or we’re all in trouble.”
“Why?” Val asked.
“Sid has me, and that means he has all the power of all the dragons. But you don’t have any of the gifts of the other dragons, and you won’t get them without Hazel.”
“What?” Val asked. Sid explained a little of this earlier, but he was still unclear on the details.
“You mean you don’t know how the bonding ceremony works? You’re a dragon.”
“It’s different for the king,” Theo said.
“Oh. I just assumed,” Aspen said.
“The gifting happens occasionally when a dragon is bonded with someone not of their race. They take on the gifts of the other one, but only the king has all of them, and he gets them from his queen,” said Theo.
Val sat back and ran his hand through his hair. “Are you saying I’ll get all the gifts from the dragons?” Holy hell. The implications of that were huge. To have the ability to read minds, judge the feelings around him, and even heal.
Aspen nodded. “Except longevity, as Winerva hasn’t been replaced yet. I thought Sid was going to talk to Olwen, but then Rowan got kidnapped, and all plans went out the window.”
“I’ll talk to Olwen while I’m up there,” said Theo.
“Who’s Olwen?” Val asked.
“He’s the arctic dragon who pledged loyalty to Sid. He could possibly be our only ally in this.”
“Oh, good. Then Sid can have a full council again.” Aspen twirled her hair, staring off into space.
“So what can you do?” Val asked, hoping she’d tell him more.
“Well, you saw that I can heal. I can speak any language fluently. The other day there was a volunteer who was helping out in the search for Rowan. He’s from Russia and only spoke a little English. I had an entire conversation with him without even realizing I was speaking another language. Scared the crap outta me.”
“What else?”
“Let’s see. Supposedly I can lift heavy things, hide from people when I don’t want to be seen. Oh, and I can read minds. But I never use that. I keep it shut off.”
“Seems like that would make you a good spy.”
“Probably. But for now, I will keep it tucked away. I don’t want to know what other people are thinking.”
Personally Val thought that would be a nice gift to have. If he knew what Hazel was thinking, then maybe he’d have an easier time winning her over.
H AZEL’S PHONE chirped. She rubbed her eyes and picked it up.
Where the hell are you?
Hazel grinned. Aspen pulled no punches. None of your business. Where the hell are you? She loved Aspen more than just about anyone else. Especially because Aspen could say anything to her, and she wouldn’t be offended.
At home. Mom said you didn’t come home last night.
Hazel looked at the time and then at the sleeping man next to her. She had to admit last night was nice. She was used to waking up next to different men, but since she didn’t spend more than a few weeks with them, they never hit the comfortable stage. Paul was comfortable.
It’s only six-thirty. Why are you up so early?
Because I haven’t seen my sister since August, and I wanted to spend time with her.
Hazel’s stomach clenched. She wondered if Aspen had been thinking similar things as her. Right now, she only had one sibling, and she didn’t want to take that for granted. No. She couldn’t think those thoughts. Rowan was alive.
Give me thirty minutes, and I’ll be there. Don’t leave.
I might. Mom’s driving me crazy already.
Hazel set the phone down and rolled over. Paul was still out. She felt a tinge of guilt for staying with him. He would expect her to act like they were dating again, but if she were being honest with herself, she did it to drive away thoughts of Val.
She couldn’t get his face out of her head. Or his voice. Or his smell. She was a lost cause. Paul was sweet, but the whole time they were together, she was thinking of Val.
He blinked his eyes open, smiled, and placed his hand on her cheek.
“I’ve missed you.”
She
“Why?” Val asked.
“Sid has me, and that means he has all the power of all the dragons. But you don’t have any of the gifts of the other dragons, and you won’t get them without Hazel.”
“What?” Val asked. Sid explained a little of this earlier, but he was still unclear on the details.
“You mean you don’t know how the bonding ceremony works? You’re a dragon.”
“It’s different for the king,” Theo said.
“Oh. I just assumed,” Aspen said.
“The gifting happens occasionally when a dragon is bonded with someone not of their race. They take on the gifts of the other one, but only the king has all of them, and he gets them from his queen,” said Theo.
Val sat back and ran his hand through his hair. “Are you saying I’ll get all the gifts from the dragons?” Holy hell. The implications of that were huge. To have the ability to read minds, judge the feelings around him, and even heal.
Aspen nodded. “Except longevity, as Winerva hasn’t been replaced yet. I thought Sid was going to talk to Olwen, but then Rowan got kidnapped, and all plans went out the window.”
“I’ll talk to Olwen while I’m up there,” said Theo.
“Who’s Olwen?” Val asked.
“He’s the arctic dragon who pledged loyalty to Sid. He could possibly be our only ally in this.”
“Oh, good. Then Sid can have a full council again.” Aspen twirled her hair, staring off into space.
“So what can you do?” Val asked, hoping she’d tell him more.
“Well, you saw that I can heal. I can speak any language fluently. The other day there was a volunteer who was helping out in the search for Rowan. He’s from Russia and only spoke a little English. I had an entire conversation with him without even realizing I was speaking another language. Scared the crap outta me.”
“What else?”
“Let’s see. Supposedly I can lift heavy things, hide from people when I don’t want to be seen. Oh, and I can read minds. But I never use that. I keep it shut off.”
“Seems like that would make you a good spy.”
“Probably. But for now, I will keep it tucked away. I don’t want to know what other people are thinking.”
Personally Val thought that would be a nice gift to have. If he knew what Hazel was thinking, then maybe he’d have an easier time winning her over.
H AZEL’S PHONE chirped. She rubbed her eyes and picked it up.
Where the hell are you?
Hazel grinned. Aspen pulled no punches. None of your business. Where the hell are you? She loved Aspen more than just about anyone else. Especially because Aspen could say anything to her, and she wouldn’t be offended.
At home. Mom said you didn’t come home last night.
Hazel looked at the time and then at the sleeping man next to her. She had to admit last night was nice. She was used to waking up next to different men, but since she didn’t spend more than a few weeks with them, they never hit the comfortable stage. Paul was comfortable.
It’s only six-thirty. Why are you up so early?
Because I haven’t seen my sister since August, and I wanted to spend time with her.
Hazel’s stomach clenched. She wondered if Aspen had been thinking similar things as her. Right now, she only had one sibling, and she didn’t want to take that for granted. No. She couldn’t think those thoughts. Rowan was alive.
Give me thirty minutes, and I’ll be there. Don’t leave.
I might. Mom’s driving me crazy already.
Hazel set the phone down and rolled over. Paul was still out. She felt a tinge of guilt for staying with him. He would expect her to act like they were dating again, but if she were being honest with herself, she did it to drive away thoughts of Val.
She couldn’t get his face out of her head. Or his voice. Or his smell. She was a lost cause. Paul was sweet, but the whole time they were together, she was thinking of Val.
He blinked his eyes open, smiled, and placed his hand on her cheek.
“I’ve missed you.”
She
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