To Love a Prince (Knights of Valor Book 1)

by Elizabeth Drake

  “Is that the Dragon Church?”

  “That’s the palace. The Dragon Church is over there.” Eli guided her gaze to another set of spires in the distance. “The King will insist we marry there.”

  Her eyes fixed on the Dragon Church. “Do you think Dracor will find me worthy?”

  Eli stroked her arm and down over the curve of her gently rounding belly. “He already has.”

  Auburn remembered Leopold’s words and smiled.

  The coach drew closer to the towering spires until it stopped in front of an enormous alabaster building. Two large dragons were carved into the thick stone, a mirror image of the dragons on the necklace Eli had given her.

  The rich color and ostentatious architecture of her home was nowhere to be seen in the clean lines and stark stone of the palace. High windows sparkled in the sunlight, adding to the cold beauty.

  Eli helped her down from the carriage, and servants bowed all around them. The prince offered her his arm. She took it, and he laid his hand over top hers then led her into the palace.

  The interior was as austere as the exterior with its high cathedral-like ceilings, wide stone halls, and muted tapestries done in white and gold. It was as if there was no room for softness, color, or warmth.

  Glancing over at Eli, she knew that might’ve been true once.

  The prince tightened his hand over hers.

  An elderly gentleman in pristine royal livery approached Eli and bowed, but not quite as low as the other servants. “Your father is glad you have arrived home safely, Your Highness, and he wishes to see you in his private chambers.”

  “Of course.”

  The man raised a brow as he watched Eli turn, Auburn’s arm still intertwined with his, and lead her deeper into the palace.

  Prince Eli navigated the halls, ignoring the bowing courtiers and ubiquitous guards, before stopping in front of a wide set of doors inlaid with the same dragons as on the outside of the palace. Guards in royal livery flanked either side of the door, but they parted for Eli as he led Auburn inside the office.

  Auburn sucked in her breath as she took in the grandeur of the Tamarian king’s private chamber. From the thick rugs underfoot, to the crystal chandeliers, and the exquisite artwork, everything conveyed extreme wealth and power.

  There was an altar to Dracor tucked against the far wall. A reminder of the divinity that touched the Tamryn crown and the man that wore it.

  The room was elegant, tasteful, and restrained, but it lacked a softer touch. There were no flowers to impart gentle scents and no rich tapestries to soften the stone walls.

  As they entered, a man that appeared to be an older version of Eli, with grey sprinkled through his black hair and a more generous midsection, nodded at them. He was garbed in the rich robes of his office though he wore no crown.

  Eli bowed. “Your Highness.”

  Auburn curtsied.

  King Garrett stood and smiled at Auburn. “It’s not often my son brings a young lady to see me.”

  “Your Highness, this is Princess Auburn of Qumaref. My fiancée.”

  “Fiancée?” The king arched a brow as he reassessed her. “Now that is news. Even better than a trade treaty.”

  Color touched her cheeks under the king’s scrutiny, but she stayed silent and focused on the plush rug.

  “I plan to marry her tonight, barring any objection.”

  “Tonight?”

  Eli said nothing.

  “Are you going to tell me what’s going on, or am I going to get it from Sir Leopold?”

  Eli stiffened beside her, and Auburn linked her fingers with his.

  Garrett’s eyes fell to their joined hands.

  “I prefer the ceremony to be as soon as possible, and there must be a ceremony.”

  “There must?” The king’s brow arched in an expression Auburn recognized well.

  “The Rule of Succession.”

  King Garrett’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” Eli said.

  Heat crept up Auburn’s neck, and she kept her eyes averted as the king studied her more closely.

  “Come, walk with me.” The king offered Auburn his arm.

  Eli’s spine was as straight as a fire poker, his eyes boring into his father. Sucking in a silent breath, he let go of Auburn’s hand, and his arm dropped to his side.

  Auburn glanced up at the, feeling the blue of his eyes grow colder and harder as she laid her hand on the soft velvet of the king’s robe.

