The Kingdoms of Sky and Shadow Box Set

by Foxglove, Lidiya

  “He’s single?”

  “He’s too busy to meet anyone.”

  “Well, that might be bad…”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Phoebe said. “It’s worth a try. If he won’t make time for it, there’s no harm in that.” She waved me forward. “How was the show, anyway? When I had Rina, Gilbert made some finishing touches without me. I’m sorry about that one song!”

  I had no idea which song she was talking about or why she was sorry, but the creative process wasn’t really my forte.

  “Mr. Sewell? This is Queen Himika. I want to introduce you to her handmaiden. She used to be a soldier, and since you were just asking about how men and women fight together in the dragon kingdom, I thought you might want to chat.”

  Hmm. Mr. Sewell was indeed handsome. He was around thirty—just the right age for Raia, a little older than her but not too much—tall and fair, with faintly sunburned cheeks and a rugged beard. Not just a desk-and-book sort of secretary then, but one who was out in the field if need be.

  “Nice to meet you,” I said.

  “The pleasure’s mine,” he said, in a northern accent that was music to the ears. “My ma used to say we had dragon blood, but I’ve been puzzling over the dragon ways. I’m afraid the questions might be a little too personal for your handmaiden, though.”

  “Oh, heavens, no,” I said. “Raia’s perfect for that. There is absolutely nothing that girl holds back!”

  Raia clearly had no idea we were trying to set her up when we brought Mr. Sewell over. That was a good thing, I thought. She started blabbing away about menstruating while on a campaign, and he said, “Do you mind if I take notes, actually?”

  Intermission was over by then, and I went back to my seat. Gilbert disappeared and never came back, probably to talk to someone about the Imperial Rose Troupe’s performance. The shortened opera opened with an absolutely beautiful wedding song. Aurek clutched my hand when all the strings swelled.

  “I want a symphony,” he said.

  “We can work on that when the war is over.”

  After the opera, we moved to the ballroom for a dance. The dragons didn’t know any dances, but they took to the floor anyway. What they lacked in skill, they made up with their sense of revelry.

  “What do you think?” Rin asked, coming up to me later. “Have I wiped away your bad memories of this palace?”

  “That would be hard to do. But…I think it’s been a perfect night. Well—I can’t say that when some of my people are missing. It’s a start, however.”

  Raia and Mr. Sewell were still talking and he wasn’t taking notes anymore, they were just chatting easily and drinking wine. That seemed like a good sign.

  “I did my best, I hope. You looked happy. If there’s anything you need to tell me—”

  “No. Honestly, no. I am very happy.” Ezeru was watching Wretch and Kajira play with a grape. When the cats rolled it under the table, he got it out for them and tossed it across the floor for them to bat around. He might not be that social, but he still looked so delicious in that tight jacket and pants…

  “Man, I knew deep down you were as debauched as I was, if you ever got the chance,” Rin said, nudging me.

  I snorted, but I wasn’t exactly going to deny it when I was still staring at Ezeru across the room. “Father wouldn’t know what to make of all this. It’s very strange to even imagine what he would say if he was here. You being a guardian…and the emperor. Neither of us living in Gaermon.” I looked at him, speaking carefully. “Rin…if there’s anything you need to tell me… I know this wasn’t the life you wanted.”

  “No, it wasn’t. It still isn’t. Sometimes, at first, I did try to think of a way out of it. We could have given the throne to a more willing person. There are plenty of other kings that the emperor crushed, and lords…but even if I don’t trust myself, I trust the six of us.”

  “Yes. I understand that.”

  “Are you ready for what comes next?”

  “I don’t know. But Aurek promised to stay with me.” I smoothed my skirts with my hands. “I’m glad we’re in this together, Rin. I’m scared too. I never thought I’d be a queen or a mother. But I trust the five of us. I just…” I swallowed. “If I only had Aurek, would that be enough now? If I only had Ezeru and Aurek, that…feels like it wouldn’t be enough for me anymore. How selfish is that?”

