Bound by the Ice Dragon

by Alyx X

  “I want you too, Izon. But does this mean that you are once again in the market for a nanny? Or does it mean that I will be paid for my continued services? Earlier you said that I’d switch to a mother figure, but what does that mean? Or does nothing change at all, and we just happen to be...together?” I finished lamely. I had thought about what a potential relationship with the King would mean all night. It had kept me awake, daydreaming of what it would be like to be with him. Though now that I had to say my thoughts out loud they had come out all jumbled. I glanced up at Izon, worried that I’d said too much.

  Izon was still facing the ceiling, face calm, like he was pondering what he wanted to say next. Finally, he said “it means whatever you want it to, Tess. I know you came here under… unfortunate circumstances, but I don’t think I could ever go back to treating you like the children’s nanny after this. I care about you too much.”

  My heart clenched at his words. He still hadn’t really given me an answer, though. I was about to say as much when he continued. “I think the children already love you. While I don’t expect you to just replace Lyra in their lives, they’ve come to treat you like a mother. If it was what you wanted, I don’t think anyone would be too startled by you behaving as such. I’ve already paid off your contract with the Terran Program. You are no longer required to work for me or my household. Technically, if you wanted you could leave this house to live as a free woman here on Hydronia,” he looked at me sideways, waiting for me to reassure him.

  I blinked. Could I have gotten out of my ten-year servitude just like that? While I felt guilty for somehow escaping the Terran Program, I couldn’t help but feel relief. My mother would be okay, and because of this beautiful King next to me, I wouldn’t have to spend ten years in servitude either. Sitting here with Izon, I could almost believe I’d found a happier life.

  Suddenly realizing he’d been waiting for me to answer, I looked up at him. “I think...I think I want to continue to care for your children. As I said earlier, I do love them. They’re bright, thoughtful, and hilarious little people. If it’s okay with you, I think I’d like to continue spending my time with them. Though, I could do without the strict schedule. That, and the uniform’s gotta go.” Izon laughed at that, and said “have you checked the closet yet?” I nodded and said “Yes I saw all the new clothing, but I just had to make sure that that god-awful uniform wasn’t going to make a reappearance.” His chest rumbled against my cheek as he laughed. “Why the hell would I make you continue to wear a uniform? After I saw you in that emerald dress that night… I don’t ever want to see you in anything as plain as that uniform ever again.” I smiled to myself, ducking my head.

  How had I gotten so lucky?

  17

  Izon

  I stood at my window, looking out into the night. The door stood slightly open onto the balcony, and the sounds and scents blew in on the breeze. The sea lapped against the gardens where they met, and the night blooming flowers perfumed the air. I inhaled deeply as I glanced back toward the bed, back toward Tessa’s sleeping form. Moonlight gleamed on her pale skin.

  Moving Tessa into my rooms a month ago had been a bold statement. It showed Tessa how important she was, but it also sent a message to my staff—and wider, to my people. It let everyone know just how important Tessa had become, because what was important to me in my role as King automatically became important to the whole of Hydronia. It was why I tried to exercise my judgement wisely, any decision I made was heavy in its repercussions.

  Maybe Tessa didn’t know that last part. There was still a lot for her to learn about Hydronia and my people. Thankfully, she had been studying our cultures and laws on a daily basis, making use of the library and sitting beside the children as they attended to their own daily timetable.

  She’d even started attending local events, and her kindness toward everyone she met shone from her. My people had started clamoring to meet her, attracted to her like the tiny honey-sucking birds that could be seen hovering around the ocean lilies.

  I wanted her face known to the people. I wanted them to see all of her wonderful and beautiful attributes as I did. I had to clench my own hands to keep from touching her soft skin while we were out. I glanced back at her, asleep on the bed, wild curls spread all around her. I wanted to touch her even now, but waking her wouldn’t be fair. She had another busy day tomorrow.

