Chapter Thirty

When I strode out of the King's apartments holding his hand, his guards first gaped at us before fumbling to attention. He nodded at them as we passed by, then winked at me.

Vax wanted to show me around the palace, so we slowed to a stroll and paused to peer into every room. Whenever we happened upon something he enjoyed, he pointed it out and gave me its history. I was surprised to find that many of the things in the palace were his personal treasures, not just things bought to adorn the place. Vax had a huge collection that he'd hidden when he felt his magic dwindling.

"I didn't realize the Sea Dragons knew what was coming," I said.

Vaxarion's expression tightened. "We heard about Karadas's imprisonment. Many of us tried to free him, but it was impossible. The magic of our goddess trapped him. But we didn't know that her magic would cut us off from his—that without the connection to our source, we would dwindle until we fell into hibernation. Then we started to weaken. Once that happened, it wasn't hard to guess what was coming."

"So, you prepared for it."

"Yes. The strongest of us built secret fortresses within caves. I made one for my entire dread, and we sealed ourselves inside it with the last of our strength, casting a ward over the entrance."

"You took care of your people," I murmured.

"I always take care of what's mine." He lifted my hand to kiss it, but then his attention caught on something behind me. "Ah! Look, Zix. You wanted to know what a sea butterfly is. Here they are."

I turned to see the aquarium perched on a solid cabinet, its frame adorned with gold and jewels. Inside, among anemones and coral, swam delicate little creatures that appeared to have wings. They were fins, of course, and they rippled more than they fluttered, but they did resemble butterfly wings and the bodies they were attached to were slender and black, strengthening the illusion. They were beautiful things, and every last one of them was purple.

"So, it's because of the color of my hair?" I lifted a brow at the King.

"And the way it shimmers." Vax motioned to the butterflies. "You see? Look at how the light catches on their fins."

"Your hair does the same thing."

"No, it doesn't. My hair is too dark for that. Yes, my darkness shines with many colors, but not like you, Zixin." He lifted my hand and kissed it right over my scales. "You are light. You shine like nothing else."

I gaped at him.

"Like their cousins on land, sea butterflies go through a transformation. They are born as lowly worms but then build tubes to hibernate in. During that hibernation, they transform into these lovely little creatures. I keep aquariums full of them because just looking at them brings me such joy. That's what you do for me, Zix. You make me happy. And you've transformed me too. I am not the same man who came out of hibernation. You have carried me with you, born me upon your beautiful wings to fly my soul to heights it has never known."

"Holy fuck," I whispered. Then louder, "Stop saying shit like that! I can't compete. I don't know how to speak like that." I waved at myself. "Pirate."

Vax laughed boisterously. "This isn't a competition, Mate. I don't need pretty words from you. You've told me you love me and that's all I want to hear."

"Thank the Gods," I muttered. "Because . . . fuck. That was the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me."

"So?" He lifted his brow at me.

"All right," I huffed. "You can call me your butterfly."

"My sea butterfly?"

"Fuck, Vax. Call me whatever you want, as long as I can call you mine."

Vaxarion's smile was incandescent. Even more beautiful than his words or those damn sea bugs. "You see? You do just fine, my sea butterfly."

I shook my head and wrapped my arms around his waist. "How have I never heard of those things?"

He stroked my hair back. "Not even I know all the creatures of the sea." Then he leaned down and kissed me.

"Your Majesty!" Yavess came running into the parlor.

Or was it a sitting room? A living room? Fuck, I couldn't remember what Vax had called it. It was a room full of his stuff and it had some seats in it, too. All the better for His Majesty to sit and watch the butterflies.

Vax broke our kiss slowly, then looked up. "Hello, Yavess."

"Oh, Your Majesty!" Yavess clasped his hands before his chest. "I'm overjoyed to see you outside of your apartments." He paused to look us over. "So, you have . . . ?" He lifted his brows.

"I've told Zix that he's my mate, yes," Vax said.

"Thank the Gods," Yavess muttered.

"You knew?" I glared from Vax to Yavess. "You told him, but not me?"

"I didn't have to tell Yavess," Vax said. "He scented the mating."

"Scented it?" I scowled. Then I realized what he meant. My stare shot back to Yavess. "You could smell his cum on me?"

Vax snorted a laugh as Yavess went red.

"It wasn't cum," Vax said. "That was my essence. Mating essence. Zix, it held a piece of my soul."

"It did what now?" I whispered. Then I remembered Lock. He was immortal now because the King of Racul had shared his Dragon immortality with him. I just hadn't known the King had shared it through cum. I mean essence. "Wow. No wonder it was the best sex of my life."

Vax chuckled, then said, "Yavess, I'd like to celebrate our mating as soon as possible and introduce Zixin to the dread."

"Yes, Your Majesty! I'll plan a feast for tonight."

"Wonderful. Thank you."

"My pleasure, Your Majesty." Yavess bowed and hurried off.

"They truly love you, don't they?" I asked. "Because you cared for them. You made sure they were safe while you hibernated."

Vax shrugged and led me out into the corridor. We headed after Yavess, but at a much slower speed.

"Are you going to explain how you infected me with your soul?" I asked.

"I don't believe it requires an explanation. Within my mating essence were little pieces of my soul. The magic merged those pieces with your soul when you absorbed my essence, and we were united for all time."

I blinked at him.

He smirked. "I suppose it did need an explanation."

"You . . . your soul is really in my soul?"

"Yes."

Memories rose. The ache in my chest when I left him. The sorrow. The longing. That feeling that I'd never be happy without him. I stopped walking and stared at Vax.

Vax stopped and turned toward me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I whispered. Then, in a strong voice, I repeated, "Nothing at all. Everything is finally very right."