16. Chapter Sixteen

My dragon sensed her before I saw her. The smell of her scent tangled in the wind, luring me out onto my balcony and into the night air.

It was easy to spot her from that angle, with the bright blue color of her gown, and a pile of golden hair. She looked like a delectable treat, definitely worth the wait of the afternoon.

Seeing her walking in the midst of my home, a home I planned to share with her at some point, made my dragon happy.

It made me happy.

The glance she gave me from the entrance, that smile, and whatever she whispered to Sasha, formed something hot in the pit of my stomach.

I stalked down the grand staircase, my fingers wrapped around the railing, and my body reeling in excitement to see her.

Entering the madness was harder than it looked.

When one female noticed me, they all did. I felt like I was part of some boy band, and twelve-year-old girls were gawking and taking pictures.

It was as annoying as it looked.

"Dorran!"

I couldn't be bothered. Turning the corner of the entrance, I shoved through a sea of women pleading for attention, to find her. Some hissed under their breath as I dodged the edges of their gowns while making my path.

Unfortunately, I ran into my mother.

She stared at me as if she expected me to run, which I had every intention of doing once I found Amara.

Her eyes narrowed over her upturned nose. "Dorran, just in time. Not how I asked you to enter but at least you're here."

"Mother. I have my eye on something—,"

"You have all night to appease your wishes, Dorran. Let me introduce you to everyone, and let"s get this night over with."

She looped her arm through mine and led me toward the throne. My father looked unbothered, completely uninterested in the event, while my brother sat brooding that he wasn't the center of attention.

I stepped onto the platform, standing in front of my throne, eyeing the room. "Now," my mother said, her voice more nasally than usual. "We're gonna try this again. Dorran, The Dragon Prince of The North Kingdom, is here to find his Queen."

Giggles trickled over the crowd. "Since we had introductions last week, we're going to start the music. Appetizers and champagne are floating around. Drink and be merry."

I stood quickly and descended the steps into the crowd. There were beautiful girls on each side as they parted for me, but my dragon zeroed in on her. There were no distractions of the cleavage shoved in my face or the beautiful smiles surrounding me.

It was only her.

Smelling her over every other scent in the room was spellbinding.

The lure she had on me mimicked witchery. The crowd continued to part as I took a sharp left to where she stood, far in the back corner of the room, tucked away out of sight.

Standing with Sasha, her cheeks turned red as the crowd turned to look at her. Sasha giggled beside her, while I stepped closer.

I felt the eyes of the other girls on me. "Amara," I said, my gaze traveling up and down her face and neckline. "You look beautiful tonight."

Swiftly bending down, I pulled up the skirt of her dress and pulled the glass slipper from my pocket.

She smiled, and opened the bag around her shoulder, pulling out the other one. I slipped her sandals off, one by one, and slipped her glass slippers onto her feet. Sasha grabbed the sandals and tucked them under her arm.

Amara stepped into the slippers, growing only a smidge taller. She curtsied and angled her neck to look me in the eyes.

"Are you ready to dance?" I asked.

She nodded. "As soon as everyone stops staring at me," she mumbled.

Looping my arm around her waist, I dragged her toward the center of the dance floor, loving the jealous stares.

The band started to play, other couples joined in while I pulled her close to me. "Dear God, Amara, I could take you up to my room and do ungodly things to you."

There was a twinkle in her eye. "Haven't you already?"

"There is always room for more, Little Mouse."

Her gaze swept over the fuming faces of the other women, and I watched a shiver run down her spine. I followed her gaze to her stepmother"s face.

It was envious, full of hatred but most of all set on Amara. They exchanged some type of unspoken conversation, and I didn"t like it. I spun her around so that I faced her stepmother, and I watched as her face slowly changed.

She smiled, and my dragon grew pissed. There was something seriously wrong with that woman.

"Are you going to dance with anyone else?" she asked.

I glared down at her. "You're serious?"

"I was hoping you'd say no."

The music changed to a slower-paced song, and my hands drifted toward her hips, drawing her near. "I'd never give anyone in this room false hope, Amara."

