Matching Dragons Chinese Zodiac Romance Series Book 6 by Rachael Slate Page A

lights were flowers, hundreds of them cascading down the stone walls with their eerie illumination. Despite there being no sunlight, this was a cheerful cavern. Not the gloomy prison she’d envisioned.
    The birds quietened, their hushing unveiling the soft chiming of feminine laughter. Lok slid his hand backward to grasp hers, his broad shoulders blocking her view.
    “Well, well,” a clear-pitched voice hummed. “Welcome, indeed.”
    Kadence tugged against Lok’s tight grip, struggling to peek around him for a glimpse, but he was like a concrete wall.
    “Thank you, my lady Tasi, Princess of the Qinglong Dragons.” The Qinglong were sapphire-scaled dragons of the East, or so the legends she’d researched claimed.
    “I have been long without visitors. Will you not come in and tell me your name?” The female’s voice was smooth as silk. Sweet and high. Something about her tone clawed at the back of Kadence’s brain.
    “I’ve actually come to rescue you, my lady.” Lok inclined his head. “And bring you to Han Xiangzi.”
    “Han?” Her voice pitched high. “How wonderful.”
    Maybe dragons weren’t that excitable by nature, but Kadence had expected more enthusiasm from someone about to be reunited with her long-lost love.
    “Who have you brought with you?”
    “Only my partner, my lady.” Lok’s voice was rough, his muscles rigid against her palms. “Come with me.”
    “Oh, not so quickly. I must gather my things.” Soft padding footsteps echoed away from them.
    “Dammit.” Lok twisted toward her. “So much for princesses, eh.”
    “Yeah, apparently.”
    “Why don’t you head back to the suits? I’ll bring her after she’s packed.” He released the chain around her wrist.
    Again with trying to get rid of her. Hmm. “Fine.” She played along, treading halfway through the tunnel. Lok stood guard on the opposite end, but strode toward the garden after a few minutes.
    Kadence seized the chance to sneak back toward the garden. There was more to the princess’s reluctance…but what?
    Up ahead, Lok shuffled his boots in the dirt, facing the doorway the princess had gone through. Tip-toeing, Kadence snuck in the opposite direction, toward a smaller archway. She slipped inside and faced a stone-walled corridor. Choosing right, she followed the passageway. Han had given up on the princess far too easily, and she, well, why wouldn’t she be more excited about leaving this place?
    The corridor grew warmer, a sweltering humidity moistening the air. Kadence wiped her damp forehead and hastened her steps. A high-pitched singing carried from further in. She slowed, treading toward the noise with caution.
    “Come now, my lovelies. It is time for us to go, my darlings!” The bizarre, off-tone melody haunted Kadence’s ears. She peered around a corner, and smothered her gasp with her hand.
    The princess danced around the room like a young girl, whirling with her partner. Only, her partner was a skeleton.
    Shoot. Apparently, centuries of imprisonment had made her go batshit crazy. With dark locks reaching her knees and her pale skin accentuated by an emerald silk dress, she was beautiful. Crazy, and beautiful. It was easy to see why Han had fallen for her. She probably hadn’t been psycho back then.
    She definitely was now, humming the off-key tune and bowing to her partner, then stuffing him inside an open suitcase on her bed. “What’s that?” She bent her ear toward the skull. “We have a visitor?”
    Before Kadence could whip behind the door, the princess cast her silver gaze in Kadence’s direction. “How lovely to meet you. Do come in.”
    Kadence straightened her shoulders and stepped inside. How bad could this be?
    “Seral, say hello.” She lifted the skeleton’s arm to wave.
    Uh-huh. Bad.
    “My lady, we’re ready to take you to Han. You can leave, um, Seral, here, and come back for him later, okay?”
    “Why would I ever want to…” Tasi flashed across the room. “Leave?” Her hand