Chapter 219

Chapter 219: Chapter 219

Tempest watched Dron walk away until he disappeared below deck.

She wanted to follow him. Every single part of her was telling her to go after him, but she stayed exactly where she was. Dron said he needed time alone, and as much as she hated the idea of him being down there by himself when he was clearly going through something, she had to respect that. At least for a little while.

It didn’t stop her from worrying.

Tempest had seen Dron angry before. She’d seen him so angry that she was sure there wasn’t anything on Ustea that could stop him from getting to whoever had pissed him off. She’d watched him fight, watched him kill, and had been on the receiving end of a few of his angry looks herself, but this was different. Every other time there had been something to cause it. Someone attacked them. Someone threatened her. Someone was trying to hurt people he cared about. There had always been a reason for Dron to lose control.

Gerax hadn’t done anything.

That was what scared her.

Tempest turned and looked at the beta. Gerax had already gone back to work, talking to some of the others about whatever they needed to do to bring the ship to a stop. If he was upset about Dron screaming at him, he wasn’t showing it.

Dron had screamed at him for something none of them could’ve predicted.

They hadn’t even been on these ships for very long. There were nearly two hundred people traveling together on four ships that had been put together from the remains of old crashed vessels and whatever else Tine’s people had managed to find. Of course something was going to go wrong. Honestly, Tempest was surprised they’d managed to get this far without something falling apart.

Dron knew that too.

Yet he had looked at Gerax like the man had done it on purpose.

Tempest moved closer to the edge of the ship and looked down at the water. They were definitely slowing. She could feel the difference beneath her feet and could hear people calling out to one another as they worked to follow Dron’s order.

The other ships would catch up soon.

She should’ve been worried about whatever was happening on them. Someone had been trying to contact Dron, and they had no idea why. That should’ve been the most important thing on her mind.

It wasn’t.

Dron was.

Something was happening to him, and Tempest didn’t know how to help.

That might have been the scariest part of all of it. Dron had always been the one person she could read better than anyone else. Maybe it was the fated mate bond or maybe she had just become so obsessed with the man that she knew every twitch of his face, but she usually knew what was going through his mind. She knew when he was angry. Knew when he was scared even when he pretended he wasn’t. She knew when he was about to say something completely ridiculous just by the slight change in his expression.

This time she didn’t know.

She knew he didn’t want anyone to know about the ivory markings, but she still didn’t completely understand why.

Why wouldn’t he want people to know?

If what Gerax said was true, then the High Royals had taken something that belonged to Dron’s family. His ancestors had been killed and their history had been changed until no one even remembered who they were. Dron had spent his entire life being treated like there was something wrong with him because of markings that might actually prove he was descended from the people who were supposed to rule Thraqe.

Tempest would be shouting that shit from the rooftops.

Dron wanted to bury it.

She didn’t understand.

The sound of footsteps coming up from below deck pulled Tempest out of her thoughts.

Mexyn appeared a few seconds later, blinking against the bright light before she looked around.

"Why are we stopping?"

Tempest shrugged. "I don’t know."

Mexyn stopped walking. "You don’t know?"

"That’s what I just said."

"Where is Dron?"

Tempest pointed toward the opening Mexyn had just come through. "Down there somewhere."

Mexyn looked back over her shoulder before turning to Tempest again. "And you are up here?"

"Yes."

"By choice?"

Tempest narrowed her eyes. "Why is everyone so shocked when Dron and I aren’t attached to each other?"

Mexyn gave her a look.

"Okay, don’t answer that."

"I wasn’t going to."

Tempest rolled her eyes and looked back toward the water.

Mexyn came to stand beside her. "What happened?"

Tempest sighed. "The communication devices aren’t working between the ships. Someone on one of the other ships was trying to contact us, but Dron couldn’t get a signal. He told them to stop the ship so the others could catch up."

"That explains why we are stopping. It does not explain why you look like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you are trying to solve one of Gerax’s puzzles."

Tempest almost laughed, but she couldn’t get herself to do it.

"Dron lost it."

Mexyn’s expression changed immediately. "What do you mean?"

"He started screaming at Gerax."

"Why?"

