Forbidden Honor (Dragon Royals #1)(86)

Lynx snorted. “I’ve never seen you in the library.”

“Are you implying that I’m an idiot?” I asked, trying to cover for my pounding heart.

Of course, I’d spent plenty of time in the library with Lynx. He just didn’t know it.

The more time I spent with these guys, the more likely I was to slip, no matter whether I was supposed to be Lucien or whether I was supposed to be Honor.

“Even if he didn’t hear that particular moment,” Jaik sounded irritated that Talisyn had taken my side, “I’m pretty sure he still would have gotten the overall vibe.”

The snarling further in the amphitheater caught my attention. While we sipped water and recovered from beating each other even more senseless, the wolves were practicing. Caldren was teaching, the sun shining off his dark hair and bare, tanned shoulders. It was always hard to tear my eyes off him, but I did to glance at Jaik.

“Right. Honor is off limits. Sure. I don’t need any more trouble.” I pushed on my shoulder, and pain twinged all the way up into my neck. I hadn’t been beaten badly enough this morning to need the healer—yet.

I wasn’t sure how Jaik moved as effortlessly as he had in the training yard despite his bruises and wounds, although I’d bet he was the reason Damyn had given us a rare break.

Branok glowered at me, and I demanded, “What?”

I let all my irritation bleed into my tone. I hoped Lucien hadn’t hurt their sister. But I was getting tired of taking the heat for something I hadn’t done.

“You need to stay away from her.” Jaik’s tone was calm, but he exuded menace, a quiet danger.

“I’m not going anywhere near her.”

There was something half feral that came over Jaik’s face, and that probably should have scared me as Honor just as much as Lucien. The dragon prince was far more possessive of Honor than he had any right to be.

But honestly, I kind of liked it.

“When the weekend comes,” Jaik ordered, glancing around us all, “we’re going to go hunting for those hybrids. Pack a bag. We’ll be gone overnight.”

I didn’t like the idea of camping out with these guys. Not to mention my stepmother would expect me home, and I didn’t want to earn her ire. Hanna would expect me home too, and I didn’t want to earn her disappointment.

I struggled internally with what to say if anything, and of course Arren was always watching me.

“Problem?” he demanded tartly.

“Not at all. I’m overcome with joy at the thought of spending even more time with you. I’m just thinking about my packing list. Maybe some pillows for a pillow fight. Card games. Maybe double size sleeping bags, so you and I can snuggle.”

Arren’s eyes narrowed in familiar disgust, even though he didn’t bother to look at me directly.

“It’s hard for me to believe that I’m the only one having all this fun in our relationship.” I rested my elbow casually on Arren’s shoulder. “Because I really can’t stand how fun being your friend is, Arren.”

Branok groaned. “Do you ever shut up? We already have Talisyn. We don’t need two talkers.”

“Talisyn and I each bring something different but equally delightful to the table,” I said. “You guys might not talk much, but that’s why you need us. You would be bored without us.”

“I would really like the opportunity to experience some boredom.” Jaik’s gaze was fixed deeper in the amphitheater now, even though he spoke to us. His face had gone taut, the way it did when he’d fought with Tal.

I followed his gaze, but all I saw was Caldren patiently correcting a wolf shifter. Nothing that seemed to warrant the hate in Jaik’s eyes.

The way Jaik hated Caldren made me nervous.

But did it make me nervous about Jaik, or about Caldren?





The next morning as Caldren and I sparred, I wanted to tell him about the weekend trip we had planned. But I found myself strangely torn. The guys thought Honor might be a spy. And even though I trusted Caldren, I wanted to be someone they could trust.

My heart told me I could trust Cal. I wondered why they didn’t.

Caldren trapped me against his body, just for a second, my heart galloping at his hard length pressed against my back. Then I grabbed his forearm and threw him over my shoulder. He should have hit the ground on his back, but he somehow landed nimbly on his feet and spun to face me.

“What’s going on between you and Jaik?”

For the first time, he looked off-balance. “Is it that obvious that there’s something going on?”

“Just a little. He practically snarls every time he sees you.”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s funny how when someone has wronged you, they hate you. It’s as if they have to make themselves feel better about what they’ve done, so they start to concoct some story where they don’t have to take any shred of blame.”

His cheeks colored just faintly, his high cheekbones tinging pink. I hadn’t met many men who blushed, but there was something magnetic when Caldren did it. He was certainly one of the most handsome men I’d ever met.

“You’re just as good looking as a dragon shifter,” I mused out loud. “Despite how much they think that they’re superior.”

That color in his cheeks deepened. “Thank you.”