Chapter 1

1

B y order of His Majesty King Venin of Vemion, you are cordially invited to the Royal Yule Celebration.

The vellum was thick in Pine's hand, and he might have crumpled it up if the messenger wasn't standing right there awaiting a response. One didn't make the king wait to fill out his guest list.

"I would be honored to attend." The words came out even. He couldn't manage happy, not when he wanted to scream or cry or rage that his father's ashes were barely scattered.

He was head of his family now, a dragon lord in truth. Insulting the king would do him no good.

Besides, he could always plead an illness and cancel at the last moment. The king could hardly hold it against him if he had dragon mumps.

The messenger bowed and retreated from his office, heading for the front door, no doubt on his way to deliver even more holiday tidings of doom.

The king loves to meddle.

He could hear the words in his father's raspy voice, the fond smile on his face only possible since he'd played politics for more than eighty years. He'd lived for the cutthroat life of the dragon court. Pine had always felt like a fool, a prize on display who's only job was to not disappoint his father.

He'd succeeded. So why did he still feel like this ?

He set the invitation down on his desk and glanced at the framed photo of him, his father, and his sister at some function or another when Briar still had the gangly proportions of a growing girl. It had been the three of them since his mother left, unable to handle court life or anything else on Vemion. He hadn't heard from her in seventeen years.

Should he tell her that her former husband was dead? Was she even still alive?

It was another duty to add to the growing pile.

Happy, heavy footsteps pounded down the plushly carpeted hall outside of his office, and his sister burst into the room, face bright with excitement and her auburn in a swirl of curls and tangles around her face.

"Was that the king's messenger?" she demanded, throwing herself into a chair, letting her legs hang over the side. She was wearing breeches and smelled of the stables.

What use did a girl have for a horse when her other form was a dragon?

Not a girl, he reminded himself. A young woman. And equally summoned.

He pinched the corner of the invitation with two fingers, as if it might burn him, and gingerly handed it over.

She vibrated with excitement as she read, shifting in her chair and leaning forward, placing the invitation back on the desk and smiling like a madwoman. "The king's Yule ball? This is amazing!"

"I'm not so sure about that." Ever since the king had married off his three sons, he'd been in a matrimonial mood, wanting all of the young lords and ladies paired up and creating even more little lordlings.

This would be the first year without their father. While Briar might want the distraction, Pine feared he'd be no good to anyone. It was far better to beg off than to disappoint the king in person.

"We have to go." Briar shot out of her chair and placed both of her hands on his desk, planting herself in a familiar, stubborn stance. "It's supposed to be the event of the season. Everyone who's anyone will be there. And this will help me get a job in the ministry. You said you wanted that, didn't you?"

At nineteen, Briar could have been doing anything. Or nothing. She was a lady, wealthy, and had energy to spare. And Pine knew that energy would be put to no good use if she didn't have some sort of outlet.

"That's already in the works," he reminded her. "I've spoken with a friend from the academy. He'll invite you to an interview after the holidays. No party needed."

She pursed her lips. "Father would want us to go."

It landed like a fireball between them.

She was right. She knew that he knew she was right. And Pine couldn't help but scowl and stick his tongue out at her, a wisp of smoke escaping with it.

"That's not playing fair." He had a stack of papers a dragon high and had to sort through everything his father had left behind. Despite his age, the man hadn't expected to pass so soon, and now it was Pine's problem.

"Playing fair never gets you what you want." Briar had a look on her face that said she knew she had won.

Pine groaned. "Go terrorize someone else, brat."

She laughed and retreated out of the room, leaving him to consider his options.

It was one thing to beg off to the king. To his sister? Never. He was going to the Yule Ball.

And that was how he found himself in a comfortable room in a discreet storefront waiting for a woman who was rumored to be the best matchmaker in all of Vemion. Not that Pine wanted the best. Maybe he should have just put out an advert: Date needed for royal ball. Strictly business.

A woman in a diaphanous blue skirt and silk top came in and poured herself a cup of tea before she took a seat opposite him on the sofa. "I'm Shade," she said. "Welcome."

He got right to it. Shade seemed ready to make small talk, and that was the last thing Pine needed. "I need to escort someone to the Yule Ball. I am not looking for love, or a wife, or anything of the sort. Can you help me?"

The matchmaker sipped her tea before placing the cup in its saucer. "That's not something I do."

He could taste acrid smoke in his mouth and breathed deep to pull it back. He was an adult dragon; he wouldn't smoke up the place like an undisciplined youth. "If payment is?—"

"Your lordship, that is not a service I offer." She reared back as if struck.

"I'm not asking for a … lady of pleasure." He stumbled over the words. Hiring a prostitute to pose as his date had never occurred to him. Should it have? "I thought that, perhaps, you would know a lady that would like to attend the Yule Ball with no expectations. Or promises. Or hopes."

Shade settled back down, but her expression was still skeptical. "The ladies I work with all have hopes and expectations, my lord. I am not in the business of … temporary arrangements." He was about to get up and figure something else out when she held up a hand. "But I'm intrigued. Why did you come to me?"

Because he was a fool. But that wouldn't do for an excuse.

"Your name has become known after the recent matches you orchestrated. It seems that every dragon prince or lord that crosses your path finds his mate. Which is not what I'm looking for. I'm dealing with the fallout from my father's death. Our estate is a mess, and it will take time and dedication to fix it. Time I cannot offer a new bride. I know that the king has been in a matrimony minded mood ever since his sons all married. I do not want to walk into the Yule Ball as a newly elevated lord with a space at my side for a lady. If the king were to command me to find a bride, I could not refuse to try." He hadn't meant to say all of that, but Shade sat and listened, nodding along so compassionately that he couldn't stop talking.

"Is it that you're not inclined to a bride? Are you looking for a groom? Because I can arrange that as well."

"I'm not looking for anyone." He needed that to be clear. "When it's time to wed, I'm sure I can find a woman on my own. No offense."

"Hmm." Shade steepled her fingers together and narrowed her eyes. "You come to my business, ask me to perform a service I do not offer, and insult the one I do. You need to learn better manners, lordship."

He huffed out a laugh. "So we agree that I'm not ready for a wife."

Shade thought for a moment before finally nodding. "I can find you someone. The king seems fond of humans. What do you think?"

"Anyone will do." It was just one night.

How bad could it be?