Chapter One

Bennett was used to living in small apartments. He couldn't remember ever living anywhere else. He and Meyer had always felt it was better for them to hide in crowds, and that was an easy way to do so. Besides, it was the two of them. They'd never needed anything more.

And now, here Bennett was, living in a freaking castle. He looked around the bedroom that was now his, feeling overwhelmed. He didn't even own enough stuff to fill this bedroom, let alone make himself at home at the castle.

He glanced at the bags on the bed. He hadn't touched them yet. He kept placing them on the floor at night to go to bed, then hauling them up on the bed in the morning to empty them. The problem was that he hadn't gotten to that part yet.

He wasn't sure why, beyond the fact that the situation was kind of freaky. He was in a fucking castle, surrounded by comfort and luxury. Here, he didn't have to hide what he was. Everyone already knew.

That was probably the freakiest thing of all.

A knock on the door made him jump. Depending on who it was, he might be relieved by the interruption. He went to open it and relaxed when he found Meyer standing in the hallway.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Meyer said as he pushed past him.

"It kind of feels that way. You don't think any of this is weird?"

Meyer flopped onto one of the couches under the window. "I think everything is weird. I'm not saying I miss our small apartment, but I'm not sure I like living with so many people around me."

Bennett went over to join Meyer, although he sat on the other couch.

Yes, he had two couches in his bedroom. Hell, his bedroom was big enough that the entire apartment he'd shared with Meyer would have fit into it.

His bed was on one side, pushed against the wall. Right in front of it, on the other side of the room, was a wall covered with bookshelves. For now, they were empty, which didn't help him feel like he belonged here. It didn't matter that he was the reason they were empty.

Between the bed and bookshelves was enough space that Meyer and Bennett could have waltzed if they'd wanted to. The many windows opened onto a beautiful landscape that included the lake and the forest. The couches and a few small tables had been placed under the windows so one could look outside when seated. There was a TV, too, that could be watched from the couches or the bed.

And of course, the bedroom had a private bathroom that housed a tub so big that Bennett could have swum in it.

He pressed his head against the back of the couch and stared at the ceiling. No matter how many times he tried to wrap his mind around everything, something always made it impossible.

"He's still not speaking to me," Meyer grumbled.

That got Bennett's attention. "Tyne?"

Bennett didn't understand what was happening between those two, but he wasn't the only one. Meyer didn't understand, either. He didn't remember, and so far Tyne had refused to talk to him or to tell him why he seemed to hate him so much.

"No, Santa Claus. Of course Tyne."

"Have you tried talking to him again?"

"I try talking to him every time I see him."

Bennett felt sorry for Meyer, because it was clear it was hurting him. He wasn't sure he understood why. He was fine keeping some distance from Penley, at least for now. He felt he needed to wrap his mind around everything before facing his past. Meyer, on the other hand, was forging ahead.

"He probably needs time," Bennett cautioned.

Meyer snorted. "Why? I just want to talk to him, and I don't think that's asking for too much. Why does he need more time? If anything, I should be the one asking for time before talking to him. I don't remember a fucking thing, including him." He looked at Bennett. "What about you? Still no memories?"

Bennett shook his head. "That hasn't changed, and I doubt it will."

When he'd realized that the people on the other side of his apartment door had known him before he'd lost his memories, he'd thought he'd finally find out who he was. He supposed he had, but that didn't mean he remembered anything from before.

His first memory was waking up all alone on a beach. Thankfully, it had been the middle of the night, because he'd been in his dragon form. There'd been no one else around. He'd tried to remember what had happened, but there had been nothing.

There still wasn't. No matter how hard he tried or how many times, the beach was his first memory.

He'd hoped that if he ever found someone who'd known him before, his memories would return, but they hadn't, even after he'd met the other dragons. Marlow and Parker had talked to Bennett and Meyer over the past few days and had explained that they probably never would remember. They still didn't, even though they'd been with the mages for a while now. It didn't seem to be a problem for them. They behaved as though they'd always belonged here at the castle.

Bennett wasn't sure he would ever feel that way.

He groaned. "I have so many questions."

"You can ask them, but they won't help with your memories. We both have to accept that we won't ever get them back."

"I don't know how to feel about that. Part of me wants to remember, but another part is fine not knowing what happened in the past. It doesn't sound like it was great."

They'd been given more information, but Bennett's mind spun every time he tried thinking about it. He was a dragon shifter. He'd known that his entire remembered life, so that wasn't a surprise. What was a surprise was to find out that he was supposed to protect a mage.

Penley.

Penley looked so young that Bennett's first instinct was to say of course he'd protect him. How could anyone say no? If Penley needed Bennett, Bennett would help him.

