It took Nicholas about three days to return to Drayton. On the way back, Leonardo's words continued to ring through his mind like a bell.
'You coward! Insignificant hypocrite!' The voice taunted him repeatedly in his head, each time louder and harsher than the last. 'You got her into this mess!' A sharp pain shot through Nicholas's head and he clutched at it instinctively as if to push away that terrible ringing noise.
He almost collided with another dragon in midair. They both swerved around each other hastily.
"Hey! Watch where you're—" the male called out but trailed off on seeing who he'd been speaking to. He paused in thought for a moment. "Your Highness, I-I didn't know you were—" he trailed off again on seeing that Nicholas was long gone and unneeding of an apology.
Nicholas fl