  I was so proud of the person she was and the person she was becoming. I wanted to show her off to everyone on my world, and I wanted to share her…to an extent. As I looked at her again, I knew. She was mine, and I was in love with her.

  I unlatched the door leading to the deck and stepped up to the railings. I leaned my elbows on them as I looked out. I’d watched Lyra so many nights like this as she walked around her garden. I’d stood down there in the moonlight, the damp grass under my feet, and we’d danced to the sound of the waves.

  My chest constricted at the memory. I looked up at the stars—the same stars we’d always looked up at together. The stars we’d wished on for each of our babies; I blew out a slow sigh.

  It was time.

  “Lyra?” I murmured her name like a question, then waited a beat like I expected an answer.

  The breeze stirred through my hair like a familiar caress.

  “I think it’s time.” I swallowed. I’d spoken to Lyra like this before, but never with such finality.

  Always before, I’d asked her advice—begged for it, really—as Jari cried herself to sleep or as Vike tried to run off every staff member who tried to control his behavior. Those early days had been tough as I’d tried to cope with my bereaved children, my own grief, and a newborn.

  And I’d been angry, but that brought guilt too, and there had been nights when I’d wept under the stars after shouting up at them first.

  But tonight, I didn’t want to do any of those things. Tonight, I needed to let Lyra go. To release her, in a way. I hadn’t expected anything like Tessa to come along so soon after losing Lyra, but I couldn’t ignore what my heart was telling me. I was scared to move forward, but I was more scared to miss the opportunity to love again.

  “I’ve met someone.” I chuckled, the sound partly sad. “You probably already know. I’m sure you’re here somewhere, keeping an eye on our children. They like her though, and she’s good to them. She loves them, and I think she’d do anything for them. She’s done a lot for Jari already, and she’s very careful not to try and replace you as their mother.”

  I paused as I looked out at the water. The urge to shift and swim flashed over me, but I squashed it down. That was most likely my desire to avoid this conversation.

  “I remembered your last words recently, and I hope this is what you meant. It’s the first time I’ve believed I can be happy since you left, and I know you wanted that for me. For us.” I sucked in a quick breath before I lost my nerve. “I will always love you, but it’s time to say goodbye in some ways. I can’t keep reserving a portion of myself for you. Tessa deserves my best shot, all of my heart.”

  I bowed my head and waited again, but only the sound of the endless waves interrupted the silence. So, I returned to bed and lay there next to Tess, expecting to feel more of the sadness I’d carried since Lyra died, but it didn’t follow. Not in the same way, anyway. It was like everything had shifted back a step.

  Thank you.

  Somewhere, I was sure she smiled.

  I rolled over and tugged Tessa into my arms, resting my cheek against her hair as I drifted back to sleep.

  I’d been at my desk for a while the following morning when my device bleeped. I glanced at the screen and swallowed at the notification of an incoming vid from my mother. I’d managed to avoid this moment so far, but it seemed my luck was running out. Briefly, I considered letting her leave a message, but it was probably just as easy to answer her questions now as it was to watch her speculate on the answers. Besides, she’s filled up my message box more than once in the past, especially if Father also had any
thing to say.

  Fuck. Who did I think I was? Had I forgotten? I was The King. I could answer a vid from my mother without fear or hesitation.

  I grabbed my courage by the balls and hit the button to answer.

  “I didn’t think you were going to take the call.” She smiled almost knowingly, and a ready lie sprang to my tongue.

  “I’m always eager to speak to you, Mother.”

  She blinked, just the merest flicker of disbelief.

  “But I am a busy man,” I continued. “So—”

  “So, I’ll make this brief,” she interrupted and leaned closer to her screen. “You’d be wise to bring Tessa to meet your father as soon as you can because word is spreading across the islands about The King’s new mistress.” She had said it so matter-of-factly that I guess her and Father had been calling Tessa that for a while now.