But what would it mean? What did being a shield mean?

"Do you think we made the right choice by coming here?" Meyer asked.

Bennett looked at him. "I believe we did. We both know what would have happened if we'd said no."

"We know what they told us, but this Carlyle guy might have never found us."

Something told Bennett he would have. This world might be completely new for him and Meyer, but it didn't mean they didn't belong, even though it felt like they didn't. They just needed to make a place for themselves. It would take time, but Bennett wanted to focus on the good part of all of this.

Before he and Meyer had found each other, they'd been alone. It had gotten better after they'd met while flying one day. Meyer had followed Bennett home, and while it had freaked Bennett out, knowing there was another dragon shifter in the world had made him feel better. Thankfully, the two of them had gotten along and became best friends. They'd lived together ever since and were like a tiny family.

But that family wasn't so tiny anymore. It now included another three dragon shifters, a bunch of mages, and the humans who lived and worked in the castle. It was a lot, but it didn't have to be a bad thing.

Bennett needed a little time to wrap his mind around all of it. The problem was that he wasn't sure he'd have it. From what the others had said, this Carlyle guy was coming for them, and if he got his hands on them, whatever he'd do wouldn't be good.

* * * *

A door slammed in the distance, making Penley jump. He looked around the hallway, half expecting Devon—no, Bennett—to pop up from behind the vase or table. Penley had been on edge since Meyer and Bennett had moved to the castle, and he couldn't see that changing anytime soon.

It was probably his fault. He should talk to Bennett and tell him what he remembered about him, but every time he told himself he was going to do it, he remembered the massive crush he'd had on Devon-slash-Bennett. That thought was enough to send him running and never want to see Bennett again. It wasn't realistic, but Penley could hide for as long as he managed.

He'd been so young back then. He and Bennett had only just started getting to know each other. Bennett's clan had sent him and a bunch of other dragons to meet with Penley, but Penley had known that Bennett would be his shield even before he developed a crush on him. His magic had felt drawn to Bennett, and that had never changed, not even over the many years they'd been separated.

They'd never had the opportunity to truly get to know each other. Only a few weeks after they'd agreed to work together, he and the other mages and their dragons had been thrown into the fight with Carlyle. Not long after that, the mages had managed to trap Carlyle, but Carlyle had taken their dragons.

Penley had no idea what would have happened between him and Bennett if Bennett hadn't been taken from him, but so much time had passed that it didn't matter anymore. Bennett was an entirely different person now, and that was all right.

Penley was glad he and Bennett hadn't known each other better before. He'd seen how much pain the others had felt because their dragons had been so different. He and Bennett hadn't been fully bonded. It had been nothing like Jarvis losing Marlow.

Penley's cheeks flushed at the thought of fully bonding with Bennett. That wasn't something he needed to consider right now, or probably ever. Everyone saw him like a younger brother, and he had no doubt the same would go for Bennett. He had zero hope that Bennett would ever see him as anything more than a mage he needed to protect. He hadn't in the past, and that wouldn't change, even though Bennett had.

Because Penley was still the same.

He shook his head at his thoughts and continued walking toward his office. He might be the youngest of the mages, but he wasn't that young anymore. He'd been without his shield for decades, and while he'd been protected at the castle, he'd still had to grow up. He hadn't been able to rely on his shield, so he'd learned to rely on himself. He felt he'd done a good job, but he knew many mages outside his family considered him young and weak.

Maybe he was. His magic was nowhere near as impressive as Ansley's, whose seeking spells almost always found the person he was looking for. He could open portals, but it took a lot of work and energy, unlike Jarvis, who could open them as if they were second nature. Penley's specialty was nothing like that. It wasn't useful.

But it was his magic, and to him, it felt soothing and like home.

He was home. The castle had been his home for decades, and he never planned to leave. It didn't matter that Bennett was here now.

It wasn't like Bennett and Penley had talked. Penley wouldn't know what to tell Bennett even if they were to speak. He'd decided to give him time to settle down, get used to his new life, and hopefully wrap his mind around never getting his memories back. He'd figured it would be easier for Bennett if he stayed away, so that was what he'd done.

Penley didn't want to bother Bennett. There were already enough changes in Bennett's life right now. He didn't need Penley to follow him around like a lovesick puppy the way he had the first time around. Penley was an adult now, and he'd been alone for a long time. He could give Bennett space.

He turned a corner, his thoughts all on Bennett, which would explain why he didn't see the man himself coming from the other side. He slammed against him, his eyes going wide when he recognized his shield. He scrambled back, needing to put space between them, and his foot caught on one of the small tables that lined the wall. He felt himself fall back, but Bennett grabbed him before he could hurt himself and kept him on his feet.