  “You don’t have to explain. When I ran off with Gilbert, we thought all we needed in life was each other. I was completely wrong. I was falling for Phoebe even before I had a sigil but it didn’t take anything away from my love for Gil. And now it’s like I have three brothers as well.”

  “Is it ever complicated, though?”

  “Oh yeah.” He scratched his head. “Even now, Gilbert was my first true love. But Phoebe is the priestess. And we know the elders want to kill her so they can get control of their own priestess again. Gil and I both know we have to put Phoebe over each other. Hopefully she’s safe here in the palace, but you never know who you can trust for sure.”

  “Yes…” At least that was one thing I didn’t have to worry about. It was scary to think that Phoebe could be killed and replaced. Four other men would gain the power of the guardians instead and the current guardians would die. Maybe my brother would be spared because he shared his power with Gilbert, who was the true guardian. Maybe Rina would someday be priestess instead. Or the loss might possibly ruin the kingdom.

  “Don’t worry about any of that tonight,” he said. “Why don’t you just take Ezeru to bed already? I see where your eyes keep going.”

  I smacked him away. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then…but not too early.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Himika

  I came up to Aurek and put my hand on his arm. “I’m ready for bed,” I whispered.

  “Tired already?”

  “I didn’t say I was tired.” Right in his ear I said, “I want the repeat of the other night with Ezeru, but I want you to be there too. And I’ll do my best to show you what I’m feeling…”

  “Oh, my gem….off to bed with you, then.” He gave me a slow, soft kiss on the forehead…just a preview.

  Then I found Ezeru over in the corner forming a rock into different shapes to delight a group of ladies. Well, I wasn’t sure that was really what delighted the ladies. “Ezeru, come to bed with me.” I raised an eyebrow.

  He left the scene readily and followed me into the hall.

  “Gladly,” he said. “It’s been a very long night. I don’t know what to say.”

  “You don’t really have to say anything, by the looks of it.” I smirked. “But you’re all mine now.”

  I already knew how he felt; he’d made that clear. He seemed happiest when he could hunt for me, provide for me, protect me, and mate with me. Which suited me just fine. It had been a long day, and a long night, and a long week, to be honest. Ezeru would bring me back into the moment.

  We had barely stepped into the bedroom before he was sliding my skirt up my legs.

  “Maybe try a little patience,” Aurek said, unfastening my buttons. “Don’t you want to see her?”

  “I do,” Ezeru said, flexing his hands, and then forcing himself to untie my sash. He and Aurek disrobed me in no time, and I stepped out of the pool of silk left behind on the floor and hooked my fingers around Ezeru’s collar.

  “More patience now,” I said. “I’m going to disrobe you too.”

  I gave his cock one teasing stroke through his trousers and he made a little sound between a purr and a growl. Then I started working on the silver buttons of the fine Capameran clothes. Dragon clothing was made to be shed quickly, but not these. While I was working on it, Aurek slipped off his robes and then started removing his jewelry.

  Ezeru rolled his eyes. “These human clothes aren’t comfortable or practical.”

  “But,” I said. “They’re fashionable. It is nice to see you in something besides black leather. So eager…” I threw off the white shirt and unfastened his
trousers, stroking him again, this time skin against skin, feeling his cock throb with need.

  “Do what you want to me,” I said huskily.

  He gripped my shoulders, claws prickling my skin. I took a half step back just to admire him, and then I glanced back at Aurek, who looked a bit lost in thought.

  Ezeru looked at me and raised an eyebrow at Aurek, concern on his face. We could both tell he was missing Seron, who was never forgotten. Aurek seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself in my world, but I wondered if that made it worse once he had a quiet moment.

  Ezeru signed something where he grasped his left hand lightly with the right and then pulled the left one away. It seemed like it meant something being taken away, or missing someone. Then he gave me a more lustful look again and kissed my forehead roughly before he got up and walked toward Aurek.

  “I’ll fix it,” Ezeru said.

  “Fix what?” Aurek straightened up, snapping out of it, his contemplative expression switching to a sly smile.

