Page 84 of Dragon Me Through Space

“I’ll burn the solar system to kill anyone who harms you. I swear it,” he whispered and pressed a kiss to the back of my head.

Preston wasn’t one for unnecessary words, so I believed that was how he felt, but …

“You’ll have to watch as I’m hurt in the Games.”

He growled and it vibrated from his chest into my back. “I’m going to train you so that you’re the one hurting others.”

“And if the High King ordered you to hurt me, what would you do? Or what if they decide that I’m no longer worthy of being your mate, since my planet is gone, and it’s more beneficial to sell me to the highest bidder?”

He turned on the lights and stared down at me with a scowl. “If they didn’t want to keep the betrothal, they would have ordered us to return home long ago. Dragonkin aren’t skin traders, we never sell anyone. And, if my father or any of the others tries to order me to hurt you, he’s going to be removed from his throne and his head will be placed on a pike for everyone to see. So that everyone knows that threats to you won’t be taken lightly.”

“What if they tell you to take a Dragonkin female concubine?”

His expression softened and he rested a hand against my face. “That’s not going to happen. However, if they so much as say anything negative about you being our mate, we’ll defend you to our last breaths.”

Ducking my head down, I hid my face from him.

“I can understand why you’re concerned and if I were in your shoes, I’d likely ask the very same questions. However, you’re stuck with us, pet. Get used to it.”

He turned the light off and I relaxed into his warm body.

After a few moments of quiet, I whispered, “Preston?”

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

He wrapped his arms fully around me, pulling me tightly against his body as he wrapped his around mine. “I love you, too.”

“I’m glad my parents made an alliance with you.”

“I would have traveled to the end of existence and back if I knew I would find you. I would have stolen you from any other alliance or betrothal your parents might have made. There is no version of this life that doesn’t end with you being my mate.”

“Ditto,” I whispered back, letting his words fill me with warmth.

He chuckled and kissed the back of my head. “Go to sleep, pet.”

“Yes, sir,” I whispered and heard his soft growl, but thankfully he realized I was actually tired and allowed me to go back to sleep despite my teasing.

“There are three rounds to the Games,” Zeke explained. “The first one is an obstacle course. You’ll be racing against at least sixty other Dragonkin.”

“Isn’t an obstacle race pointless since Dragonkin have wings?” I asked.

“No wings allowed,” he explained. “I don’t think you’ll have a problem with that round. The second round is an endurance test to see how long you can hold onto a bar.”

“Sounds easy enough.”

Shaking his head, he said, “With predators in the water below you. If you fall in, you have to fight your way out of the water and kill one of them to continue to the next round.”

“So, if you fall it’s not an automatic disqualification?”

“Correct. You have to kill one of the predators. One year it was crocodiles and the next year it was sharks. I don’t know what this year will be. The third and final round is a combination intelligence and battle prowess tournament with the remaining contestants. You’ll stand on a rotating platform with water surrounding it and fight each other while being asked questions. If you don’t answer three questions in a row, you’re disqualified. If you answer wrong, you’re disqualified. And the last one standing wins.”

“That actually sounds fun,” I said with a smile.

He sighed. “I figured you would say that. Yes, many enjoy the Games and some return every year to participate.”

“Wait, so I could participate again if I wanted to?”