Crown Of Hearts-Chapter 81: coward’s armor

Eros arrived in the late afternoon and immediately went to the royal house to find his uncle.

"Uncle." Eros’ voice was cheerful as he approached Ezekiel who was in his study room.

"I see that you are back. How was your visit?" Ezekiel asked, smiling at his nephew.

"Interesting but I will tell you all about it later. What’s your next course of action regarding the red dragon?" Eros was curious as he sat down in a chair, leaning back to relax his body after flying for three hours.

"I have decided to have the red dragon executed along with his followers. The council voted the previous evening after the defendants had been given an alternative which they turned down." Ezekiel replied.

"What was the other option?" Eros asked.

"It was either choosing to stop threatening and hurting members of the royal family or death. All five captive dragons chose to die." Ezekiel explained, not at all thrilled that he had ordered the death of fellow dragons but he needed the threat against his family terminated.

.....

Eros was restless for the rest of the afternoon and when evening approached, he stood at his bedroom balcony, looking down at the large royal house compound where the executions were going to take place.

He watched as the five dragons that were going to be killed were led to the gallows and his eyes lingered on the red haired dragon that was at the back of the line. freewēbnoveℓ.com

His long fiery red hair covered his face from view and the slightest change in the breeze brought a sliver of the most intoxicating scent he ever inhaled.

It smelt like the forest after a rainy day and there was a hint of something smoky. Smoky like warm roasted coffee on a chilly day and it made Eros feel warm and safe.

His dragon’s voice was a calm acceptance as two words echoed within his head, over and over again as he looked at the red haired dragon that was walking towards his death.

’Mate. Mine!!!!’

Eros inhaled sharply just to make sure that he had not made a mistake and that was when the red haired dragon looked up and their eyes met in an unfathomable gaze as the huge man stopped walking.

His eyes were the most vivid shade of green and with the way they were slightly wide, Eros knew that his dragon had made the same conclusion about him.

Eros saw red when a whip slashed against his mate’s back and he wasn’t sure how he got from the balcony but within a second, he was rushing towards the solider that held the whip.

"Do not hit him." Eros’ voice was trembling from protectiveness as he grabbed the whip from the soldier’s hand and threw it away.

His dragon’s instincts to protect what was his had kicked in and Eros frowned as he looked at the large brutal lines that covered his mate’s back.

"Your highness, what’s going on?" The soldier asked.

Eros’ eyes were certain and stern as they met those of the dragon that was glaring at him coldly.

"He is my mate." Eros replied and there was a collective gasp from everyone around.

"Gareth, is that true. Are you a mate to one of these royal freaks." One of the dragons that was also going to be executed asked and Eros held his breath, hoping that his mate did not deny their connection.

The red haired dragon clearly hated him but his eyes brimmed with both disdain and acceptance as he tore his eyes from Eros.

"Yes. I was really hoping I never got another mate. This must surely be a huge misunderstanding" The dragon said through gritted teeth and his words sliced through Eros’ heart.

He had spent the past thirty years waiting for his mate and now that he had found him, the bloody dragon had decided he didn’t want him!?

Eros’ rage was spiralling as his hand roughly grabbed Gareth’s chin, forcing the dragon to meet his eyes.

"We both know this is not some huge misunderstanding that you can just put behind you so don’t say shit like that. Denial is a coward’s armor, Gareth."

The dragon’s eyes widened at the mention of his name and Eros’ anger clashed with the hatred his mate felt.

"I hate you." Gareth snarled and Eros bit down on his tongue to calm his head and think.

Why was he fated to be with someone that was so clearly hurt and broken?

He exhaled sharply as his eyes softened a little.

"You don’t even know me." He pointed out and Gareth blinked in shock at his statement, confusion briefly flashing through his eyes before his hatred returned, burning bright.

"I don’t need to. You are still one of them." Gareth accused and Eros let go of his jaw.

He felt like every wrong thing he had done was coming back to bite him in the ass and he wasn’t sure whether fate was punishing him or offering him a blessing in disguise.

"Could you have hated me if I wasn’t a royal? Earlier, you said that you didn’t want another mate." Eros asked and the dragon was conflicted as their eyes met.

Longing and despair swirled in his emerald green eyes and Eros found a little comfort knowing that his mate could have reacted differently if he wasn’t a member of the royal family.

Maybe his newfound relationship wasn’t doomed afterall. He just had to convince his mate that he was nothing like his ancestors that had caused him so much pain.

"My family and I are nothing like our ancestors so I suggest that you put your hunger for revenge aside and see if we could eventually be something." Eros tried but the resolve in his mate’s eyes made him aware that he was still a long way from achieving success.

"The only thing I want is to see your entire family destroyed." Gareth’s voice dripped with a hatred that was deeply rooted and Eros’ brows furrowed slightly as his mate’s followers cheered him on.

"The only thing that you are going to gain if you go down that path is death. Surely you don’t want all that blood on your hands." Eros briefly gestured at his mate’s followers.

"I am willing to spill blood for revenge. Your family has to pay." Gareth assured and Eros grimaced slightly.

"Then you leave me no choice, lock them up." Eros said to the guards and turned his back on his mate, walking away to go and find his uncle.

The king needed to know of the interesting turn of events.