"That’s the problem. There wasn’t really a why." Tempest turned toward her. "The communication devices aren’t working. Gerax said they never got a chance to check if they would work between all the ships, and Dron just went off. He was screaming about how stupid it was and how we wouldn’t know if one of the other ships was attacked. Gerax didn’t even do anything wrong."

Mexyn looked toward the opening below deck.

"I’ve seen Dron angry before," Tempest continued. "I’ve seen him fucking furious, but there was always something causing it. This was different. It was like all this anger was already inside of him and Gerax just happened to be standing there when it came out."

Mexyn didn’t say anything.

Tempest looked at her for a second.

Then she made a decision she knew Dron would probably be furious about.

"There’s something else."

Mexyn turned back to her. "What?"

Tempest glanced around. There were other people on the deck, but none of them were close enough to hear as long as she kept her voice down.

"You can’t tell anyone."

Mexyn’s eyebrows rose. "I do not like when conversations begin this way."

"I’m serious, Mexyn."

"So am I."

"Promise me."

Mexyn sighed. "Fine. I promise."

Tempest moved closer. "Something happened with Dron’s markings."

Mexyn’s entire expression changed.

"What happened?"

"You remember how they’ve been moving?"

"Yes."

"Gerax was looking at them before, and when he pressed against one of them, the color changed."

Mexyn stared at her.

Tempest swallowed.

"It turned ivory."

Mexyn’s mouth dropped open. ℴ

Tempest immediately pointed at her. "See! That! Everyone keeps doing that. "

"Ivory?"

"Yes, ivory."

"You are sure?"

"I know what ivory looks like."

Mexyn continued to stare at her.

Tempest groaned. "This is exactly what I mean. Gerax nearly lost his mind too. Then he started talking about the old Royal family and how Dron’s markings could mean that he’s connected to them somehow."

Mexyn’s eyes widened even more.

"I know."

"Tempest..."

"I know."

"No, I do not think you do."

"Well, then explain it to me because Dron doesn’t want anyone to know. He made it very clear that we weren’t supposed to tell anyone, and I know I’m breaking that right now, but I don’t understand why he’s so against it."

Mexyn stared at her. "He told you not to tell anyone, and you are telling me?"

Tempest’s guilt hit immediately.

"Yes."

Mexyn gave her a look.

"I know. I feel like shit about it already. You don’t have to make it worse."

"I did not say anything."

"Your face did."

Mexyn shook her head.

"I just need to understand," Tempest continued. "If this is true, it could change everything. People already follow him. If they knew that he might actually be connected to the family that ruled before the High Royals, that could give them even more of a reason to stand behind him."

"That might be exactly what he is afraid of."

Tempest frowned. "Why?"

Mexyn leaned against the side of the ship and looked out over the water.

"There are people in Thraqe who would give up everything they have for even an iota of power. I mean everything, Tempest. They would abandon their homes. Turn against their friends. There are people who would betray their own family if they thought doing so would raise their status."

Tempest grimaced. "That’s disgusting."

"It is reality."

"What does that have to do with Dron?"

Mexyn looked at her as if the answer should’ve been obvious.

"Dron has never wanted any of that."

"I know he doesn’t want to be king."

"No. You are not understanding me." Mexyn shook her head. "Dron has never wanted power. He has never wanted status. He has never wanted people bowing to him or looking at him as if he were better than they were. Do you know what Dron has wanted for as long as I have known him?"

Tempest waited.

"To be accepted."

Something inside Tempest sank.

Mexyn continued before she could respond.

"Dron spent his entire life being treated differently because of his markings. He was cursed because of them. People were afraid of him because of them. They judged him before he had the opportunity to say a single word because they saw the black on his skin and decided they already knew everything they needed to know about him."

Tempest knew that.

She knew it better than most.

She remembered the looks Dron received. Remembered how isolated his home had been. Remembered how shocked people were when she chose him and how many times someone had tried to convince her that there was something wrong with the man she loved.

"But that isn’t happening anymore," Mexyn said.

Tempest frowned.

"Look around you."

Tempest did.

There were humans moving across the deck beside alphas. People who probably wouldn’t have been caught dead near each other a few weeks ago were working together now. Gerax was giving instructions to someone near the front of the ship. Others were working with the sails. No one was staring toward the opening Dron had disappeared through. No one was whispering about the cursed alpha below them.

