regarding draekon, especially their ancient traditions and practices.
“The prophecy was spoken after my father’s birth, but before mine,” Brion revealed. “I am the only eldest prince in existence.”
I didn’t want to discredit what he was saying. Again, I knew it wasn’t an easy subject to discuss. But I couldn’t help but think the prophecy was too vague. I wouldn’t just assume it was about the current, living prince. Then again, I wasn’t draekon.
Well, not full draekon.
The truth of my heritage was something I didn’t know how to handle. I’d spent my entire life thinking of the draekon as heartless monsters, only to realize I’d been wrong. Now, I shared blood with the creatures. I wasn’t sure what my bloodline would mean for me, and I’d admit I purposefully avoided facing the issue head-on.
I forced my thoughts back to the situation at hand, effectively continuing my avoidant behavior.
Perhaps only the Draekon who’d been alive for a long time, and learned of the past, would know how to properly interpret Brion’s prophecy.
But for Brion’s sake, I hoped they were wrong.
“Didn’t you say you wanted your father to die?” I asked. I had the thought that the king, with his cruel behavior towards his son and his people, might be fulfilling the realization of the dreaded prophecy.
Brion dipped his head, ashamed. “I did say that.”
“But you didn’t mean it?” After all, Brion had been drunk during that conversation in Villam.
“Yes. No. I don’t know. He’s my father.” Conflicted, he closed his eyes. “Despite everything he’s done, I can’t help but love him.”
I cupped his jaw. “Of course, you do,” I whispered. I wanted to soothe him and take away his pain. I understood how it felt to despise your parents for the wrongs they committed, but still feel a familial connection to them.
Brion leaned into my palm and kissed my wrist. He opened his eyes. “If my prophecy is true, and it is fulfilled, there will be civil war.”
“How do you know?”
“Finn is my brother. I love him greatly, but if I am somehow responsible for our father’s death, I do not doubt Finn will rise up against me. He’s always wanted our father’s affection. Finn is devoted to him. He would want to avenge him.”
I tried to school my features. I didn’t want Brion to see the fear his words caused, and I hoped he wasn’t violating my privacy again by reading my mind.
Brion seemed to have the army’s allegiance, but would that change if Finn rose up and claimed his brother had killed their father? What would happen to innocent humans if the draekon princes decided to battle one another?
Brion continued gazing at me, watching me for my reaction. “Your father is wrong to believe the prophecy,” I asserted my opinion. “If King Roderick should die, I have no doubt it will be of his own doing. You are not an evil son. You will not be responsible.”
Brion’s lips had parted during my speech. When I finished, he wrapped his fingers around my neck and crashed his lips against mine.
His kiss was hard and desperate. It made me want to weep.
How many people had assumed the worst fate for the prince?
How many had followed the king’s lead and identified him as nothing more than a usurping son?
Brion’s draekon subordinates might show him deference as their prince, but I wondered if any of them had truly given the male the benefit of the doubt.
I cupped Brion’s face in my hands and angled my head to deepen the kiss. The stubble from his beard tickled my fingers and lips. Brion groaned, using his free arm to wrap around my waist and draw me closer. My chest pressed against his, causing a myriad of intense sensations.
I adjusted my seat, trying to completely close any space between us. I felt something brush against my leg and I gasped.
Brion stilled. He leaned back, breaking our kiss.
I whimpered, disappointed the moment was over. I leaned forward to kiss him again, but Brion swiveled his head away from me. “No, Lissa. Wait.”
My whimper turned into a growl. “I don’t want to wait.”
Brion shut his eyes and hissed through his teeth. When he opened them again, he was composed. “This is your draekon taking over,” he told me. “You need to control her.” He spoke as if the beast and I were different beings.
I moved my hips, trying to tease Brion back into action.
His eyes flashed with desire, but he placed two, strong hands on my waist to still me. “Lissa. Not right now.”
“But why not?” I moaned. I didn’t understand why Brion was fighting me. I’d never felt so alive, and I wanted to pursue the feelings I had for him. I’d grown up taking care of everyone around me. I put my desires second to my siblings and friends. I’d seen my neighbors and friends experience their fullest life—or as full as you could get in Caldiri.
I’d seen young men and women pursue relationships and develop affection. Now, it was my turn. I was ready to jump head first into this thing. I was ready to experience love.
I froze. Love?
Did I really think I was in love with Brion?
No, what I felt for the prince was strong and undeniable, but it couldn’t be love. We’d only admitted our feelings for one another a couple of days ago. I needed to take a step back. Perhaps my inner draekon really was controlling my emotions more than I’d realized.
I didn’t get off of Brion’s lap, but I did sit back to put some space between our bodies.
Brion’s eyes flickered over my face. “You have draekon eyes right now,” he murmured.
“What?” Without waiting for a reply, I scrambled off his lap and rushed towards the small mirror hanging over the washbasin. I gasped when I saw my reflection.
My face looked normal, but my eyes had morphed into an eerie, elliptical shape. My black pupil was a slit, and a familiar blue color covered most of my eyeball, leaving only a thin, white edge along the sides. I tried not to panic.
Brion appeared behind my shoulder. “The same thing happened in the forest,” he said.
I watched him through the mirror, remembering how he’d stared at me oddly after the rebels attacked our team.
“Why didn’t you tell me then?” That would’ve been a perfect time to reveal my half-draekon heritage. I hated to think what might’ve happened if my eyes had shifted in the presence of anyone else. Or, even worse, when I’d been Lord Meck’s guest.
“I was caught off guard. I hadn’t expected you to be so close to shifting. I hadn’t seen any evidence you were i
n the middle of the transformation.”
It wasn’t an apology, but I wasn’t sure what I would’ve done if I’d been in Brion’s shoes. I didn’t think I would have reacted well to being told I was half-draekon at that moment, anyway.
Looking away from him, I continued to observe my unusual eyes—evidence that revealed I really was half-draekon. “Why are they blue?” I asked him. I’d only seen draekon have black eyes with hints of blue, green, red, and purple. But the only color in mine was blue.
“Another dominant Avelin trait, I suppose.”
“Hmm.” I lifted a finger and touched the corner of my eye. “Nothing feels different. And my vision is the same.”
“In here, perhaps. But I bet you would have enhanced night vision with your shifted eyes.”
I thought of when I’d run through the forest after Qwell tried to abduct me. Brion was right. I’d been able to see better. Now, I knew it was because I’d had draekon eyes.
“Will things ever be normal again?” I asked aloud, speaking to myself more than Brion.
“It will be a new normal,” Brion said. “But yes. I believe things will become normal for you with time.”
I turned my back to the mirror, done looking at my strange eyes. I stared up at Brion. “I hope Lorie is with our parents,” I revealed. “If she’s going to go through these changes, I hope she has someone to help her understand what is happening.”
Brion’s knuckles brushed against my hand as he stepped closer. “I’m sure she will be looked after,” he said, soothing my worry. “And if you want, we can try to find her.”
I blinked, unsure I heard him correctly. “What?”
“I know you worry about your sister. I watched you look out for her in the castle for months. If you wish, my soldiers can try to find Lorie’s whereabouts. Once we do, it will be up to you whether or not you want to reach out to her.”
Hope blossomed in my chest. “Do you really think you can find her?”
He nodded. “I already have several leads on where your parents’ headquarters are located. I image she is there with them.”
I didn’t stop to question whether or not it would be safe for us to try to infiltrate the rebel location to reach my sister. Just knowing Brion would be willing to help me find Lorie filled me with such happiness and affection.
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