Forbidden Honor (Dragon Royals #1)(85)

He held up a romance novel. “He said you wouldn’t miss it for a few days.”

I pounced on it, squealing. “I’ve been looking for that one.”

“I had a feeling you would miss it. I told Talisyn he was an idiot.”

“How did you know?”

“Talisyn is always an idiot.”

I was surprised to find out the next hour passed pretty comfortably with Lynx. He and I took turns reading chapters from the novel, so at least he’d be a knowledgeable judgmental prick. He rolled his eyes, but eventually, I could tell that he was getting interested in the plot twists.

We came to a steamy scene. As I was reading, he grabbed a pillow from his bed to pull over his lap.

I laughed, and he glared at me. Apparently, I was supposed to pretend that I didn’t notice.

“What?” I said, “It’s cute. You can be the most scary, dangerous shifter and still enjoy a good love story. It’s sad men don’t get the chance to enjoy so many things because you have to live up to someone else’s expectations.”

“You have an interesting way of looking at the world, Honor.”

“I know you wish I wasn’t around, but I haven’t entirely hated tonight.”

He hesitated. “I just don’t want to see my friends get hurt.”

“I don’t either,” I said. Not anymore. I still had so many questions, and Lynx seemed softer tonight. “You talked about growing up together out there, and how you’ve fought against the Olds together…”

He pulled a face. “You’re not supposed to have heard that. We’re supposed to be one unified entity with the Elders.”

“But it’s not that simple?”

“I don’t want to talk about it with you.” His voice came out harsh, then softened. “No offense, I’m not saying you’re untrustworthy or trying to hurt your feelings now. It’s just been a long, intense day. And it’s not really my story to tell.”

“Okay, I understand. Besides, I really want to get to the next part of the book.”

He cracked the faintest grin, unexpectedly, and kept reading to me.

And eventually, I fell asleep in his bed.

The next morning, I woke up in a panic. I was supposed to be checking in as Honor right now. And then I was supposed to be reappearing as Lucien. And I wasn’t ready for any of that when I was still lying in Lynx’s bed.

And yet, when he murmured something and reached out for me. I almost decided I didn’t care at all about making it to where I was supposed to be.

I hadn’t expected to see a softer side of Lynx. But I still really enjoyed it.





Honor



The next few days passed by quietly, at least by my standards now that I had begun life with the dragon royals. Maybe it was because only one half of my newly split personality had to cope with the dragons at all. All the royals were avoiding Honor now.

It was driving them crazy, I could tell. Jaik and Talisyn had begun to talk to each other again, even though conversation seemed awkward and strained between them. I was glad to see it. I still felt horrible I’d encouraged them to keep me a secret from the other instead of trying to have them both—openly and honestly.

The days went by in the usual blur of Caldren’s morning training, days at the academy, followed by frantic cleaning, and my tiptoeing from bedroom to bedroom, pretending to be two people.

“What do you think Caldren is doing with Honor?” Jaik demanded one day as the six of us stood on the hard-packed sand of the training yard, guzzling water.

Arren groaned. “I really enjoyed the fifteen seconds that we spent not talking about Honor.”

“Look, I just think it’s a little suspicious. You’re the ones who thought she was a spy. If she’s a spy, then he’s getting close to her for a reason. Maybe she’s been his plant all this time so that she can get information from us and pass it to him.”

“Good thing you haven’t gone full idiot and given her information that you shouldn’t, then.” Arren’s confrontational gaze found Talisyn. It was a meaningful look, as if he didn’t entirely trust Talisyn had lived up to his expectations.

I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t dare defend Honor.

But that didn’t stop Arren’s stony gaze from finding me. “Lucian. What have you been doing with her?”

I groaned. We’d taken a break from training. Right now, I’d rather resume choking on my own blood than be a part of this particular conversation.

But I had rehearsed my cover story, knowing I’d eventually get caught sneaking into Lucien’s room. “Honor and I are friends. Nothing more. Everyone needs someone to talk to, even me.”

“I issued a pretty clear directive,” Jaik’s words were clipped, “that no one was to spend time with Honor without my permission.”

I stared at him. “Why?”

Talisyn cocked his head at me. There was a glint in his eyes that I couldn’t quite read. Maybe curiosity. “Lucien was the only one who didn’t come out while you and I had a reasonable discussion of our differences. Perhaps he missed your clear directive.”

I felt irritated by Tal’s baiting tone. “I don’t recall. I might have gone on a walk through town or I might have been down in the library.”