Forbidden Honor (Dragon Royals #1)(87)

I’d made him uncomfortable. “Sorry, I tend to just say what I’m thinking.”

“It’s a treat,” he assured me.

“Really? You would be the first to think that.” While he was smiling, while we were busy circling each other, I added, “Can you tell me about the psychic bond between dragons? How much have you heard about it?”

“I’ve heard about it endlessly,” he said dryly. “But of course, I’ve never experienced it. Wolves communicate differently. As a wolf, I can understand basic communications from other wolves. But it’s different than the way dragon shifters can talk into each other’s heads. That’s part of what makes them so vital in battle.”

I snorted. “I have to think that there are other ways. We don’t need the dragon shifters.”

He grinned at me. “You’d think that you would take the same position as every other dragon shifter. Yes, yes, it makes sense that we should rule. Magic willed it this way.”

“I’ve heard the way the other shifters talk about us. We don’t take the same kinds of risks that they do, we soar above them. We don’t experience the same danger and pain that they do.” It troubled me.

“I see,” he said, not smiling anymore. There was something in his gaze I couldn’t read. “You have a tender heart, Honor.”

I didn’t know quite what to say. Jaik had certainly made it seem as if that was a negative thing.

But Caldren was already going on. “Dragon shifters are able to talk to each other or simply open a passageway of sorts into your thoughts and memories.”

“I can’t imagine any of them being so unguarded,” I said.

“How has it gone, keeping your walls up?”

“I haven’t accidentally revealed my identity. But then, the Elders helped me.” The thought of their enchantment made my skin prickle. “I have to admit, that was a good idea, as much as I don’t enjoy anything else the Dragon Elders have ever said or done.”

He let out a laugh. “Neither do I.”

“How’d you end up at the academy then?” I asked.

“I wasn’t wanted at home anymore after I disappointed my family.” His face softened as he studied mine, as if he’d seen sympathy there. “Don’t feel too badly for me, Honor. Your family situation isn’t any less complicated.”

“I know, but it’s hard for me to believe anyone would reject you.”

A frown dimpled the space between his deep brown eyes. “And why is that?”

“I don’t know.” But it was a lie.

He was such a good, kind man. It was hard for me to imagine anyone rejecting him because he failed to live up to some ridiculous expectation that was beyond his control.

Would he wonder where I was this weekend? Jaik would certainly not appreciate it if I told him we were hunting hybrids.

Jaik was jealous of any time I spent with Caldren, and I wondered how Caldren felt about the time I spent with Jaik.

But then it was time for another round of asshole versus dragon, and all conversation dropped away.





Honor



The next morning, I was woken by thumping on my door. I scrambled up and started to dress before I realized my boots were too big. Shit. I froze. I was Honor. And I was due to meet the royals to go hunting hybrids.

I hurried to the mirror, muttering the first words of my spell.

“What’s taking so long?” Arren called. No one should have to deal with someone like Arren this early in the morning.

“I’ve got to get changed.” I tried to deepen my voice to sound like Lucien. I murmured the rest of my spell, and my face blurred, replaced by Lucien’s rugged, worried features. This was getting way too complicated. I felt increasingly trapped in lies that weren’t even of my own making.

Sometimes I wished I could tell the guys that I was their dragon shifter. I couldn’t imagine them caring I was female. They would care that I’d been lying to them this whole time. Just the thought sent a shiver down my spine. After all, they already thought I was a spy. I couldn’t imagine that finding out that I’d been pretending to have a different identity all this time was going to leave them in a very good mood.

I heard Arren fiddling with the door, and I muttered a curse word as I hastily swept Honor’s clothing from the night before into hiding.

Then I stormed to the door and jerked it open. “What’s wrong with you? Why can’t you wait?”

Arren glowered at me, his big body dominating as he leaned toward me. “I don’t need to wait for the likes of you. Maybe you shouldn’t have stayed out so late.”

I should’ve just felt fury, but there was a wayward throb between my thighs even when Arren was angry. Or maybe especially when Arren was angry. Something was wrong with me.

“I really don’t need a mother, Arren, and if I did, I wouldn’t ask you to do the job.”

He swept into my room and frowned down at my bag. “Have you ever rolled a bedroll before in your life?”

No. “I don’t need your help.”

He unlatched the buckles on my pack and upended it.

“Hey!” I shouted.

“Now you do.” He frowned at the rumpled clothes on the floor.

He insisted on helping me to pack, which wasn’t a very pleasant experience for either of us.