9. Aries

9

ARIES

W hen we return to the castle, Leo heads off to round up our top strategists while I go in search of Paige. Part of me wants to keep all that's happened today to myself, to spare her more stress. But I've seen what keeping secrets does to us, and I won't allow it to drive any more wedges between us again.

Besides, I need to feel her arms around me if only to quench the bloodthirsty beast shuddering inside my bones. Between the orcs' mysterious firepower and the council's political maneuvering, it's more than just my dragon that wants vengeance. It's the very essence of my soul. And since Paige is the other half of that soul, I can only hope she'll calm me.

But she's not in our bedroom, nor is she anywhere to be found in the castle itself. None of the guards have seen her. Even the maid looks mystified. My worry spikes as I imagine all the possibilities: the orcs stealing her away, Constantine finding us already, Esma?—

Finally, I spot her strolling the royal gardens.

Hurrying around the hedges, I call to her. "Paige!"

"Aries?" She quickens her step toward me. "What's wrong?"

I catch her in my arms, holding tight as if the feel of her against me will chase away the fear. "Are you all right?" I ask, drawing back to study her.

"I'm fine." She looks wary now. "Are you? Did something happen?"

"Several somethings, I'm afraid."

"Okay, you're scaring me."

"Let's sit." With a grimace, I lead her over to a bench. Behind it is a hedge of rose bushes. Their white blooms seem out of place in a day filled with so much conflict.

"First, you should know that I'm going to do everything I can to fix it," I begin.

"Fix what?"

Quickly, I tell her about the council's stunt and subsequent deal for giving me back the throne.

"Wait, they took a vote to remove you as heir?" she asks, shock written all over her features. "As king?" she adds, her voice rising.

"Apparently, yes."

"They can't do that," she declares, shock turning to outrage as her cheeks flush. She blinks, adding, "Can they?"

"Unfortunately, they can and did." I tell her about Esma's involvement and Leo's knowledge of the law, including the one that says I can challenge them all to a fight.

She eyes me knowingly. "Please tell me you didn't do that."

"No." I sigh. "Leo and my mother both pointed out how that wouldn't be wise to win the people over in the end."

"They're right," she says, taking my hand.

"That may be, but unfortunately, this also means there won't be a wedding anytime soon."

A shadow passes over her expression. Something unreadable though I swear it looks almost like … relief.

"I see." She frowns, her forehead crinkling in worry, and then I wonder if I imagined such a strange response. "How do they expect to defeat the orcs without the magic from a mated dragon king on the throne?"

"That's part of the deal. I have to defeat the orcs without it. Then I will be recognized as heir, and we can be married—and crowned."

She exhales, and the way her shoulders sag, I can't tell if it's worry or the release of one. "Is everything all right?"

"Honestly…" She bites her lip.

"Paige, you can tell me anything."

"That's what Mag said."

My brow lifts. "You're taking relationship advice from Mag now? Should I be worried?"

She laughs. "No, he said you'd understand."

"Understand what?"

She lifts her gaze to mine, uncertainty darkening her lovely eyes. "I think… I prefer to wait to be married."

"Oh." I can't escape the jab in my gut her words give.

She rushes on to explain. "It's not about you. I want to marry you, Aries." She takes my hand as if to emphasize her point. "I have no doubts about you and me. It's just… once I'm queen, I'll owe these people my complete attention—and protection. I can't give them that just yet. I can't promise to protect this place as my home. Not with Constantine still wreaking havoc on what my home used to be."

"Mag was right," I say. "I do understand. And I think that sort of sentiment is exactly what will make you a great queen."

"Thank you," she says, her expression once again clear—and full of love. "And we will fix this. Council be damned."

I nod, needing to believe her.

"The orcs are no match for you with or without the goddess' magic," she adds.

At that, the sliver of relief fades, and I remember what news I came here to share. "I thought so too. Until Leo and I went scouting and I saw their weapons."

"Whoa, wait. What do you mean saw ? You went to see them? Today? Without telling me?"

