Page 90 of To Spark a Dragon's Love
At least my brother was rational.
Kieran was still blind. “We don’t even know if they’d be able to survive the guardian role as humans. Why would Earth ask that of them?”
“I don’t know and I’m not sticking around to test it out,” Lucan said.
I wholeheartedly agreed.
Kieran looked at both of us, frustrated. “There are four runes now in case you’ve forgotten. First born of fire, strength forged of flame, when a dragon heart dies…” He looked at me after speaking of the rune on Willow’s neck that signified the end of a guardian’s cycle.
My nostrils flared.
It only proved my point.
Kieran shook his head. “The new fourth rune says ‘life begins again.’ Let’s just stick to the original plan and wait for the next guardian to be born. All signs point to this being the answer.”
Something burned deep inside me at hearing him talk about putting another hatchling in my position. It was so easy for all of them to do it—to assign the role of guardian to someone else.
Even if it wouldn’t take another fifty years before a guardian was grown and strong enough to withstand Earth’s needs, during which time She could do a lot of damage, I couldn’t stomach the idea of another being forced to do the job.
“Do you think maybe the tattoos were clues that led us to discover Willow should mate Malachy?” Lucan had the decency to sound somewhat ashamed as he asked.
A bitter laugh escaped me then.
I couldn’t even fault him for the question.
Because I realized now how easy it was to hope someone else would step up in times like this.
Anyone else but Willow.
And fate was on my side for once.
I wanted to tell them, but I wasn’t sure how much of Willow’s story was mine to divulge. Despite her concern, her confession was a glimmer of hope in my sea of dark.
I decided to protect her as much as I could without breaking her trust.
“Willow and I won’t be having any more children besides Harper,” I said.
My dragon swelled within me, daring anyone to challenge that declaration.
Kieran and Lucan paled as they stared past me.
I hadn’t sensed the door open, but I turned to the pull in my chest, feeling a strange sensation drift over the bond.
Willow’s smile was strained as she held the doorframe. “He means I can’t have any more children. Sorry to let you all down.”
Kieran and Lucan bowed their heads as Riley and Ember gave them scolding looks from their place beside my mate.
But I didn’t care about the lashing they should receive.
Something was wrong.
Sweat beaded on her upper lip. Wisps of hair had come loose from her bun and stuck to the sides of her face. Willow’s knuckles were white as she clung to that doorframe.
“Malachy,” she whispered. “I don’t feel so good.”
33
Willow
