Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 111252 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111252 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
With each name he spoke, he felt an answering thrum of excitement before the chosen weapon streaked across the hoard and burst into the air, flying straight into the house and to the clan armory. An answering shout erupted from Xiang as each sword in its own sheath appeared withing the armory.
Kai opened his eyes and smiled to see the seven swords hovering in the air in front of him. With a wave of his hands, the swords laid themselves on a table in the center of the room. “My gift to the Zhang clan.”
“What?” Xiang demanded, his voice cracking.
“The same master who lived during the Han Dynasty and made many of the swords within your collection made these swords. They belong with their brothers and sisters here, rather than in my hoard.”
“You can’t be serious.” The disbelieving words tumbled from Xiang while his trembling hand reached for Bitter Frost. He caressed the sheath, his fingers not even daring to close around the hilt as if he were afraid Kai would take it away.
“I am very serious.”
Xiang jerked his head up, his brow wrinkling. “But they’re in your hoard. I didn’t think a dragon would ever be willing to part with anything from his hoard.”
The funny thing was that Xiang was right. Kai had never heard of a dragon giving away parts of his hoard. Especially something so beloved as ancient swords from his armory. But he didn’t feel even a twinge of regret. No, if anything, his chest swelled with joy at the idea of these swords now in the possession of Xiang and the rest of his clan.
“This is where they belong,” Kai stated. “Use them well to protect your family.”
“I will. I swear.” Xiang’s eyes were locked on the weapons, his fingers dancing across them as if they were the most precious things in all the world. Yes, they were in safe keeping with Xiang.
After calling Junjie and Chen to marvel at their new acquisitions, Xiang took Kai’s hand again and led him down the winding hall to a very different room. A bedroom that smelled thickly of Xiang. This must have been his private quarters before being stolen away.
The joy that had bubbled up in his chest fizzled and drained away. He tried to look at it through objective eyes. It was a handsome room with many dark colors and fine furniture. There were a few paintings on the walls that appeared to be done by the same artist featured throughout the house. Kai suspected that one of Xiang’s clan mates had painted them. A few more weapons hung on the walls. But other than that, the furnishings were simple and sparse.
No matter how hard he tried to appreciate that he was standing in Xiang’s personal space, a feeling of frustration and hopelessness was welling up within him. Naturally, now that Xiang was home, he would want to sleep in his own bed, surrounded by his own possessions, rather than sleep within the hoard.
His every instinct was to whisk Xiang to the hoard and not let him out. This was a dragon thing. He knew it. Humans didn’t have this possessive need, and they had trouble understanding it. Kai needed to let Xiang go. Give him space.
Space did not mean losing Xiang.
Space was just…space.
Xiang would be fine. Safe. Happy without him.
As he stood frowning at the bed that didn’t look as nice as the grand canopy bed in his hoard, Xiang darted over to a small door and pulled it open. He snagged a black backpack, tossed it onto the bed, and crossed over to the dresser.
“Don’t frown and pout,” Xiang called over his shoulder. “I’m going to pack a few things to bring to the hoard. The clothes you’ve got in there are nice, but I miss my clothes.”
Kai blinked. His tongue forgetting how to work for a couple of seconds as his brain processed what Xiang was saying. “I don’t understand,” Kai said. “Don’t you wish to stay here with your clan?”
Xiang dropped an armload of shirts, pants, and undergarments on the bed next to his bag and smirked at Kai. “Of course I do. I figured it might be a good idea to stay close to you in the hoard while we try to get your sword back. Just in case the queen tries to issue another command. I want to be there to help fight it.” He narrowed his eyes and pointed at Kai. “You also seem the type to run off and hide your wounds instead of letting someone help you. If I’m in the hoard, you can’t hide from me. You need someone to take care of you.”
Lowering his hand to his side, Xiang took a step closer to Kai, whose heart was threatening to pound right out of his chest. He was tumbling into Xiang’s smile, getting so very lost in everything about this man. How did Xiang know him so well?