Chapter 9

A week has passed when Jayk received a letter from Ryhan. In this letter he explained that they tracked the killer all the way to the realm of the skinchangers. Ryhan also mentioned that the elf that was killed was badly beaten and bruised. His throat was slit and he died within minutes. After a few more details about the murder, Ryhan ended the letter with a question and a threat:

‘How is Haylee? I hope you have been taking good care of her. We have no evidence that points to her father being the murderer, but we are keeping our eyes open. Please protect her Jayk. She is not a lowly human. If anything happens to her, I will duel you to the death.’

The last part of the letter caused jealousy to swell within Jayk. Since when did Ryhan become so close to the human? Jayk didn’t understand why he was reacting the way he was.

‘You know what, if Ryhan wants her, he can have her!’ he thought angrily, but as soon as the thought of Haylee and Ryhan together entered his mind, an involuntary growl escaped his lips and he knew no matter what he said, he wouldn’t want them to be together.  

He suddenly had the urge to go and visit Haylee. His feelings were getting worse and worse every day and he didn’t know why.

When he entered the room Haylee and Cason were busy playing a game of chess. Neither one of them noticed him.  

“At least you don’t cheat like Ryhan does,” She said as a fond smile crossed her lips.

That small sentence sent the already fuming dragon king in overdrive. He couldn’t stand to be in the room anymore. He needed air.

When he turned around to get away he bumped into the doctor.

“Excuse me, sire,” Tibult said apologetically.

“No it was my fault, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” Jayk said quickly.

“Well then- Sire, are you alright?” The doctor asked when he took a good look at Jayk who was extremely pale.

“Yes, now if you will excuse me-“

“No, let me at least give you a check up,” the doctor said firmly.

Jayk knew that it would do him no good to refuse the doctor he knew from a young age. The doctor led him down the stairs to his room where he gave him a quick check up.

The doctor checked is temperature and his ears and throat. The doctor nodded along and checked his eyes last. When he checked his eyes, his own widened.

“What?” Jayk asked when he noticed the doctor’s odd behavior.

“Nothing, sire. I was just wondering…” The doctor said as he started to pack away his equipment.

“What have you been wondering?” Jayk asked.

“When the young prince Ryhan will declare his feelings for Haylee.”

“Ryhan has feelings for Haylee?!” Jayk exclaimed in outrage.

“Yes, he spends a lot of time with her...and he calls her Haylee Baylee. They are cute together.”

“NO! There is no way I will allow it,” Jayk growled as his face became red and he jumped from his sitting position.

“Calm down! The only feelings Ryhan has towards Haylee is that of brotherly affection,” The doctor said as he let out a small chuckle.

Jayk gave him a perplexed look.

“Then why would you say something like that?” Jayk inquired trying to control his anger.

“I wanted to see if it was true.”

“If what was true?”

“If it was true that you indeed found your mate.” The doctor said.

“Mate?! I didn’t find my mate,” Jayk said.

“Then explain to me why your eyes has a new color around your pupil? The same colour as Haylee’s eyes?”  

Jayk’s eyes widened in shock.

“No…no it can’t be.” Jayk said as he sat back down, feeling dizzy.

“Why can’t it be?” Tibult asked.

“Because…because she is a human. Dragons and humans have never been mates before. It just can’t be.” Jayk said.

“How do you feel about Haylee?” Doctor Tibult asked.

“It doesn’t matter what I feel, she doesn’t belong here and as soon as she is more healed she will leave,” Jayk said.

“And where would she go? Baelon told me about her mother and Jayel, and I know you won’t allow her real father near her,” Tibult reasoned.

“I will help her get back up on her feet and make a new start. But she isn’t safe here.”

“She isn’t safe here because this realm doesn’t understand humans and thus fears them and hates them. You can’t judge all the humans under the same criteria. Haylee is nothing like her father, she isn’t a cold blooded killer and the knights have grown quite fond of her.”

“The people-“

“The people would respect your choice. You have spent your life giving up your happiness to please the people, how about you please yourself for once. Give this bond a chance to grow.” The doctor said as he placed a hand on Jayk’s shoulder.

Jayk thought about his words. If Haylee was his mate, maybe she was destined to be orphaned so that she could live with him. He knew that there was no denying a dragon’s mate, but he was unsure. Mates were special to dragons and they were held high. Mates were a dragon’s soul mate. Each dragon only has one, and if he or she loses their mate, they will not get another. Some dragons spent their lives trying to find their mates and here Jayk was thinking about refusing his.

The doctor left him to check on Haylee and his thoughts were on overdrive. He thought about how he was treating her and realized that he hasn’t been a good mate at all. If he told her now that she was his mate, she would definitely refuse him. Maybe he should apologize and start to make friends with her. Maybe start over. He hasn’t seen Haylee since their argument and he knew he needed to apologize. This girl was in a strange place and she lost everything she held dear and on top of all that she was treated badly by a dragon king who was suppose to be her loving, caring mate.

He sighed as he accepted what he had to do.

He will try to be friends with her, try to win her trust and then when they become close he will tell her about the whole mate thing and that she was his. He will ask her to stay.  

He knew that the other dragons won’t be too thrilled in his choice of mate but a mate was a sacred dragon thing and no one will be able to disagree with it. In fact rejecting your mate was seen as the worst criminal offence and if it came out that you rejected your mate, you can be killed for it. Who was he to break the law?

Jayk’s thoughts were broken when Cason entered his room with a tray of food in hand. Jayk didn’t even see him leave.

“I’ll take that, you go get some sleep,” he told the young man.

“Are you sure, your highness?” Cason asked with a small smile, he didn’t know what caused Jayk’s change of heart because a week ago, Jayk ordered him to take care of Haylee alone.

“Yes, now go.” Jayk said before he climbed the stairs. He knocked softly before he entered.

“You don’t have to knock-“ Haylee said, but she stopped her sentence short when she noticed the troubled looking Jayk.

“I thought it was Cason,” Haylee explained as Jayk handed her the tray of food.

“I assumed so, but the man looked tired and I decided to let him get some sleep.” Jayk said as he took a seat next to her bed.

Haylee looked at the expression on Jayk’s face and knew something was different about him. He didn’t have his usual scowl or angry expression.  

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing, just kingdom stuff.” He replied stiffly.

“Want to talk about it?” She asked.

Jayk gave her thoughtful look.

“It might help to talk about it…” He said before he started to tell her about the kingdom and how it worked.

Haylee couldn’t believe her ears; the stoic king was sharing something with her. Maybe, just maybe they could become friends.