by AJ Sherwood
This was going very badly.
Alric mentally scrambled to think of something he could say that would calm Cameron down. He was too emotionally worked up. The young man simply needed to think this through.
But Cameron suddenly went completely still. He stared straight at Alric and Baldewin, his eyes narrowing, but Alric was sure he wasn’t actually looking at them. He was lost to his own thoughts.
“This is why you played tour guide yesterday,” Cameron said in a low, harsh voice that was almost a hiss. “It wasn’t about local pride or helping out a poor tourist. You don’t care about me at all. It’s all because of what you think I am.”
“No, Cameron….” Alric started, but the words died off in his throat as quickly as they’d started. How was he supposed to explain feelings he didn’t understand himself? How was he supposed to tell Cameron he would have happily shown him around the city just because he was a joy to be around, but it was unlikely they would have ever met in the first place without him being a mage?
“Unbelievable,” Cameron muttered. He ripped off his glasses and rubbed his eyes one at a time with the heel of his palm. “I just can’t believe this.”
“But it’s true. We haven’t lied to you,” Baldewin said.
“Why don’t you sit down and we can discuss this calmly some more,” Alric offered.
“No,” Cameron snapped, shoving his glasses back on his face. “I’ve heard plenty. I want to go back to my hotel.”
“Cameron—” Baldewin started, but Cameron was stubbornly shaking his head, his arms tightly folded across his chest.
Maybe he was right. A lot of information had been dumped on his head and was threatening to alter his entire world—how he saw his own future, possibly even how he saw himself. It was too much at once. Cameron was in no immediate danger, and they knew how to find him. A little space and time to think about this would do them all good.
“You’re right,” Alric declared, seeming to stun both Cameron and Baldewin. “You need some time to process all of this. I’ll take you to your hotel, and we can—”
“No—” Cameron said sharply before reining himself in. He studiously avoided looking at Alric. “Baldewin, please take me back.”
Sharp, searing pain shot through Alric’s chest, but he clenched his teeth, refusing to show how much Cameron’s rejection hurt him. It was understandable. Cameron felt used and betrayed. He didn’t want to be anywhere near Alric. It was probably for the best.
His dragon growled, irritated that this new, interesting person was suddenly going away. Alric firmly told it to hush. He didn’t need his dragon weighing in on things just then. It was complicated enough.
“Fine. Baldewin can take you,” Alric said, each word clipped and brisk.
Cameron’s shoulders immediately slumped in what Alric felt sure was relief.
“Hoheit?” Baldewin asked.
“Please see him safely to his hotel,” Alric ordered. He picked up his cold tea and forced himself to sip it. The issue was handled, and he had other important matters he needed to see to. After Cameron had time to think about what they’d discussed, they would speak more. Possibly he should introduce Cameron to Gunter. Two such intelligent, orderly minds would likely hit it right off. Gunter would be able to finish convincing Cameron of his heritage and possibly prove to be Cameron’s mate. Two birds, one stone. That was the efficient way a true leader managed his clan. None of this emotional nonsense and hesitation. A leader acted and always did what was in the best interest of his people. Not what he wanted.
Out of the corner of his eye, Alric watched Cameron march wordlessly out of the room. Baldewin lingered for only a second, a look of worry in his eyes before he followed on Cameron’s heels.
When the door closed behind his friend, Alric placed his cup back on his saucer with a loud clatter and sighed heavily. He absently rubbed his chest with his right hand, cursing himself and all his heavy-handed ways trying to manage Cameron. He never should have said the thing about saving the dragons and mages. Probably should have stuck with proposing that Cameron might be mage. Give him a chance to get used to the idea and discover it for himself.
But no, Alric had to be impatient. After five hundred years, couldn’t he afford to give Cameron at least a few days to get accustomed to the idea?
Of course he’d made a mess of it all.
His dragon grumbled again in agreement, wanting to follow Cameron and sniff him again. Possibly more, and would Alric move already? Alric gritted his teeth under the onslaught of images and emotions his dragon sent him.
