Page 25 of To Spark a Dragon's Love
“I understand.” Malachy didn’t even blink. “But you are the guardian’s mate. You said yourself that you understood this role.”
“I think I need you to spell out exactly what you expect from me.” I rested my hand on my chest, trying to calm down my racing heart.
A slight frown tugged at his lips as he watched the action, but he tactfully didn’t comment.
His cold eyes found mine again. “Our match brings hope to a dying world. It’s our duty to give them a show of unified strength and play the part that fate assigned.”
He doesn’t even want to try to make this real.
Tears blurred my eyes, but I quickly blinked them away. He was right. We had a job to do. Nothing more.
“I understand,” I said. “Tell me what the plan is.”
Malachy steepled his hands on the desk, still studying my reactions. “The ceremony starts at six. I’ll have a light meal sent to your cabin beforehand. After the ceremony ends and I hold the hall for the typical guardian reception of tributes, there will be a feast. You’ll sit to my right at the head of the table. Don’t worry about speaking. My position gives us some reprieve from that. They prefer to see and not hear their guardian. The guests are to leave the dining hall by ten o’clock. But we can excuse ourselves before then and have no need to entertain after hours.”
“You’ve thought of everything,” I muttered.
“I hope I have.” He picked up a pen, returning to whatever he was doing before I interrupted.
Still, that silent anger wouldn’t leave me. At his apparent dismissal, it burned hot again. “And what about my daughter?”
“What about her?” He didn’t look up.
I tugged on my shirt, wondering if I was seriously losing my mind. Yes, I was angry, but this was getting ridiculous. I needed to breathe.
“The representatives know I have a daughter. We all had brunch together at Kieran’s reception,” I prided myself on making my voice as emotionless as his was despite feeling like I was losing my mind. “Do you plan to exclude her from the ceremony and feast?”
“The feast will be late.” Malachy jotted down a note. “Grace will stay with her then. But I see no reason why she can’t be a part of the ceremony. I assume she’ll also need a new dress.”
Bitterness coated my tongue, but I swallowed it down, keeping myself in check. “I’ll take care of that.”
“As you wish.” He nodded. “Let me know if there is anything else you need.”
For you to want me. To care. To at least talk to me about what it means to have a fated mate.
“I don’t need anything.” I took a step toward the door. He’d made his position clear enough. I wasn’t going to change his mind. “Thanks for making all the plans, I guess. I’ll do my best to play the part.”
“Willow, wait,” Malachy said just as I reached for the doorknob.
I took another deep breath, letting the sadness roll off my shoulders before I turned, offering him a polite smile. “Yes.”
He stared at me a moment longer.
“I know it’s a lot to ask of you, being in this position.” Malachy looked away, but not before I saw the turbulent swirl of the colors in his eyes. “For what it’s worth, thank you for standing by my side.”
10
Malachy
Broken Bonds
You look like an idiot.
I smoothed down the lapels on my suit jacket, breathing easier now that the bruising had healed and ignoring the background insults of my beast. It’d been almost a week since Earth called for my services and I welcomed the reprieve. My strength returned day by day. And my dragon resumed his angry tirade.
She deserves better than you.
That was his fixation lately. Not my human shortcomings and lack of strength or my inability to continue my role as guardian, but my failings when it came to Willow.
