Page 57 of Dragon Valley
I brought his palm to my lips and kissed it before holding his hand against my cheek.
“Why did they hurt you so badly?”
“They tortured me for information.” He stroked his thumb against my cheek. “Apparently the royals have noticed the rebel army has gone missing. They were trying to make me tell where we were hiding.” His eyes met mine. “But I didn’t, Nadi. I’d die before telling them.”
“I… I don’t know how, but I could feel the pain they were inflicting on you. In my own body. I saw a flash of your face in my mind and knew I had to hurry.” My chin lifted toward Ignazio and his soldiers. “I had just run into them, thinking they were the royals Myra told us about. Turns out they are royals, but they’re rebelling from within.”
I gave him a quick rundown of everything Zio told me, but Caden’s face only grew hardened and suspicious.
“You trust him?”
“Dusa does.” I lifted my eyes to her and she gave an affirmative snort in return. “She didn’t smell any betrayal on them. And he saved your life.” I chewed my lips, debating on telling him what I had yet to tell anyone else.
“This whole situation was prophesied. I knew ahead of time that it would happen and I still let it.” I bit my lip, fighting not to cry.
“Nadi, what do you mean?” Caden moved to cup my face with both hands but his injuries still limited his motion. “How could you have known before it happened?”
“Azel,” I whispered. “He’s alive and he’s been chosen as a Dragon Seer. Before we left, he told his father to give me a message. He said, trust the man in blue and gold, not the girl under the tree.”
Caden’s jaw dropped and his mouth quickly shut again.
“I thought it was just the chief’s mind going,” I sniffed, the tears spilling freely. “It made no sense so I just played along thinking he was confused again. But if I only paid attention, you never would have—”
“Sshh, Nadi. Come here.” Careful to avoid his bandage, Caden pulled my head into his shoulder. “You didn’t know, love,” he murmured against my forehead. “You couldn’t have possibly known what it meant. Don’t blame yourself for this.”
“But I almost lost you,” I whispered with a sob.
“You didn’t. I’m right here.” He tilted my chin up and kissed me to the best of his ability with stitches holding his lip together. “Did he say anything else?”
“Love the sky. Don’t fight it,” I repeated the words that rang like bells in my head. “The dragon’s heart lives in four bodies.”
“Hm.” Caden tilted his head back to rest on Dusa’s scaly hide. “What’s it all mean, Dus?”
She snorted to the effect of, the fuck do I know?
“Holy shit.” Caden slapped a hand to his chest.
“What?” I moved off his shoulder, panic rising within me.
“I felt that.” He looked at me and then up at her. “I felt exactly what she was feeling when I asked her that.”
“You can’t be serious.” I looked between both of them in disbelief.
“She’s surprised by it, amused by our reactions, and not worried at all.”
“You’re bonded to her,” I whispered, dumbfounded. “Like I am.”
“And I am to you,” he said, his eyes meeting mine. “You said you felt my pain in your body.”
I nodded.
“Azel must be back with the clan now. I’m dying to get us back and have him explain all this.”
Caden did not look as eager. “What does that mean for us?”
I answered by grabbing his face and smashing my mouth to his. I kissed him until I felt his breath shorten then wrapped my arms tightly around his neck.
“I am never letting you go,” I whispered. “I love Azel too, butweare bonded. This was no accident. The Dragon God must have wanted for this to happen and who are we to go against His will?”
