He bumped her shoulder with his to take the sting of loneliness out of her thoughts. You’ll like Brig.
I’m sure I would love her. She showed him everything she’d seen of Brig in his thoughts—her freckled nose and laughing eyes, her boundless curiosity and steadfast loyalty, and the firm belief she’d always had in Kol. But you’ll be going home, Kol, where you belong. I’ll be here, where I belong. We’re closing in on the capital. I’ll destroy the intersection and the roads that lead to it tonight and then, as we enter the Hinderlinde Forest, I’ll ruin the communication towers and armories that surround the capital until all Irina’s resources are gone. Once we’re through the Hinderlinde, the capital will be in front of us, and then it’s just Irina and me.
And me. His dragon heart pounded viciously at the thought of seeing Irina again.
Don’t worry, I won’t forget about finding your human heart and restoring it to you before you go.
I wasn’t worried about that. I meant you aren’t facing Irina alone. I’ll be at your side. I may not be able to shift, but I can still call on my dragon’s fire and speed. I’m still faster and stronger than a human, and Irina will have a hard time defeating both of us at once.
What do you mean you can call on your dragon’s fire? She turned to face him, a tiny frown etched between her eyes. Why didn’t you use that against me when you tried to kill me?
I live for the day when we can stop bringing that up in our conversations. He gave her a little smile. I can’t breathe fire anymore, but I can use it to heat my blood to a degree that would cause burns on humans.
When did you figure this out?
When the statue fell on top of you in the water. Everything in me wanted to shift so I could smash it to pieces and rescue you. I was so . . . Terrified. Furious. He couldn’t quite find the right word for how it had felt to watch Lorelai go under the water and not come back up. My dragon’s fire raged, and when I stepped into the river, the water sizzled against me.
You didn’t burn me when you took my hands.
I backed away from the dragon’s fire. I won’t hurt you, Lorelai. I’d die first.
You’re willing to sacrifice yourself for everyone you care about.
He held her gaze and tried not to think about how much the understanding and admiration in her thoughts eased the sharp edge of disappointment he remembered in his father’s eyes.
Her eyes reflected the starlight as she looked at him, her shoulder leaning against his. And to think that you said you weren’t even a very good prince.
I . . . what? When? He looked at the images in her thoughts and saw himself standing before her after he’d nearly killed her in his dragon form, begging for her mercy for Eldr.
You think you’re a poor substitute for your older brother. That no matter what you do, you’ll still be a disappointment to your father. Compassion softened her voice, but there was iron beneath it. I think you’re blind. You’re a natural leader. All those pranks you somehow convinced the academy’s top students to pull with you? All those friends of yours willing to follow you into the jaws of death without you even asking them to? It’s because they know what I know—that you have the kind of bottomless strength and loyalty that will always put others first at the expense of yourself. You are exactly the kind of king Eldr needs right now.
The fierce tenderness that swelled in his chest when he was with her expanded, pressing against Kol’s skin until it almost hurt to be so close to her. I never told you about my father’s disappointment in me. Or about my friends following me to Ravenspire without me asking.
She bit her lip. I’ve seen your thoughts, even the ones you didn’t mean to share.
I’ve seen yours too. He met her eyes. For example, I know that you think you’re too serious, but that you wouldn’t change it because it will help you be a good queen. I know you miss growing up with your mother to take care of you. And I know you hate the good memories you have of the time you spent with Irina after your mother died.
It’s weird to know so much about each other when we aren’t even friends.
Who says we aren’t friends?
We hardly know each other.
He raised a brow.
I mean . . . we know each other better than we should for the time we’ve spent together, but we only know the big stuff.
The stuff that usually doesn’t come up in friendships for a long time. He bumped her shoulder again and gave her a smile. How about if we make up for that?
How?
By asking the questions that people usually ask when they want to get to know each other and don’t have the pesky benefit of a magical mental bond getting in their way.
She laughed. Fine. What’s your middle name?
He groaned inwardly. It’s Eilertolvanisk. His words were accompanied by the image of Master Eiler standing beside his father, smiling proudly while Kol took his first steps.
You were named after the headmaster who expelled you from the academy?
He sighed.
Ouch.
I know it. What’s your middle name?