Page 20 of Dragon Me Through Space

“Your race? You said you are human, though?” Gage asked.

“Basically human,” I answered vaguely.

“You still don’t want to tell us your former planet’s name, why?” Preston asked.

“Why are you going to Exostalon?” I countered.

“They’re the closest planet with no relation to Porantine, so they won’t attack us if word has spread that we killed the Underlord. Plus, they have a good relationship with the Dragonkin,” Wayne answered.

“I thought you said you were searching for something. Why not search on Exostalon?” Preston asked.

Oh, gods. I hoped what I searched for wasn’t on Exostalon.

“If I go, someone is bound to recognize me,” I said and set my fork down, no longer hungry. “The only way I could go there is with a mask, but Exostalon doesn’t allow people to wear masks.”

“And you can’t tell us what you’re searching for? So that we could search for you?” Wayne asked.

“The last time I explained what I was searching for, they tried to kill me,” I said. Not quite true, but close enough.

“We will allow you to stay on the ship and will not reveal that you are with us, but you must do us a favor in exchange,” Preston said.

“A favor?” I asked, suddenly more nervous. “What kind of favor?”

He shrugged. “One we can redeem at a later date.”

“No. I don’t do random favors. You must give me specifics before I agree to anything,” I argued.

“Give us a moment,” Gage said and stood. “Boys.”

The four of them went out of the room to talk.

With them gone, I should have felt like I could breathe a little easier, but I felt even more afraid. Shaking out my hands, I stood and walked over to look out the window at the black void of space we flew through.

Of all of the places, why did it have to be Exostalon? Any other planet I could have gone on planet and just stayed by their side and everything would have been fine.

The door opened and I heard them all walk in. I stayed looking out the window, my pulse still fast and hands shaking.

“In exchange for allowing you to stay on the ship anonymously while we’re on Exostalon, you must agree to go on a single date with each of us,” Preston said.

I spun, mouth agape. “Wh-What?” Had I heard him correctly? A date?

“Do you know what a date is?” Wayne asked. His brows furrowed. “Maybe she thinks it means something sinister?”

“A date, as in spending at least four hours with one of us, doing something fun in an attempt to consider forming a relationship,” Preston explained.

They were serious. A date.

“With each of you?” I asked.

They all nodded.

“Dragonkin quartets share a mate,” Wayne explained.

I did remember reading about that. It was different reading it then them asking me to consider it with them.

“I’m not a Dragonkin, though,” I whispered. “I thought you only shared a Dragonkin.”

“No,” Preston replied simply.