"Leo went with me," I assure her. "We stayed in the skies. No one saw us. It was a scouting mission only—to see what we're dealing with."

She exhales, still looking a little put out. "What did you find?"

"Leo calls them siege weapons, mostly because that is the only term that exists in our world. The technology—it's not something my people have ever seen. I have though. On television inside your apartment. In your world, I believe you call them guns."

"I don't understand. How would guns end up here in Astronia?"

"I can think of only one way," I say grimly.

Her eyes widen. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Constantine has been here."

"But… I have the book. It's in our bedroom?—"

"I know. Either he's coming in another way or…" I take a deep breath. "Oliver told me he knew about this place, about the orc threat. He also knew I was a dragon shifter."

She looks stricken, and I can't blame her.

"Why didn't you tell me that? Before, I mean."

I shrug. "He was dead. I didn't think it mattered."

She nods slowly, her expression still troubled. "You think they planted these weapons? Armed your enemies before we even chose to return here?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense. These weapons didn't exist in this world before I left."

Her gaze drifts past me into the gardens. When she looks up again, fear reflects in her gaze. "We have to do something. We can't just let him win."

"We will," I assure her, squeezing her hand. "But the horde has grown powerful, especially with weapons like these. We must stop them first."

"You're right. Yeah. Okay. Ugh, I guess this wasn't such a safe place for me to bring us after all."

I brush my hand across her cheek and am rewarded when some of her tension dissolves a little at my touch. "It was the perfect place to bring us."

She sighs. "I don't know about perfect. But I guess it was the right thing to do."

I study her, frowning as my thoughts return to the present moment. "Are you sure? You're out here in the gardens alone. If you're not happy here, I?—"

"I just needed some fresh air," she assures me. "To clear my head."

"In that case, come with me."

"Where are you off to now?"

"I need to meet with my advisors. We don't have any defenses against these things. Your knowledge of how they work would be valuable."

She hesitates. "I'm not sure I'm qualified to advise soldiers."

I scoff. "And why not?"

She shakes her head. "I saw you this morning—sparring with Leo. There's no way I could wield a weapon like that, so I hardly think your men will take me seriously."

I smirk. "Is that what you noticed?" I ask, remembering the way she felt through our bond when our eyes met. When she blew me that kiss on the balcony. "I could have sworn you were too focused on the other thing I wield to notice how I fought."

"You did not just say that." Her cheeks flush, and I tip my head back, laughing at the effect my words have on her.

"Are you saying you weren't admiring?—"

"Okay, okay. Busted," she cuts me off, and I grin.

"That's exactly why I want you beside me." I wink. "I fight better when I have you to impress."

Her mouth quirks at that, but she looks yet unconvinced. So, I drop the teasing and decide to give her the same honesty she gave me a moment ago. "The council sees you as an outsider," I admit. "They claim you aren't fit to lead our people since you aren't one of us."

"They're not exactly wrong."

"They're using it as an excuse to steal power," I say firmly. "It's a cheap shot. Don't let them land the blow."

She takes a steadying breath. I watch as that part of her that had begun to retreat into her shell emerges again. She squares her shoulders, and I can't help the pride I feel in her ability to find confidence in this moment.

"What should we do?" she asks.

"Let the people here get to know you. Show them who you are. How much you care. That you are willing to fight beside them. That you see them as more than a means to more power. Show them they matter to you and win their hearts."

"You think that will be enough to stop the council if they try to keep us apart?"

"Darling," I say quietly, letting my words scrape down the bond. She shivers, and I smile. "Nothing and no one could ever separate us again."

I lean in, crashing my mouth against hers in a kiss that's probably a lot more heated than it should be considering we're in broad daylight in the royal gardens. But Paige responds instantly, her kiss as feverish as mine. My cock hardens, and I seriously consider pulling her onto my lap and hiking this dress up to give us both some relief…

Fuck, this woman owns me.

But in the end, I ease back.

"Come," I say, my voice hoarse.

Her lips curve at the invitation in that single word. I grin, knowing full well what I just said.

"Come with me to the meeting," I add with a grin. "And when we're finished and I get you alone, you'll come for me."

