Chapter Fifteen

“Lyrandir!” my mother called as she came running out of the manor.

I landed in the courtyard and set Aras down carefully to one side. He showed no signs of flight sickness, but then he was a man of the sea. The rocking I gave him would be nothing compared to what he experienced on the ocean. Aras removed my clothes from the satchel as I shifted back into my man body.

“Mother.” I hugged her and then my father. With a glance at Aras, I hurriedly whispered. “He's my mate, but he doesn't know. Please say nothing. I'll explain later.”

My mother's face went rapturous with delight and then fell into confusion. “Why?”

My father simply nodded and said to her, “He said he will explain later, Jaclene.”

Mother sighed. “Very well.” Then she grinned. “Congratulations, Son.”

“Thank you.”

By then, Aras had wandered over. I took the clothes he offered as I introduced them. “Duke Hidero and Duchess Jaclene this is my lover, Captain Aras. Aras, these are my parents.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace.” He shook my father's hand, then he kissed my mother's. “And Your Grace.”

My mother beamed at him. “Welcome, Aras. Did you have a nice flight?”

“Yes. It was my first time flying.”

“You handled it well,” I said and finished buckling my belt. “Now, let's go inside. We have some planning to do, and I need you to send word to Ellas, Father. Tell him to pack everything he holds dear and meet us here.”

“Pack?” My mother lost her happy expression.

“Son, what's happened?”

“Send the messenger, Father. Then I'll explain.”

“I need a message delivered!” my father shouted.

As we strode through the entry hall of their luxurious manor, rapid footsteps echoed to us from a hallway.

A Dragon man hurried into the room and bowed. “Yes, Your Grace?”

“Go to the Governor's estate and tell him the King bids him to pack his most precious belongings and come here with all haste.”

The man's eyes went wide, but he only bowed to me, then my parents, and said, “Yes, Your Grace. And welcome home, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you,” I said to him. “One more thing. When you are finished delivering your message, I want you to go into town and quietly spread the word that the dread's nobles are uniting against me.”

“Your Majesty?” The man gaped at me.

So did my parents.

“Tell them that war is coming and they need to prepare. The nobles might try to enlist them. They should flee to the other enclaves or come to me in the crown city, and I will protect them as best I can.”

The man lifted his chin and pounded his fist on his chest. “You are our king, Sire. Chosen by might and divine allowance. They are bastard traitors to move against you. Law-breakers, and therefore, criminals. I will spread the word, and then I will go with you to Renris where I will fight for you, Your Majesty.”

I blinked. “No, protect your family. You're not a soldier. I will not see you die for me.”

“That only makes me more certain that my offer is the right thing to do. And I know there will be others like me. You'll see, Your Majesty. We outnumber the nobles. We may not be trained to fight, but we are still Dragons!”

“Well said, Rudago!” my father exclaimed and applauded.

“Thank you, Your Grace. Now, if I may be excused, I will deliver that message.”

“Yes, go,” I said. “And thank you for your loyalty. It means more than you know.”

Rudago bowed once more and hurried away.

“They're amassing an army?” my mother nearly shrieked.

“Let's sit down,” my father said. Then he shouted, “Refreshments, please!”

We headed into one of the many sitting rooms in the mansion, and my father closed the heavy wood door behind us. My mother, over her initial shock, bared her teeth. Female Dragons tend to be even more vicious than the males. Usually, she was sweet, but if you threatened her family, my mother turned into a beast. Literally. I must have gotten that from her. My father was more level-headed.

“How much time do we have?” Father asked.

“I'm not sure. They tried to murder me last night. My knights were in on it,” I said.

“Your knights?!” my mother roared.

“Jaclene,” my father said in a calming tone. “Lyrandir is safe, and I'm sure he handled it properly.”

“I killed them all, then dismissed my remaining King's Guard and sent them home with the remains as a warning,” I said.

“You see?” My father waved at me. “He handled it properly.”

“Properly?” my mother hissed. “I would have torn those traitors into tiny pieces while they screamed for mercy, then made those so-called knights pack the pieces and take them home to shove into the faces of the nobility.”

I cleared my throat as Aras laughed.

“You find that funny?” My mother widened her eyes at my mate.

“Yes, Your Grace,” Aras said. “Because that is exactly what your son did. He tore those bastards apart and made his ex-knights pack the pieces and bring them here.”

“Oh.” My mother's rage turned to pride as she focused on me. “Good boy.”

“ We tore them apart,” I said as I took Aras's hand. “Aras refused to stay in the carriage. He stood at my back the entire time, killing his fair share.”

“You killed Dragons?” My father stepped up to Aras, an unreadable expression on his face.

Aras straightened. “Yes, Your Grace. I had to. They were attacking the King.”

“I'm not chiding you, my boy.” He laid a hand on Aras's shoulder. “I'm impressed. A Hulfrin killing Dragons. No offense, but I didn't think it was possible.”

I widened my eyes at my father, subtly reminding him that Aras wasn't entirely Hulfrin anymore. He had a touch of my strength running through him now. My father blinked, his mouth opening slightly with comprehension, then nodded. Still, my mate was impressive.

