Page 8 of Consort of the Dragon King

Kisano was already looking forward to it. “I would really like that, Vanra.”

“Me too.” Vanra seemed to realize something. “Oh, I guess I can let you know now that I went by my birth name of Vanra in the past to prevent changing the future. I go by Auslin in this time.”

Jaega clasped the human’s shoulder. “Whatever name you choose to go by, I am just happy you have returned to us, where you belong.”

“It’s good to have you back,” Fersen added. “You’ve been sorely missed.”

“Tyrian will regret not being here when I tell him you have returned.”

Vanra—no,Auslin—exhaled a sigh of relief. “Is he still head of your castle guards?”

“Yes. We can meet with him later when he is off duty.”

“I’d really like that.”

“Well, I suppose we should let you two properly catch up. Auslin, we will talk later once you settle in again,” Jaega promised.

Auslin bowed his head in appreciation. “Thank you, Uncle Jaega. I’d really like that.”

Jaega and Fersen left after hugging Auslin goodbye. Kisano knew he should also let his brother have his private reunion with the human, but he was loath to give up Auslin now that he had returned.

“Could I bring my younger brother, Sephen, to visit you?” Auslin asked. “I know you two would be fast friends.”

Although meeting new people was a stressful proposition for Kisano, he couldn’t help but be curious about Auslin’s sibling. “I would like that.”

“Great! I’ll talk to him about it next time I see him.”

It pleased Kisano he had brought Auslin happiness with such a small gesture. “Then I shall look forward to it.”

“I still have some things to discuss with Auslin,” Kitsuki said. “We will return later if you are amenable to it.”

“You both are welcome in my library anytime.”

“I promise we’ll be back,” Auslin said before giving Kisano a reassuring hug.

“We will return soon,” Kitsuki promised.

Once they left, Kisano returned to his seat. He could hardly believe that the Vanra from the past had reappeared as Auslin. It was a fantasy almost more unbelievable than anything Veritine had written, but it was the best kind of happy ending Kisano could have hoped for his younger brother to have.

Chapter 7

Auslin

After leaving the library, Auslin started walking back to their bedroom.

It confused him when Kitsuki chuckled. “You are going the wrong way.”

Auslin tilted his head in confusion. “But our room is over here,” he said as he pointed down the hallway.

“It was,” Kitsuki agreed before adding, “but there is a different entrance to it now.”

Auslin felt a little sheepish as he belatedly realized that Kitsuki becoming king meant he would have a different bedroom. “Oh.”

Kitsuki continued leading the way. “There have been several expansions to the castle, so I had a new suite built to expand our bedroom instead of staying in my father’s suite.”

“I could see where that would be awkward.” Auslin would have felt uncomfortable being with Kitsuki in Tatsuki’s old room. “It would be like he was watching us or something.”

Kitsuki chuckled again. “Something like that.”

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