“You are persistent,” he growled, and followed.
Now we hurried along with the current, so it was faster going. I called their names as I flowed along with the water.
And at some point, I heard Oszin call back. And then Seron.
I started running. Kajira was flying ahead. Before long, Ezeru was moving the rock away from the gate and Oszin ran forward and grabbed me in his arms. He held me so close I could barely breathe. “Himika…I thought I’d lost you. I’ll never leave your side again.”
“You never have left my side,” I said fondly. “But be careful not to crush me!”
“I mean…” He drew back a little but his fingers were still almost painful, digging into my arms. “I’ll be by your side as often as you’ll have me. I’ll share you with that…king.” (Apparently he thought better of adding an adjective just then.) “I just…don’t want to lose you.”
Our reunion was cut short by the sound of Seron drawing his sword. “You are the one they call Ezeru, aren’t you?”
“Seron—it’s okay,” I said. “He wasn’t kidnapping me exactly. He’s actually trying to talk to Aurekdel. I’m not happy with the level of kidnapping that did occur, but he had to get away from his own people before he could approach Aurek, so they wouldn’t see him turning on them.”
“Most of them are dead, in any case,” Seron said. He looked at me with a tinge of relief and yearning before his eyes moved back to Ezeru. “You really are a rock dragon, aren’t you?”
“I am half rock dragon,” Ezeru said.
“I’ve never seen a half breed like you before.”
“No…you won’t have.”
“We need to talk,” I said. “Seron, I know you would rather reach some kind of peace, but I’m not sure how Aurekdel will react.”
“Not well,” Seron said.
“I don’t want peace with Dvaro and Izeria,” Ezeru said. “I do want to see the rock dragons free of him. But mostly, I have a message from the mother of Guardian Sillu, or Niko, as you call him.”
“Aurekdel’s favorite guy…,” Seron said.
“And…Morlis too, Seron,” I said. “Morlis is dead. And so is your mother…”
“My mother was already…” He stopped and lowered his head, as he realized what I meant.
Clearly, the guys needed a rest before we could head back to meet the rest of the dragons. I needed more of a rest too. I hoped Aurekdel could sense from afar somehow that everything was all right. It was hard to believe that a few months ago, I wanted to run away from this marriage. Now, even with Oszin’s arm around me, I missed Aurekdel so much that his absence ached like an open wound.
Ezeru built the fire up again, strange food was foraged for a stew, and we talked for a long time about Morlis and Tiriana, and rock dragons, and Dvaro and Izeria, and Niko’s mother, and how Aurekdel didn’t even want to see Niko. The guys were all stiff with each other, Oszin and Seron taking stock of Ezeru, and the other way around. We couldn’t resolve much of anything without Aurek there anyway.
Once we had run out of discussion, Ezeru said he would take a rest around the bend of the tunnel, and leave the fire to us.
Poor Ezeru, just going off into the darkness by himself… But I felt Oszin and Seron relax, now that we were alone.
This was surprising, because up until this moment, Oszin and Seron together had never meant “alone”. Alone was being comfortable with the people you trusted the most, and Oszin and Seron had never been close like that.
Oszin stroked my arm. Now I was thinking about what he said earlier.
Seron looked at me. “Himika…” He reached for my hand. “I’m just…really glad to see your face.”
“Me too, Moth,” Oszin said.
I finally felt safe to cry over it. I put my arms around both of them. “Me too! And I’m just so happy you’re…here together and you don’t even look that miserable over it.”
“Just a little,” Oszin said. “I mean…I’m not sure how far I’m ready to go yet, but…”
“She’s probably tired anyway.”
“I had a nap.” I kissed Oszin. I didn’t care. I was too happy to see them to care. Then, with the taste of Oszin’s lips still on mine, I kissed Seron too. “I was also pretty tough. I stabbed a tunnel weasel. And we had the energy tea.”
