Chained to old wounds

CH68

Morgan

Heated at the thought. But I knew he was just trying to distract me. His heart was pounding beneath my hand. Then, slowly, it’s harder to slow, as if his fear was starting to fade.

“A gold dragon is meant to rule… A green dragon is meant to grow… A red dragon is meant to scheme,”

I snickered. Is Ari a red dragon?”

I pouted. “You mean to tell me that Kai is going to turn into a schemer? He’s so sweet, though.”

Tsuneo chuckled. “That is not a guarantee. You won’t know what kind of dragon he is until his scale start coming in

“So a dragon scales don’t necessarily determine the skills of their offspring?”

“Correct.”

+

“Okay, I’m learning something new every day here. Where are you going with this?”

“A blue dragon is thought to be second best to a gold dragon, as vast as the ocean. but not necessarily as benevolent. The urge to

o rule and the patience to rule is there. There have been times in history where a blue dragon has sat on the throne Because there was not a gold dragon in the family at the

time

„„Reiji?”

I flinched.” I hate the fact that I could figure that out so quickly. All right, and so? You’re a… some other color dragon, right? The opposite of gold is… purple?”

He chuckled darkly. “No, Morgan, I’m not. Though it’s interesting that you mentioned a purple dragon.”

“There are purple dragons?” I rolled my eyes. “Let me guess as an entire rainbow? Have I met an orange dragon?”

“Orange dragons don’t exist in that way. Colors that can be made in mixes are a product of having mixed parentage like Maya.”

I sat up, looking down at him gleefully. “Are you about to tell me that Maya is a princess? She’s got that bronze color to her scales! That’s like gold and… brown or something? Are there brown dragons?

Tsuneo set up. “Maya is my cousin. Illegitimate, yes, but no less cherished. Fuses to live in the harem as a princess because she doesn’t want to complicate her life. Her mother was killed for her relationship with my uncle. My uncle was a red dragon…. her mother was something else.”

My heart clenched. “And… your u

uncle?”

“He did not survive it. Tsuneo looked away. “She was very young

ung when it happened, and it happened before I was born. As for her scale colors, it’s not as clear cut as mixing colors as you would paint.”

So Keiji is your younger brother?”

I am the youngest of my father’s children, actually.”

My head spun. “That makes some sense. She definitely gives

es off older sister vibes. I’m definitely going to have to get her to stop calling me my lady.

Shes my cousin at this point.” I frowned. “Cousin–in–law.”

“You are taking this quite well.

Well, you haven’t given me any reason to freak out.”

I suppose that information is still to come.” He took a deep breath. “I understand that you think that much of our culture has not spilled into yours.

CHOB

But I know that to not exactly be true, so when I tell you that I simply did not want you to think of me any differently, I meant that.”

I frowned. My stomach turned into knots as something told me that what he was about to tell me was going to be much worse than I had ever

anticipated.

“All right, you’re freshly scaring me. Just tell me what it is.”

“I am a black dragon.” I went still. His gaze pierced me. “And unlike a golden dragon, there can only be one of me at any given time alive.”

I swallowed thickly, I tried to push through the cold fear that was pulsing through me. but I knew he could tell that his words had terrified me. He was right, there were plenty of stories of black dragons ravaging the world, destroying things, laying waste to whole countries. I could not comprehend how this man could be a black dragon. Yet as I thought more about that night he saved me from Keiji… it made more and more sense.

The look on your face says, you’ve heard something”

“I have, but 1 want to bear it from you.” I looked into his eyes. “I know very well how easy it is to take one moment, one had day, and turn i

characterization of someone’s entire life.”

He cocked an eyebrow at me. I could tell he wanted to ask, but he nodded instead.

it into the

“Black dragons are known to be ferce defenders. Guardians. We are possessive and vicious. The dragon.”

The first dra

dragon to have come into existence was a black

“That explains a lot,” I said. “When you said void, I sort of expected it to be a black dragon…”

e elders may know or suspect what kind of dragon I am. Its likely a large reason of why they’ve been so reluctant to officially crown me, other than

-The

my age.”

What do you mean?”

*I told you. Golden dragons are meant to rule. They have the benevolence, the endless patience and all required to be good nalers. Black dragons are seen as unpredictable and dangerous. We are warriors, not rulers.”

What is a king if n

if not a defender?” I asked, “More importantly, do you even want to rule?”

He blinked. No one has ever asked me that. I have no answer. I have always expected that my father will have another child, or perhaps one of my siblings will have a golden dragon child. But it has not happened yet. With my mother dead. I don’t see how another golden dragon will come to be.” He sighed. “And if another golden dragon does not come to be, and I am the only one eligible to take the throne, it will only be a matter of time before they find a reason to get me off of it.”

“Is that why yo

you’re so anxious about your father?”

His eyes cut to me. “You see too much.”

I laughed. “Or perhaps you’re just obvious.”

I reached out and took his hand.

“For the record, I don’t think any differently of you. I think it’s oddly more fitting.”

“What?”

“The way you handled your brother… You do not mourn for him the way your father mums for him.”

“He was not my child. And I was the one who killed him. It would not be right to mourn for him the same way.”

Maybe, but I don’t think you mourn for him at all.

His lips twitched. “You see too much.” He covered my eyes, and I laughed.

“Tell me more about the Elders, You said you’re not sure if they know that you’re a black dragon. Why not?”

“Thelave my father has been hirling it

it from them. With a curse on me, it’s been easier. It’s not as thought my scales appear black alone.”

CHOR

I bit my lip.” I should probably stop doing whatever I’m doing to Leach that darkness from your skin, then, huh?”

He groaned then his lips fell on mine. He licked into my mouth with a low groan.

His voice was deep and husky,

“Don’t you dare.”