  “The queen is more than ready,” Ezeru said, clamping a hand on Aurek’s shoulder. “Come to bed.”

  “I wasn’t holding you up, was I?” Aurek said, slightly flustered.

  “No,” Ezeru said. “Not at all. I just want you to know. She asked me to do what I want to her, and I want you with us. I remember, when I first mated with Himika, you were standing by the door, and your face changed. You said you were thinking of Oszin. I know how you are by now, but…you don’t have to think right now.”

  Aurekdel exhaled faintly, as if surrendering to Ezeru’s touch. My heart beat faster to watch them. Aurek walked back to the bed. He still had on one thin silk robe that fluttered behind his lean, tall frame, chest, abdomen and legs quite visible. And his own cock, quickly becoming as swollen as Ezeru’s. “All right,” he said. “I won’t think.”

  Ezeru walked behind me. His hand slipped around the top of my thigh, and then his tail curled up between my legs and thrust into my folds, wriggling inside me.

  “Unh…” My mouth fell open. It was almost an instant climax as the twitching, scaled tip struck my sweet spot. I’d been thinking about this all night.

  Aurek reached for my face. His fingers brushed my lips, and then he moved toward me, his tongue stroking into mine. “My queen. Do you grow more alluring every day, or is it just my imagination…?”

  “Mm…!” I made an incoherent squeak as Ezeru’s tail firmed up its position inside me, finding the limit even as the fluttering sensation of my first climax was still making my legs shake.

  “This is all for you,” Ezeru said, brushing his fingers along my spread nether lips. “And this is for me.” His cock nudged my ass, my sounds becoming even more desperate as he filled me there as well. I didn’t have an inch left to give him. My core was on fire with the sensation of him so deep inside me.

  Ezeru’s hands were gripping the underside of my breast, as Aurek moved to the same place. Their hands met there, Ezeru holding up my breasts as Aurek fingered my nipples, spinning his fingers around the tight nubs as he kept kissing me, more insistently by the moment. I was so hungry for him, for anything. I couldn’t stop groaning.

  Aurek’s finger traced my lips before he caught my hands in his and urged me forward on the bed until I fell on top of him, my legs sprawling around him as Ezeru came with me, not letting me go. Aurek’s rigid shaft throbbed against my pelvis, but there was nowhere for it to go.

  “Nnn…” Our entwined palms hit the sheets over Aurek’s head. He released my hands. I dug lines in the fabric. Now he traced my face with his tongue, up to the edge of my ears. They both seemed to be getting hungrier by the moment as Ezeru rocked into me. Aurek slid a hand down, over my breasts and the curve of my hip, all the way down. He felt where Ezeru’s tail was inside me and he gave Ezeru’s tail a little smack, making it jerk inside me.

  “Ahh…!” I squeaked. “Uhh…”

  “You’ve rendered her incoherent already,” Aurek said, his beautiful lips curving into a teasing smile. He sat up a little, his robe falling off one of his shoulders.

  “Yes, she likes this,” Ezeru said, stating the obvious.

  I pushed Aurek back down and nudged back against Ezeru until I could put my hand around Aurek’s cock. I ran my tongue up and down the whole length of its underside. The scales under his skin felt like a massage on my tongue.

  Now Aurek growled out his pleasure as I took his whole length in my mouth. As Ezeru fucked me hard, I worked Aurekdel up and down. I was trying to get them to come at the same time, but Ezeru was too fast for me.

  My vision glazed as he pulled out of me, leaving me hot and spent, but also unsatisfied. I kept pleasuring Aurek, but Ezeru put a hand on my shoulder and stopped me.

  “No,” he said, his voice ragged. “I’m not done with you.”

  “Good. But Aurek—”

  “He’s not done with you either. Give me just…a second…” He stopped to catch his breath.

  “Do you want my tea?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “I’m not sick.”

  “Oh.”

