Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

G etting dressed in proper advisor meeting attire was the last thing I wanted to be doing the next morning, but if one was going to storm an advisor meeting and slap a treaty down on the table, being dressed to the nines was obviously required.

I had stayed with Esta all night to allow her to rest, moving her myself from the couch to the bed. I had stayed up most of the night thinking through things. Wondering if Zaire really was such a worthless being that he would orchestrate all of this from his human form, if he could have recruited Nyx and the other dragons to his cause. And when those thoughts hadn't haunted me, I'd considered what we could do to smoke out this traitor among us.

Normally, I thrived on a good scheme. I knew what the end goal was, was used to wearing a variety of masks when needed. This time, so much more was at stake. Instead of Krew's and my possible reign swaying in the balance, it was Esta's. It was Esta's wellbeing. And that made everything matter so much more to me.

I loved that dragon queen more than I would ever love crowns and thrones. Thrones would always be passed on or even toppled in some instances, but how I felt for her was as steadfast as the mountain of Kavan Keep.

Emric rubbed my shoulders as John and I finished planning with him what should be said. "You've got this, Keir. While your father saw a darkness in Krew that he tried to tap into, even though the prick caused it and he wasn't successful, he also saw how good of a diplomat you were and tapped into that with you. All of that is coming to a head right now. You have been working toward this your whole life."

I hadn't realized I needed that pep talk, but he was right. My father, as twisted and horrible as he had been, was the reason I had been writing letters and forging relationships with the other countries for years. Everything had led me here. Directly to her.

"Does Esta know about the treaty?" John asked as we stood and reached for our jackets.

The advisor meeting had started almost an hour ago. "No, I asked if we could crash the meeting, if Reyald could also be present, and she told me what time would be best. She will not be surprised about our showing up, but she doesn't know why we are coming. She assumes I want to be there for her and also watch her father's interactions."

John smirked at me. "You want a lot more than to merely be there for her."

I let out a sigh. "Is this the part where you again warn me to guard my heart and that Esta has the potential to destroy it? Because believe me, I am aware."

"No," John said firmly. "I—no. Not at all. You care for her greatly. That is a testament to who you are as a person. I will always support you, Keir." He paused and seemed to be struggling with something he wanted to say. "Your father was a horrible man, and you are the farthest thing from it. While I watched him hurt you repeatedly over the years, I always fancied myself another such father figure in your life, but a decent one. "

I had never considered that. I'd always been close to John, pestering him constantly with questions growing up. Had I also been searching for the father figure that I had always wanted, but had figured out by age ten that I would never have? I couldn't count the number of times I had found comfort or distraction at the library with the sages. John was a huge part of that. "You have always been there for me," I finally stammered out.

"And I will be no matter how things end in Dra Skor, whether that finds you as king consort, or heading back to Wylan. When I warned you, it was the worries of a man who sees you like the son he never had. I was simply being protective."

I took a moment to process that and swallow down my emotions. "Thank you. Thank you for always being the man that I could turn to with anything." I gave my head a shake. "Not entirely sure how I am supposed to be witty and amazing in the war room now with everything else going on."

Emric slid his hands together in anticipation. It was decided he and John would join me as usual, meanwhile Dex and Owen were getting a training session in, trying not to draw too much attention to what was about to go down. "You need me to run this one?"

"No," John and I both said at the same exact time.

Emric feigned offense while I smirked. I could count on the two men before me. I could count on John to always have my back and I could count on Emric to be appropriately leading the emotions where they needed to go.

"Let's go do this then," Emric stated as we all left to head to the war room. "Think they'll write a sea shanty about this one day?"

"Gods, I hope not," John muttered.

"Wylan and Dra Skor entered into a treaty," Emric sang out deep and with gusto to the same tune of the other sea shanty, the sound echoing in the hallway. The queen's guards were there with us, the first people to know a treaty was in play thanks to Emric's wailing .

"He's just going to write this on the fly?" I whispered to John. "Before it is even presented or signed?"

Emric ignored us and continued, "The Wylan prince spoke to the queen oh so sweetly!"

"Do you really want children singing that?" John asked Emric.

Emric stilled. "Well, I couldn't very well say that their passion is... greedy? "

John shook his head. "That— that needs some definite work."

"Fine," Emric deadpanned. "We'll workshop it. Let's go bring the entire realm peace instead."

The doors opened as the guard stepped into the war room to tell Esta that the ambassadors from Wylan had arrived.

"Here goes nothing," I said under my breath.

As I entered the room my eyes went first to Esta. She was wearing what I assumed were flying leathers as I had seen Malachi wear the male version of, and she was sitting in her position as queen. Though she could have worn makeup to cover her bruise, she didn't. I had to admit I was a big fan of the leather pants look on her. It was equal parts intimidating and enticing.

Her father was there for this meeting sitting directly to her right. He might be suspicious of me, but I was suspicious of him right back.

"Morning, all," I offered with a fake smile as I entered in the room. "Firstly, I would like to give my sincere apologies for all that happened while I was away. I do not know who was responsible, but it was not anyone from Wylan."

"A likely explanation," Zaire muttered.

"Need I remind you I was not here when it transpired," I stated coolly, my eyes going to Esta before I added, "unfortunately. "

Zaire huffed. "Not there for this one, helped save Kian the last one. You always seem to have an alibi."

"The common theme," I smiled as I fixed my attention back on him, "being that I was helping Dra Skor. Would you really like to do this? Examine my every motive when more than a few of yours have been questionable?" I paused. "Do you want Esta back or are you just upset you won't be king anymore? Was it always about the power for you?"

