Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

I was dressed in the Dra Skor fashion, a shirt unbuttoned underneath my black-on-black evening attire.

"Stop sighing," Emric said lightly. "It's a holiday." Then after a pause he added, "Or are you missing your family?"

"I'll see them in a few weeks." I shrugged. "It just feels odd to be celebrating a holiday so close to something so tragic."

"But that is life, Keir," Emric argued. "The ugly and beautiful go together, and we all just cling to whichever gets us through the day."

"That's oddly deep," John muttered from the door, looking quite dapper himself.

"How's Esta?" Emric asked. We had healed another four shifters yesterday, one of which was Zaccai. All were being guarded in the infirmary round the clock.

"She's been a bit better after her grandmother spoke with her," I admitted. "She's just tired of lighting the pyres of her people."

"Can we blame her for that?" John asked.

I gave my head a shake. "Goodness no. "

"Well go sweep her off her damn feet then, yeah?" Emric asked. "Stop being such a misanthrope."

I mouthed misanthrope to John.

He rolled his eyes and gave me a shrug.

"Archibald," Emric called. "Bring me my jacket."

Archer rolled his eyes but did it. "Remind me which of you two are a prince again?"

"I'm royal where it counts," Emric jested.

"A royal ass then?" John asked without hesitation.

"Royally handsome," he corrected as his jacket went on.

I snorted a laugh. Were it not for these two men, I would have been lost and confused in Dra Skor. "Thank you." I paused. "Thank you both for still being here."

"Of course," John said.

Emric strode for the door, holding it open for us. "Now. Let's get down there. We have one dragon queen to sweep off her feet, and the great mind seducer will... well, I'd rather not know what he does at these things."

The entire ballroom was transformed. There were trees and lights. The orchestra was playing the most hauntingly beautiful holiday music. It reminded me of home. I almost wanted to light a candle with my wish for the new year. Maybe I would when we returned to Wylan.

I knew what I would wish for. Esta to be safe. That was all. It seemed so simple. I shouldn't have to wish for her beautiful lungs to remain breathing. Yet it was all I really wanted. And maybe for her to find happiness. I'd seen her smile far too little recently.

I looked to the throne in the corner of the room to find her human throne there in place of the dragon one which had been created after my father poisoned her country. And there she was .

She was stunning.

She had a gown on that had to be close to the color of my magic. I had to say I was partial to blue. And she was smiling, but it wasn't reaching her eyes.

I wished I could take her pain and make it my own instead.

Emric and I headed for Malachi.

"Looking dapper," he told us.

"Right back at you," I laughed, giving him a hug.

We chatted, numerous people introducing themselves to me that I had never met before. People I was fairly certain had avoided me like a plague previously.

Since my father was responsible for their plague, I couldn't say I entirely blamed them.

I had just turned back to Malachi when his eyes went wide. "Sorry about this. The old battle-axe terrifies me."

And he was just gone. Poof. Disappeared.

A cane lightly smacked my calf just before I turned to find Nana Mallick in a sparkling green gown. "Prince Keiran."

I still didn't know what to call her. She'd been a queen. One hell of a queen by the sounds of it. Yet calling her Nana felt so familiar. And we were in a very public setting. I dipped my head slightly. "Your Highness."

"Happiest of holidays," she said with a tight smile.

"You too. I thought the balls weren't your thing anymore?"

"As long as trouble is brewing in the Mallick bloodline, I will make them my thing once more."

"Understood." I took a sip of my water and channeled all my princely charm. "Would you save a dance for me later then? Maybe it would help you endure?"

The old woman let out a laugh. Then a louder one. "Oh, you are trouble for certain, Prince Keiran. But can I tell you something?"

"Always," I responded .

"You make her happy," Nana Mallick whispered. "And a healthy and happy queen is what's best for Dra Skor."

"Can I tell you something?" I asked.

"Always," she responded back.

Gods I loved this woman. I had fallen for Esta fast, but this old woman was quickly wiggling her space into my heart too. "I thought Reyald brought us to you solely for the purpose of showing me how hard getting Dra Skor's approval would be."

She snorted a laugh. "He likely did. None of my offspring will ever have my full approval. They have too much of my late husband in them for me to ever be that foolish." She rolled her eyes. "But you're not all bad."

Without warning, I reached out around her for a one-armed hug. Probably not the place to, but I couldn't help it. While everyone else was intimidated by her, I found her charming. It was only her cane you had to watch out for.

As I pulled away, she gave me the strangest look accompanied by, "It has been a while."

"Since you've been hugged by an enemy?"

"Since I have been hugged," she confirmed. "Normally I dole them out. Don't get too many."

I leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, "Even queens need hugs, Isolde."

She smacked me with her cane on the shoe. "Go be charming elsewhere."

