Page 31 of Guardian of the Cursed Egg
“No clue.” His smile is audible in his voice. “I woke up to you kissing me. I thought you were awake.”
I twist slightly to look at him, and his expression is so soft, so genuine, that it makes my heart ache a little. “I was dreaming,” I say, my words still thick with sleep. “About it being winter, sleeping in, and one of my mates kissing me.” I shrug, letting myself relax back into his embrace, content to stay there for now.
We laugh softly, tangled in a mess of sheets and limbs, both of us amused at the predicament we’ve woken up to. Neither Leander nor I have any idea how I ended up in his bed—or in his arms—but I’m certainly not complaining. Waking up to soft kisses and warm snuggles is a luxury I never thought I’d enjoy so thoroughly.
“Anyone see Mina?” Callan’s voice echoes from the living room, sharp and searching. I can’t help the giggle that escapes me.
I twist in Leander’s arms, hitching my leg over his hip, the thin sheet the only barrier between us. His dark eyes lock onto mine, mischiefgleaming there. “You’ve got a devilish look in your eyes,” He whispers, breathless, as he leans down and captures my bottom lip in a teasing sip.
“Shh…” he murmurs, a grin tugging at his lips. “Let’s see how long it takes them to find you.” His words are a delicious secret between us. I kiss him again, and he tastes like joy—like the happiness I’d almost forgotten was possible. Each kiss makes my chest warm and my dragoness still for once, content to let the bond grow slowly, organically.
“No, I can feel her. She’s still in the nest.” Abraxis’s rough morning voice carries through the nest. The low rasp of it sends an involuntary shiver down my spine, and I clench the sheet tighter to keep from moaning out loud. His voice alone is a dangerous temptation, threatening to unravel my careful “no rush” strategy.
“Vaughn, is Mina in there with you?” Callan’s voice drifts closer, and I bite my lip hard to stifle the laughter bubbling up.
Leander’s eyes sparkle with delight as he rolls over me, his hands steadying my leg still hooked around his hip. He presses me into the mattress as his lips claim mine again; the kiss deepening until a soft purr rumbles in my chest. My hands tangle in his hair, pulling him closer, savoring the way he fits against me.
“Wherever she is, she’s very happy,” Abraxis remarks with a chuckle that tells me he knows exactly what’s going on. His laughter grows as he moves away, leaving the others behind. “Abandon the search. I know where she is…”
“Where is she?” Vaughn’s voice comes from just outside Leander’s door, and I nearly lose it.
“Which mate is missing?” Callan asks, but then I hear the realization dawn in his voice. “We’re all here, no one’s miss—oh shit.”
“Don’t hurt him, Mina!” Vaughn yells, his words muffled as Callan drags him away.
The dam bursts. I collapse into laughter, my body shaking against Leander’s as he joins in, his deep laugh resonating with mine. The sound fills the room, mingling with the early morning light and the undeniable bond between us.
CHAPTER 18
Leander
It’s beena week since I first woke up to Mina in my bed—and it’s happened several times since. Mostly, it’s the nights Abraxis is called away to fight. Me, of all people, she comes to for comfort. I’m the weakest of her mates, the least able to protect her, yet I wake up with her curled against me, as if I’m the safe haven she needs.
Now, I sit perched on the wall in Shadowcarve, watching her spar against a third-year. No, fourth. The clash of blades rings sharply in the air, and every time her opponent presses the attack, I flinch. I honestly don’t know how Callan stands so calm and composed while she fights.
“You’re acting weird, even for you, Leander,” Balor says, leaning casually against the wall beside me.
I let out a long sigh, running my hands through my hair, probably making it look worse than it already does. “I never thought I’d have a mate. Let alone be chosen by a dragon.”
Balor’s expression shifts, something almost sad creeping into his voice. “Mina was going to choose both of us. Until she found out the truth about dragon kin. How they come to be.” His gaze falls to his hands, fingers curling slightly as if grasping at something intangible. “We agreed it was better this way. Dragon kin don’t belong to either species. They’re caught in-between … and most go insane.”
I frown, turning to face him fully. “I thought—no matter who she had children with—they would always be dragons?”
“For the most part, yes,” Balor says, his tone matter-of-fact, though the undercurrent of something heavier remains. “But basilisks share the same family tree. Our genetics blend. Sometimes … too well.”
A loud thud interrupts us, and we both snap our attention to the sparring match. Mina stands over her opponent, waiting patiently for him to yield. When he does, she offers her gloved hand, pulling him to his feet with surprising ease. She doesn’t pause, though. Callan’s voice rings out as he calls the next challenger, and Mina squares off again, blades clashing moments later.
“She’s not doing well without Abraxis here,” I say quietly, my eyes following her movements. There’s a precision to her strikes, but something’s off—something I can’t quite name.
“What do you mean?” Balor asks, his voice careful, curious.
His question opens a dozen thoughts, at least eight of them worthy of an answer. But none of them are things I’m willing to say aloud.Not here.Not outside the nest. I press my lips together and watch her fight, knowing he can see the weight of what I’m not saying.
Before I can even explain my thoughts to Balor, a sharp thud pulls my attention back to the mat. My breath catches as I see Mina standing over the male, her eyes glowing with an eerie light. The human pupilsI know are gone, replaced by dragonic slits, black as obsidian, eclipsing the usual softness in her gaze.
Her chest heaves, each breath labored, and her eyes seem to fixate on something far beyond the male. Something’s wrong. I’m off the wall in an instant, closing the distance between us. I cup her face in my hands, forcing her to focus on me. The dark slits in her eyes pulse rhythmically, matching the wild beat of her heart.
“What’s wrong?” Callan asks, his tone sharp as he approaches and takes in the scene. The moment his eyes land on Mina, he doesn’t hesitate to clear the arena, his commanding voice echoing in the space.
