Chapter 4

Falkon

I t was a torturous day and night. I had found my mate. She'd been right here all along. I'd spent years in this place and never seen her. Never had a clue that she was so close. Living in the same building. It turned out the world still had mysteries to offer. Dances of fate that you never even realised were working in the background. The longer I was away from her, the more my newfound energy ebbed away. Being close to her fuelled me physically. I wondered how it would feel when we finally touched. When I buried myself inside her.

My cock throbbed a little, but I didn't have enough energy to get fully hard anymore. I climbed onto my usual table and found the small sliver of daylight. I drifted in and out of sleep, only moving to follow the beam of light.

"Here."

The smell of food hit my nostrils. My eyes flickered open, and I looked at the slab of meat in front of me. A part of me that was still pure feral animal took over, and I snatched it up without asking questions. It was the most I'd eaten in one go in a long time and definitely the most meat I'd had in all my time in prison. As it slid down my throat and settled into my stomach, I finally looked up to see who had spoken. A shadow demon looked down at me. Nothing but wispy darkness. I held his gaze for a moment. Gifts like this didn't come without strings attached.

"Why?"

"I need a favor from you."

He fell silent, the dark face watching me.

"Say more."

"There is going to be a prison riot."

I raised my scaly eyebrows. He put his hands up.

"Not of my making. I can see it coming and want to make the most of the opportunity. Direct some things that happen along a useful path. There is one stubborn part of the plan that is threatening to get in the way. I need a distraction."

"And I'm the distraction?"

"Yes?"

"Will I die?"

"Odds are 50/50. But your mate will get out of here. Safely. If you play your part and survive, you will be free to live your lives together."

"If I don't do it?"

"Then you will miss the opportunity to escape and rot in here until long after your mate dies. And she may die sooner rather than later. Her place in this isn't certain yet."

I growled, and fire formed in my belly. He held his hands up again.

"Not of my doing. There are going to be hundreds of violent monsters running around looking for trouble and fun."

"Swear that this is the truth."

I pushed my will out onto him. He'd given me enough sustenance for that, and even shadow demons weren't immune to dragon magic. He couldn't lie to me now and I suspected he'd fed me on purpose to ensure I could do this. To get me to play my part.

"I swear it."

"Why are you doing this? I see no collar around your neck. You could go anywhere you wanted. Get anything you wanted."

He grumbled as though trying to fight me for a moment, before giving in to me.

"Is there anything you wouldn't do to protect your mate?"

I pulled my will back in. He visibly relaxed.

"No. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for her."

"Then we are both bound to this."

"You've searched all available futures?"

He nodded.

"All the other options lead to chaos and death. Which I really don't mind," he said flippantly. "It's quite boring in here, and I don't care that much about any of you. But my mate would be sad if her friends died. Broken. So, I do what I must."

I curled back up, turned my head away, and ignored him. If I had to die to save my mate, then of course I would. Shadow demons were sneaky and selfish, but I'd felt no falsehoods from him. Secrets, yes. But we were all entitled to our secrets.

When I turned back, he was gone. My mind turned to my mate. I'd wanted so badly to claim her. To feel her around me. To hear her moan my name. But was it fair to claim her if I was then going to die? To solidify our bond into a permanent binding of souls, just to have it be ripped away from her. I couldn't bear the thought of her spending her life unable to move on. Feeling my loss that deeply.

When the guards called me in the evening for the private yoga practice she had promised me, the excitement at seeing her was mixed with deep sorrow. I could give her pleasure if she wished for it. But I would not fully take her. Not until we had both survived this mess. Protecting her meant denying myself the experience of being with my mate fully, not just dying for her. It was like a physical pain that threatened to break me. But I'd bear that torment. For her.