Laughing, I spun only to find some very green eyes that I was quite familiar with.

"Your Highness," I bowed.

"I—" she cut off. "Did you just hug my grandmother?"

"Yes."

She gave her head a shake. "I shouldn't be surprised considering all the touching you did upon your arrival," a smirk graced her lips, "yet I am astonished at how quickly the two of you have become thick as thieves."

"Thieves of your heart, we can only hope."

She glared at me, not falling for my cheesery. "I only came this way to let you know there will be a performance of sorts and then I will kick off the dancing and the evening will officially begin."

"Thank you for the heads up."

She shook her head as she spun to leave. "I leave you alone for an hour and you manage to hug Nana Ice."

The smile on her face was worth it though.

Malachi sidled back up to me as soon as Esta left.

"Really?" I asked him.

"She terrifies me," Malachi confirmed. "When we were kids, Esta and I would play this game where we would fly high, shift, and let ourselves fall in our human forms, before shifting back just in time to avoid death. Someone saw it and Nana got word."

"Oh no."

"Yeah. Never had my butt handed to me quite like that. She told me I was encouraging Dra Skor's next great queen to make poor decisions. To risk her life. I felt about an inch tall."

I smirked, wishing I could have known them all for longer.

At that moment the lanterns were extinguished. We all filed off the dance floor for the performance and I lost Malachi in the melee.

Dancers took to the floor, one dressed as a dragon, one as a wolf, one as a tigress, one as a horse. The way they wove around one another and together to the music was inspiring. More than once, I found I had chills. It was a musical representation of what the shifters could do together as one.

As the dragon dancer spun off the floor, a dragon swooped in from the open ceiling and landed just before shifting. Esta.

The wolf spun off next, and in swooped Whit from the ceiling, shifting and landing beside her .

The tigress was next, but instead of coming down from the ceiling, Amory sped out of nowhere, leaping up onto a platform.

Malachi now reappeared, swooping down from the ceiling, and landing last of all. Malachi stomped the ground until Esta turned to Amory and gave her a nod.

Amory let out a roar which likely could have been heard throughout the entire massive castle. Esta raised her glass in cheers. "To a healing Dra Skor."

"To Dra Skor," we all repeated back.

Whit put up a howl that made every hair on the back of my neck stand up, numerous wolves outside joining in.

Everyone clapped and cheered. I noted that Jagen moved up to Esta, a hand stretched out as if he wanted her to dance with him.

Malachi was back beside me. "How'd I do?"

"Flawless," I laughed.

"Normally we let the kids do it," he explained. "But since this is the first time in a decade we've done it, I was still honored to do it."

"Next year, brother," I told him. "We will have you all healed for the next Yule celebration."

He patted my shoulder. "That we will."

"Prince Keiran."

I spun to find Esta. Esta who should've already been dancing. "Queen Esta?"

"May I have this dance?"

Was my jaw on the floor? "Of course." She had said she would kick off the dancing, I just hadn't realized she meant w ith me .

"I think it is only fitting that you get the first dance with me," she quickly explained. "You have brought great honor back to Dra Skor."

"Sweetheart," I took her hand and moved a big step closer, "I'm never going to turn down a dance with you. Not ever . That's not something you will ever have to concern yourself with."

As we spun around the room, every eye on us, I considered how different this was from another such ball in this room. One in which a dance like this was with Zaire in my place. Zaire, who was here, this time not dancing with Esta.

"Tell me," I whispered to her. "If I were to use my magic to form what looks like snow falling from the sky, would that be received well, or scare them?"

"Do it," she commanded. "They need to become accustomed to your many talents."

I grinned. I never even let go of her as I sent my magic sprawling out above us, raining small orbs flowing downward, which I intentionally willed to disappear as they hit the floor or a person.

Multiple gasps were heard across the room.

"Show off," she muttered.

"Just trying to woo your people." I spun us around and held her tightly. To think that the traitor was likely in this room right now. Right here. "Your people are always going to need you, Es."

"I know," she sighed.

I moved my head to better look her in the eyes. "I do not mind."

"You don't?"

"We can share you," I told her. "You're not all mine during the day. I understand that Dra Skor needs you. I understand that well . But am I a fool for yearning for you to be all mine at night? I can love you all day, but particularly well at night."

Her footsteps faltered, but I spun us again to disguise it. It wasn't often the queen of Dra Skor missed a step.

"You are many things," she said. "An insufferable prince. My annoying moon. But a fool? A fool is not one of them."

I was dead on my feet. I had danced with Esta, danced with Nana, danced with Amory, and even danced some sort of dance with just the men of Dra Skor. By the time I left the ballroom, I was done for.