“Well done, Aras.” He slapped Aras's shoulder and returned to my mother's side.

Aras grinned at me as he said, “It must have been fear for my lover giving me strength. I felt . . . unstoppable.”

Damn it all! I need to tell him.

Do not! the Eye hissed.

I know, damn you! I hissed back. It especially annoyed me with the look my mother was giving me.

Your parents will understand after you tell them.

You want me to tell them about you?

Yes. Why not?

Because they might think I'm insane when I tell them a magical amulet is talking to me. In my mind.

Ah. Yes. I see your point. Just tell them that you're after me then.

Yes, well. I don't know if that will be enough to convince them but—

“Lyrandir?” my mother's voice interrupted.

“Yes, Mother?”

“I asked you what your plan was.”

“I'm sorry. I've been distracted of late. Let's sit down.” I waved at the chairs just as a knock came at the door.

We all went still.

“Enter,” my father said.

It was just one of the staff with our refreshments.

“Thank you, Riselle,” my father said as the woman brought the tray of dainty food and tea to the table between the circle of seats.

“My pleasure, Your Grace.” She set it down and then bowed to me. “Your Majesty, should we be packing?”

“My parents will need your help to pack in a little while. Until then, pack your own belongings. You need to go home for the time being. You'll be safer there. Tell the rest of the staff to do the same.”

“The rest of the staff is currently gathering in the kitchen to hear a speech from your man Rudago,” Ellas said as he strolled in.

“Ellas!” I went over to clasp hands with my friend.

Ellas smacked my hand aside and pulled me into a hug. “How are you, my friend?” He let me go and added, “Oh, my apologies. I mean, Your Majesty.”

“Shut up.” I chuckled and squeezed his shoulder. “You came quickly. Did you pack as I instructed?”

“As if I care about furniture and paintings.” He snorted. “I packed my coins and my clothes—the two most important things.” He winked at me and tossed his blond hair back. “You know how vain I've become since you've made me governor.”

“Since?” I scoffed. “You've always been vain. The stipend of a governor has only given you the means to polish that vanity.”

“Yes, fine.” Ellas started to say more when he sniffed. And sniffed again, his stare shooting to Aras. “Oh, my. You've been busy.”

I grabbed Ellas and hustled him from the room. I hadn't thought through the difficulties of bringing my mate to a Dragon enclave.

“What the . . . ?” Ellas floundered as I shoved him into the corridor, then shut the door behind us.

Right in Riselle's face.

I realized my mistake immediately and opened the door to find her standing there, eyes wide. “Sorry, Riselle. I didn't see you until the last moment.”

“That's all right, Your Majesty. I'll just join the others now.” She curtsied and hurried to the kitchen.

“Your Majesty?” Aras called.

“I'll just be one moment!” I slammed the door and spun to face my friend. “Don't say a word to him about the mating.”

“Holy fuck! So you are mated?” Ellas asked.

“Yes, but he doesn't know.”

“He doesn't know?” Ellas burst out laughing. “Didn't he notice the extraordinary amount of essence you coated him in?”

“He thought I had great stamina, and he doesn't know the difference between mating essence and cum. He's a Hulfrin.”

“Stamina?!” Ellas hooted.

“Shut. UP!”

“Sorry.” He kept chuckling. “But why haven't you told him? Lyran, he's your mate. He needs to know.”

“He's also the man who's going to obtain a very important relic for me, and I can't have him thinking he can slack off because we're mated.”

Ellas blinked. “Are you fucking serious? You're not telling him because of a job? A fucking job ?”

“It's a very important job. As in winning a war important.”

“So it's to be war, then?”

“Yes. The nobles sent a force to attack me, and I killed all of them. Two of my knights were involved.”

“Fuck me,” Ellas whispered. “I knew they hated you, but I never thought they'd go against Dragon law.”

“I sent the rest of my knights back here with the pieces.”

“The pieces?”

“The remains.”

“You mean the bodies of the traitors you killed?”

“Yes.”

“In pieces?”

“Yes.”

“You tore them to pieces?”

“What are you not understanding, Ellas?”

My best friend snorted. “How many, Lyran? How many attacked you?”

“A lot,” I said dryly. “Aras helped. He watched my back. He even killed some of them. I think my soul helped with that.”

“Fuck. Me.”

“Get your mind out of my pants, you scoundrel. I'm mated.”

I said it so dryly that it didn't register as a joke with Ellas for a few moments. Then he burst out laughing again.

“Come on,” I said. “I need to finish talking to my parents so they can pack.”

“Wait. When is this war happening?”

“I don't know, but I want all of you out of here before it begins.”

“I hear that,” Ellas muttered and grabbed the handles of a small trunk.

“Ellas, I think your clothes will be safe out here for a few minutes,” I drawled.

“This does not contain clothes, Your Majesty.” Ellas set the case back on the trunk it had been resting on and opened it to reveal gold coins packed neatly in trays. A lot of them.

“Well, I see you've been saving more than spending.”

“You know me. I'm always prepared for the worst.”

“You and me both, my friend.”