3
Silence stretched between them, and Lailani feared he would refuse.
I can’t let father go. He’ll die, and I can’t allow that. You said you swore an oath to protect him. If you want to honor that oath, then you’ll take me instead.
Daigo stared at her intensely. She could hear the waves lapping at the shore and the nighttime sounds of the animals on the island, but they were only faint background noise. Lailani’s sole focus was on willing Daigo to say yes.
After what felt like an eternity, the dragon looked up at the sky again and issued a rumble from deep within his chest.
It will not be easy.
I know.
It will be dangerous.
This I also know.
If they find out you are a woman …
I’ll die, Lailani said. I’m aware of the risks. I’ve considered them a hundred times as I walked here.
Y