I hoped Esta would come to my room when she was done. I had her present waiting. A necklace, bracelet, and ring combination with the color of the stones matching my Enchantment, the set of the jewelry black to match Esta's crown.

Dex didn't even let her knock when she arrived, just opened up my door for her.

"Hi," I offered from where I sat at the foot of my bed where I had been unbuttoning my shirt. "Wasn't sure if you'd be too tired or not to show up."

"I don't want to be here," she began, looking rather flustered.

"I'm sorry?"

"I didn't mean it like that."

I handed her over the wrapped present, compliments of John, and patted the bed for her to sit and open it.

"I—" she let out a sigh as she sat. "What is this?"

"Your gift. We give gifts for Winter Solstice in Wylan."

"Where did you get this gift?"

"Open and I will explain," I urged her.

She did so, gasping as she saw the three pieces together.

"This is too much," she said even as she clutched it tighter.

"On the contrary, it is not enough. How do you give someone a gift that accurately explains how you feel about them?" Words seemed to evade her, so I kept blubbering on. "I had them make it when I was in Wylan. The royal jewelers have been somewhat bored, Jorah is rather easy to please, so I commissioned this."

She ran her hand over the blue stones gently. Incidentally the exact color of her dress.

"Es?"

She snapped the box closed and stood up abruptly. "Do you know that you're a terribly difficult person to be mad at?"

"Do you not like it?" I asked .

"No. I love it. That's not the point."

"What is the point?"

She purposefully strode for the door, clearly bothered by something. When I'd left the ballroom with John and Emric she hadn't been mad, she'd been speaking to Nana and her parents.

"Did I make some sort of mistake at the ball tonight?" I still did not understand all of Dra Skor's ways. It would take me awhile.

"No." She exhaled a breath that seemed to deflate her entire being. "The point is that I am trying to be angry at you and you are making it so damn difficult!"

I almost wanted to laugh, but I had learned from a young age that laughing at a mad woman was never a good idea. "Esta, come here."

"No!" She stomped down with one of her heels. "No. I have to say this."

"You are angry and frustrated, and I do not know why, but I want to figure it out with you. Come here ."

Instead of coming toward me, she sat in the nearest chair. "It feels like we are trapped in some sort of barren land, one misted in cruelty and filled to the brim with nothing but monsters. You showed up here, and you showed me otherwise."

"And this is why you are mad?" I asked softly, taking one slow step toward her.

"Yes. This is why I am mad. You showed me the light I'd been aching for my whole life. You call me your sun, but the truth is that I was the moon! I was idly spinning, lost to the dark until I found your warmth. And now I know I'd be damaged beyond repair without you."

I didn't move. Didn't dare breathe. I thought I knew where Esta's feelings were, but she was unleashing them in a torrent in which I would gladly stand before and take.

"You said you'd tear the realm seam from seam for me, but I'd like to offer an alternative. Let's build a better one. Together. And let's not stop until all the ghastly monsters are gone."

I could barely form the words to ask, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I love you, Keir. I have fought hard against this, yet here we are. So just take it all. My kingdom. My heart. Take it and stay. Permanently. Because I cannot bear the thought of life without you. I know you haven't asked, but I want to marry you. Let's get married."

The floor was going to swallow me whole at any moment now. Was this not in fact a dream?

"I know it won't be easy. We have a long road ahead of us in convincing Dra Skor two Enchanted powers are better than one, but there is no one I would rather build this with than you." She took a heaving breath. "I've loved you for a while, but when I asked you for time and you handed me over a treaty buying me exactly that, peace for our two countries, it proved to me that my heart was safe. Dra Skor is safe with you."

"But why are you angry then, Es?"

"I am angry because I love you! Because you made me love you. Because I didn't want it, fought against it, and it happened anyway. Or maybe I am mad because I fought it for too long. I do not know. I only know I want it all with you. You asked me to pick a side and my side is right next to you, Keir. You are my home. Yes, I want to bond with you, but I am angry that I led you to believe it was just that. When it is really so much more. I was just too afraid to voice it."

"Can you come here now?" My voice sounded somewhat strangled. I was trying to be patient and let Esta come to me, but she was making it so damn hard.

"Are you sure you want all of this? My kingdom is in shambles, Keir."

"I'll take all of it so long as I get you."

And then she moved, launching herself toward me, finally letting me close enough to touch her. I easily caught her, holding her tightly to me. "I love you too, you know."

"I'm sorry it took me so long to admit it. I am sorry I was a coward, but I love you."

This holiday had been tainted by all we'd lost these last few months in Dra Skor, but we ended it on a hope. A promise. As I ran my hands over every curve of her, I knew in my very soul that Esta and I would choose one another fiercely. No matter the size of the monster, nothing would stand in our way.

She was the dragon queen. And as for me? I was simply her armor.