No, he told his dragon self firmly.
Irritated, the dragon subsided grumpily.
The door opened again, and Alric immediately straightened, hope blooming for a second that Cameron had returned. It plummeted again at the sight of Dieter walking in. The lean man with steely grey and white hair had been his father’s right-hand man and advisor until his death. Not a day went by that Alric wasn’t grateful the dragon had survived the war. He’d had little idea of how to rule his people, but Dieter had always been there with a word of wisdom to whisper in his ear at just the right time.
Dieter paused in the act of closing the door to look at Alric, then finished closing the door with a low chuckle.
“What?” Alric snapped.
“Oh, I just have a feeling the meeting didn’t go so badly that it deserves that expression on your face.”
Alric growled low and shoved to his feet. He paced over to the far windows looking out across the valley. The one drawback to Dieter was that the man had known him since his birth. He knew Alric’s every mood. The man knew his mind even better than Alric did most days. That intimate knowledge had its uses, but mostly it was annoying as hell.
“You weren’t here. It was a disaster.”
“No, but I saw the mage marching down the hall, muttering to himself under his breath about annoying overgrown lizards and insufferable kings. It would have been a spectacular exit if he hadn’t taken a wrong turn and needed Baldewin to redirect him.”
Alric’s lips twitched against his will as the image flashed through his mind. Cameron was all brilliant emotion and vibrant energy. Matched with his equally brilliant mind, he was going to make someone a fantastic mate and be a stunningly skilled mage. The perfect addition to his clan.
Assuming Alric could still salvage this mess.
The start of Alric’s smile fell away, and his eyes followed a deep red dragon as it soared past his window. Its great wings were spread wide, catching the wind, lifting its large body higher to cut through the puffy white clouds. The cloaking spell set over the castle extended far into the air around them, giving the dragons some room to soar without the fear of detection. They all needed to stretch their wings on occasion.
Well, most of them.
“Eure Majestät, I’m sure it will all work out.”
“I made a mess of it, Dieter. He handled the dragon part of our talk well enough, but that was largely thanks to Ravi’s appearance. He refuses to believe he’s a mage or that he belongs with our clan.”
Dieter’s strong hand landed on Alric’s shoulder and squeezed, reminding him of his father’s reassuring touch. “And it is a lot for a man who thought he was human to swallow. In one afternoon, his world became much larger than he ever expected. The life he knew is forever changed. Give him a chance to think about it.”
“But what if he doesn’t? He refused to allow me to return him to his hotel. He doesn’t trust me.” Alric wished he could pull the words back as soon as they left his tongue. They revealed too much.
Dieter squeezed his shoulder again before patting him on the back a couple of times. “Or maybe he’s just upset with an insufferable king who’s trying to change his world. Maybe he feels too vulnerable right now and doesn’t trust himself with a certain king.”
“No, definitely not. He doesn’t trust me.”
Dieter clasped his hands behind his back and shrugged as he stood at the window with A
lric. This tactic was way too familiar. It was Dieter’s way of completely disagreeing with Alric, but he was keeping his opinions to himself and allowing Alric to simply stew in his own frustrations until he finally admitted Dieter was right. Well, Dieter wasn’t right this time.
But what Alric felt or even what Cameron felt right now wasn’t important.
“He could change everything for our people. He even has a sister. A twin sister. What this could mean for us…for all our people…” Alric said softly.
“It will be great for everyone,” Dieter replied.
“Assuming I haven’t ruined it.” Dieter was the only person he felt comfortable sharing his fear and doubts with. His advisor was the only person with the experience who could help him be a better, smarter ruler.
“You haven’t.”
“If only I’d been more cautious. More patient. Given him more time to adjust to the idea.”
“What’s done is done. Learn from it. You’re wasting energy on something that can’t be changed now. You must turn your gaze forward and plan for the next step.”
Alric nodded. “You’re right. Baldewin will help calm him.”
