Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway:
Mage of the Dragon Prince by Ariella Zoelle Writing as Zarina Aston
Bonded Hearts, Book 1
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Chapter 4: Prince Kitaro
When Vanra took a step down the staircase, Kitaro felt obligated to warn him. “I would not advise taking that route. It leads to a sacred area you will want to avoid.”
Vanra blinked at him with a slight blush. It was surprisingly endearing to hear the human’s heart race as Kitaro came closer. “It’s okay. This is the only way I can get home.”
“Is that so?” Kitaro hummed with interest as he followed the human.
“You really don’t need to do that. It’s better if you don’t.”
Kitaro continued following him down the stairs. “You should take your own advice. Or are you unfamiliar with the legends about Fate’s Gate?”
“I’m overly acquainted with them, actually.”
“And yet you continue down these stairs as if you intend to walk through it. I thought humans were a superstitious bunch.” Kitaro had never spent much time around them, so he mostly knew about them from his reading.
“You’re not wrong.” Vanra turned to face Kitaro with a respectful bow. “Thank you for taking care of me last night. I truly appreciate your generous kindness, Your Highness.”
Kitaro stood a few stairs back and watched as Vanra walked through Fate’s Gate. The human made a frustrated noise, then went through it once more.
When Vanra tried for a third time, Kitaro sat down on the stairs to watch. “You are a most curious human. What exactly are you trying to accomplish?”
Vanra’s fourth attempt had the same lack of results. “I’m trying to go home.”
“It appears to me that you seem to be walking back and forth in a repeated attempt to tempt fate,” Kitaro said as Vanra once again went through the gate with no effect. “How, pray tell, does that get you home?”
After another failed attempt, Vanra looked up at Kitaro in despair. It moved the shifter prince’s heart. “Look, I know you’re probably not going to believe me, but I’m a mage who lives at this temple in my time. Last night, I stupidly went through Fate’s Gate because I was taking a shortcut up to the clearing.”
Kitaro put his chin on the palm of his hand while his elbow rested on his knee. “What would make you do such a foolish thing?”
“My, uh, companion is more superstitious than most.” It seemed as if Vanra struggled with what to call him. “He thinks the entire clearing is sacred, so I figured it was the only place he wouldn’t follow me.”
“Why did you not wish for your companion, whom I am assuming is this mysterious relative of mine, to follow you?”
Vanra looked down at his feet in shame. “It’s complicated. I didn’t want to be near anyone, so that was the best place to be left alone. And he’s really pushy, so that was about the only thing that would keep him away from me.”
“This relative is clearly from my father’s side of the clan. They are prone to not knowing when to quit, particularly with matters of romance.”
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Check out the Prequel:
Enchanter of Dragons
Bonded Hearts, Prequel
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About the Author:
With a pen as her wand and a heart full of mischief, Zarina Aston conjures up fantasy worlds where queer love knows no bounds. Her stories are like a kaleidoscope of emotions, filled with passionate encounters and heart-stopping adventures with shifters. From the first page to the last, Zarina’s books are a whirlwind of dramatic twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat, turning pages long into the night.
But sometimes Zarina’s in the mood for something with a little less angst and drama. If you’re craving light-hearted fluffy works of heart, then check out her Ariella Zoelle books as well.
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