Page 110 of Consort of the Dragon King

Auslin’s blush was adorable. “Can I come back here sometime in the future?”

“You are always welcome here since the Divine Realm is part of your birthright. I will show you how to form a rift tomorrow so you may come and go between the realms as you please.”

“I could really do that?” Auslin asked in shock.

“It may take you some tries to get the hang of it, but it should be no problem for someone with your magical powers. There is also the added benefit that you can use them to travel within the Living Realm.”

Auslin’s eyes went wide in surprise. “Are you saying I could create a rift and go from the castle to the temple?”

“You could go to the base of Satsuma’s mountain in Arenvale with a single step through a rift,” Kizoshi answered. His shock was almost comical. “As long as you can imagine the area in crystal-clear detail, you can go. Unfortunately, if you have never been somewhere before, you can only create a rift to the closest known location.”

He leaned back in his chair as he marveled at the possibility. “That’s incredible!”

“The only other limitation is you can never summon a rift to visit the Beyond Realm,” Kizoshi continued. “It is an area even Powers cannot return from once they choose to go.”

Auslin’s lilac eyes were full of appreciation. “I truly cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for me, Kizoshi.”

“It is the least I can do, given how happy you make Kitsuki. There is nothing I would not do for my clan.”

“I appreciate it more than I’ll ever be able to express,” Auslin insisted.

Kizoshi didn’t take his gratitude for granted. She could only hope he’d forgive her for the events that would soon unfold.

Chapter 53

Kitsuki

While Auslin spent time in the Divine Realm, Kitsuki grew more anxious. Kizoshi would never allow anything bad to happen to his mate, but Kitsuki couldn’t stand the thought of Auslin being somewhere he couldn’t go. It was a small comfort to still feel his connection to Auslin through their mating bond, but his uneasiness refused to go away until Auslin stood in front of him once more.

The only good thing about Auslin’s absence was it freed Kitsuki to do something his mate would not approve of if he knew. But it had to be done.

Kitsuki entered his dungeon. He took great pleasure in seeing Kio trapped in his cell. Kio looked downright sullen and miserable, but as soon as he caught a whiff of Kitsuki, his anger roared to life. “You complete and utter bastard!” Kio spat as he angrily got to his feet with a growl. “How dare you steal Auslin from me by mating him!”

“As Auslin is my mate now, you have absolutely no claim on him,” Kitsuki pointed out with a smug look that made Kio rage. “But I would not expect a degenerate like you to understand.”

“Do you really think that’s going to stop me from getting Auslin back?” Kio snarled.

Kitsuki gestured at the bars between them. “How exactly do you plan on doing anything from inside this dungeon cell?”

“You can’t keep me down here forever, asshole!” Kio tightened his hands into fists around the metal bars trapping him inside a cage.

“True, I could kill you at any time,” Kitsuki conceded. His dragon burned with the desire to put Kio out of his misery once and for all. But Auslin’s wishes stayed his hand.

“Bullshit. You wouldn’t dare kill me because you don’t want to make Auslin sad,” Kio retorted in a mocking tone. “You may have claimed Auslin as a mate, but he still loves me!”

Kitsuki’s dragon rattled in his cage, demanding to be let out to prove the mongrel wrong. The shifter king settled for crossing his arms over his chest. “You mistake his pity for affection.”

“Ha, whatever you have to tell yourself to get through the night,” Kio retorted. “Auslin will beg me to take him back. You’ll see.”

“It is only Auslin’s goodness that is keeping you alive. You would do well to remember that.” Kitsuki’s dragon took over. His silver eyes turned bright with bloodlust in the darkness of the dungeon. “That will only stay our hand so long before we tire of your insolence and put an end to your miserable existence once and for all.”

“You act so high-and-mighty, but you’re no different from me. You say you love Auslin in one breath, but you can’t stay away from Maseo, either.”

“Whatever interest I may have in Maseo is none of your concern,” Kitsuki icily reminded him. “Unlike you, I do not stray from my mate’s side.”

“Then why are you wearing Maseo’s pendant?” Kio gestured at it. “Because that fucker wasreallyparticular about never taking it off because his dead mommy gave it to him.” Kio’s casual cruelty rankled Kitsuki.

Kitsuki drew himself up to his full height. “You lost the right to worry about Maseo when you cast him aside as if he did not matter.”

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