I should have been tracking the dragons last night. I should have left Adriana once she was sleeping and secure. Instead, I stood guard until morning. Watching her sleep soundly. As if the realm wasn’t in danger and I had all the time in the world to spare. She wasn’t a suitor. She’d never be my wife. Her gods-damned sister was in the running to be my bride. So why then did I stay? The blood oath? I wished to the old gods that was it. “Gabriel. Stop.” Lust’s voice was laced with magical command, breaking me from the fighting trance I’d been lost in.
