Page 24 of Flameborne: Fury
And I was at a loss.
‘She was seen.’
I whirled on Kgosi, whose head was high again, his chest expanding like a bellows. He panted, but his eyes were bright.
“Who saw them?” I blurted quickly. Ronen and the others went still.
‘Dragons on patrol, returning. They saw Akhane flying, due north. I can follow.’
‘How?’
‘Knowing the direction, I’ll follow her.’
My heart slammed in my chest, but I frowned.‘You can’t track her in the wind!’
‘Yes, I can.’
‘She won’t have left scent—’
‘It’s not her scent I’d follow.’
I frowned harder, confused.‘Then what the fuck is it?’
It was so rare for Kgosi to hesitate, it stopped me in my tracks. His eye met mine and my stomach dropped to my toes, as if my soul knew he would—
‘I will follow the draw of the bond. It calls to me. It is not yet complete, but I believe I will be led. BecauseIdo not deny my mate,’he intoned, and all the tension he’d been holding, all the agitation, eased from him in a breath. Ifeltit.
My jaw dropped.‘You… your—Akhane isyour mate?!’
His eye locked on mine and neither of us moved.‘I did tell you there were only two conclusions, Donavyn. I’ll admit, I thought you’d have accepted the truth by now.’
I reeled back a step, though it shouldn’t have been a shock. Yet somehow I hadn’t allowed myself tosee it.
‘Akhane is your mate?’
‘Yes.’
‘So, the way I’ve been feeling about Bren… She is…?’
‘Yours. Yes. I’ll carry you to her, Donavyn. But not if you seek to deny the bond.’
“Deny it!?” The words were startled out of me. How could he think I’d ever—?‘OfcourseI’d never deny a bond! I just… I didn’t really believe—’
‘You chose not to, Donavyn. But this isn’t the time to rehash your foolishness. Events have overtaken us. It is time. Prepare yourself.’
Mate. Mymate.Kgosi’s mate. They were ours. Made for us.No wonder I couldn’t stop acting like a green lad when she was close.But,mate?!Human bonds were so rare…
I blinked.‘Wait. Have you known this the whole fucking time?’
I could feel the men behind me, staring, waiting patiently for orders because they knew I spoke with my dragon. But they had no clue what was happening in front of them. None.
‘I suspected quickly. But she was young and you were blind. I allowed things to follow their course until I was certain.’
‘How certain are you about me and Bren? Just because you two are bonded doesn’t mean we’re—’
‘Donavyn, please admit to yourself what is plain in front of your face.’
I blinked.
