To Wake a Dragon - Naomi Lucas Page 0,51

of Ola’s hold and pouncing on Drazak’s back. He tries to knock me off him, but I hold on.

“Milaye!” he growls, shooting to his feet when he realizes I won’t let go willingly. He thrusts us away from Zaeyr’s vicinity. “I will keep you!” he yells. “I will destroy him!” He tries to pull me into his arms, but I bring my legs up, wrapping them around his waist. He will not attack Zaeyr with me on him.

“Listen to me. Listen to me! He doesn’t want me. He has a mate, like you and me. He is human now too, see? We are not dragons. You are not a dragon anymore, Drazak. He is Haime’s father!”

I hear a scream, and Drazak spins around. Aida is running out of the jungle, and to my surprise—my relief—Haime is right behind her. Zaeyr rises and catches Aida in his arms. She lets out a sob that shreds me when she sees Zaeyr’s hand.

Drazak is tense under me, and I squeeze him tighter. He backs up, but I know he’s confused. Still, his form fades in and out of the darkness he continues to create.

“Milaye!” Haime shouts, seeing me. I want to run to her, to catch her in my arms the way Zaeyr caught Aida, to hold her close. But I’m afraid for Drazak.

“Stay back, little one!” I yell as she makes her way to me.

Zaeyr reaches out and pulls Haime into his arms, tucking her between him and Aida. I’m thankful and sad all at once.

Drazak snarls at Zaeyr, and the other dragon male snarls back.

“See, Drazak?” I lower my voice to his ear. “He has a mate, and children. He wants nothing from you or me.”

Drazak remains tense. So very tense.

Everyone is staring at us.

Another dragon male, I get it. They are rare, beautiful, and deadly beyond belief. They are everything to our tribe of females.

Zaeyr’s eyes sharpen on us. “You are right. I want nothing from either you, and especially a strange male of my kind,” he barks.

We have no relationship, but I’ve trained his daughter. Despite predicting it, his rejection stings.

“I told you we found a dragon, Father!” Haime quips, and I treasure the sound of her voice.

“So you did…” Aida inhales, staring at us, wiping her cheek with the back of her hand. There’s awe and something else in her gaze… Concern? Uncertainty? Fear? It worries me.

Drazak’s chest rises and falls, his breaths growing rapid. This time, when he tries to tug me into his arms, I drop my legs and let him. It allows me to get between him and my tribemates. That barrier might help him also.

“Drazak, please,” I whisper, cupping his cheeks to bring his face to mine. “No more fighting.”

“You didn’t tell me there were others like me,” he says, his gaze still locked with Zaeyr’s.

“I forgot. I truly forgot.”

Drazak’s eyes finally find mine. “I will not live with another dragon male,” he says.

I can see that now. It was idiotic to hope.

“Nor will I,” Zaeyr mutters. “He has proven he cannot hold his ground. I will not have an unknown alpha in my midst, one so near my offspring. My alliance with Kaos tries me enough.”

Drazak stiffens.

“We won’t stay,” I say, placing my hand on his chest and turning toward the others. “We came for Haime.” I look at my ward and smile sadly. “To make sure she made it out of the cave—”

“You touched him in a cave with my daughter in it?” Zaeyr snaps.

I flinch. “It was a mistake.”

“So, you risked my daughter and yourself. I had hoped that what Haime said wasn’t true.”

“She risked everything for your youngling,” Drazak barks.

“Zaeyr, this is Milaye. She would never risk Haime,” Aida warns, but Zaeyr speaks over her.

“I do not care! You have found your answers. My daughter is safe. Now you will go.”

Aida protests. “Zaeyr! The tribe is her home.”

I step forward. “No, Aida. I will go. This is all my fault.” I glance back at Drazak. “We weren’t going to stay anyway. I just needed to know… know that Haime was safe.” The half-lies come easily, but now that I’ve seen Zaeyr with Drazak, I know this is our best way forward.

But Ola interjects, “How did you get out of the cave? We went to the entrance but it was gone.” Her voice grows heavy. “We’ve been searching for you for days.”

“I—we—Drazak and I were hurt. The cave didn’t fully collapse, and once we recovered, we found another way out,” I