Chapter Thirty-Eight

It was a warm night, but I shivered and nestled closer to Shale in the carriage. Head lifted confidently, Shale pulled me closer and stared out the window. It was too dark for me to see anything, but I knew he could. Still, his gaze was distant, focused on a place neither of us could see. And he remained that way until the carriage stopped several hours later.

It was late by then, full dark. But the temple was lit like the day. As if they were expecting company. A group of hooded Eljaffna men stepped out of the ancient structure, the stone overhang carved with fangs to make it appear as if they stood within the jaws of a giant. A woman walked through the center of their ranks and approached the carriage.

Shale climbed out, helped me down, then led me over to her. “Mother,” he said and embraced the tall, white-haired woman. “How did you know?”

“Ranu summoned me,” she said, then fixed her dark stare on me. “Hello, Sebastian. I am Thera, Shaleros”s mother.”

“Your Grace.” I bowed.

“Don”t bow to me, warrior.” She took me into her arms. “Thank you for what you”ve done and will do for my son.”

Her words confused and scared me, but I whispered, “You”re welcome.”

“Father?” Shale”s tone went shocked.

I looked over to see a man come out of the shadows. A Dragon. A big one. He was thickly muscled, deeply tanned, and had Shale”s eyes. Or rather, Shale had his eyes. The man hugged Shale, clasping him tightly.

“I cannot go in, but I will wait here for you, Son,” he said.

“Thank you, Father.” Shale stepped back and gestured to me. “This is Sebastian, my consort.”

“Hello, Sebastian. I”m Naven. Thank you for coming.”

“Uh, nice to meet you, Your Grace.” I bowed to him.

He nodded at me, then gave his son a heavy look. “May the Dragon Gods be with you both.”

“Not here, they won”t, my love,” Duchess Thera said.

“They are everywhere,” Duke Naven said. “Even in your holy place. And they will protect our son.”

“Hopefully, he will not need their protection. Now, come, both of you.” Duchess Thera turned and led Shale and me into the temple, between the robed men.

Shale”s father remained where he was, Shale”s knights behind him, all of them staring after us as if we were headed for war.

The priests—I assumed they were priests—fell into line behind us. We entered a stone vestibule and the temple door shut with a thud. The walls were stone, carved with scenes of worship. Eljaffna on their knees, hands lifted toward the sky. There was nothing scary about the carvings, but still, another shiver ran through me.

Shale squeezed my hand and whispered, “I will do whatever it takes. Do not be afraid. I will survive.”

“What?” I whispered back in horror. I hadn”t considered what Shale would have to go through to regain his love, but from the look on his face, it would be grueling. “Shale, you don”t have to do this.”

“I can”t live without knowing what it is to love you, Sebastian. And you deserve more.”

“Shale,”

“Enough,” his mother said over her shoulder. “The decision has been made. It”s in the God”s hands now.”

We fell silent and followed her through the cold corridors. The deeper we went into the temple, the colder it got until I was shivering from that instead of fear. The warmth of the night felt far away. Reality felt distant too, as if I had stepped into a dream. Or a nightmare. Shale put his arm around me, sharing his heat. Even being held by him didn”t reassure me. I was afraid. So afraid.

The corridor opened onto a vast chamber. It had to be vast to house the enormous statue at the far end. I stumbled under the giant”s pale stare, but Shale steadied me. The priests split around us, going forward while we came to a stop. They went to the base of the statue and knelt. There, at the feet of the God Ranu, altars held offerings—platters full of treasure and bowls of crimson crusted with rust red. Gold and blood. Holy fuck.

The God”s image was sculpted from white stone as pale as the hair on Shale”s head. His and his mother”s. Marble probably, but without veins. Ranu”s feet stood behind the twin altars. Between them, in the wall behind the statue, was an ominous door. I ignored it and stared up those long legs, up lean thighs to a jeweled loincloth. A flat stomach rose above it, rippled in muscles that led to a broad chest. Arms as wide as I was tall extended in welcome or maybe blessing. It was something good, going by the expression on the God”s face. His beautiful features were peaceful, his eyes kind, but the tips of his fangs showed behind his parted lips.

Nope. Didn”t care how nice he looked. Ranu scared the shit out of me.

I was about to beg Shale to leave when the priests began to chant. The sound of it rolled through me, then became a vibration. Thera went to kneel at the God”s feet, between the priests. She lifted her arms in supplication, just like the Eljaffna in the entryway carvings. She didn”t speak, but something changed. The way she held herself. When she stood and turned to face us, she looked bigger. Almost masculine. Spinning on their knees, the priests turned to face her and bowed their heads.

In a male voice, the Duchess spoke, “You have come to take back what was sacrificed to me.”

Shale dropped to his knees and yanked on my hand until I did the same. “Not take, Great Ranu. Never. I come to beg you to have pity on me. I have given a century and a half to you. My love has been yours and it has saved my life. I”m thankful for that. But I believe I can survive the loss of my mate now. I can survive because of this man. Because of his love. Please, tell me what I can give you to replace my sacrifice. I will sacrifice anything else or perform any task you wish if you will return my love to me.”

“The only fitting replacement for love is love.”

“But I have no more love to give.”

“Yes, you do.” Ranu looked at me through Thera”s eyes. “Sebastian Dahl, mortal child, you have dared to love a Dragon. There is courage in you. Greatness. You are a fitting sacrifice.”

“No!” Shale roared and shot to his feet. “I cannot sacrifice Sebastian for my love. He is the reason I want it back.”

“And he may survive, Dragon King,” Ranu said. “I will test your consort. If he proves worthy and strong enough, he will find your love and bring it back to you. If not, he will take its place. Either way, your love will be returned to you tonight. Sebastian risks his life, and you risk the pain of mourning two lovers. That is my price. Do you accept?”

“No,” Shale whispered. “No, this is my doing. This should be my task alone.”

I stood up slowly, my stare locked on Thera”s, or rather, Ranu”s eyes. “I accept.”

“Yes, you understand,” Ranu said. “So young, and yet you feel so much, don”t you, Sebastian?”

“I do. And my love for him will see me through your tests.”

“No, you are not risking yourself!” Shale grabbed my arm. “You promised you”d never leave me.”

I tore my gaze away from the God”s and met Shale”s frantic stare. “I”m not leaving you. I”m going to get the love I fucking deserve. It”s mine!”

Shale blinked and stepped back.

Ranu chuckled. “That”s right, Sebastian. It will be yours. If you can take it.”

“I can,” I said. “I will.”

“Then come to me.” Thera shuddered and hunched forward.

I went past her, knowing exactly where to go. Where to find Ranu.

As I passed her, Thera grabbed my arm, her grip vicious. “Do not fail him.”

“I never have, and never will.” I slipped free of her and strode between the kneeling priests, then between the God”s feet.

“Sebastian!” Shale shouted.

Just before I opened the door to the God”s domain, I turned and looked back. Shale looked frantic, his eyes bleeding pain and his hands trembling as he reached for me. Strained for me. His whole body was straining as if against a great weight. Locked in place, probably by the God.

I burned his image into my mind, knowing that it would see me through whatever his god demanded of me. “I love you, Shaleros.” Then I smiled, turned, and left the world behind.