Page 175 of I Dream of Dragons
He’s standing at the balustrade, the sea of morning stretching beyond, framing him in blue. His black hair is tousled and wild, and warmth fills me when I remember tugging on it, running my fingers through its silky mass as we made love.
We made love.
It was perfect.
He’s perfect, I think as I approach, from his aquiline profile and the marks on his cheekbones to his long neck and broad shoulders, the bandaged expanse of his powerful, bare back, and the muscular ass and long legs, currently clad in the black pants he wore the night before at dinner.
The wind teases at his black locks and curls them at the back of his neck.
Gods, he’s so beautiful it hurts my heart.
My mate.
His head turns as I walk up to him. He straightens, smiling, but lines of strain appear around his dark eyes. “Makhair.What are you doing here?”
“I was looking for you.”
“I’d hoped you’d sleep in and rest.” He opens his arms and I walk into them, sighing in relief when he hauls me against his powerful body, his embrace a wall against the world. “I was about to head back and find us some breakfast.”
“That sounds good,” I murmur, and my stomach gives a vehement growl in agreement. “We both need to eat but… We have to talk.”
A sigh rumbles through him. “I know.”
He sounds so tired. As if he hasn’t slept all night. I want to ask if his back hurts too badly. If the hundred years between the last time I saw him and now are weighing on his soul, as they do on mine.
So I hesitate to pull back and start the interrogation. Instead, I turn my head, resting my cheek on his hard chest. “Why do you like this place so much?”
He’s quiet for a while, long enough to make me think he won’t answer.
Then he says, “For a long time… I imagined I could see your town from here. I know it’s too far, but… those hills on the shore reminded me of the hill on which your palace was built. It reminded me of you. Every year we’d return here for the Pillar celebrations and I’d come here to think of you.”
I swallow hard. “And what about the Land Palace?”
“The Royal State palace? I’m rarely there. Most of the year was spent wandering the world.”
“Fighting human rebels. Killing and capturing them.”
“As you say.”
Leaning back to meet his gaze, I blurt out, “Jai… What’s going on?”
He frowns. “What are you asking me,makhair? If I’m remembering things? I am. It’s not pleasant.”
“Things from when?”
“Good question. From various times in a very long life. Or many lives. It’s all mixed up. It’s a fucking mess.”
I have so many things I want to ask him. If he remembers more from the night my family was slaughtered. If he talked to Phaethon. But something else comes out.
“What about your powers?” I whisper.
He gives me a careful look. “Why are you asking? Is your magic back?”
“Yes. It feels that way. Which is why I was wondering if something similar happened to you.”
“I wasn’t under a spell suppressing my magic.”
But he hasn’t said no. I frown at him. “Do you feel a change in you?”
