Chapter Four
I shut the door behindme, concerned and wary at the somber and worried expression on Aster’s face. “How did you know I would come in here?”
He smirked at me. “Saber told me most of your clothes are in here.”
“Of course.”
The smile didn’t quite make it to his face.
“What’s wrong?”
He held out his hand. “Come here.”
I crawled into his arms, curling up into him as he wrapped tight arms around me, holding me so close I almost couldn’t breathe. We lay there in silence, my eyes closed, savoring this moment with him. The bath and brandy relaxed me enough I no longer struggled with the weight of dread pressing on me.
“Damn, I wish we could stay like this forever.” He rolled over onto his back, bringing me with him until I sprawled across his chest, our legs tangled together.
I did too. “But we can’t.”
He sighed. “No. We can’t.”
I raised my head to look at him. “All right. What’s going on?”
He stared up at the ceiling. “The king wants me to force you to choose.”
What? “Choose between what?”
“Me and your dragon.”
“What are you talking about?”
He trailed his fingers along my spine. “It’s his way of trying to get rid of you. He’s hoping you’ll choose the dragon and leave Faligrey. And if you choose me, at least it’ll get the dragon out of here. He also told Indigo since she already has two bonds, it should be no problem denying this one. He refuses to allow dragons into the royal family. “
I stiffened. “What? Has he lost all sense? He’s completely disregarding his own laws and what’s best for his country.” Not that it really surprised me, but he was getting more and more obvious about it, more and more careless.
Aster snorted. “He’s been doing that for years. Since longer than I can even remember.”
“Right. I’m the proof of that. All right. What else?”
“My mother calmed him down for now before he could make any more ridiculous demands or proclamations or put them in the dungeon. He’s paranoid about an invasion from the dragon lands and he insists they can’t learn our secrets. He doesn’t want dragons coming here and taking Faligrean kindreds back to their country with them.”
I snuggled back down against him. “You aren’t kidding about his paranoia.”
He tightened his arm around me. “Not even a little. Indigo and I also have to sit down with the ministers of defense and tell them everything we know and can remember about the Dragon Assembly and city and their culture, everything.”
“What are you going to do?” I traced shapes on his chest, trying to ease both of us with touch.
“We’re going to meet with Darius and Bastian and decide what we can safely share and what we need to lie about.”
“Smart.”
He gripped my upper arms and pushed me up a few inches to meet my eyes with a serious expression. “You and Bastian can’t go anywhere alone. It’s not safe. My father will try again to get rid of you. Hell, you weren’t even safe alone in my own blasted rooms.”
I cupped his cheek. “Something good came out of all of it. Several good things. And I’m here. I’m with you. I’m all right.”
His eyes darkened, torment dancing in them. “You still have marks on your wrists and ankles from they way you were treated on my fucking father’s orders. I’m so sorry I got you into this mess. Maybe you, Whist, Sky, and Saber should run. Go back to the dragon lands with Bastian or head to Havisam like you originally planned. Return once we’ve dealt with the king. Or not, if you’re happy where you are.”
My throat burned, and I swallowed hard as I lifted my head to glare at him. “I chose you. I’m in this fight with you. I’m not going anywhere.”
His eyes slid closed, pain and relief mingling together on his face. Seeing this side of him always made me ache and part of me felt guilty because I liked it. I liked him vulnerable and soft and sad, like he was letting me in to see the real him instead of the arrogant charm he usually wore like armor.
I stretched to press a soft kiss on the corner of his lips. “You aren’t your father. This mess we’re in isn’t your fault, it’s his. You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m not. I’m not sorry I found you. I’m not sorry I chose you. I’m not sorry I’m falling for you.”
Aster surged, tackling me onto my back and taking my lips in a harsh kiss with a growl that trembled through me. The knot in the towel released and flapped open, my naked skin rubbing against Aster’s clothed body.
My breath caught on a moan and I tossed my head back as his slight beard scratched against the tender skin of my neck. Goosebumps broke out across my flesh and I shivered beneath the onslaught of his magical mouth, my fingers sinking into his golden hair.
He buried his face in the crook of my neck and his hands slid beneath me to wind around my waist, clutching me to him. “You are everything. Everything I ever longed for and worried I wouldn’t find. And then I found you and you were so much more than a kindred soul. You were beautiful and angry and brave and defiant and strong. Everything and more I could have ever wanted.”
He nipped my neck before soothing it with his tongue. “The thought of losing you fucking shatters me. I never imagined my kindred would be someone like you. I never imagined I would fall so completely so quickly under your spell. Even after watching Indigo find two perfect matches that grew into friendship and something so beautiful it almost hurt to watch them, I never thought I’d find the same thing.”
Tears spilled from my eyes and his thumbs brushed them away as he held my face between his hands.
“And then my three closest friends bring home this gorgeous and furious enemy of my father and everything clicked into place. And while I don’t regret a second of it and am happier than I’ve ever been, I’ve also never been so terrified in my entire life. You terrify me. You’re too brave for your own good and if it wouldn’t make you hate me forever and if I didn’t know you’d find a way to escape and end up right back in the thick of it, I’d pack you up and ship you off so you don’t end up dead. I cannot lose you, Rhapsody.”
I fought back the rising emotions, searching for the right words. I didn’t want to lie to him or make false promises. It was possible I wouldn’t make it out of this alive and the same worries for the four of them plagued me. I understood his fear. I shared it.
I buried my fingers in the hair at the back of his head. “I’m not very easy to kill. Starvation, brutal winters, harsh elements, assassins, guards, and dragons have all tried. I’m still here. And I have the four of you to keep me safe. Five, if you count Bastian.” He may not have wanted to be my kindred, but I didn’t think he’d let me die either.
At least, I hoped not.