Page 88 of Dragon Blood

Her whole body had frozen, breath bated, heart racing, to see if he’d act against her.

She recalled the stories of the Dragon Star.

‘Trust him,’her dragon had whispered, mustering the image of Astred and Kai’s dragons curled around one another in the Nexus. Of their binding, in the sparkling glade not so far from here. The bond alone would not prevent him from acting if he chose to, but it called him back to her, reminding him of their love and their promises.

Whatever he found in her eyes eased the conflict, his fight for resistance no longer necessary. He’d slipped the key to incredible power into the palm of her hand.

He could have embraced it, denied her, broken the trust of those around him. The Aeleftherian seal was within reach. With each artifact in hand, he could have taken the island and control of the Great Mother’s sanctuary.

He hadn’t.

Kai had placed all power in Astred’s hands.

Her gaze caressed the lines of his taut face.

The stone vibrated, soft yet insistent against her chest bone from within the protective layers of shadow and scales.

I’m not sure I could have done the same…

She put her cup down. “My mother, Oracle of the Great Mother, sent me the dream vision, putting me on the path to your door. I do not have the training to interpret the images inflicted on me, but my instinct tells me that this is what I must do.”

She met Keone’s gaze across from her. After a long moment, he simply nodded.

“I didn’t know of the Star Stone’s existence—not really. Nor was I aware that my mother sent Kolina here. This story was relegated to just that. Stories. Legends.”

Her entire generation had grown up ignorant of the threat from within their own people.

Her fingers grazed over the fabric covering the scales hiding the stone beneath. “I must trust that you will safeguard the seal as you protected the stone, while I sort out what lies ahead. Because I don’t know what that is.”

Master Chan appeared at the door, wordlessly drawing Dai Zen’s attention.

At the king’s nod, the older man approached, whispering his message for the king’s ear alone.

King Dai Zen Long paled, dark eyes snapping to Astred.

Aeleftheria? Her mother?

Trepidation streaked down her spine at his expression, worry gripping her throat as her fingers ghosted her empty pocket for her phone.

They’d been waiting for word from Kane, but had left their phones outside the sacred temple in Master Chan’s care during the shadow ceremony to retrieve the stone and give the seal into safe keeping.

She stood, the sound of her own blood chugging through her body was deafening.

Everyone else followed suit as he spoke. “The Consortium are headed en masse for Aeleftheria.

“Do they have a seal?” Bayn growled.

“Undetermined if they have it on hand, but we suspect that may be the case.”

“How long before they arrive? We’re a full day’s travel away,” Kai paced, “I have a local business colleague with a private long-range jet that owes me a few favors. That should at least get us to the right side of the Atlantic coast.” He left to retrieve his phone.

“We will increase the warding on the temple chamber, rendering the seal undetectable, should the enemy turn their gaze to us,” Keone said.

“Few know that Kai and I are here, let alone why.”

“That may be true, but we must not be undercautious at times like these,” he replied.

He’s right, of course.

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