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onto Naron.
    "Let's go, Crillon."
    "Yes, Your Grace."
    Naron dug in his heels. A surprisingly powerful grip
    yanked him along, causing him to stumble after Tor and his
    guard. "Don't turn stubborn. We're leaving now!" Naron
    glanced back, pleased to see the others were following.
    He'd hate to leave anyone behind.
    "Where are we going?" Since digging in his heels
    wasn't working, and Tor was much stronger than Naron had
    suspected, he hoped conversation would work in calming
    the other man down. The guard took it all in stride, as if his
    master acted this way every day. One of his own guards
    tried to intercede, but Naron shook his head. He'd go
    anywhere the duke wanted to drag him.
    "Someplace safe. Less talking, more walking. We
    need out of here, now."
    Tor pulled them both into the elevator and tapped
    his foot impatiently as the others boarded.
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    "Why are we leaving?" Naron asked.
    "What's wrong with the duke?" Gallywyn asked
    once they were all in the elevator.
    "Has he gone insane?" Lord Mell sneered, glaring at
    Tor.
    Tor ignored the questions.
    Naron admired how the gorgeous man stood
    straight and proud, not letting anything bother him. Despite
    his ire at Tor's highhanded way, he felt a burst of desire for
    the commanding man. "What's going on?" He kept his
    voice calm. Now that they were in the elevator he wanted
    some answers.
    "Would you like to explain to us why we're
    leaving?" Lord Mell interrupted in a scornful voice. "Last I
    checked, you weren't in charge of this trip."
    Tor's shifter guard snarled and pulled back his coat
    to show the other man his weapon and his willingness to
    use it.
    "Stand down, Crillon," Tor's ordered in his calm
    voice. "Baroy told me an earthquake is coming."
    There were a few mutters, but no one said anything
    else.
    The door opened. As they stepped out of the
    elevator, an ominous roar shook the earth.
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    Tor wrapped an arm around Naron's waist and
    pulled him along in a fast run. Naron dared to look back. A
    hole appeared in the earth, swallowing the mine's entrance
    and the elevator shaft they had left seconds ago.
    Sir Cant exhaled, "Holy dragon mother!"
    The group stopped several yards from the scene of
    destruction.
    "You saved us," Lord Gallywyn said, looking at Tor
    with stars in his eyes.
    Naron growled, instinctively moving in front of
    Tor. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Tor
    was rubbing his shoulder with one hand and holding onto
    his guard with the other.
    The beast inside the king hated that Tor wanted
    anyone else to guide him, but his human side understood
    Tor needed to have the familiar to be at ease. The inner
    conflict disoriented Naron. Unused to having such internal
    conflict, he vowed to talk to the royal advisor when he got
    back to the castle. Maybe there was an easier way to deal
    with his inner dragon than he knew about.
    "Baroy felt a disturbance coming and warned me to
    get out," Tor said calmly.
    "Who's Baroy?" Lord Mell scowled at the duke.
    "My dragon."
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    "For those who don't know, his grace is dragon
    struck," the king said. He realized he'd been unconsciously
    stroking Tor's arm. "His bondmate is a space dragon who, I
    believe, is circling this planet as we speak."
    "What's a bondmate?" Sir Cant asked. "Is that the
    same as bonding with dragonkin?"
    Tor shook his head. "No, it's like being really close
    to your pet except mine can get into my head and take over
    my vision. Space dragons need a biological partner in order
    to thrive. I don't know why, and Baroy is so rare he can't
    ask another of his kind about it."
    "Can you communicate telepathically?" Naron
    asked. Curiosity about the duke ate away at him.
    "Yes, Baroy is above, and he can tell what happens
    on any planet I'm on. He's very powerful." Tor released his
    guard and patted Naron's hand, unaware of how they were
    creating a look of unity before the others.
    "Why didn't you tell us what was