Page 28 of Consort of the Dragon King

Kitsuki’s expression was aghast. “There never has been and never will be anyone else for me other than you, Auslin. You must understand that by now.”

“Your position as king demands heirs,” Auslin pointed out. The thought of it dredged up old fears he had first faced when arriving in the past and falling for Kitaro. “It was one thing when you were the third son no one expected to rule. It is a totally different thing when you are the king of Valzerna.”

“I have pledged my life to you and you alone,” Kitsuki insisted. He gently forced Auslin to look at him to stress the seriousness of his assertion. “You need not fear anyone usurping your place. I am not my foolish half brother.”

“I know I have your heart,” Auslin told him, but there was a heavy air around him as he continued. “But it’s an undeniable fact: you must have heirs to continue your reign successfully. That means you have to take a mistress at some point.”

Kitsuki firmly refused. “I willnevertake a mistress or a secondary lover of any kind.”

“But for the sake of your kingdom’s future, you have no choice,” Auslin insisted. “An heir is the sole thing I can’t provide for you. I understand it’s a necessary evil, but?—”

“Please, stop.” Kitsuki seemed distressed at the implications. “That will never happen, Auslin. You must believe me. There is no one I want besides you.”

“It’s something I tried to come to terms with in the past, but now that you’re actually the king, you have no choice?—”

Kitsuki interrupted Auslin by taking his face in both of his hands. He looked Auslin in his tearful eyes. “Auslin, I will never have another for any reason. I have already announced Tyrian as my heir. You are worrying yourself needlessly over something that will never happen.”

“You’re allowed to do that?” Auslin asked with a sniffle as he continued holding back his tears. “Isn’t that against the rules or something?”

“I’m the most powerful king in Talwyn. I can do anything I damn well please,” Kitsuki told him with conviction. “And the only thing that pleases me is being with you and you alone. I would step down from my throne before I took a mistress.”

“But I’m human,” Auslin continued arguing, uncertain why he was trying to throw up so many roadblocks between himselfand his own happiness. “That’s sure to bring shame upon your lands.”

“Even if that were true, I care not about such things.” Kitsuki stroked one of Auslin’s cheeks with his thumb. “My only concern is keeping you at my side as my bondmate.”

While Auslin was thrilled at the latter part of Kitsuki’s reiteration, the first part confused him. “Even if that were true? What do you mean? Iamhuman.”

“Bancho seems to believe otherwise.” Kitsuki’s revelation came as a shock. “Kisano and I are inclined to agree with him.”

Nothing Kitsuki was saying made sense to Auslin. “Of course I’m human. What else would I be?”

“A half-Power.”

The mere thought made Auslin laugh. “That’s impossible. My father may have been a healer, but that didn’t make him a Power. For one, I don’t have any Power markings. Secondly, you could smell if I had any Divine heritage, which I clearly don’t have.”

“Do you remember Satsuma talking about your heritage?” Kitsuki asked. “She told you that your father protected you from many things, including himself. What if that was because he was a Power?”

Auslin shook his head. He steadfastly refused to believe it was even a possibility. “There’s absolutely no way that’s true.” He was about to continue his protests when he remembered an important detail. “Satsuma told me Kizoshi would talk to me about my heritage, but when I brought it up with her before, she said it wasn’t time for that conversation yet.”

“Then you should not be surprised when Kizoshi appears soon with information about your heritage. If anyone would know the truth, it would be her. Especially since Satsuma implied you and Kizoshi shared some unknown connection.”

“That’s way too outlandish,” Auslin continued arguing. “Even if itwastrue, why would Bancho tell you and not me?”

Kitsuki frowned. “I do not have an answer to that. But I am certain he was not lying to me. That leaves only the possibility that he was telling me the truth when he suggested Imeyu was your father.”

Auslin laughed hysterically at the idea the renowned Healing Power could be his father. “There’s absolutely no way,” Auslin dismissively stated while still laughing. “I’ve never heard anything so absurd.”

“I do not believe it to be such a far-fetched idea,” Kitsuki stated. “It would explain a lot about your abilities. The timing of his passing also aligns with your history.”

“It’s not unheard of for humans to have powers,” Auslin pointed out. “It certainly doesn’t mean I’m a half-Power.”

“I suggest we await Kizoshi’s eventual arrival to find out for sure,” Kitsuki suggested. “It is only a matter of time before she puts in a very smug appearance to remind me she told me you would indeed return to me one day.”

“Even though she always leaves me utterly confused, I’ll still be glad to see her again,” Auslin said with a smile at the thought that he would soon meet with Kizoshi once more.

A gust of wind blew past them, causing Auslin to shiver. Kitsuki immediately became concerned. “Come, let us go inside. It has been a long day, and it is getting colder.”

Kitsuki stood up and held his hand down to help pull Auslin up to stand next to him. Hibiki returned to his ring before Auslin accepted Kitsuki’s help in standing. Auslin hesitated before giving Kitsuki a fierce hug, hiding his face against the shifter monarch’s broad chest.

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