Zaire moved to rise, but Esta's voice bit out, "Sit down, Zaire. You started it." Her eyes went to mine, "This is an advisor meeting, both of you knock it off."

"Apologies. I truly did not come to start fights or hurl accusations." I pinned Zaire with a glare. "I simply came here for this." I reached into my jacket and pulled out the roll of parchment, like peace of the realm wasn't riding on this flimsy piece of paper. I set it before Esta before casually heading over to grab a cup of tea.

The room went quiet with anticipation while Esta read the first few lines. I heard her sharp inhale which was the only indicator of her surprise.

I was sure to turn back around to be ready to watch for reactions as Esta announced what it was. She was still reading, making the rest of the room wait, and that alone made my lips turn at the corners.

On she read, her father fidgeting to the point where I was not sure he wasn't going to rip the paper right out of her hands.

Once she finished, her eyes sought mine as if two daggers finding their target without delay.

I moved the teacup up to take a drink and hide my grin while I winked at her.

Her father threw his hands up. "Just tell us what is on the damn scroll!"

Esta's eyes went to his, then around the table to each of her advisors. "It is a proposed treaty between Dra Skor and Wylan. Wylan is offering in retribution for the former king's actions to change all shifters back as well as coin to our stores and the technology of electricity, which they have already mastered, should we want it. Food also, should we need it. There is a two-year plan to carry out those things contingent upon my signature and our agreement. This treaty ensures peace between our countries for at least a decade. Wylan will pay greatly if they ever hurt us again. The price tag steep enough they would be ruined. We also cannot move against them, but our price is less."

She handed the parchment to her father as if she instinctively knew he would have to see it with his own two eyes.

"And their prince gets you as his queen?" Zaire raged.

She shook her head. "No. There are no dowries or weddings attached. None."

All the eyes in the room turned in my direction where I leaned up against the wall drinking my tea. Varying shades of shock were on their faces; it was her brother Jagen's which stumped me the most. He wasn't mad or angry. From the tilt of his chin to the way he watched me, he looked simply curious.

"Do you not want that?" He looked to his sister and held up a hand toward her. Like he knew she would object. "I know, it is none of our business, sister, but where the two of you are involved, it is the entire realm's business. So forgive me for prying. I just assumed as close as the two of you had become...."

"Of course I want that," I started as I looked her brother in the eyes without flinching. "But I will not trap her into it. If there is a wedding which ties Wylan and Dra Skor together, it will be for the right reasons. I am not about to tell her she must marry me for peace between our countries. Peace between our countries can be had with or without the two of us. We must simply choose it." My eyes went to Esta's. "And if she chooses me after all of this, after I help her dispose of whomever this damn threat is who has threatened her life two times too many, well then that is what is best for her, Dra Skor's future notwithstanding."

"But the heirs," the former king stated.

I flashed him a smile and knew Krew had provided me the perfect line for this very moment. "If your dragon bloodline is as dominant as you say it is, does it matter? What if our children had both? Or one or the other? Either way our children will be Enchanted. Powerful. Yet even if they had nothing, not a drop of any magic, they would experience nothing other than love."

"Get out," the queen croaked.

I moved to set my teacup down, supposing this conversation had gotten too far off base. Too personal. They were curious how it would all work, but they were no longer hostile toward it. So I would take every opportunity to assure them, even if I didn't have all the answers myself. Even if it set Esta off, the war room turning to issues of her love life and not issues of Dra Skor.

"Not you. Them."

I turned back to see her wiping at a tear. "All of you but Keir, get out!"

There was shuffling of things and chairs screeching as the advisors took the order, Malachi giving me a slap to the shoulder as he went. Jagen came to me last, the last one to leave, his father lingering at the doorway waiting for him.

Jagen crossed his arms. "There is a huge part of me that does not want to accept this. I want Wylan to burn for all the hurt they've caused. It shouldn't be this easy. But I also know the hell you lived through under your father. Wylan already has paid. And Wylan was already brave enough to dispose of that threat." He reached a hand out to me. "Thank you for being a better man than your father."

"Thank you for understanding that we suffered too."

And then he was gone, taking Reyald along with him .

Esta still sat on her throne chair, her hand at her temples as she reread the words of the treaty.

"Sweetheart?"

She held up a finger. When she was finally done mulling over whatever it was, she leaned back into her chair and simply said, "A treaty."

"You told me you needed more time, so that is exactly what I got you."

Her chair screeched back as she rushed toward me. I again easily caught her. I would always catch her. In this form anyway.

"Thank you, you fool. You brilliant, brilliant fool." And then she pressed her lips into mine harshly.

"You're welcome," I whispered as I kissed her again.

She shoved me back. "Thank you for never trapping me. Thank you for understanding what the weight of crowns feels like." She paused. "Thank you for loving me with no other motives."

"I'd tear the realm seam from seam for you, Es. I can buy you more time, we can bring our countries peace, and together we will figure out this threat in Dra Skor."

"I'm going to sign the treaty, Keir."

I grinned. "Whatever you want, dragon queen."

"You," she whispered. "I want you. I want to figure out a way we can have this."

"You've chosen what side you're on?"

"My own people attacked me while I was eating dinner. Good and bad people exist in both of our countries. But as I shifted and threw that human over the balcony, all I could fear was that I would never get to feel your touch again."

"I'm right here," I whispered to her, wrapping my hand around the back of her neck and leaning my forehead against hers. "Together we can figure it out."

"Ever my moon?" she asked.

Her lips crashed into mine as I responded, "Ever my sun."