Dragon Heartstring(42)

“Mr. Cade?”

He lifted his head to me. Tears stood in his eyes. Dashing away my fears and my former prejudices against this man, I summoned what strength I had. Just as I had let go of my prejudices against Demetrius, the man who had won all of my heart, I had to say something to mend the wound still festering inside this man before me. My nature to heal would always win.

“I do not know what your history has been with Morgonkind. But please, you must know that we are no different than humans. Some of us are trustworthy, some of us are not. Some of us are kind, some of us are not. Some—”

He raised a shaking hand to stop me. “I know…I know.” His gaze fell to Demetrius again on a sigh, his shoulders slouched forward. “In my world, I’ve learned to act and react quickly to keep the tide of my opposition from rolling against my company and my interests. I’ve also let old memories guide me in all things with your kind.” He patted Demetrius’s head, reminding me very much of the way Lucius had lovingly done the same to Julian in the courtroom. “But I’m getting old. I’m slowing down to look at things more carefully. And there’s one thing I’ve come to understand in my many years.”

He fell silent, and I thought he wouldn’t say it. Then Max piped up.

“Mr. Cade, you can’t stop there. Tell us.”

He lifted his head with a half-smile that reminded me of Demetrius. “That in the grand scheme of things, I really know nothing at all.”

Max shook his head as if about to say something quite serious. “Well, hell. Don’t say that in public. The stock market of Gladium will crash, and I’ve got my entire retirement invested in Cade Enterprises.”

Mr. Cade chuckled. “Yes, Max. I’ll keep that bit of information to myself.”

I smiled and said, “Let’s get Demetrius home. He’ll sleep for a while now.”

“Get the driver, Max,” ordered Mr. Cade, the commanding inflection back in his voice. “Give him the lady’s address.”

That made me realize something. We’d never properly met. I reached over and held out my hand. “My name is Shakara Icewing.”

He stared at my hand for a second then took it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my dear.”

My heart leapt with joy for I could feel that he truly meant it.





Chapter 15





I leaned back against the marble wall in the back corridor of the courthouse where security had let us enter rather than face the mob again out front. Holding Shakara contently in my arms in this quiet space, we’d said little since I awoke early this morning. She’d fought with me to stay home, but there was no reason. There was an aching pain in my chest, nothing like it would’ve been had Shakara not healed me.

Shakara. She’d healed me in more ways than one. She’d filled that aching hole of longing. The loneliness had dissipated into the ether when she’d stepped into my life. I leaned in to brush a kiss on her temple and flinched.

“What is it? Does it still hurt?” she asked.

I stretched out my left arm then rubbed where the knife had entered my chest. “It’s not painful exactly. And it’s not on the surface. It’s a pulling sensation deep down. Is that normal?”

Shakara’s eyes widened. She opened her mouth to say something then closed it again.

“What is it?” I asked.

She smiled. “I don’t think that’s from the injury. I’ll tell you after the judgment.”

Confused, I let it go. I trusted her. “All right.”

“Hey, you two,” called Max, popping from around the corner. “It’s time.”

Taking her hand, I led her along the corridor and into the chamber where familiar faces filled the room. My father stood at the Council’s bench speaking privately to Tennison, both their expressions grave.

“What’s that about?” asked Jessen, suddenly behind us, Lucius at her side but not Julian.

“I have no idea,” I said as we found our seats.

Shakara joined me rather than go to her aunt, father, and clansmen seated before the bench. Scanning the room, I saw Aron in the back near the door, minus his hired thug. Trenchcoat was still in the hospital last I spoke to Max. I dared Aron to even look my way after what he’d done. Though ruthless, Aron wasn’t stupid. He kept his eyes front.

Tennison rapped the gavel several times. The room grew quiet, everyone anxiously awaiting the verdict. This was no ordinary judgment or ruling. It was the first proposal put before Parliament—seventy-five percent of which was human—that ordered the banning of a human commodity in favor of Morgonkind.

Tennison pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose then took a paper from the councilman on his left. The judgment.

I pulled Shakara’s delicate hand into my lap and cupped it between both of mine.

“The Council has heard Proposal eight-one-nine-five, the evidence to support said proposal, the rebuttal, and the judgments of the elected members of Parliament. Forthwith is the Parliamentary Council’s judgment upon Proposal eight-one-nine-five.” He cleared his throat. “In order to uphold the sanctioned Dixon Desegregation Act, it has been deemed that the Hydra G-66 is unlawful due to its purposeful harm against a specific race. Therefore, all manufacturing shall cease and desist forthwith.”