“You’re injured.”
I lowered my eyes back to Brion. He wasn’t looking at me. His face was filled with a mix of anguish and fury as his eyes trailed up and down my exposed arms.
I looked down and uttered, “Oh.” Multiple scratches covered my limbs. The skin from my shoulders to the fingers on his bicep had been unprotected from the untamed wilderness when I’d abandoned the cloak.
“It’s okay.” I felt an undeniable desire to relieve his worry. “I promise. I didn’t even notice when it happened.” My adrenaline and fear had made that impossible.
Brion didn’t stop staring at my wounds. His pain on my behalf was almost too much. I couldn’t take it.
“Brion,” I said softly. “Please. I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
At last, his gaze lifted away from my arms and landed on mine. I smiled reassuringly.
Brion’s mouth gaped open. For the first time since I’d met him, he seemed to be at a loss for words.
My head titled. “Brion?”
He closed his mouth and swallowed, but he didn’t explain his unusual reaction.
I waited another minute. When he remained silent, I asked, “What?”
“Your eyes.” He swallowed again.
“What about them?”
“They’re…” He paused and licked his lips. “Different.” His nostrils flared as he said the word. I didn’t understand. I wanted to ask him more, but he managed to shake himself out of the stupor he was in.
Brion cleared his throat and took a large step back, forcing me to drop my hands. The move left me feeling oddly bereft. The skin contact had been… comforting.
“I need to get you out of here. Are you okay with flying? The others can watch our horses.”
I gaped at him for a moment. “You mean flying… with you?” The mere thought made my heart race.
“Yes. Villam is still several days ride away, but we can reach our destination in less than one if we fly.”
After my recruitment, I remembered asking Agent Min why draekon didn’t just fly everywhere. He’d basically said flying was an exhausting task.
“Is flying safe?” I didn’t want Brion to risk injury for my sake. He would be of little help to me if he got hurt.
Brion’s shoulders rolled back with pride. “I would never let anything happen to you.”
“I know.” The words fell past my lips. I pinched them together, surprised by my bold reply.
I averted my gaze and inhaled to steady the unusual emotions coursing through my mind and body. What was happening to me?
Once I trusted my expression was blank, I met his waiting stare. “Okay. Sure. Let’s fly.”
Brion nodded, turning so his back was to me. “You might want to close your eyes.”
“I’ve already seen you shift,” I pointed out.
Peering over his shoulder, he assessed me and jerked his chin once before his eyes morphed into slits. His limbs elongated. Scales crept over his skin and clicked into place like armor. His back arched, and he fell onto his hands and knees. His arms and legs resembled those of a desert lizard magnified one thousand times. His pants tore and fell to the ground.
My eyes trailed over the ridges of his spine, and I shivered when I noted the length of his sharp claws.
Brion’s wide neck swung towards me. His reptilian eyes narrowed, and his snout’s upper lip curled on one side. Before I could second guess myself, I stepped closer and placed a trembling palm against his foreleg.
A shudder traveled through Brion’s form before he leaned back on his back haunches. Lifting his right foot, he separated his talons and scooped me into the base of his beast’s hand. I gasped and bit my cheek to keep me from crying out.
Brion adjusted his hold once more, jumbling me a little, before he bent low and leapt up into the air. He flapped his wings and caught the current.
I watched the ground grow smaller and smaller as he continued to lift us into the sky. I clutched onto the scaly skin on either side of me, curled into a ball.
Above me, Brion snorted, as if telling me to relax.
Several minutes later, we leveled out. The tight knot in my stomach began to lessen, and an unexpected comfort descended upon me. The wind blew around me, but I was protected from the cold by his thick, warm skin.
I looked down, and the sight of the earth cloaked in night was stunning. I lifted a hand and stifled a yawn, imagining how beautiful the land would look in the light of day.
Sleep, Lissa. I imagined Brion’s voice in my mind. I’ve got you.
With complete trust, I let my muscles relax, and I rested my head against his bony knuckle. I fell asleep.
19
“This seems inappropriate, Brion.” I stared at the massive bed centered among the fine décor in the guest room. “Why can’t you insist we have separate rooms?”
The prince and I had just arrived in Villam after spending the entire day in the air. Though I’d slept for many hours, I was tired. And I knew that meant Brion had to be exhausted.
The prince had landed us in a modest courtyard, adjacent to a brick building I could only describe as a mansion. The length of the home extended one hundred feet on either side, and three floors of window faced towards us. We were greeted by the unknown noble’s servants, each of them blubbering respectful greetings and stumbling into bows and curtsies. They recognized the prince even in his beast-form.
One man had stepped forward among the rest and regrettably revealed his master wasn’t home at the moment. He assured the prince the missing noble would return shortly. Brion had waved away the man’s politeness with his clawed hands, and he’d waited for another servant to deliver him clothes to wear before switching back into his human form. Once changed, Brion had demanded for us to be shown to the guest quarters to rest after our long journey.
The only problem was, we were escorted to the same room.
And there was only one bed.
The prince stood by the window, looking down at the courtyard below. His back flexed as he shrugged off his borrowed tunic, revealing a thin, white shirt. I quickly returned my gaze to the bed before he caught me staring.