“We did too,” Oszin said. “I don’t know if we would have made it without that. I told you, that magic could be as powerful as our swords.” His hand slid up my back, the kiss stirring his need. Which was my intention. Maybe ill-advised, since we didn’t have a bed, but…gods, they were both so handsome, and the idea of them clawing their way to me through their exhaustion was just so noble and sweet.
“I want you to touch me,” I breathed in Oszin’s ear.
“I don’t know that this is the time,” he said, even as his hands slipped a little lower.
“Then…maybe Seron will have to help me.”
Seron reached for my hair, and gently took some of the locks and tied them back in a ribbon. He trailed fingers down the nape of my neck. I shivered.
“Himika…” He looked down. “This whole incident made me realize how much I hold back sometimes.”
“Hold back?”
“My feelings. About a lot of things. I am Aurekdel’s shield. In truth, he is the sword. Swords are bright and flashy, and they are quick to kill. Shields…hold back.” He shook his head. “I’ve always gone along with whatever is asked of me. But when it comes to you, it feels different somehow. You make me want to be the sword…” He pulled me to his chest, turned my head, and thrust his tongue deep into my mouth.
At this point, Oszin’s hands were on my knees. “Mm…I hope Ezeru is staying put back there,” he said.
“I’ll hear him,” Seron said, with a note of severity that made me more eager.
“Oszin…” I brushed his hand with my fingers, and then guided it between my legs.
I felt him move closer, stroking me through my skirts, and my hand now found his stiffening shaft and teased it, as well as I could reach, while Seron was still holding me and kissing me. Now I guided his hand to my breast.
It was like something broke inside of all of us then, and they both drew closer until I was nearly crushed between them, hands stroking and exploring me everywhere, and my breath came faster. I had to remind myself to be quiet. Ezeru wasn’t far away.
“Gods, I want you, and we don’t have any of the protective sheaths, do we?” Oszin said, gripping my thighs.
“We do have tonics to prevent pregnancy,” Seron said. “I know Aurek wants to be careful…but they rarely fail.”
It always made me nervous to open myself up to any risk at all. Other women just took the stuff because babies could be inconvenient. I didn’t want the baby to shatter my pelvis. Plus, I knew taking those medicines routinely could cause problems. But I wanted so much just to let go. I knew what Seron said was true. Surely once wouldn’t hurt. The very idea that Seron, who seemed the most careful, was also the one to suggest that we throw caution to the wind, made me want him all the more.
“Just this once,” I said.
“Of course.”
“These are definitely extenuating circumstances,” Oszin said.
“Oszin, you are her champion,” Seron said. “You can have her first.”
“Mm…” We weren’t really taking a huge risk, but I still felt like we were doing something wildly forbidden. Aurekdel wasn’t even here. “This is special,” I said. “Just the two of you. We probably shouldn’t really talk about it to Aurek, though…”
“Agreed,” Seron said.
“Well, you know I prefer it that way.” Oszin put a hand around me and pulled me toward him. “Moth…I want you now. I can’t wait any more.”
“You don’t have to wait any more!” He thrust his cock into me from behind in a single deep stroke, and I shuddered.
“Was I too rough?”
“No…” I clutched Seron. “I mean—I’m aching but, gods, I so wish
you could be rougher still.”
“Stand up with her,” Seron suggested, and the two of them supported me in their arms, trying to mimic the gentleness of being held by the water.
It was still rough. Oszin was hungry, urgent. I couldn’t reach Seron’s mouth from here, but I dug my hands into his chest, arms—anything I could touch. Before long, Oszin was coming inside me, and they gave me no rest—once his seed filled me, as he withdrew, Seron took his place.
Oszin held me now. “That was amazing.”
I was moaning with Seron’s thrusts.
“Am I hurting you?” he asked.
“I’ll tell you if you’re hurting me!” I gasped.
Oszin reached down to stroke me between the legs. In another moment, I felt Seron’s seed starting to fill me, so hot it almost burned, but it felt—like when you slip into a hot bath on a cold day and it’s almost too much, but also just enough. My entire body seemed to light up with his essence.
