Aspen (The Dragon Kings #2)(41)

“Fine. I want a pancake.”

He fed her a small piece, and she turned and snatched some scrambled eggs from Aspen’s plate. “Bleck. I don’t like those.”

Aspen laughed. “I was beginning to think you’d eat anything.”

Rowan held a sausage in front of her snout, and she grabbed it.

“Do you have a human form too?” he asked her.

“Nope. Only the royal dragons can do that. Aspen was right. You don’t know much about us, do you?”

“Maybe you can educate me.”

“I don’t know that much either, except what my father taught me. He wasn’t too interested in the outside world,” said Runa.

Skye sat across from Aspen. “I can teach you both. You too, Aspen, if you want. History was my favorite subject. I had different lessons than Obsidian because I wasn’t supposed to become a human.”

Rowan’s head snapped up. “What do you mean you weren’t supposed to become human?”

“I’m only half a royal. My father was a sea dragon. I got my wings from my mother.”

“So you are one of those blue dragons?”

“Yeah.”

“Excuse me.” Rowan pushed away from the table and escaped out of the kitchen.

“What’s his problem?” asked Runa. “I wasn’t done eating.”

“I’ll feed you,” Aspen said. Guilt gnawed at her insides. She knew exactly what his problem was. Rowan went crazy while they lived in the Everglades, and he was terrified of dragons after that. Aspen guessed he saw something with a blue dragon, but he wouldn’t tell her.

“When will you show me the ocean?” Runa asked Skye.

Skye gave her a tight smile. “Someday.”

Sid came back into the room.

“I’ve spoken with the ambassadors for your father. He’s furious. But he was pleased with the pictures we sent. He said you can stay for a few weeks, but then you have to go home.”

Runa shook her head. “I’m not going back. Not ever. You can’t make me.”

“Runa. I need his support. You can stay for three weeks, and then I’m bringing you home. What you do after that is up to you, but you can’t stay here. You’re too young to make those decisions on your own.”

“What do you need his support for? He can’t give you another one of those marks.”

Sid sat down next to her. “Why not?”

“Because all of the underground dragons already have a mark. They pledged their loyalty to him. If he pledged his loyalty to you and then you died, they would all die.”

Aspen creased her eyebrows. “But I didn’t see any marks.”

“That’s because we can hide them.”

Aspen had forgotten the camouflage ability. They could all be marked, and no one would ever know.

“Do you have one?”

She shook her head. “I’ll be the leader of the underground dragons when my father dies, so it is stupid for me to give him my loyalty. But this means I can give you my loyalty. I’m not tied to anyone.”

Sid swallowed. “No. I can’t ask you to do that. I’ll find an underground dragon in one of the remote areas. I respect your father too much to accept that from you.”

She stuck her tongue out at Sid and snatched another sausage off Aspen’s plate.

“Hey, I thought Rowan told you to ask first.”

“He’s not here, is he?”

She ate half the food on the table and then toddled off down the hall.

“Where are you going?” Aspen asked.

“To find Rowan.”

“I’ll come with you.”

Aspen knocked on his door.

“Come in,” he called.

She pushed the door open. Rowan was lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Runa jumped up, curled up next to him, and rested her head on his chest. She closed her eyes and within seconds was snoring.

Rowan chuckled. “She likes me.”

“Almost as much as Skye.”

“Why’d she have to be a dragon?” He pinched his lip and stared up at Aspen.

“Because she is. Nothing is going to change that.”

“I almost could’ve lived with that. But she’s one of those blue ones. I can’t even…”

“What happened in Florida? And don’t tell me nothing, because something happened, and it had to do with the sea dragons, or you wouldn’t be freaking out.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Maybe you should talk to Skye about it. She can probably help you with whatever issues you have.”

“It hurts. You know. Right in my chest. I’ve never felt this way before. I always liked Tori, but I never really knew her, you know. But Skye, I’m totally in love with her.”

“No, you’re not. Trust me.”

“How do you know?” He rubbed his eyes.

“Because dragon love is different. They mark you when you fall in love.”

He sat up suddenly, and Runa grumbled, but resumed her nap next to him instead of on him.

“You mean like this.” Rowan peeled his sock away. The familiar tattoo surrounded his ankle in a gorgeous silvery blue of loops and swirls. Her eyes widened.