Page 64 of Consort of the Dragon King

Sephen stumbled in shock. “Wait—what?” His voice went up an octave. “He knows Iexist?”

“Knows and is quite impressed by you and your insatiable quest for knowledge.”

Sephen covered his face with both hands and squealed again. “That’s the most incredible news I’ve ever heard!He knows who I am! The Knowledge Power I’ve dedicated my life to worshippingactually knows who I am!”

“I’m so happy for you,” Auslin said.

“You’resolucky you get to be friends with him, Kizoshi!” Sephen heaved a dreamy sigh. “I’d give almost anything to meet him in person. But he never comes to the Living Realm.”

“I would not saynever,” Kizoshi corrected him. “But he has a tendency to lose himself in his quest for new knowledge, so he waits until he has something special to investigate.”

“Hey, I’m special! He could come investigate me,” Sephen joked. He laughed hard at the idea. “Maybe the two of us could team up for the ultimate quest of knowledge to find Reskin.”

Kizoshi could barely restrain her mirth. “You are indeed special. Even more than you realize.” She looked over at Auslin. “You both are.”

“You know, when you say stuff like that, it makes me wonder what secrets you know,” Auslin said with a laugh.

She couldn’t resist teasing them. “Everything happens for a reason. You will find out in due time.”

Kitsuki and Kisano were already in the dining hall when Kizoshi returned from escorting Auslin and Sephen. She had stayed longer than she originally intended because she had been having so much fun with the brothers and the reactions of the other mages.

As the servants brought them dinner, her brothers had mirroring glum expressions, as if all the light had gone out of their lives. “You both could at least try not to look so forlorn,” Kizoshi teased as she took a seat at the table. “After all, it has only been a few hours.”

“I know why it had to be done,” Kitsuki said as they began to eat. “It does not make it any easier to endure.”

“It is for the best since Sephen was also nearing his heat,” Kizoshi commented with a pointed look at Kisano, who blushed at the implication. “I suppose those are lessons you will have to learn later.”

Kisano grew flustered. “What do you mean?”

“I am quite confident Sephen will successfully draw forth your long-dormant dragon,” Kizoshi predicted.

He laughed at the notion. “You say that, but we know I do not have a dragon. There is no reason to believe Sephen will help me discover one after this many centuries.”

“Sure,” Kizoshi said in a tone that implied she didn’t believe her brother in the least.

“It is true Auslin can reach my dragon without even trying,” Kitsuki added. “Perhaps Kizoshi is not wrong about this.”

“When am I ever wrong about anything?” Kizoshi asked with an arrogant laugh. “I would think you would know better by now than to doubt me and my infinite wisdom.”

Kisano shook his head. “There is simply no way that would be possible.”

“Fine. If you are so confident I am wrong, visit Sephen at the temple in a few days to check on him and Auslin,” Kizoshi challenged Kisano. “If nothing else, they have a library you have never been to.”

He hesitated. “I do not think it is a wise decision.”

“Perhaps you shall feel differently after a few more days without Sephen’s presence in your library.”

Kisano looked down with a blush as he idly pushed his food around his plate.

She took pity on him. “I do not say it to be unkind, dear brother. I say it to give you the confidence to do what you secretly wish to do.”

“I wish to do nothing more than enjoy Sephen’s company when he graces me with it,” Kisano said. “Anything more than that would be far too selfish.”

“You have my permission to be as selfish as you wish with Sephen.” Kizoshi took a drink of wine.

“I could never,” Kisano weakly protested.

Kitsuki counseled his brother in a gentle voice. “I think you will find Sephen far more amenable to the idea than you believe.”

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