79. Auslin

Chapter 79

Auslin

O nce Auslin left the castle grounds, it was easier to breathe without so many people around to judge him. His head was a mess as he tried to sort through his feelings about everything that had just happened.

He still couldn't believe that his warm and loving Kitaro had become Kitsuki, the aloof ice king Auslin knew in the future. Auslin couldn't fathom that they were somehow the same person.

Lost in his thoughts, Auslin followed the most familiar path out of habit.

Kitaro clearly had no desire to rule, but Kitsuki was a king. How had he ended up as the ruler of Valzerna and not Mitsuki? Why hadn't Auslin paid better attention to shifter history? It had never seemed important before since Kitsuki had been ruler long before Auslin was born, but now he deeply regretted not being more knowledgeable about the past.

Did Kitsuki become cold because Auslin died in the past?

The only thing Auslin could think of that would make Kitsuki go through such a drastic personality change was that he died somehow. But that didn't make sense when a human mating with a shifter inherited their long lifespan.

The thought of dying and leaving Kitsuki to suffer through centuries of loneliness brought tears to Auslin's eyes. Had Auslin made the wrong decision of agreeing to be Kitsuki's bondmate? As touching as Kitsuki's eternal devotion to Auslin's memory was, it was genuinely upsetting to know the dragon monarch would become so isolated in his despair.

Was that why the shifter monarch had tried to kill him the first time they had met all those years ago? Auslin had never forgotten the look of pain in Kitsuki's sad eyes whenever they met. Was it because he had been seeing Vanra instead?

It gave Auslin a new reason to feel guilty for indirectly hurting Kitsuki in the future. It provided a heartbreaking context to the few times Kitsuki had reached out to almost touch Auslin before jerking away.

He had always felt drawn to Kitsuki in his own time, although it earned him Kio's ire and nonstop complaints. Auslin had never known why, but it had always been important to him to reach out to Kitsuki in any way he was allowed. In hindsight, he had only wounded the monarch further with his persistence. Auslin's sudden disappearance in the future had probably pained Kitsuki in new ways. How could Auslin be responsible for hurting the person he loved most?

Why was fate so cruel? Why would it bring Auslin to Kitaro to show him such a short happiness together, only to make Kitsuki live in such sorrow for so many centuries? It was horribly unfair.

Did Satsuma say Auslin never left Kitaro because the ghost of his memory would haunt Kitsuki forever? It was the only thing that made logical sense.

Auslin arrived in the clearing where he had met Kitaro for the first time. He never would have imagined when he had come across the enormous dragon shifter that he would have found the greatest love and happiness of his life. What was fate's plan?

Knowing what he did about the future, how could Auslin go back and face the Kitsuki waiting for him in the castle? He couldn't explain any of it without risking negatively changing the future. But how was he supposed to look at Kitsuki without feeling guilty about how his life would turn out? How could Auslin be happy with Kitsuki, knowing every moment of joy would add to his future sorrows? All Auslin had wanted was to be Kitsuki's bondmate, but now he was too scared about what would happen if they went through with the mating ceremony.

A loud crash below drew Auslin's attention from his anguish. He walked down the stairs that led down to the Fate's Gate Temple. His friend Roltan was sitting on the ground, holding his ankle with a pained wince. There was a box and various sizes of wood pieces strewn about everywhere around him.

Auslin walked closer. "Roltan, are you okay?"

The young acolyte brightened when he saw Auslin. "Maybe? I couldn't see over the box, so I tripped like the klutz I am." Roltan flexed his foot with another grimace. "Ugh, I think I twisted my ankle when I fell."

"I can help heal that," Auslin offered. He had some time to kill before the celebratory banquet later. "I can also help you carry that stuff if you'd like."

"Would you mind?" Roltan gestured at his mess. "I was delivering this to the new annex they started building. You should come check it out with me! They've made a lot of progress on it recently."

Auslin had only known the building as the "old annex" in his time. His curiosity got the better of him. "Do you think they'll mind if I tag along?"

"Elder Varski said you were welcome anytime, so I can't imagine that doesn't extend to the new annex." Roltan began putting pieces of wood in the box. "It turns out they're building it without using any nails. Can you believe that? "

Auslin had never understood how it was possible. "It sounds unbelievable."

"There should be a few workers around to show you how it's done if you're interested."

The fact that no nails had been used to build the annex had always fascinated Auslin. The offer to meet with some of the people building it was too tempting to pass up for him.

Since he wasn't in a rush to get back, it seemed like perfect timing. "I'd love to ask them some questions," Auslin said as he walked down the few remaining stairs to meet with Roltan. "But let me heal you first."

Being so distracted by all his concerns, Auslin didn't think twice about walking through Fate's Gate as he had done countless times before without consequence.

But fate had laid its trap to grab hold of him, making the ancient magic activate. Auslin tried to resist the pull, but it was too late.

He disappeared through Fate's Gate in the blink of an eye, leaving the past behind forever.

Need to see Kitsuki's reaction to discovering his beloved Vanra disappeared through Fate's Gate?

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Curious to see what happens when Auslin returns to his time? Read Consort of the Dragon King today to find out what happens next!