“The rest of our team will not arrive for at least four days,” he told me. “We will remain in the same quarters until they are here to help protect you.”
“Protect me? I’m not the royal, here.”
Besides, wasn’t I supposed to be his prisoner?
“Yes, protect you.” Brion turned away from the window, and the movement caught my eye. I returned his stare, taking care to keep my eyes above his shoulders. “Didn’t you tell me Qwell lured you into the forest to try and abduct you?”
I sighed, knowing I was doomed to lose the argument. “Yes.”
“Exactly. So until our team arrives to help me keep you from the hands of the rebellion, you will sleep in here. With me.”
“But people will talk!” I bit my lip, immediately regretting my outburst. I saw the prince’s lips curve ever so slightly.
“Oh? And what will people say?”
“You know very well what they will say.” I gestured to the lone bed in the room, trying to make him acknowledge the scandal sleeping in the same bed would create.
“As you’ve pointed out, I am the prince. As such, nothing anyone says bothers me.”
“But it bothers me.” The cruel violence I’d experienced at the hands of jealous draekon filled my mind. I’d been assaulted for kissing Prince Finn. Imagine what someone might do to me if they actually thought I was sleeping with Prince Brion. Just the thought of it made by stomach twist with fear.
All levity drained from Brion’s face as he observed my reaction to the memory. “Lissa? Are you all right?”
I looked away, crossing my arms, and tried to regain control. “Yes. I just… I just don’t want people to talk. You must know how gossip spread about us at the castle. I’d like to not repeat such things here.” I’d never mentioned the illicit rumors about us, and I didn’t know what to expect as a res
ponse. I simply knew I didn’t want to go on living life as a rumored concubine.
“What are you talking about?” His voice vibrated through the air.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, unable to repeat the horrific and slanderous words. “You know.”
“No, I don’t.” I heard Brion’s feet move against the rug until he stood at my side. “What rumors?”
I shut my eyes tight. He sounded sincere, but the thought of uttering detailed accounts of the slurs spoken against me was embarrassing. But Brion wasn’t the type of male to let the subject drop.
I took a deep breath but kept my eyes closed. “Everyone in the castle thinks I’m your…” I swallowed, the word caught in my throat. Then I whispered the dreaded insult, “Whore.”
A beat of silence passed and then Brion roared, “What?”
I jumped back. Not because I was afraid of him, but because I hadn’t expected such a shocked reaction. After everything that had happened, I knew the prince would never hurt me.
“I thought I squashed those rumors long ago,” he surprised me by saying. He began to pace the room, and I struggled to find words to say.
Had Prince Brion attempted to end the rumors about us?
If so, how?
Knuckles rapped against the door. Whoever it was must have a death wish. There was no way I’d knock after hearing the prince’s outrage.
Brion’s anger rolled off of him as he stomped towards the door and flung it open.
A quivering maid and manservant stood there, holding matching silver trays covered with a teapot and sandwiches.
“W-we were told to bring Y-your Highness refreshments,” the man said, looking like he was about to turn around and run. The prince’s expression must have been as terrifying as his roar.
Brion stepped back. “Put them on the table,” he commanded. The pair rushed forward to deliver their load and escape.
Before the servants could shut the door behind them, Brion barked, “And bring a cot for my secretary to sleep on. Quickly.”
The man bowed, and the maid curtsied before they ran away.
The prince shut the door and stared at the wood.
“Thank you,” I murmured. I hoped his instructions for the additional bed would help squash rumors of us sharing a bed.
Finally, he looked away from the door. His heavy eyes landed on me. “There is no need to thank me. I wasn’t aware the rumors continued at the castle. I’m sorry.”
I blinked at him, wondering how he hadn’t even heard whispers of the vast gossip surrounding us. But as the prince, maybe people were careful what they said in his presence. “I appreciate that.”
Brion was responsible for the rumors by insisting I reside in the princes’ private apartments, but I believed he felt bad for the attacks on my reputation. He might not care what people said about him, but he clearly cared about what they said about me. It was written all over his face.
Another knock interrupted us. Two strong servants entered, carrying a plush cot with a pillow and blanket between them. Brion instructed them to place the bed against the far wall near the window. Once they delivered their load and made the bed, the two men swiftly exited.
“We should get some sleep,” Brion said. He turned the key in the lock, kicked off his boots, and walked toward the cot.
My eyes widened. “Wait.”
He stopped, lifting a brow.
I twisted my hands. His gaze made me feel nervous. “I-I should sleep on the cot.”
He shook his head and continued to the smaller bed. “No, you will take the bed.”
“But you’re bigger than me.” The cot wouldn’t be long enough for his tall frame.
“I’ve slept on worse.”
“So have I,” I countered. I suspected the cot would be more comfortable than my straw bed in Caldiri.
The prince sat on the edge of the low bed. His knees were bent high as he pulled off his socks. I watched him stretch his toes before looking back at his face. My cheeks heated as he pulled the thin, white shirt over his head and threw it on the ground.
My jaw fell open, stunned he so blatantly exposed himself.