I felt a soft tap on my arm, sensing someone wanting to cut in, I held her close and turned to see one of her stepsisters, whichever one, smiling at me.

"Can I cut in?"

I wondered briefly if this was the stepsister that we used her bed for Amara"s first kiss. It didn't matter, because Amara's days of being treated like scum were over. "No," I said gracefully, smiling wide. "More men are looking for partners over there," I said, nodding my head toward the closest wall where they stood.

Her mouth opened slightly, but she nodded respectfully and left in a hurry. Amara had her bottom lip tucked between her teeth when I looked back down. "Don't worry, Little Mouse. We're not entertaining them tonight."

Before I knew it, we'd danced until sweat formed on Amara's forehead, and she had a lightness about her. In the middle of a song change, Amara leaned in and said, "I need to run to the restroom. Can I meet you back here in five minutes?"

"Sure you can."

Amara slipped through the crowd, as I watched her scurry toward the hallway.

"Dorran," my brother said from behind me. I gave him a half-glance over my shoulder. "Mother wants to speak with you."

Of course, she did.

Mother sat next to father, her fingernail wedged in the corner of her mouth, and her gaze settling over the crowd. She stood up when I approached. "Is she your mate, Dorran?"

"She is. I've known it since Dragon Reign."

"Why didn't you say anything?" she asked. "We hosted this ball for you to stay with your mate the entire night?"

"It's complicated. We'll talk about it later. I want to know why we're meeting with The East Kingdom after the ball?"

She glanced over at my father who sighed deeply. "We'll talk about it then. You weren't going to tell us that you have a human mate, son?"

Here we go ...

"Are you second-guessing my dragon?" I asked, daring either of them to do so.

"No, son," Mom said, sighing. "We know you can't help who your dragon chooses, but you can help who you choose. If you mate with her there is no guarantee you will have dragon babies—,"

I stepped down from the platform, down the two steps, and pointed my finger at her. "I don't want your little picks from The East Kingdom. Or some dragon female you toss down my throat. This is final. Amara is my mate. Get over it."

I stalked toward the place where I'd left, but she wasn't there. It'd been more than five minutes, so I shoved toward the hallway to catch her coming out of the bathroom.

We weren't going to some stupid meeting with The East Kingdom. We were getting the hell out of here for the night. Her and me. No matter what anyone thought about it.

I turned the corner of the hallway, seeing Amara pressed against the wall, her stepmother pointing her bony finger in Amara's face. My dragon snapped in one second.

I was in front of her before I blinked, putting space between her and Amara. "You do not touch my mate. Do you hear me?"

She began to stutter but found her footing. "She is my stepdaughter, and it's passed her curfew. You don't understand …

It was 9 pm. I understood completely.

"Your stepdaughter is twenty-five years old, and she's staying with me tonight. Do I need my father to come have a chat with you about this? Keeping a grown woman locked in a damn attic?"

Her gaze shifted toward Amara's but my wings fluttered outward and blocked her view. "She has a condition and has to stay with me. She can't live anywhere else—,"

"I'm taking care of that," I spit. "I've known her for over a week and I've seen nothing that says she can't live with me. I suggest you get home now since it's so late and all. Take your gaudy daughters with you."

She gathered the skirt of her dress and left in a hurry down the hallway.

Amara let out a deep sigh and covered her face with her palms.

"None of that. This is our chance to leave."

I grabbed her hand and ushered her down the hallway, up the stairs, and toward my room. "We're staying here? Won't they find us?"

I pushed open the balcony doors, offered her my hand, and smiled. "No, Little Mouse. I have someplace I'd like to take you now."

Amara didn't hesitate. She took my hand and yelped as I gathered her into my arms. We were going to the mountain for the night, to the only place I had away from my family and now hers.

Bending down, I jolted us into the night sky, leaving behind the madness of the ball ... again.

However, this time, I had an entire night with Amara to look forward to.

We would worry about her stepmother, her guardianship, and my family in the morning.

Maybe...