  King Garrett’s arm was warm and the muscles thickly corded underneath her fingers. He was as tense as his son.

  When they exited the chambers and the dragon doors shut behind them, King Garrett let out his breath. “Now we can speak freely, and you can tell me what’s going on.”

  She glanced at the guards stationed around them.

  Garrett patted her hand. “If you marry Eli, you’ll get used to them. Okay, you won’t, but you’ll learn to ignore them most of the time.”

  She smiled.

  “Now, do you want to marry my son?”

  “Very much, Your Highness.”

  “And why is that? Eli is a royal pain...” The king caught himself. “But you must already know that.”

  “He can be, Your Highness. He’s determined and driven. Sometimes he forgets compassion isn’t a vice, but he’s a good man. Most of the time.”

  “Not too many people see that.”

  Auburn lifted her shoulders.

  “He invoked the Rule of Succession.”

  “I’m not sure what that means.” Heat crept up her neck and colored her cheeks.

  “Looks like you might, but let me put it plainly. Am I going to be a grandfather?”

  “Yes, Your Highness.”

  “That explains Eli’s wish to marry you quickly.”

  “You’re not angry with me, Your Highness? You don’t think I tricked Eli?”

  Garrett smiled. “You’re making me a grandfather. Hard to be angry at you for that. And if you tricked Eli, then he definitely needs to marry you.”

  His words sounded so much like Eli that she couldn’t stifle a smile. “I will do everything I can to keep Eli safe and happy.”

  The king laid his hand over hers. “I remember when he was a boy and used to run through these halls.”

  Auburn smiled and listened to the king reminisce. She wondered if Eli knew how much his father loved him or how highly his father thought of him even if Dracor hadn’t chosen Eli to be the next king.

  As they completed their circuit and again came to the room with the dragons inscribed on the door, King Garrett sighed. “He’ll be angry, but I had to make sure you love him. He deserves that. Needs it.”

  “I love him with all my heart,” Auburn said.

  “And he loves you, or he wouldn’t be angry. He’s told you that, hasn’t he? That he loves you?”

  “At least three times a day, just as he promised when he asked me to marry him.”

  Garett chuckled. “You hold him to it. Sometimes the demands of Tamryn are so loud you can’t hear anything else.”

  Before she could answer, the king opened the doors. Eli was still standing in the center of the room where they’d left him.

  Garrett smiled and motioned for Auburn to join his son.

  Eli slid an arm around her and held her close.

  “You must fulfill the Rule of Succession,” the king said. “If I don’t see to it, the Dragon Church will.”

  “Tonight then.”

  “A week.” His father held up a hand to cut off the prince’s objections. “A week won’t matter with the child’s due date, and it’ll give the staff time to put together a real wedding. A small one, but a real one.”

  Eli bowed, and Auburn curtsied beside him.

  “And I expect a grand gala for the child’s birth. A welcome fit for the newest Dracasan.”

  “Of course, Your Highness.”

  “The two of you need to get settled. We can talk later of the treaty.”
/>
  “You’ll be pleased with the results of my trip to Qumaref.”

  King Garrett smiled at Auburn. “I already am.”

  Chapter 45

  Eli led Auburn through the palace, up a grand staircase, and deeper into the palace to the areas reserved for the royal family. It was warmer there, cozier, but it still felt strange.

  As they rounded a corner, Eli slowed and pulled her against him.

  A man stood in the hall checking his reflection in a polished silver urn. He was impeccably turned out in an elegant jacket and deep blue waistcoat that made his gray eyes appear blue. An expensive sapphire pin held his cravat in place. He smoothed his artfully tousled blonde curls, cultivating a careless appearance despite the time and effort it took.

  Auburn sucked in a breath, straightened her spine, and surveyed the hall for a weapon. This was the man from her vision.

  He smiled at Eli, but the expression never reached his eyes. “Welcome home, cousin.”

  “Fredrick,” Eli said with a nod.

  The thick muscles in Eli’s arm tightened under her fingers.

  “Qumaref must’ve been fun.” Fredrick leaned negligently against the table. “You missed your wedding.”

