Ethan raised an eyebrow. “To your bedroom?” He glanced at her parents and saw how her mother smirked while her father became stiff and gave him a warning glare. Mixed reactions, but Ethan couldn't help but wonder just how much they knew about what had happened. Had Maya talked to them and told them everything from the island? They had to know something.
“Relax,” Maya said, and touched his hand and walked with him toward the stairs. He felt the surge of magic move out of him, and he scowled. But he didn't let go. It would have been selfish of him to pull away from her. Maya needed his magic to feel better, to live. He just hated how she manipulated him to get something from him. She could have just told him that's what she wanted.
Together they walked up the stairs, and neither of them said a word. They stopped outside of her door, and she smiled up at him.
“It's a shame you have to go so soon. I finally get you all to myself. No one else is vying for your attention,” she said.
He smiled weakly at her. “Didn't realize I was so popular. But my parents are expecting me, and I have to talk with them about a number of things. Better to get it done sooner rather than later. Right?”
“I guess. What do you need to talk about? I mean, is it important?”
“Very.”
Her smile widened. “Oh, I'm so excited. I told my mom about us, and she was so thrilled. So you're going to tell them too? Do you think they'll be okay with it? I know you said your dad is kind of picky, but we've been friends for so long and our parents are friends too, right?” Clearly caught up in a moment he wasn't sharing with her, she leaned up to kiss him. He pulled away.
“It might come up,” he mumbled, and averted his gaze from hers. How am I going to tell her this? It might crush her, kill her even. But if Tyson is interested in her, he'll be able to help her through it, right? Ethan collected himself for a moment and then continued. “Maya, we aren't going to be happening. I've been thinking about it, and what you've proposed to me isn't the way I want to enter into a romantic relationship.”
“We don't have to do it like I suggested,” she said quietly. “It was an idea to get your parents off your back and to make things better for both of us. I care about you, a lot. I love you.”
The L word? Oh gosh… Ethan swallowed. “I don't love you the way I'm thinking you love me. Maybe there would be another way to go about it, but it's not something I'm interested in either.”
“So what exactly are you interested in? Being a heartless monk and living alone?”
Ethan rolled his eyes. “No, I'm not interested in living alone. That's the last thing I want.”
“Apparently not, if you'd rather do that than be with me!”
“I'm sorry, but I thought about it, a lot, and I just… can't.” He faced away from her, debating just telling her it was because of Dani. It didn't feel like his place to say anything to Maya about it though, especially since she might tell her parents. Dani and Tyson still needed to talk to Lord Bolton about it. Ethan mentioning it to his father was a lot different than Maya gossiping about it with her family. His father understood the importance of political timing. Besides, Tyson would no doubt want to come in and sweep her off her feet.
She shook her head, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Enjoy your lonely, miserable life then. You're selfish, and I don't need you.”
“Right, I'm the selfish one.” He turned on his heel and walked away, not once looking back at her.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Tyson and Dani went with her father to meet with Lord Bolton. Ideally, Tyson would have liked to have his father there too, but he also understood that his dad was kind of a pushover. The man didn't like conflict, and he didn't know how to deal with politics well. Something Dani's father was an expert in, and he also knew how to hold his own in a debate. Tyson had seen it in action at home, even if the man had been banished from ever taking part in dragon government.
Lord Bolton greeted them at the door and pointed for them to sit in the chairs in front of his desk. “I'm surprised. I didn't realize this would be an entire family event.”
“It's not, just a partial one. If the whole family was coming, I'd get my father and brother here,” Matthias said with a rather smug grin.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Lord Bolton said through clenched teeth.
Dani grabbed Tyson's hand and her father's and squeezed them hard. “We're not getting married. It's not going to work. There's no attraction, it's just too much to handle.”
“Too bad,” Lord Bolton said after a moment of silence had passed.
“No, not too bad,” Dani said as tears welled up in her eyes. “We tried to do it, but neither of us wants it. Why are you insisting on torturing us instead of listening? This doesn't even have to happen. Everyone would be fine with it being canceled. Don't you care at all about what this wedding is doing to us?”
Lord Bolton's eyes narrowed, and Tyson shifted in his seat. His heart pounded in his chest. He'd just made the ruler of his country angry. Maybe that meant nothing to Dani and her father, but it scared the snot out of Tyson.
For a moment, all Lord Bolton did was glare. “You have a lot of nerve. From the beginning, this relationship was something everyone knew would happen. A lot of slack was cut for you two as you grew up, and frankly, I think it was too much. If you'd been wed when you were younger, you wouldn't have had the time to doubt. And you, Matthias, should know better than to cause ripples in the order of things. I don't think the Oceina Lord will look too fondly on you getting involved in this matter of our nations.”
Dani's father leaned forward, his hands gripping the armrests of the chair firmly. “This is a matter of my family. She's my daughter, and he's like a son to me. Yeah, maybe it was good in theory, but why are you so determined to make this happen anyway?”
“I think you know the answer to that.”
“Oh, so this is all a glory thing to have your people be a part of the Great Dragon. Rather selfish approach to it, don't you think? Pretty sure that's not how something so holy and precious should be brought about.”