Brion smirked. “Stop arguing with me and get some rest. Lord Meck will more than likely organize a feast to celebrate our arrival. We will have a long night ahead.”
I shook my head, resisting the urge to correct him by saying it was only his arrival that would call for such finery. I walked over to the massive bed and gazed down at my dirty clothes and bit my lip. I didn’t want to contaminate the fine blankets, but I didn’t want to strip down in front of the prince.
“There is a changing screen over there.”
I saw where Brion was pointing. “I don’t have any clothes.” All of my belongings would be arriving with the rest of our team.
“Check the drawer over there.” He gestured to the armoire. “Meck is known to supply his guests with everything they might need.”
I pulled the iron handles on the cherry dresser. Sure enough, several soft, floor-length sleeping gowns were folded neatly inside. I withdrew the first one I touched and hurried to the changing screen.
I disrobed and used my dirty clothes to wipe lingering dirt from my skin before pulling on the soft gown. It was white, but not thin like the prince’s shirt. Tying my hair on top of my head, I stepped out from behind the screen.
I could feel Brion’s eyes on me as I crossed the room and climbed into bed. I ducked my chin to hide my blush and burrowed beneath the comforter the moment I could.
The mattress was heavenly, and my tired eyes closed. I didn’t understand my exhaustion. It wasn’t like I’d been the one flying for a full day, but I couldn’t deny I’d been very tired as of late. Maybe I hadn’t recovered from my illness like I thought.
Content, I sighed.
Across the room, the prince chuckled. “Comfortable?”
I grinned with my eyes closed. “Yes.”
“Good. Sweet dreams, Lissa.”
“Sweet dreams, Brion.”
20
The marble stairs were slick as I walked down the main staircase. My ankles wobbled, but Prince Brion’s arm steadied me. For the fourth time, I cursed the tall heels the maid had offered to match the evening gown currently draped over my body. The shoes were stunning to behold but dangerous to wear. I would never get used to draekon’s preferred shoe style.
Following a lengthy nap, a pair of servants had come to our room with an invitation to dinner that evening. The man and woman each carried a set of fine clothing. The maid had ushered me into the bathing chamber and helped me prepare for the evening. Her ministrations weren’t as elaborate as Remi’s, but they were effective. All of the dirt was washed from my body, and I looked elegant in the gown. My hair was twisted at the base of my skull, and curls draped over my shoulders.
Brion had undergone his own transformation, and he had waited for me as I exited the bathing chamber. His gaze had traveled the length of me, taking in the dark blue gown and modest makeup. Then with a smile, he’d held out his arm.
I straightened my spine as the prince and I entered the dining hall. As Brion predicted, the welcoming dinner was excessive. A long table ran the length of the room, and it was adorned with gold candelabras. The candlelight illuminated the elegant place settings. As we walked past the table, I saw the tiny hand painted floral designs bordering the plates. The green linen napkins were edged with the same design.
Across the room, an immaculately dressed draekon noticed our entrance. He closed the distance between us swiftly, bowing until his back was flat. “Your Highness. Forgive me for not receiving you upon your arrival.”
“Lord Meck.” Brion’s deep voice vibrated against my arm, shooting shivers through me. “There is no need for an apology. Our arrival is days ahead of schedule.”
The region’s leader straightened and fixed his navy waistcoat. It was tailored perfectly to his muscular torso, and I admired the six gold buttons holding the item closed.
�
�Early or no, I wish I would’ve been here to greet you and your guest.” His eyes landed on me.
“Amelissa,” Brion gestured toward the other draekon, “this is Lord Meck. He is the head of one of the noble families in Villam.”
I bent my knees in a quick curtsy.
Lord Meck bowed. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Amelissa.”
I opened my mouth to correct the title but Brion interrupted, “Will the rest of your family be joining us?”
“Yes. My sisters are over by the fireplace, speaking to Nero and Rowen.”
I looked towards the group he mentioned. Two stunning females spoke to two equally handsome males. I found myself wishing I’d taken a moment to apply more cosmetics to my face. I looked out of place in the glittering room full of gorgeous draekon.
A bell sounded at the front of the room. A manservant in a sleek, black uniform cleared his throat. “The meal is ready.”
Lord Meck clapped his hands. “Wonderful. Thank you, Fred. Let’s all have a seat, shall we?”
The dinner guests glided towards the table. I waited for Brion to indicate where we should go. He still held my arm.
I leaned toward the prince and whispered, “Aren’t you worried your father will realize where we are?” The dinner was full of guests. Surely, word would travel about the eldest prince’s location.
Brion’s breath ruffled my hair as he replied, “We left under the cover of darkness so we wouldn’t be stopped. Now that I’ve made a public appearance, my father won’t bother to try and call me back. After all, he wants me to scout for rebels more thoroughly, and I can’t accomplish that from within the castle’s walls.”
I don’t know enough about his relationship with his father or the king’s motivations to know whether or not he tells the truth. I have no choice but to believe him.
“I ordered your setting to be placed at the head of the table,” Lord Meck told Brion. “Lady Amelissa, you will be to his left. And if you have no objections, I will sit next to you.”
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