But the answer was simple. Because the dragon was Azar, and with him I felt completely submerged in all the sensations and emotions I never thought I’d ever experience.
“Be at ease, Dragao,” the other male repeated and smirked, but I could tell it wasn’t an expression that came from a pleasant nature. “I want nothing to do with your territory or your mate.”
“Then you really have no business here.” Azar took a step forward, and although I couldn’t see his face, I knew he was baring his teeth, knew his fangs were long and sharp from his aggression.
But the other male stood his ground and had the arrogance to chuckle, as if Azar wasn’t as intimidating as we both knew he was.
The other male placed his hand over his chest and inclined his head, a gesture that looked an awful lot like respect. “I am Ryezan of the Draco Legion. And I’ve come to seek information from your human mate.”
Apparently that was the wrong thing to say, because Azar growled deeper, his upper body leaning forward even more. “You do not speak with her, let alone look at her.”
“You misunderstand me,” Ryezan said and dropped his hand from his chest, grinning so wide it showed his very white teeth and sharp fangs. “I, too, am mated to a human.”
I felt my eyes widen at that admission.
“In fact, she comes from the same human settlement as your female.”
Every part of my body tightened and tensed at his words.
“What is this you speak of?” Azar snapped, but he did straighten to his full height and used his hold on my hip to pull my chest more firmly against his back, as if he was afraid to not have me close.
“What I mean is exactly what I say. I’ve seen my female, my Cord is awakened, and I wish to seek more information about my mate from yours.”
Azar didn’t say anything and instead let out a low, savage sound.
“I know nothing about her kind. She’s surrounded by males of her species,” he hissed and bared his teeth as if the very idea pissed him off. “I don’t want to frighten her by killing them all in order to take her. But I will. I’ll tear them limb from limb, then light their lifeless bodies on fire with my breath to get to her.”
I shivered at his vicious words.
“Tread lightly. You frighten my female, and that’s punishable by death in my eyes.”
Ryezan held his hands out, and that smirk was back in place. “I mean no disrespect. I just want information on how to safely get my female. And I’d prefer not to frighten her in the process.”
I licked my lips as this inkling started in the back of my mind. There were plenty of females in the Pit, yet something was prickling in my subconscious, this realization. “Y-You saw her outside? In the fields?”
Ryezan nodded once.
“And this was recently… when you saw her in the fields?”
He inclined his head in agreement.
“W-What does she look like?” I knew who she was without him having to describe her. Because if he saw her out in the field, there were only a handful of females who did the hard labor.
I kept looking at Ryezan, my head cocked to the side as I looked around Azar’s side. But I didn’t dare move out from the protection of my dragon’s body. I wasn’t a fool.
“What does she look like?” I asked again, whispering.
I could see Ryezan’s face soften, looked into his icy-blue eyes and knew he was thinking about his mate. He closed his eyes and exhaled, that familiar purring I heard from Azar so many times now coming from Ryezan. It was obvious that when he thought of his female, he couldn’t help the happiness and pleasure that came over him.
“She is… stunning. Absolutely perfect in every way imaginable.” He opened his eyes then, and even from this distance I could see his pupils dilating even more. “Her hair is as dark as night, her face so feminine, fragile. I fear if I’m not careful, I could harm her just by placing my hand on her pale skin.” His purring increased, and I practically sensed Azar’s dragon rising. “And her eyes… as green as the Bakari Sea.”
Oh. No. I knew who he was speaking of before he described her, but even so, now knowing it was Tilly had shock settling into me. She was the only one with green eyes and black hair in the Pit.
And then Ryezan turned his attention right to me and looked me in the eye.
“You do not look at my mate,” Azar said with barely restrained rage.
“Your female… I’ve seen your mate with mine. I need to know more about my female. I need your mate to tell me everything.”
Apparently that was the breaking point for Azar. Ryezan’s demands were met with fury. Azar launched himself at the other dragon, but at the last second Ryezan shifted into his beast form, took flight, and hovered in the air for a suspended moment as he stared between Azar and me.