“A passionate mage makes for an excellent mate,” Dieter declared as if it was already settled that Cameron would just come around and join their clan with no more problems.
“And he’s brilliant,” Alric quickly added. “During our walk yesterday, he was telling me all about his travels and the things he so clearly remembered. His mind is sharp. I know he’s going to take to magic so easily. He will just soak everything in and possibly even expand upon what we already know. Cameron will bring incredible strength to our clan and the mages. He would make an excellent mate for Gunter. Both of them are geniuses in their own right. They’re driven and determined. But then, we believe his line is from the Noh Clan. They are typically mated with the Wind Clan.”
Dieter cringed. “Possibly, but I’d hoped for someone with a firmer hand and calmer temperament when it came to Ravi’s mate. Pairing Ravi with Cameron’s clearly passionate nature seems dangerous.”
“Then Baldewin. He’s a calm and steady force. Not prone to emotional outbursts. He could be a rock for Cameron to lean on. Or maybe someone else from our clan. Most of our people are unmated.”
“Or maybe our king,” Dieter said, but Alric was already shaking his head. “You deserve a mate just as much as the rest of our people. It makes you stronger in ways that cannot be easily explained.”
He had to be careful wanting Cameron in any way. A mage wanting someone he couldn’t have was what led to the destruction of dragons and mages. Alric would not make the same mistake.
“It is as you’ve told me in the past—if it’s meant to be, then it will be. I need to direct my energies toward what is best for my people. I just pray that Baldewin can help calm Cameron.”
Because no matter what happened, he was not letting Cameron out of his sight again.
Cameron sat in the passenger seat of the car fuming. He wasn’t sure who he was angrier with—Alric or himself. Alric was being stubborn and pushy, insistent on a topic Cameron couldn’t wrap his head around.
He’d been pushed so much in his life by loving, well-meaning people that it grated now when anyone did it. Take his engineering degree, for example. Here he was with a master’s in it, a decision that wasn’t really of his making, and it rankled. The moment they’d handed him the diploma, Cameron knew it had been a mistake. It wasn’t truly what he wanted.
And now here was Alric, pushing him to be something else. And for selfish reasons, too, as the man was only interested in trying to save his clan. Save from what, was the question he should have asked, but that was neither here nor there right now. He was too upset to care. Cameron hated him for that a little because the man had been personable and charming yesterday. But it was all with that agenda in mind. Cameron felt a little used.
But what burned the most was that for a moment, just a moment, he had wanted it to be true. Every kid dreamed of being something special, something magical and amazing. Cameron had dreamed of it through a good portion of his childhood, and his grandmother had fueled the dreams by telling him stories of what his ancestors had done. The magic they had wrought, the spells they could do, and how they’d lived with dragons. His parents had knocked sense back into him as he’d headed into his teen years, and the dreams had crumbled and faded. Hearing Alric speak to him so earnestly, he flashed back to those childhood daydreams. For an incredible moment, the future had been nothing but magic stretching out ahead of him.
Until reality came crashing back in.
Reality was a bitch.
Baldewin drove without saying a word, but the silence was judgy. Very judgy. Cameron glared at him from the corner of his eye. “You don’t like how I spoke to him.”
“He’s already feeling guilty about many things. He was afraid of overwhelming you with too much information. I’m sure that after your reaction, he’s convinced he did overwhelm you and is now kicking himself for it.”
Oh. Well, that took some of the wind out of Cameron’s sails. Only some, though; he was still pissed. He wasn’t sure how much to say to Baldewin. The man struck him as loyal to a fault. “What are you to him, precisely?”
“Technically, a retainer. I serve as head of security too. But we’ve known each other almost since diapers.”
“A childhood friend, huh.”
“Yes.” Baldewin shot him a measuring glance before his eyes returned to the twisting mountain road. “I know he seems stiff and formal with you. That’s his default with people he doesn’t know well.”
“Actually, the man was charming all day yesterday. It’s why he pissed me off so badly because I wouldn’t have followed him up here if he hadn’t been sort of…leading me on, I guess.”