  “I’m…excited.” He ran a hand down his chest. Like he was making sure he wasn’t dreaming. “Of all the emotions I never felt back home, I think excitement was in particularly short supply. You can snatch a little happiness in the darkness. But excitement…like this…” He caught my wrist in his hand. “I never thought I’d feel this way.”

  He pressed his mouth to mine. His kisses had an earthy taste, I noticed, like iron. But lighter, cleaner than blood. I dug my tongue deep into him. Give me all of you.

  He finally drew back only when my lips nearly from hurt from how forcefully we kissed each other. He took a ragged breath and then he turned me around and gave me to Aurek.

  Aurek had been patient but once presented with me, we reached for each other. Now it was the back of his hand that grazed my cheek.

  “I think you feel a little older and wiser now than when we first met,” he said.

  I smiled. “That is surely true.”

  “And stronger—most certainly,” he said. “You’re starting to have muscles in your arms.”

  “Much stronger.”

  He found my center, thrusting inside me. My desire had changed from desperation to a slower burn but the thick ridged shaft still brought up new sensations. Ezeru’s hands curled around my shoulders and they caught me between them, one kissing me and then the other. As my desire slowly rose and rose once again, Ezeru slid into my ass again.

  Now I was the one who was breathless. “Too much…”

  “You told me to do what I want to you,” he said.

  “Uhn…”

  Ezeru wrapped his tail around Aurek’s legs and pulled him tight against me. “I’ll protect you,” he said. “Both of you. I’ll be your champion.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” Aurek said.

  “I mean…” Ezeru paused. “If something happens. If you need me.”

  If Seron never returns.

  “Right…” Aurek looked like he was fighting off an emotion.

  “You welcomed me into your castle and you let me love your queen. You let her become my queen. I expected, with every drop of blood in my body, that you would never accept me, and that I would have to make a terrible choice between my feeling for Himika, my desire to help you fight Dvaro and Izeria, and whatever self-preservation instinct I have. When I headed back to the castle after leaving, that was all I expected the entire time. A fight. Instead…the whole lot of you accepted me and gave me a home.”

  “It’s no hardship,” Aurek said.

  They both started kissing me even more vigorously than before until at one point their horns ground together and they both jerked their heads back but that still didn’t break the mood. When Aurek’s tongue was in my mouth he suddenly made a sound of surprise and shuddered back from me. Ezeru’s tail had snaked between his legs and Aurek broke into a sweat as Ezeru had clearly penetrated him with his tail.

  “Ez? That’s�
�”

  “Isn’t this what you’ve been missing from the dragon women?”

  “Gods.” Aurek’s head fell back, his thighs gripping my legs tight as his body tensed. “I didn’t ask you for this.”

  “My cock is only for Himika but I don’t care what my tail does if it adds to our pleasures. But maybe I misread your signals.”

  “No, no. I do like women,” Aurek said lustily. “I don’t want your cock. But I like…being with people I love a lot more than I like courtesans. And since Himika can’t grow a tail as far as we know… Damnit, this is only going to make your reputation better and mine worse.”

  “Well, no one has to know,” I said.

  He thrust into me as Ezeru’s tail wrapped around us. There was something terribly arousing about Ezeru pleasuring us both while Aurek fucked me. Neither of us knew quite what he would do.

  Not that it lasted much longer at that point. Which was probably for the best. After all, if I could barely walk tomorrow, Ezeru couldn’t catch me an apology rabbit in the palace.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Seron

  My name is Seron.

  Seron…

  I’m trapped. Trapped in the shadows. Can’t…get the words out.

  All the battles I’ve fought, and I’ve never been scared shitless like this.

  I was trapped in the body of a man. He had my own arms and legs and face, but his name was Tanu. He belonged to Queen Izeria, and he was willing to kill for her.

  * * *

  He woke from a dream and heard a voice.

  “What is your name?”

  “Tanu.”

  “And what is your mission?”

  “Kill the crystal dragon king.”

  His queen was pleased. She gave him a cup of weak wine and a whole grilled fish on a skewer. Dimly, he thought he didn’t really want wine for breakfast, but it seemed like this was how it had always been. And the fish was good.