As I fell into it, in fact, I realized that what I was feeling was like nothing I had ever felt before. All my pain melted away. My vision filled with light. I started shrieking with ecstasy. If I’d been able to think, I might have wondered what was going on.
There was no thinking right now.
A hand muffled my mouth.
“Moth,” Oszin whispered. “Remember, there’s a weird guy in the next cave. What’s happening?”
“She’s glowing…” Seron sounded more confused than turned on now.
I still couldn’t even get control of myself.
What I was feeling wasn’t even like a sexual release, it was like…
Seron’s claws gripped me and he pulled me off of him. “Her bones.”
“What about her bones?” Oszin’s hands were on me too.
My feet hit the floor. I was shaky with all the joyous warmth of the moment.
“She’s healing. She’s—healing.” Seron pushed me into Oszin’s arms. He grabbed his robe and hastily tied the sash. “That’s impossible.”
I steadied my breathing. It was starting to sink in.
He was right. I was aching now, but in a strange way—a good way. That wrong feeling I had felt all my life was melting away. My limbs had never felt so steady. “Seron…?”
Seron looked at us both but also seemed to barely see me. His stance was open, like he expected someone to slap sense into him. He touched me again, with a few jerky grasps up and down my arms. “My seed healed you,” he said.
I think we all realized what it meant now. Oszin slowly eased his grip on me.
“Seron,” I said. “You’re the one with the blood of the dragon king? But that means you’re…you and Aurek…”
Seron drew his hand slowly back over his hair. “I understand,” he said. “Morlis never admitted he was my father, because he wasn’t my father at all. She took us from the palace as babies, and she…made her own son…” He shook his head. “But Aurekdel is the true king. He does all the king stuff and he’s good at it. He likes it. He’s…”
I didn’t know what to think. I could feel the strength inside me now, but Aurekdel—I felt shattered inside nevertheless. No man was perfect, but as rulers go, Aurekdel had every quality you would want. Truthfully, more than my father or my brother, I thought. And definitely more than the Emperor, or the Traitor King. “He’s a wonderful king,” I said softly. “But you healed me.”
I saw something shift in his eyes. Just a little. “Yes,” he said. “I did.”
Chapter One
Himika
I didn’t want to see the look on Aurekdel’s face. But there was no hiding what had happened.
Aurekdel was my husband. Aurekdel had been crowned the king of the dragons. He was the one who was supposed to lift the curse of my fragile bones with his blood.
Now we all knew why it had failed.
“I suppose we have to tell him,” Seron said. His face was pale, with a resolve I couldn’t quite read.
“Seron…um…shouldn’t we talk about this?” I asked. “You healed me. You’re the true king.”
Oszin, the head of my guard, scratched his head. “Do you mean to say that you and King Aurekdel were switched at birth? Really?”
“I think we should wait to discuss this until Aurek gets here,” Seron said. He suddenly walked away from both of us, and crouched by the pool of water inside the rocky cave.
Oszin looked at me. I looked back at him with my eyebrows raised.
“What the hell?” Oszin whispered. “Switched at birth? Aurek and Seron don’t even look a thing alike.”
Truthfully, I didn’t know what to think. I had come to this strange underground world, of rock and crystal and shadow, under the pretense of marrying the man who would heal me. Aurekdel had ruled over the dragons since he was a little boy. His people adored him, and he was dedicated to his role, despite the blindness he had suffered as a child. At first I didn’t like him—he did have a whiff of arrogance, and on our wedding night, he had invited his loyal champion, Lord Seron, into the bedroom with us. Nevertheless, he proved to be a man who actually cared for my feelings and allowed me to choose a champion of my own as well. Oszin completed my trio of protective men.
However, Aurekdel’s seed didn’t heal me like the prophecy said it would. I had remained fragile as glass, unable to fight or produce heirs.
It was only now, when Seron and Oszin thought I was lost in the battle in the great swamp, that they lost control of themselves. They made love to me when Aurek wasn’t even here. This already seemed against protocol.
