Page 43 of A Dragon's Miracle (Fires of Fate)
Finn
“Ihaveto find this Jin guy,” I concluded my retelling of the semi-fight Ryan and I had had the day before.
“To make a deal with him?” Zed asked, sitting in my desk chair while I'd taken seat on my bed.
“I don't know,” I said, letting myself fall back into the mattress. “To dosomething.” I sat up again, nervous energy making me restless. Another idea came to me as I looked at Zed. “Do you think Ryan's my fated mate?”
“Could be,” Zed said. “It's not really something I can tell you, but as dragons I don't think we develop strong feelings for people other than our destined partners.”
I nodded. “Is that how you knew with Roger? I mean, you met him and you knew. I never had that kind of sudden flash of knowledge.”
“I don't think Tyrel and Kylan did either, and yet they're with their fated mates. I suppose it's a bit different from person to person? I guess the one thing we all have in common is the instant infatuation with our partners.”
“Huh.” I played with a corner of the bed cover, considering this. Ihadalways wanted Ryan. That first day when we'd watched that movie together and he'd leaned into me just a little bit, I'd almost grabbed and kissed him without thinking. Simply being near him had made me feel a bit light-headed, really. I'd never experienced anything like it before.
I looked at Zed again. “If Ryan and I went through a bonding ritual, do you think that would slow the cancer down?”
Zed's eyes went wide. “You can't be considering that.”
“You bonded Roger to yourself.”
“Roger wasn't dying!”
His words--and the forceful tone in which they were said--made me cringe. I was very well aware that Ryan was dying without Zed reminding me of that fact.
My friend left the chair and came to sit on the bed with me. “Look at me, Finn. You know what happens to the other partner in a bonded couple when one of them dies, right?”
They die as well.“I wouldn't let it come to that,” I insisted. “I only need more time.”
“Time to do what?” Zed asked.
“Find a way to save him.” Wasn't it obvious? “You bonded Roger to you knowing he could die and take you with him, so how is what I want to do so different?”
“Because you would be taking a much higher risk than I did. Roger wasn't sick when we decided to get bonded. He might never get sick.”
“And if he did,” I asked, “would that make you regret your decision? At least you'd be in it together, right?”
“It's different,” Zed said again, although with less force. It seemed he realized he wasn't getting through to me. “Ryan would agree with me,” he tried then.
He was probably right.
I stood from the bed and paced the room. All the coffee I'd had the night before was making it hard for me to sit still. “It's so fucking frustrating!” I complained. “I keep trying to come up with ways to help Ryan, but how can I when he won't let me?”
“I know this is difficult,” Zed said slowly, “but maybe the best way you can help him is by supporting him in whatever decision he makes.”
I stilled and closed my eyes for a moment, because the mere idea of accepting what Ryan called his 'fate' pressed all the air out of my lungs. “No,” I said through the tightness in my chest. “I can't watch him die. I have to find this Jin guy. I don't care if Ryan gets mad at me. I'd rather have him angry than dead.”
Zed nodded. “Okay.”
“Really?”
“You have to do what you think is right. But...” Zed stood from the bed as well. “I think you should let Ryan know what you're doing.”
“Yeah?” I hadn't thought about whether or not to keep my search a secret from Ryan.
Zed shrugged. “He might not like it, but if he knows you're trying to save him, that might keep him from giving up as well.”
“That would be good.” Really good. I wanted to believe Zed was right, so I made my decision. “Okay, I'm going to tell him.”