“Daddy?” Dani asked. “What are you talking about?”
Matthias shook his head. “My… the man who raised me once said that the Great Dragon would come from our people. He also said the Great Dragon would be of pure dragon blood; no humans would be involved in his conception. That's how he knew you would be a girl, and why you're the miracle. And the Great Dragon is—”
“The great peace-bringer who will defeat the Great Evil once and for all,” Tyson whispered. And he couldn't believe he had missed the connection the whole time. The Great Dragon was a story every dragon learned about. Some were more diligent in their study of the Holy Book than others, but every dragon at least knew about the Great Dragon. Tyson hadn't been taught much by his father, but he loved to read and had stumbled across a prophecy once stating the dragon's blood purity.
“So you can see why this wedding is important,” Lord Bolton said. “Not just for our people, but for the world. Imagine how great our redemption will be when the Great Dragon comes from the Terran people.”
Matthias rolled his eyes. “Yeah, it's all about saving face. One of your leaders screwed up, and now you're trying to make up for it by forcing two kids to do something they don't want to. All because you want to be in on a bloodline that might not even be yours to claim.”
“Not just any leader. Lord Kingsley was my father,” Bolton explained.
“Oh, I see.”
“Would you not do the same if you had the chance? For the man who raised you and caused all of this terrible mess? A man who started a war and tried to commit genocide in the name of God?”
For a moment, Matthias tensed up. “I've come to accept his actions for what they were, just as I have my own role in the war. There were good things about him and bad. Nothing I do will ever make up for them. You can't change the past, and you can't make them say 'I do'.”
“Watch me,” Bolton said darkly. “If Tyson isn't up for the c
hallenge, then I'm sure I can find another Terran dragon who'd be more than happy to.”
Red fire flared up around Matthias's fists. “She's not yours to give away!”
“Are you threatening me? We may be in your home nation, but you are inside of a Terran embassy, and that is the same as being on Terran land. I could have you arrested or executed for this.”
“You say that like I care,” her father seethed. “I'm promising. If you hurt her in any way, I'll set you ablaze. And I don't care what the consequences are.”
Dani put a shaking hand on her father's arm. “We should go. There's nothing more to say.”
Also shaking, Tyson stood from his chair. He put an arm around Dani, and the two watched the Great Terran Lord have a stare-down with her father. After a long minute passed, her father stood as well, and his fists were no longer engulfed in flames. The three walked out of the office.
“You're letting him win,” Matthias muttered.
She shook her head. “You were right. He can't make us say or do anything. And we won't. Especially if we're already claimed by someone else.”
Tyson raised an eyebrow. “What are you suggesting?”
“If it's what I think it is…” Her father glanced at her sideways and then shook his head. He held the door for them as they walked out of the Terran embassy on Shanrea Island. “I'm not sure how I feel. But if you can get him to agree, I'm sure we can find a way to make it happen.”
“What are you talking about?” Tyson asked. “Get who to agree to what?”
“Ethan,” Dani said in a soft voice. “If he'll marry me instead…”
And I could ask Maya. “I see now. The theory being, if we're already with someone else, then we can't be with each other. But do you think he would?”
“I don't know. He wanted time to process everything, to think about his feelings, and I wanted to give it to him. Rushing into such an eternal covenant isn't something he'll be happy about. I'm out of other ideas. You heard Bolton, he said he would find someone else if you don't, and…” She shivered.
“You know I wouldn't let it come to that, Dani. If it boils down to it, we'll get married like planned, and I'll keep you safe,” Tyson vowed. “It might take time, but I'm sure we'd find a way to get some kind of attraction going.”
“Thank you. Right now I'm determined to not let Bolton get his way.”
With a heavy sigh, her father put his hands in his pockets. “Keep me posted on what he says. I can find someone to perform the ceremony. It has to be done by an approved official of some kind or it won't hold any ground. An authority which is no longer mine, or else I would do it.”
Dani looked up at her father, and a tear rolled down her cheek. “You'd do that? You're going to help?”
“I love you. It's not what I would prefer, but you're backed into a corner. I care for you both, and your overall happiness is something I want more than anything. So long as you both agree that this is what you want to do.” He glanced at Tyson.
He nodded. “My only regret is that I couldn't be what you needed.”
She laughed. “Please, you're still my best friend, and you are more than enough. Do we need to kiss again, so you can be reassured that this is the right thing?”
He shook his head quickly, not wanting to relive that awkward moment all over again. The idea of kissing her romantically made his mouth go dry and his nose crinkle. “No, just that whole scared thing we talked about? Still feeling it.”
“I am too.” She gave his hand a squeeze, and he liked it. He could feel her need for his strength, and it made the definition of his role in her life solid. Tyson would always love her. She was indeed his sister.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Wait, wait, wait, what do you mean, he threatened you?” Ethan asked. He was on the phone with Dani, and she had attempted to fill him in on her meeting with the Terran Lord. The problem was, she was so upset he could hardly make out what she said. He sighed. “Slow down, okay? Take a deep breath.”