She smiles wickedly as she leans in. "Is that a promise?"

An hour later, Paige and I are sitting around the table with my top strategists. Leo, Mag, and Blossom are among them. Bingo is sprawled by the door, napping, by the sounds of the soft snores. It's a strange mix of old and new, seeing so many familiar men among my new friends—and mate.

No one questions Paige's presence, but when I explain the technology and what it can do and then nod at her to take the floor, a few brows go up.

Then she starts speaking.

Her explanation of the weapons and their capability soon breaks through whatever skepticism they might have harbored. A couple of them begin peppering her with questions that she fields all on her own. By the time her explanations are finished, respect shines in their eyes.

She returns to her seat next to mine, and I reach for her hand, squeezing once lightly before releasing her. Through the bond, I send her my pride and approval.

She did well.

Unfortunately, that doesn't extend to the strategy of solutions.

"What kind of defenses can we mount against such things?" asks one of the captains.

"And where the hell did these things even come from?" asks another.

Paige and I share a look. Blossom and Mag tense. And Leo sees it all. I take a deep breath, knowing I can't put this off any longer.

"The world I went to housed many dangerous creatures," I say. "But the worst of them all is a wizard named Constantine. He is an evil man whose power comes from siphoning or draining the magic of others. When he tried and failed to drain Paige, I believe his anger led him to take revenge against me and my people."

"You think this Constantine supplied the orcs their weapons?" Leo asks.

"Yes," I tell him.

"But how would he have gotten them here in the first place?" Leo asks.

"A portal," Mag explains. "He uses them to travel between worlds."

"Is that how you got home?" Leo asks.

I nod. "Mag, Blossom, and Paige all had portal magic. On the day we arrived home, we fought Constantine and his creatures. He won and stole their portal magic. Paige was able to conjure one here so we could escape."

Leo's expression has hardened. It's obvious he's angry about the threat against us. "Can you portal back again?" he asks. "I'd like to have a shot at this asshole."

Mag, Blossom, and I all turn to Paige.

She frowns. "I'm not sure," she admits. "But even if I could, we need a plan. I won't walk us into battle without a strategy."

The other advisors murmur their agreement.

More respect.

"Does he have access to our lands?" Leo asks. "Can he come here anytime he wants?"

"No," I say firmly.

But Leo looks unconvinced. "Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be. Why do you ask?"

"It's probably nothing... it's just…" Leo glances at all the faces assembled. His hesitation reminds me of last night's dinner. When I knew he and my mother were keeping something from me.

"If there's a threat, we need to know it," I say.

Leo sighs. "Mother—the queen has been keeping it at bay. But when we flew over the camp earlier, I saw that it had returned."

"What is it?" I ask a little sharper than I'd intended.

If Constantine has supplied some other weapon or threat?—

"She calls it the blight," he says quietly. "The land… it's dying."

No one speaks, but the other advisors look just as shocked as I am.

"We assumed it was the goddess' magic receding. Without a dragon king on the throne… It started after you disappeared. The queen's fae powers connect her to the land, to nature. She used them as long as she could to heal the dead places. But… it keeps returning." His eyes are a bit haunted as he looks from me to Paige. "Do you think Constantine did this too?"

Paige turns to me, pale now. "He's draining this world. Taking its power for himself."

"How?" Blossom demands. "He can't get through."

"He can," Mag says grimly. "He must have figured out a way without the book."

Blossom's eyes narrow. She turns to me, a rage radiating from her that I recognize as a match to my own. "We need to find a strategy," she says flatly. "And soon."

No one else disagrees.

But when none are offered, the meeting is adjourned until we've all had time to brainstorm. The advisors are sworn to secrecy, and as Leo and I handpicked each one, I know they'll keep quiet.

The question is: Why didn't my mother tell me?

"I need to blow off some steam," Blossom says as she exits the meeting hall. Mag follows her, both of them headed for one of the empty training areas.

Paige and I fall into step across the courtyard. I slip my hand into hers and find it clammy and cold. She's shaken over the news about the blight.

