Page 57 of I Dream of Dragons
Shaken, I take a step back. The king’s words ring inside my head. And then Jai’s rejection. “I can’t do this.”
His hands fall to his sides. His mouth tightens. “Rae… we need to talk. I need to ask you something.”
“Me, too.”
He gives me a searching look. “Then ask.”
“I want you to be honest with me. Is what the king told me true?”
“I’m afraid you’ll have to be more precise.” His dark brows knit. “What did he say?”
I draw a shaky breath. “That you killed my family.”
“Me? Why would I ever do such a thing?” His voice grows cold. “Is this because I refuse to open the gates and bring back the dead?”
I swallow hard. “I don’t know, is it? If you can bring back my family, why won’t you do it?”
“I told you.” His voice softens. “If you do bring them back,makhair, they won’t be the same people you once loved.”
“But some souls remain unchanged,” I insist.
“If they stay in this world, yes. Not if they cross. Remember that. And remember that both the king and Phaethon want the gates to open. They only want it so they can conquer other worlds. Knowing that, do you still think it’s a good thing?”
I shake my head. I don’t want logic, I want the pain of their loss to end. “What about the attack on my home? Does that ring any bells? Weren’t you there? Did you or didn’t you slaughter the people I love?”
His frown darkens. “No, I wasn’t, I… I can’t remember.”
“You can’t remember?” The chill in my blood turns to fire. “What does that even mean? One doesn’t just forget committing a massacre.”
“I don’t… recall everything about the past. Listen, Rae?—”
A knock comes on the door and it swings open. Servants appear, carrying buckets of steaming water, going to dump it into the bronze tub by the window. More servants follow,carrying trays with food and clothes, but although the aromas make my stomach growl, the last thing on my mind is eating.
We stay there, still like statues, until they’re done. They retreat, giving us slight bows, their expressions tense, surely reflecting ours.
Once the door is shut, I take a shuddering breath. “You want me to forget what you’ve done, but that’s not possible. The king was right.”
“The king, the king.” He lets out a dry laugh. “Is this what this is about? You let the king put his mark on you. Does that mean that you want to be with the king? Don’t tell me you have feelings for him?”
I jerk away from him, fury simmering in my chest. “I think so.”
“What the fuck…?” He groans, spearing his fingers through his dark hair. His face spasms as if I’ve stabbed him through the heart. “You’re toying with me. Why would you…?”
“I’m not toying with you.” I look away. “I love him.”
“Youlovethe king?” All the light seems to go out of his pretty dark eyes.
And then his lips peel back in a snarl. The shadows whip up around his feet, rising to envelop him as he whirls about, grabs a chair, and throws it at the wall with a roar.
The shadows crash against the walls, reminding me of the dinner where he had terrified the fae nobles.
He had also terrified me.
Fury. Sorrow. Shadows dripping off the walls like blood. His black hair lifts as he slams into the table, then grabs it and throws it, too.
“Stop!” I yell. “Jai, stop! What are you doing?”
He drops to his knees. His head bows, hair falling in his eyes. He’s panting harshly. Blood drips from his bandaged thigh to the floor.