The moment Seron lost himself inside me, my entire body grew warm, an ecstatic feeling flooding me as my body filled with strength. I was still buzzing on it.
“Himika…” Oszin took my hand. “How do you feel, anyway? Are you really healed?”
I would never forget that moment, or who had given that moment to me. “I feel amazing.” I looked at my hands.
“Are you feeling any aches or pains? After effects?”
“No!”
He threw his arms around me. “Then, can I swing you around?”
“Yes! And you never have to ask again. You can swing me anywhere.” I winked.
He whirled me in a circle and the moment my feet touched the floor, I yanked on him, pulling him on top of me. My back pressed into a smooth rock, while patches of moss cushioned the ground. I suddenly felt like I could do anything. I kissed Oszin before glancing at Seron with concern. He was still crouched at the water, looking at his reflection.
“I don’t know what to do,” I whispered to Oszin. “Should I talk to him?”
“I already feel poorly equipped to deal with the business of kings,” Oszin said. “But he seems like he needs to think it over by himself. What about this other guy?” He glanced into the shadows where Ezeru, the rock dragon who kidnapped me, had gone to sleep alone. “Moth, you gave me such a scare. I was afraid you’d be killed or injured or worse.”
“Worse than killed?”
“Well…you know what I mean.” He gripped my arm. “I mean, if these traitor dragons assaulted you…”
“You can stop worrying about that now,” I said. “I’m going to learn how to protect myself. And Ezeru isn’t so bad. He didn’t really want to kidnap me. He just had to find a way to escape his own people. When he says he’s going to help us, I believe him. I know I used to be naive; maybe I still am. But I saw how tenderly he treated the other rock dragons. Compassion isn’t easy to fake.”
“Oh yeah? I hope not.” I knew Oszin would rather I not learn how to fight, but he didn’t say anything. He still looked a little worried. He was used to thinking of me as a fragile girl.
Aurekdel was the one who gave me fighting lessons even though we both knew there wasn’t much I could do. He understood how I felt.
Suddenly my stomach churned with worry over the whole situation. Aurekdel’s entire identity was wrapped around being the king, but he really wanted to be a warrior. His blindness weighed on him. He and Seron would nev
er be able to switch places.
Seron could become the king, but Aurekdel could never be the champion.
Where would that leave my marriage? Aurekdel and Seron’s friendship? Or the dragon kingdom?
Some hours later, the royal caravan caught up to us. We heard voices approaching in the caves, and lights appeared around the corner. I saw Aurekdel approach just behind the royal guard, and my handmaiden Raia patted his arm excitedly and waved at us.
I was shaking with nerves.
He looked vulnerable here, in this unfamiliar place. At the same time, he was the king. No one would doubt this. He carried himself regally, projecting calm confidence, shaking off Raia’s attempt to guide him and tapping his cane around the guards.
“Himika!” he called.
“Here, my lord.”
He came straight to me and pulled me into a careful embrace, still mindful of my fragile bones. “Are you all right? What’s with this ‘my lord’ business? Who is with you? Seron…?” He turned his head to Seron, obviously aware of his precise location somehow or other. Maybe he knew Seron’s scent.
Then he paused and gripped my arms with both of his hands. “Something’s different.”
Before he said anything, I just knew he could sense that my bones were no longer made of crystal.
Seron grabbed Aurekdel. “We need to talk immediately,” he said in a low voice.
“Is my queen all right?”
“She’s fine.”
Aurekdel nodded, with a slight frown, and then turned to the other dragons who were crowding into the cavern. “Lord Seron and Guard Oszin have safely rescued the queen. We all need a rest now, so please make camp while Lord Seron and I have a private briefing. Do not disturb us. I need to understand how this happened.”
Aurekdel, still gripping my hand, started off down the pitch dark passage where Ezeru had settled in for a rest.
“Wait,” Seron said. “Not that way.”
“Oh?” Aurekdel stopped. “Why not that way?”
“There’s a better spot to talk over here.” Seron looked around. Clearly he wanted to talk about us before we got into the matter of Ezeru.
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