“I could do something to help.”
“Oh?” Gahariet looked at the healer, who looked uncomfortable.
“I can detach her from her blood, but it’s not really…legal.”
“We’re princes,” Olivier said. “What’s the point of being a Throne if you can’t take risks?”
“We set an example for everyone else, Olivier. You know that.”
“What could be better than keeping our mate safe? Is that something that we should be ashamed of?”
“We’re in,” Gahariet said grimly. “Do what you need to do to take care of her.”
“It’ll take some time,” the healer warned. “And it won’t keep him away forever. It’s temporary.”
“Do it,” Olivier said, flames leaking into his eyes. “I’ll stay here for as long as I need to.”
The healer nodded and began to rummage around in a cabinet.
“Excuse me,” Gahariet said before he walked out of the room.
His heart was heavy as he left. Could he fight something that was invisible? He and Olivier would do everything they could, but could they prevent her own blood from turning against her?
They would have heirs soon, but his dragon was restless when it came to protecting the children. He knew that Marc might be pretty unethical, but he wouldn’t harm children. Lucien was another matter.
“Hello, prince.”
Gahariet spun around to see a young Yore man standing behind him. He lowered his center of gravity just a little bit and adjusted his stance. He might be paranoid, but after the Lockwing attack, anything could happen.
He could feel his eyes start to heat, ready to begin flaming.
“There are rumors that you took in a girl. Very pretty? Answers to Phuong?”
“Why are you asking?”
“She’s my sister.”
43
Found
Phuong
Phuong could hear people talking around her in the medical bay, speaking in low whispers. She wasn’t sick, but the procedure had been pretty exhausting. The doctor had taken all of the blood out of her body, cleansed it, and put it back in. It had been cold when it went back in, and now she felt like she was an ice cube.
“Phuong?”
Was she dreaming? That voice sounded just like Xuan. She opened her eyes to see the familiar twinkle of her brother’s eyes.
She felt a wave of warm relief wash over her. She sat up. He came in for a quick hug, but she held onto him for a little longer than was strictly necessary.
When she let go, she said, “How did you find me?”
Xuan just grinned down at her. “I have ears. I’ve been looking for you, and I heard a rumor that you were here.”
“I meant to come to you. I tried to…”
“Don’t worry about it, Phuong.”