"I—"

My words are cut short as a familiar voice rings out behind us.

"You need to stop holding back."

I stiffen, turning even though I already know who I'll find.

Esma stands at the edge of a sparring ring, snapping out criticism to the two soldiers in the center.

The others observing the exercise have moved as far away from her as they can get. But no one questions her presence. Not even the captain standing on the other side of the ring. It makes me wonder how many times she's visited the army's training grounds, sticking her nose in where it doesn't belong.

The fight ends, and Esma turns away, huffing as if the entire thing was a disappointment. I watch as she catches sight of us, a disgustedly haughty gleam lighting her eye.

She strolls toward us through the crowd of soldiers who part easily to let her pass. I start forward too, ready to tell her to get lost. But before I can say anything, Paige marches right up to the flamingo shifter.

"This is a closed training session. I don't believe you were invited."

"Excuse me, who are you again?"

Paige stiffens. The crowd falls silent as the soldiers tune into the exchange. Leo appears beside me, grabbing my arm before I can intervene between the women.

I stay quiet as Paige answers Esma in a loud, strong voice. "You know damn well who I am. And I know exactly who you are. A ladder climber who's only interested in one thing, and it's not these people's best interest."

"You know nothing about me," Esma says haughtily.

"I know you're not a soldier, nor have you been invited here by one."

"I'm a member of the royal council, which means I'm allowed to go anywhere I please. You're not even a citizen of this country. You can't tell me what to do."

Paige puts a hand on her hip. "I can, actually. As your future queen and Aries' mate, this is my house you're trespassing in."

"You think you can just waltz into Astronia and declare yourself one of us. But the people see you for what you are: an outsider. They will never accept you as their queen. You aren't even a shifter!" Esma screeches. She reaches for Paige, her hands up like she wants to claw out my mate's eyes.

I move to intervene, but Blossom appears, sliding smoothly in front of Paige, knocking Esma back a step.

"She might not be a shifter, but I am," Blossom says coolly, "and if you don't watch yourself, you're going to wind up with a horn up your ass."

Esma's jaw drops. "You can't speak to me like that."

"Don't act like you're innocent," Paige says, stepping around Blossom so they're shoulder to shoulder. "You've deliberately inserted yourself where you don't belong and not just here in this courtyard. You have no business as a member of the council when your only agenda is to grab a crown for yourself. From now on, keep your claws away from the princes. Neither of them is going to marry you, and that's final."

"You don't know anything about this realm or its laws. If something should happen to Aries, Leo will be king and?—"

"Are you making a threat against the heir to the throne?" Paige asks, her tone low. "I might not be a queen, but I'm pretty sure you have laws about that."

To my surprise, two soldiers step out of the crowd and flank Paige. They stare pointedly at Esma as if they're only waiting for Paige's orders before dragging Esma off to the dungeons.

Esma's eyes widen as she takes in the soldiers. Instead of arguing, she starts toward Leo, her ire aimed fully at him now. "You're going to let them speak to me this way?" she demands. "You're my fiancé."

"I am not," Leo says firmly. "We are no longer betrothed, and we never should have been. Paige is right. You orchestrated it all so that you could gain the crown for yourself."

Esma's eyes narrow at Leo as all pretense of caring for him vanishes from her expression. "You're going to regret this, you little?—"

A growl sounds, and a sudden movement behind Esma draws my eye. Bingo rushes for Esma, teeth bared. I don't have time to warn her before Bingo's teeth sink into Esma's backside.

Esma screams, and Bingo immediately releases her, watching with satisfaction as Esma clutches her injured cheek.

She looks from Bingo to Paige then back to Leo.

"You should probably get that looked at," Leo tells her.

Esma's eyes widen as if she's finally realized she has no allies here. She ducks her head and runs away, shrieking curses at us all.

I watch her go in shocked silence. Eventually, I turn back to Bingo, debating whether to reprimand him, but then I note how Paige and the others are ducking their heads, hiding the same smirk I'm trying to keep off my own face.

Mag strolls up, a long sword propped over his shoulder. "What did I miss?"