Her voice was somber. “He’s written our names, underlining them like he did with Justin’s work. It says I…need you.”
Cyn swayed for a second. “Who else is going to teach you the necessary survival skills?” He gestured to a sketch of two stick figures, a swirl around them. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I think…it’s us dancing.” A sense of disbelief tainted her voice. “Yeah, don’t see that happening. And here, where the stick figure that’s supposed to be you says, ‘You have spirit, Ruby. You’re going to need that.’ You said it to me, and the Dragon Prince said it to Garnet. Garnet’s father did something to cause the evil beings to overrun the castle. Just as they were about to grab her, the Dragon Prince swoops in and takes her to his castle.” She tapped the book. “Mon’s main story was based on this.”
At least there was nothing here about how her father and mother had died. “What happens in Moncrief’s story? What’s she going to need spirit for?”
She rubbed her temples. “The prince trains Garnet, Awakens her, and then they fight a monster. It kills her precious bird…like the demon killed the Elemental at the library.” That made her brow crease in a frown.
“You said Garnet kills the prince.”
“Not on purpose. He accidentally ends up in the stream of their Breath. The Dragon spell wears off. Garnet has to fight using magick, because she’s really a Deuce. She defeats the monster and saves her kingdom. It used to annoy Mon that I wanted him to bring the prince back.” She snorted. “No wonder.”
“Why did you want him back? You made it sound like he was arrogant and annoying.”
She gave him an assessing look. “In some ways, yes. But he was alluring, protective, and he loved Garnet. And despite everything, she loved him back.”
Those words trickled through his veins. “Moncrief clearly elaborated on Brom’s vision. We’ve not seen a dove. There are no castles. Dragons don’t drool or smell. So unfortunately we can’t rely on his prejudiced version.”
“Not ‘unfortunately.’ The prince dies, after all. Did Mon hate you that much?”
“We had no use for each other. Like many Deuces, he disliked Dragons in general. Given his version, he wished you were a Deuce, though he obviously loved you.” He rubbed his hand over the page of Brom’s book. “The real vision is in this.”
Before their eyes, another few words appeared: Ruby’s destiny. Also double underlined.
Cyn leaned closer. “He must have given this to Moncrief to translate for you, and he did it in the form of fairy tales. He figured if you weren’t Awakened to Dragon, he could thwart fate.”
She stared at the words. “My destiny.” She stood, searching his eyes. “What is my destiny?”
“To face a monster, hopefully in a metaphorical way. To slay the person or people who ordered your parents’ murder.”
“With you. Because I need you.”
The way she said those last words tightened his chest. He had to force his gaze to their names on the page, linked with the plus sign. “For now.”
Her expression hardened. “Don’t worry. I have no intention of clinging to you.”
“I have a prophecy for you, Ruby. You will be the one to walk away from me.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Trust me on this. Remember, when our Dragons are pulling toward each other, you will walk away and never look back.”
Confusion creased her face. “Because I finally get my fill of your arrogance and the way you’ve shuttered your heart and cloaked your feelings?” She studied him, the hardness in her expression gone. “I’ve seen the wild flicker in your eyes, Cyn. I know you haven’t buried your feelings completely. You don’t have to be bored and alone.” She turned away from him, tucking the book into her bag. “Just saying.”
It wasn’t his Dragon who ached at those words. He had found the perfect woman, the one who could bring his passion back to life…who had definitely brought his body back to life. And he couldn’t have her. Fucking karma. Fate. Destiny, whatever.
He glanced at his watch. “We’d better go. Grayson’s a busy man.”
She hefted her bag, following him out. “Does this Grayson work for the Guard, too?”
“He has nothing to do with the government, which suits me just fine.”
“Is he a Dragon or a Deuce?”
He led the way through the house toward the garage entrance. “Neither. He’s a Caido.”
“Mon didn’t have any Caidos in his stories.”