  I blew out a breath that puffed up my cheeks and shook my head as I eyed the stack of paperwork I’d intended to address this week. “Mother, Tessa isn’t a mistress in any sense of the word.” It looked like the papers would go unsigned for a little while longer.

  She cast a glance over her shoulder and lowered her voice. “I know. I know. I could sense she was special to you when we discussed her on your last visit. But that isn’t the rumor circulating, and it isn’t what your father is choosing to believe.” She shrugged. “You know how he is.”

  I contained a growl as my dragon absorbed the news that people believed Tessa to be my mistress. It didn’t like it, and neither did I. “I do know,” I confirmed.

  “So, when should we expect you?” Mother fiddled with her oversized Western Seas pearls absently as she spoke.

  I mumbled a curse under my breath. I’d wanted to wait longer before exposing Tessa to Father’s cold manner. He could be toxic if he chose, and this was a subject where he could definitely make my life difficult. It was him that had wanted me to find a new Queen, but I knew he would not be pleased with the woman I’d chosen to fill that role.

  “Well?” She raised an eyebrow. “Sometimes these things are better tackled head on rather than being left to fester.”

  I sat back and blew out a sigh. “In that case, expect us tomorrow.”

  Mother clapped her hands. “Excellent. And the children?”

  I almost laughed. I could predict how Father’s first meeting with Tessa might go, and it wasn’t anything I wanted my children to witness. “Maybe next time,” I promised her.

  For a moment, some of the light in her eyes faded. “I do miss them, you know,” she said.

  “I know. But there will be plenty of time for you to spend with them later. Let’s just get this introduction over and set Father straight on Tessa’s role in my life.”

  She nodded. “You’re right. I’ll go and tell him you’re coming tomorrow.”

  Her image blinked away, and I laughed. She’d never quite worked out that you could say goodbye before ending the vid. Or sit was the opposite and I received about twenty renditions of goodbye before I finally disconnected it myself.

  I sighed as I stood up. On Mother’s final, abrupt note, I needed to go and prepare Tessa for this short notice meeting with my parents.

  18

  Tessa

  Izon’s boat raced over the water, churning a frothy white foam between us. He’d said it was just a quick visit, so we were in his smallest motorboat. Izon was plastered to one side of me, Dyan to the other—apparently this was the next best thing to a bodyguard’s day off. The seating arrangement was Izon’s best solution for keeping my clothes from getting too wet, because apparently, he’d forgotten to take the sea spray into account when he’d planned our trip to his parents’ home. I’d tied Dyan’s jacket over my head to try to keep my curls from becoming too knotted in the wind, but I was convinced that when we arrived, I’d look like a combination between a demon and a drowned sheep. My bedraggled look combined with Dyan’s rumpled jacket made for a comical picture. Some royal party we’d make.

  Not my idea of a good first impression.

  I’d dressed in one of my finest dresses, one that reminded me of the beautiful green gown I’d worn on my first date with Izon. I hoped it would bring me luck. The same seamstress had made it, and she’d used some of the same beading techniques across the bodice. Only this time, on Izon’s direct orders she’d styled them to look similar to scales, in homage to the water dragon shifters of this world.

  A little of the translucent powder glittered down my cheek and neck. Not too much though, and only because Izon seemed to really like it when I showed my appreciation for his dragon side.

  My hands were curled into tight fists on my knees as I tried to keep my anxiety under control.

  Izon lay his hand over one of mine. “You’ve got this.” He smiled easily, but his dragon stirred behind his red eyes.

  I nodded and pressed my lips together before drawing my mouth into a tight smile. It was a smile of bravery, the one that let everyone know I was faking it.

  He pressed a kiss to my neck, just below my ear. “You look beautiful,” he murmured.

  I nearly choked on my chuckle. They were nice words to hear, but they did nothing to help my anxiety. Izon had warned me about his father, but surely no old man could be worse than signing my life away and moving to a foreign planet, right? I’d never had a problem with my customers on Earth, and my station was far below all of theirs. None of them were people I would have called a friend, but none were outwardly cruel.