Baldewin slowed for a curve, his head canted as if puzzled. “He was charming with you? Well now. That’s interesting. I’ve never seen him open up with someone he’s known less than a day.”
Cameron tumbled that through his head for a moment. Either Baldewin was playing him or…well, no, the man seemed perfectly sincere. And a little confused, truth be told. “So you think he actually does like me.”
“Yes. Answer me one question, did he laugh at any time yesterday?”
That was a weird question. “Sure. I’m a funny person.”
Baldewin let out a huff of astonishment. “Ravi is hysterical and can barely get him to crack a smile half the time. But you heard him laugh? Then yes, he likes you quite a bit.”
“Well shit. Now I feel like a jerk for blowing up at him.” The charm hadn’t been faked, but he’d still taken it personally and blown up at the man. Cameron sank into his seat, slouching a little. Maybe there was a hole somewhere he could crawl into and pull something over his head.
“I think he’ll understand your reaction. We did throw a lot at you all at once.”
Cameron rubbed at the bridge of his nose. “I could have reacted more maturely, though. It’s just…I’m really not magical, and I don’t appreciate you guys insisting that I am. I’m tired of people telling me what I should do and who I should be.”
Baldewin very carefully didn’t say anything in response to that.
Yeah, the dragon was obviously not willing to argue the point right now and piss Cameron off further. But Baldewin was pretty sure he was right. Cameron interpreted his silence for what it was.
Cameron was sure on this point, though. Growing up, he’d read many a book with a magical protagonist, wishing sometimes he’d wake up one morning with magical powers of his own. It’d never happened. It was part of why he didn’t like the stories Halmeoni told them as kids. All it did was feed false hopes.
His phone dinged and he checked it. The hell, why was Cassie messaging him when she’d likely only gotten two hours of sleep?
Are you getting nookie or do you need cops?
He responded, Why are you awake?
Too curious. So, nookie or cops?
He
typed back. No nookie. No cops. He hesitated for a moment, finger hovered over the keypad on the screen before he continued: Turns out he’s a dragon.
Come again?
You read that right. He’s a dragon. There’s a clan of living fire dragons up here in the castle
DUDE IF YOU’RE PULLING MY LEG I WILL END YOU
No joke, not kidding, I will swear on Halmeoni’s purple hair, legit dragon clan
OMG
Yeah
OMG!!!
Yeah, I know I’m freaking out a little too. I will email you everything that happened so you can read it at work. Go back to sleep
No, wait, tell me one thing first. Why would they tell you? That they’re dragons?
Cameron sighed, closed his eyes, and struggled with answering. That was a whole other can of worms he didn’t feel emotionally up to opening right now. But she’d just call and pester him until he answered. Unlike himself, Cassie had never given up on magic being alive and well in the world. She was freaking out right now in a good sense.
Baldewin cast his phone a glance. “I see the word dragon on that screen; who are you telling about us?”
“Oh.” Shit, he likely shouldn’t be careless about who he told. Cameron mentally kicked himself for being an idiot. “Uh, I promise you won’t be mad about it. I only intend to tell family. I’m texting my sister Cassie right now.”
The big man’s expression cleared. “Ah, yes. The sister and grandmother you mentioned. We’d dearly love to talk to them.”
“Yeah, them. And the feeling will be mutual, trust me. Hang on, if I don’t text back in a minute she’ll fry my nuts.” Cameron tried to craft the most succinct reply he’d ever managed in his life. Turns out Halmeoni was right. We’re a magical family. Dragons mucho excited about meeting someone from Noh Clan.
Does that mean I get to meet them too? Cassie asked and the phone practically pulsed with her excitement.
They want to
I really want to. Let me figure stuff out.
In other words, Cassie would join him in Germany as soon as she could manage it. That figured. Cameron heartily wished that somehow, he could switch places with his twin right now. If Cassie were in his shoes, she’d already have jumped right in, no hesitation.