  Eli shrugged once.

  “Some might say that’s fortuitous. Couldn’t imagine being married to an ice queen, prophecy or not.”

  “I’m sure that relieves Lady Daniella.”

  Fredrick’s gaze flicked over to Auburn and slid up and down her body. “Not as pretty as Daniella.”

  Eli tightened his hold on Auburn, his eyes narrowing in warning.

  “I hadn’t expected you to take a mistress while in Qumaref, much less parade her through the palace.” Fredrick grinned. “Glad you’re finally enjoying the perks of being a prince.”

  “Auburn is my fiancée, and you will treat her accordingly.”

  Fredrick’s eyes widened, genuine surprise mirrored in the gray depths. “And Uncle Garrett is permitting it? She’s not a Tamarian noble. Her clothes look Qumarefi even if she doesn’t.”

  “King Garrett has posed no objection.”

  “The Dragon Church will. All the more reason we need to talk. I have a proposition you’ll want to hear.”

  Eli nodded once and eased in front of Auburn as he faced his cousin. “It’s been a long voyage. I’m taking my fiancée to her rooms.”

  Fredrick said nothing as he watched Eli wrap an arm around Auburn and guide her down the hall, the prince keeping himself between Fredrick and his fiancée.

  Fredrick stared at her, his dark gazed fixed as if a hawk had spied a hare.

  “He hates me,” she said in Qumarefi as she glanced back down the hall.

  “You surprised him, and he doesn’t like surprises.”

  Auburn glanced towards the guards and then back down the hallway. “He’s the one from my vision, the one who wants to destroy Tamryn.”

  Eli held her close as he turned back towards his cousin and raised a brow in challenge.

  Fredrick strode away.

  Taking her hand, Eli guided Auburn further down the hall and opened the door to a luxurious study dominated by a large desk and high windows. The prince brought her over to a small settee nestled in the corner and sat beside her.

  “What did you see in these visions?” Eli asked.

  The warm sun chased away the shadows of fear and Auburn explained the vision. The darkness, the snakes, the gold dragon. She knew it was a warning but little more.

  “Sounds like you saw shadow magic. Most likely Rashalee or Uzakiel, though snakes are most often associated with Rashalee.”

  “I wonder what Fredrick wants to talk to you about.”

  “I don’t know, but I doubt he’d kill me himself. He’d make it look like an accident, or try to.” Eli brushed his lips across her temple. “I’m even more concerned that we have to wait a week to marry.”

  “You think Fredrick will try something?”

  “Depends how desperate he is. I have no intention of leaving you alone at night until I’ve dealt with him.” Eli touched his lips to hers. “To the hells with protocol and propriety. My one indiscretion, and I’ll remedy it by marrying you.”

  “Indiscretion?”

  Eli lifted Auburn into his arms and carried her back to his rooms. “Welcome home.”

  She slid her arms around him and laid her head against his chest as she studied the spacious suite. Heavy velvet curtains covered the windows, and a large four poster bed dressed in rich masculine colors dominated the center of the suite. It was a comfortable but practical space with a wide table and chairs, thickly cushioned sofas, and a large marble fireplace.

  Opulence without pretension.

  His lips found hers, gentle at first, but she could sense the need lurking beneath his cool exterior. Eli set her on her feet and kissed each of her hands.

  “I love you,” he whispered, the words caressing her flesh and stealing through her.

  “And I love you.”

  “I have something for you.”

  He walked over to a wardrobe, opened it, and clicked open a hidden compartment. Taking something out, he closed the wardrobe and brought a small navy silk box over to her.

  Eli opened the box and withdrew a ring set with a large blue diamond surrounded by smaller white diamonds so brilliant they seemed to radiate light. Holding Auburn’s hand, Eli slipped the ring on her finger. “A bit late, but your betrothal ring.”

  Her eyes widened as she stared at the exquisite and unfathomably expensive ring. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Not as beautiful as you.” Eli touched his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. “How about a hot bath to warm you?”