"They accept him," Mexyn said. "For the first time in his life, Dron has what he always wanted. He is part of something. These people chose him because of who he is. They follow him because of what he has done. Even that ridiculous title they gave him came from respect for the man he already proved himself to be."

"Mark Chief."

"Yes."

Tempest swallowed.

"Now imagine what happens if everyone finds out that the markings they once thought made him cursed might actually mean he is descended from the old Royal family."

Tempest opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.

Mexyn continued.

"Do you think they will continue treating him the same?"

Tempest looked around again.

This time everything felt different.

She imagined the people on the ship finding out. Then the people on the other ships. Then the people in Thraqe.

They wouldn’t just see Dron anymore.

They would see a king.

A Royal.

Someone they could use.

Someone they could follow because of what he might give them.

Someone they could manipulate to get themselves closer to power.

"Oh."

Mexyn nodded slowly.

"He would be alone again."

Tempest felt like she’d been punched in the stomach.

Not physically.

Worse.

Because she finally understood.

His black markings had kept him separated from everyone his entire life. People saw them and decided he was cursed. They feared him. Avoided him. Used him when they needed his strength and pushed him away when they didn’t.

Now his markings were changing, and everyone was excited because suddenly they might mean something completely different.

Except nothing would really change for Dron.

He would still be different.

Still separated.

Only instead of people avoiding him because they thought he was cursed, they would crowd around him because they thought he was powerful.

Tempest closed her eyes.

"Fuck."

"What?"

"I pushed him."

Mexyn didn’t say anything.

Tempest turned around and leaned back against the side of the ship.

"When he said he didn’t want anyone to know, I pushed him. Gerax did too, but I should’ve known better. I’m his mate. I should’ve understood why he didn’t want this."

"You are also human."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You did not grow up here. You do not understand what those markings have meant for him his entire life."

Tempest wanted to argue.

She couldn’t.

Mexyn was right.

Tempest knew Dron had suffered because of his markings, but knowing it and living it were two different things. Tempest hadn’t spent her entire life watching people cross the street to avoid her. She hadn’t been called cursed since she was a child. She hadn’t grown up knowing that people would gladly use her body and strength while still believing she was beneath them.

Dron had.

Then she came along and loved him.

Other people started accepting him.

He found friends. A community. People who trusted him enough to follow him across Ustea and onto these ships.

For the first time in his life, Dron was finally becoming just Dron.

And now this.

Tempest looked toward the opening below deck.

"I thought it would help."

"I know."

"I thought if people knew who he was, it would give them another reason to fight with us."

"Maybe it would."

Tempest looked at Mexyn.

Mexyn shrugged. "That does not mean Dron has to want it."

Tempest let out a long breath.

There it was.

The part she hadn’t wanted to think about.

She had spent so much time thinking about what the truth could do for everyone else that she hadn’t really thought about what it would do to Dron.

He told her what he wanted.

She had been so sure she knew better that she pushed anyway.

"Shit."

"You already said that."

"I’m saying it again."

Mexyn smiled slightly.

Tempest didn’t.

She looked toward the opening again and felt that pull inside of her telling her to go to him. To apologize. To tell him that she understood now and that she wouldn’t push him again.

She took one step.

Then stopped.

Dron had asked to be alone.

Tempest almost laughed at herself.

Apparently, she wasn’t very good at listening to the man when he told her what he needed.

She slowly stepped back.

Mexyn noticed. "You are not going after him?"

"I want to."

"But?"

"He asked for some time alone."

Mexyn nodded.

Tempest hated that nod.

She hated the fact that the right thing to do felt so wrong. Every part of the fated mate bond wanted her close to him, especially when she knew he was hurting. She wanted to climb below deck, find him, and refuse to leave until he told her every single thing going through his head.

But that would be for her.

Not him.

So Tempest stayed where she was.

At least for now.

The ship continued to slow beneath their feet as the distance between them and the others gradually disappeared. Tempest looked toward the ships behind them and could see more movement on the decks now that they were getting closer.

Whatever had caused them to try to make contact would have to be dealt with soon.

Tempest just hoped that for once, when the problem finally reached them, everyone wouldn’t immediately look toward Dron and expect him to have all the answers.

Because she was starting to realize that every single time they did, they added another little crack.

And Tempest was terrified of what would happen when there wasn’t enough of Dron left to hold them all together.