She hiccupped. “I'm sorry. I've been trying to hold myself together for the past couple of hours, and I can't anymore. Tyson is petrified, my Dad threatened to kill Lord Bolton, and the Terran Lord threatened to force me into a relationship with some random dude if Tyson doesn't go through with this. He's trying to trap us, and it's basically working.”
“Then I guess we'll just have to get married before he has the chance to do anything else,” Ethan said.
“I was going to ask, but I didn't think—”
“Being away from you is always hard. I'm pretty sure if I need you like air, it means I love you, right?”
“You don't think it's rushing?”
He bit his lip as he thought over just what he wanted to say to her. So much of what he felt was still buried deep inside of him. Things he hadn't even realized until he was able to be alone and actually entertain the thoughts for a change instead of squashing them.
“How long have we known each other?” he asked.
“Our whole lives.”
“So how is it rushing if we've been waiting eighteen years?”
“I don't know. Yesterday you were so unsure.”
“I was shocked,” he said. “It wasn't what I'd expected you to say.”
She was quiet for a moment. “You really want to marry me?”
“I love you, you love me, and if I don't do it now, I might not ever get the chance. For so long I was jealous of you and Tyson, because he got to be with you and have his wife be his best friend. How can I pass up something I've wanted for so long? Every time I went searching for my future bride, I always compared them to you. Does that answer your question?”
“Yes, so—”
“I'll leave again tonight to go back to Shanrea. If I can't get a ride, it might take longer than normal, but I will be there soon. I'd fly myself, but I'm feeling a little weak. It would probably be best if I don't overexert myself if I don't need to.”
“Tyson can fly. He could get you,” she offered.
Ethan shook his head even if she couldn't see it. “I don't want him flying to the city. Maybe we can meet halfway or something along those lines. I'll talk to him after I'm done talking to you and my parents. As soon as I got back, they went out. They said they would be home right about now. I at least want them to know.”
“Right, of course. Daddy is arranging something. Maybe they'll want to come too?”
“Maybe!” He hoped so. It was a moment he'd love to share with his family. Outside of his bedroom he could hear doors opening and closing, the footsteps and voices of both his parents and younger brothers coming closer to his room. “Okay, they're back. I'll call you after I'm done figuring things out with Tyson. And I'll see you again soon. I, um, I love you.”
“I love you too.” He could imagine her smile as she said those four words, and it was beautiful.
He hung up the phone right as his father knocked on the door. A few seconds passed, and then it opened. Both of his parents were there. His mother walked over and hugged him.
“There, now I've welcomed you back the right way,” she said and kissed his forehead. “It sounds like you had a good trip.” She winked.
How much of the conversation did they hear?
“It was fun,” he said, trying to stay nonchalant.
“Mmm-hmm, so spill! Because you said you wanted to talk about wedding stuff, and this sounds pretty serious.”
Ethan glanced at his dad and fidgeted with his hands. “It is, and it's complicated. You see Dani, she, we… we love each other and…”
“She's engaged,” Darien said flatly.
“Not anymore. They broke it off.”
Tai gasped. “What happened?”
“They're just not into each other,” Ethan explained. “Not like that. They both want to see other people, and she wants to see me. But…”
“But?” Her grip on him tightened, and she was obviously engrossed in the story.
“Lord Bolton said if they don't get marrie
d he'd force her to be with another Terran anyway, and it's, well, like I said, complicated.” Again Ethan glanced at his father, trying to get a read on the man. He desperately wanted the man's help, needed it.
The Great Dragon Lord of the Water shook his head. “It's better if you don't get involved with her. That whole situation is complicated. Lord Bolton has his reasons for pushing the match. Both of their nations do.”
“But Dani and Tyson don't want to! So why should they have to?”
“Sometimes we don't get what we want, but that doesn't mean it's wrong to not have it,” Darien stated.
Ethan shook his head. “So you're not going to help? You expect me to watch my friends suffer? I love her, a lot. She's it. You told me I could marry whoever I wanted to, and I want to marry her.”
“She's the one exception to that. You're not allowed.”
“Her dad is helping. Why can't you?”
Darien rolled his eyes. “He would help. Fine, let me put it to you like this: I don't like her, so that's another reason I don't want you to.”
“Honey, don't lie,” Tai said, and glared at her husband. “You love her just as much as I do.”
“Not enough to let her marry one of my sons! She's not worthy of you, Ethan. You deserve better.”
“Better than my best friend? Than the daughter of Mom's best friend? Are you kidding me?” Ethan snapped. “What is your problem?”
“My problem is, she's her father's daughter, and as much as I like her, her mother, and her uncle, she still is related to someone I hate. We emulate our parents whether we want to or not, both of them. So while you can be friends with her, marrying her, mating with her, it's like… it's like… it's just wrong!” his father protested.
Ethan's mother rolled her eyes and got up to leave. “You're on your own with this one, sweetie.”
“You don't get it,” he called after her. He folded his arms in front of him after the door shut and stared down at Ethan. “Neither of you do.”
Ethan shook his head and made his way to his closet, where he'd put his bag of clothes from the trip. He picked it up again and slung it over his shoulder. “I get that you still have a beef against her dad because of something that happened a million years ago.”
Legend of the Forbidden Page 9