  Fighting back tears of happiness, Auburn nodded as she stared at the ring. She could feel the love it symbolized and knew he’d been saving it for someone special. Otherwise, he’d have given it to Lady Daniella. Actions, Sir Leopold had said, and Eli gave her those as well as his pretty words.

  Eli ordered her bath, and after the servants filled the tub with steaming water, he helped her out of her gown and into the tub. Auburn sighed as she leaned back and let the hot water lap around her, soothing away the damp Tamryn summer and the lingering ache of fear.

  Glancing over at the man she loved, she wondered how Dracor could hope to find a better king for Tamryn. “I’m surprised Dracor doesn’t favor you.”

  Eli devoured the sight of her resting in the tub. “Who understands the whims of the gods?”

  Her brows furrowed. “Did you ever ask the Dragon God for his favor?”

  Trailing his hand across the steaming water, Eli teased it over her water-slicked breast. “I have no illusions as to the man I’ve become.”

  Auburn laid her hand over top of his. “You’re a good man. Never forget that.”

  “If I earned your love, I must not be all bad.”

  Color heated her cheeks. “I’m just-”

  “You could be royalty. A missing princess from a faraway land. Not that it matters. You’ve proven yourself time and again.”

  She stared down at the scented water, letting the sweet scent of roses tease her senses.

  “You saved the sultan’s life and mine. You found your way to Tamryn and are carrying the child you wanted.”

  “Priyanka always told me I was stubborn.”

  “Determined,” Eli said. “And I love you all the more for it.”

  She stroked a hand along his cheek. After all she’d been through, she knew there was more to come. Possibly worse. But she’d have Eli at her side. And their son. Tamryn wasn’t perfect, but it was home.

  Eli caught her fingers and brought them to his lips. “Done with your bath?”

  “I can be.”

  Desire darkened his eyes as he lifted her out of the tub. Steam rose off her, and goose flesh prickled her pale skin. Eli carried her over to the massive four poster bed and laid her between the sumptuous sheets. Laying down beside her, he cocooned her in his warmth.

  His hands stroked over her
damp flesh, his touch soft, almost reverent.

  His lips found hers as he shrugged out his clothes and pulled her against him, her curves playing against his hard angles. He deepened the kiss, finding her tongue with his and stroking, a tender and tantalizing touch that had her softening against him.

  Eli stroked down her flushed skin, and sensation flared at his touch, racing over her flesh and pooling in her belly. The heat of him enveloped her, and the rich masculine scent of him intoxicated her. She ached for more and pressed herself closer as she rubbed her breasts against his hard chest.

  He deepened the kiss as he parted her, stroking the insides of her thighs and cupping her apex.

  He loved her, and he showed her with each tender touch, each passionate kiss.

  Wrapping her arms around him, she opened herself to him as a soft moan escaped her lips. He surrounded her, and his hard body pressed her back into the thick mattress as liquid desire seeped through her veins and chased away all thoughts but him.

  “I love you,” he whispered as he gently parted her, stretched her, and filled her.

  She welcomed him, holding him close and stroking his lightly stubbled cheek, his strong shoulders, and his dark hair as he moved within her, building their love into golden desire.

  Her heart soared as she held him, her body matching and meeting his in a dance as old as time. Taking as she gave.

  The Twins had blessed them. He loved her as she loved him, and her son would grow up knowing that, and knowing they loved him.

  She finally had a family, a home, a place where she belonged.

  The warm golden strands of passion wrapped around her, infused her, carried her higher and higher.

  She held Eli close as her body moved with his, meeting him, matching him. Climbing to the dizzying cliffs of desire. And with a final thrust, they fell over together, washed away in the blissful rays of love.

  Chapter 46

  It was late that afternoon when they roused themselves enough to allow a pair of footmen to carry their trunks in from the ship.

  Shadows slithered along the walls, and Eli glanced at the corners of the room. Fredrick had been busy.

  The prince stopped the footmen as they turned to leave. “Have a Priestess of Thalia sent to my study. I want a Light Ceremony as soon as possible.”