  Hopefully, once the retired king met me and talked with me, he’d see my feelings for Izon were real—the same as Izon’s were for me. I’d seen how his feelings for me changed his face, and that brought me security. We could do this meeting, win his father over, and go home happy.

  Izon seemed to sense my mood, and he nudged against my shoulder as the boat driver cut a wide curve to avoid a patch of floating lilies.

  “It’s okay.” He kept his voice low, but on my other side, Dyan turned away to gaze out across the open water.

  He could probably hear everything Izon and I said to each other this close, but he had the good sense to pretend he couldn’t. I silently thanked him for that.

  “I know.” I kept my own words quiet too, and leaned in to Izon as much as I could, allowing his body to shelter me.

  “But.” He breathed out a sigh and hesitated.

  “But?” I asked, a small sliver of apprehension piercing me. I’d just talked myself down from the ledge, so I didn’t need additional doubt.

  He looked at me, concern marring his beautiful gaze.

  I saw myself reflected in his eyes and the safety of being his surrounded me.

  “My father can be a cruel man sometimes.”

  On my other side Dyan huffed a laugh, quickly covered with a cough, and Izon shot a glare over my shoulder.

  “It’s true,” he said as if one of us had disagreed. “Father could be ruthless, vindictive even, in the pursuit of securing and increasing his power. He ruled Hydronia with fear rather than respect. I think even to this day he confuses the two.”

  I gave an involuntary shiver. This wasn’t helping me feel better.

  Izon squeezed my hand tighter. “Please don’t worry,” he said.

  “After you just told me that your father is a power-hungry vindictive tyrant?” I raised my eyebrows and Dyan chuckled next to me.

  Izon winced. “Put that way, he sounds a lot worse than usual.” He closed his eyes briefly. “He can be…difficult, but don’t worry. I’ve got you. I’ll protect you.”

  “Thank you.”

  The boat slowed, drawing my attention away from Izon. We had arrived at a long, wooden dock that stretched out into the water from another island shrouded in lush, tropical foliage. I took a moment to absorb everything.

  “Your parents’ island is very beautiful,” I said.

  “His father wouldn’t have it any other way.” Dyan chuckled after he spoke, and even Izon couldn’t keep an amused twist from his lips.

  “Te
ssa?” Izon held out his hand to help me off the boat.

  I took it and ignored the strange feeling of foreboding that settled over me as I peered through the trees at the house. I straightened my shoulders and gave Izon my widest grin. “Let’s do this.”

  Dyan held his hand out. “My jacket?”

  We were greeted at the door by a man in a crease-free suit, and he bowed when he saw Izon. “Your Majesty,” he said.

  “They’ll bow for you soon too,” Izon murmured to me, and a shiver of apprehension ran up my spine. I couldn’t help but think there were obstacles we needed to dodge first.

  Plus, I couldn’t imagine any people, anywhere, bowing for me. How could they when I was just some human from The Glass City, Earth? I smoothed my fingers over my ident, hidden beneath my sleeve. No one would bow to anyone who had been under contract with the Terran Program.

  “Izon.” A man marched out of one of the rooms, his shoes tapping a quick march across a white tile floor. “You’re late.”

  Izon took a deep breath. “Sorry, Father. We’re here now.”

  His father looked at me, and I curtsied. “Sir.”

  “Izon,” his father snapped. “Why have you dressed this…this bed-servant like royalty? Affording such a person this much status is highly offensive to our guests.” He sniffed and turned away. “You should have come alone.” His terse words floated over his shoulder, and Izon took my hand, twining our fingers together. I was dumbfounded. Not ten seconds into this visit and I’d already been insulted beyond belief. How the hell was I going to make it through the rest of this?

  We followed his father, and Dyan fell into step behind us like usual. He might not have been officially on duty, but apparently the man didn’t know how to relax or behave like a regular guy.