"Everything all right?" Bennett asked.

He was smiling at Penley in a fond way that Penley wasn't used to seeing on him. Even before, he didn't think Bennett had ever looked at him like that, and it made him feel all fluttery inside.

That wasn't good. He couldn't allow himself to develop another crush on Bennett. It had been a disaster the first time around, and it would be a disaster this time, too. He had to be more careful.

"I'm fine," he told Bennett.

"Where are you going that you're in such a rush?"

"To my office. I have a lot of work to do." Penley realized how rude that was and cleared his throat. "But of course, if you need anything, I can make time for you."

He wanted to slap himself. Why did he have to sound like Bennett was bothering him? Nothing could be further from the truth. Bennett had never been a bother, and he never would be. Penley wanted to spend time with him.

But it would be better if he didn't.

Bennett was still smiling in that weird way Penley couldn't make sense of. "You should go to work if you're busy. I wouldn't want to bother you."

"You're not bothering me. You're my shield."

Bennett seemed amused. "So if I weren't your shield, I would be bothering you?"

Why did he make Penley feel like this? He was all weird inside and didn't know what to say, and he hated it. He didn't like feeling so unsteady and unsure of himself, even though he frequently felt that way.

He could see it getting worse now that Bennett was around.

"Of course not. If anyone needs anything, they can always reach out to me," he said. He sounded stiff and had no idea what kind of impression he was leaving. Probably a disastrous one, although Bennett didn't seem to care, because he was still smiling.

Penley had had enough. He didn't know what to do, and things would only get worse if he got flustered. He tended to overshare and babble when he was uncomfortable, and he didn't want Bennett to see him like that.

He straightened his shoulders and forced himself to give Bennett a smile. "So, do you need anything?"

"No. I was just poking around and exploring the castle."

"All right. I'll get to work, then. It was a pleasure to see you." Now Penley sounded as if he were meeting the queen of England or something. Why was he so awkward?

He didn't know, but he doubted he'd ever change. The only thing that would make it better was getting to know Bennett and becoming more familiar with him, but right now that sounded impossible. It would mean that Penley had to spend time with his shield, and he wasn't planning on doing so.

He turned after nodding at Bennett and quickly walked down the hallway, even though he was supposed to go the other way. He'd get to his office the longer way. As long as he was away from Bennett, he didn't care if he had to walk longer.

He didn't want to be away from Bennett but didn't know how to deal with being close to him.

* * * *

"I don't think he even saw me," Meyer said.

He'd been standing behind Bennett the entire time, and Bennett was pretty sure he was right. Penley hadn't given any signs that he'd noticed Meyer there. He hadn't even said hello, which had surprised Bennett, because Penley had always been polite and sweet. "Well, you heard him. He has work to do, and he was probably thinking about that," he said.

Meyer looked amused. "Or maybe he was so flustered by your presence that he didn't even see me."

"I don't see why he should be flustered."

"But you don't know what was between the two of you before. You don't have any memories of him, but he has plenty of memories of you. Have the two of you talked yet?"

Bennett shook his head and started walking again. He and Meyer had decided to explore the castle. They were curious about the place they now called home, and while they'd been shown around after they'd first arrived, Bennett could only remember half of the things he'd been told. Besides, it was different to do this with just Meyer. The two of them were best friends, and even though Bennett knew he'd been friends with the others before, he didn't remember them. As far as he was concerned, they were strangers.

He could see that it hurt some of them more than others. Tyne, of course, had kept away from them as if they had the plague, and a few of the mages were cautious, but everyone except Tyne had been welcoming. Bennett still didn't feel like this was his home, but he would eventually. He just had to give it time.

"Anyway, he's adorable," Meyer said as he knocked his shoulder against Bennett's. "And he doesn't seem to hate you, which is definitely a plus."

"You know that the best way to find out what happened is to talk to Tyne, right?"

"As if he'd tell me. For some reason, he hates my face, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. I was tempted to ask the others, but I'm not sure they know. Jarvis said something about that the other day."

If no one else knew what had happened between Tyne and Meyer before they were separated, it would be even harder for Meyer to find out. The only person who seemed to have information was Tyne, and he never stayed in the same room with Meyer long enough for Meyer to say hello to him, let alone ask about their shared past. Bennett was tempted to try to talk to him, but he doubted Tyne would tell him anything. Bennett might not be Meyer, but he was Meyer's best friend, and in Tyne's eyes, it seemed that whatever Meyer was guilty of, Bennett was guilty by association.

