The Dragon's Kingdom

Advice

"They didn't do anything..." I sucked in a deep, shuddering breath, "I saw the scars on Knox's face and it was like... like I was drowning in memories."

"He has scars on his face?" Fia asked curiously.

"His scars probably reminded you of how you got your own." Aslin crossed her arms, all three of them watching me closely.

"I don't think I'll be able to convince Aldon to choose me." My brows furrowed as I remembered Izaak's comment about males bonding to each other and the look they had shared, "My best bet is going to be Knox."

"If this was your reaction to just seeing his face I doubt you'll be able to spend time alone with the poor male." Maina finally said, shaking her head at me.

"It'll be alright," Aslin reassured me, "Just remember to breathe. The next time you feel like panicking, focus on three things you can see, two things you can feel, and one thing you can hear. I do this whenever I start feeling the past trying to claw its way into the present."

"You really think that will help?" I scoffed, grabbing the water off the table and taking another sip.

"What do you have to lose?" Aslin sassed, placing a hand on her hip and raising a brow, "Is it really better to not try and be suffocated by the memories?"

Fia cut in, "Wait, so you saw Knox's face and ran away... Will he even want to be with someone who did that?"
"Oh..." I blinked, settling back against the couch and resting the cup on my leg as I let the thought sink in.

"It's not like he knows your history," Fia grimaced, "They probably thought you found the scars so horrific that you ran."

"I wonder how he got them." Maina furrowed her silver brows, "From what I remember most males get sort of paired off when they are younger and as they get older start looking for a female together."

"Shouldn't there be four males here then?" Aslin asked, "If what you're saying is right."

"I wish we knew more about them..." Maina's lips curled into a sly smile, "I have an idea!"

"I doubt we want to find out what your idea is." I muttered.

"We will invite them to the library for tea." She continued completely ignoring me, "Fia go send a servant to ask them to join us at four."

"Are you sure you want to do this for Maeve's sake or is it because you want to stare at handsome dradan males?" Fia asked, already heading towards the door.

"Can't it be both?" Maina called after her, cackling when the door clicked shut behind her.

"Maeve..." Aslin knelt in front of me, her blue eyes growing cold, "You have two weeks to figure out if you can go through with this. Figure out if Knox is the kind of male you can trust."

"And if he isn't?" I whispered back, gritting my teeth together, "What am I to do?"

"Az and I will help you." She took a deep breath, her lips thinning, "We have some friends that know the mountains. They could-"

"No," I cut her off, "I will not risk anything happening to my siblings, and if I don't go he will send Fia instead. No matter what will happen to me I will protect my sister."

"Then make sure you're indispensable to him." Aslin gritted out, "Make it so he can't live without you. No matter what it takes to do so."

I forced a grim smile to my lips, even as my stomach rolled in disgust. The only thing I had to offer a male would be my body. After all, it was the one thing they always seemed to want to take from me. But I could keep the rest. I could keep my heart and my mind all to myself.