Bennett couldn't imagine Meyer had done anything that would have pushed Tyne to hate him as much as he seemed to, but he only knew Meyer. He couldn't remember Peyton, the man Meyer had been before, and he probably never would.

That made him wonder. What if one of them had been a criminal before? Would not remembering make them innocent of what they'd done in the past? Even if it hadn't gone as far as that, Meyer could have done something that Tyne felt was unforgivable. Maybe just seeing Meyer's face was enough for him to think about it and hurt again.

This was a fucking mess.

"Really, though," Meyer said. "Penley is always flustered when you're around, but I don't think there are any bad feelings between the two of you. You should talk to him and get to know him. You're his shield, after all."

Bennett nodded because he agreed. He should get to know Penley better, and he wanted to.

There might be nothing left of the relationship they'd had before, but that didn't mean they couldn't build a new one. Bennett thought Penley was cute, and he felt drawn to him. He was pretty sure they hadn't been fully bonded, but he suspected that he and his dragon had still been pulled toward Penley. He wasn't sure what to make of it now, but he'd come up with something.

"Let's get some food," Meyer declared.

Bennett was glad for the distraction. He had to decide how to go about building a new relationship with Penley. The easiest way would be to talk to him, but Penley was skittish, maybe because he didn't know what to expect from Bennett. Most of the time, Bennett wasn't sure what to expect of himself. This was an entirely new situation, and it wasn't an easy one. Luckily, he'd learned to roll with the punches over the years.

It took them a few tries to find the kitchen. The castle was massive, and Bennett was tempted to ask someone if they could put up signs. It would help to know that the kitchen was on the right and that he'd find the library if he went to the left.

Jarvis had explained how things worked at the castle after Bennett and Meyer had arrived. They knew there was a cook who took care of all their meals but that they were welcome to use the kitchen any time they wanted. Meyer was a good cook, but Bennett was terrible, so he'd be staying away except to eat.

Jillian, the cook, was at the stove when they walked in. She looked up and smiled, then gestured at them to sit at the counter. Jason, Marlow's son, was already there, eating cupcakes and drinking milk. He looked at them as if he wanted to ask a question, and Bennett was surprised when he didn't.

"What can I get you?" Jillian asked. "There are plenty of cupcakes and milk in the fridge."

Meyer moved to the fridge. "I can get it. You're busy."

"I'm always busy. Feeding so many people can be complicated."

"And we made it even more complicated since you now have two more people to feed."

Jillian laughed. "Not complicated. I love feeding people, and I love working here. It's the best job I could have had."

Bennett sat next to Jason and picked up a cupcake. He could feel the boy watching him, so he waited.

"You're a dragon like me and my father," Jason eventually said.

Bennett swallowed his bite of the cupcake before nodding. "I am, and so is Meyer."

Bennett had never met a dragon child. Meyer was the only other dragon he'd met before the mages found him. It wasn't like he could ask random people if they could turn into dragons. It was a miracle that he'd even found Meyer, especially considering their shared history. He might not remember it, but they'd been lucky.

"Cool," Jason added before turning back to his cupcake.

Bennett frowned. Was that it? He wasn't used to spending time with kids, so he wouldn't know. He waited, but Jason's focus was on his cupcake.

Since Jason was apparently done with the conversation, Bennett allowed his attention to drift to the conversation between Jillian and Meyer. They were talking about food, and Meyer was more relaxed than he'd been in a long time. It was good to see, but it also worried Bennett a bit.

What if Meyer never found something to break through to Tyne? Would he want to leave? It wouldn't be easy to stick around when Tyne so obviously hated him, but Bennett didn't want to lose his best friend.

The easiest way to ensure that didn't happen would be to go with Meyer, but Bennett liked it here. He felt like he might finally have found a family, and even if that wasn't the case, he had at least found people who understood him. More importantly, Penley was here, and it was Bennett's job to protect him. How could he do that if he left?

He couldn't. He didn't know what he'd do if he had to choose between Meyer and this new life, and he hoped he wouldn't have to. He and Meyer had been alone for a long time. They had each other, but it wasn't always enough, and the people at the castle held the promise that they could have more.

They could have friendships and relationships without having to hide that they could turn into dragons. Bennett could too easily imagine himself with Penley. After all, Parker and Marlow were both dating their mage. Bennett didn't know how things had been between Dallin and Keylon and their dragons, and he didn't think he would ask, but he wouldn't be surprised if they'd been couples. He and Penley might not have been, but that didn't mean it wouldn't have happened. There was a chance it would now that they'd been reunited.

As long as Bennett stayed, anyway.