Chapter 21 Everly #2
Dragons were thinking, reasoning, sentient, beings, so there wasn’t really a need for one unless he was insane.
If he was... I didn’t know what would happen then.
There were so many people here at Dragonspire Keep.
I couldn’t imagine that Alaric would allow him to live if he was a danger to those he protected.
Shay looked around, putting his cold hands into his pockets to warm them. He was still shirtless, and was looking a little blue. I’d caught some of the female shifters eying him in appreciation as we’d traveled through the town.
“This is perfect.” He said, turning to me. “Dreamseeker, do your thing.”
I nodded as we all filed out of the enclosure.
The rest waited as I closed my eyes, bringing the dragon’s golden thread to the forefront of my mind.
Once I had it pictured, and was focusing on all aspects of the dragon: where we’d left him, what he looked like, the sound he made in sleep, I pulled the thread, and opened my eyes.
It worked!
“Alaric, remind me to fan boy over your mate later,” Shay muttered in a business like tone, already inspecting the dragon. His voice softened. “But he’s worse. We need to work fast.”
“I will not be reminding you,” Alaric said dryly.
Shay waved him off. “Send someone for clothes, will you?”
“Of course.”
We left Shay to his dragon healing, and I had the thought that maybe Shiloh could come and help. If he was a healer... it might be worth a shot to ask him.
We moved through the beautiful gardens—there were several—and entered the back of the castle.
Some of the guards had split again. A few stayed with Shay, some came inside the castle with us, and still others were added to various points along the back of the castle.
It all seemed really efficient to me. Benz must rule them with military like precision.
A man in expensive-looking clothes hurried toward us.
He bowed, and Elandor, still weak from our adventures with the dragon, reigned in his power to release the man from his bow.
“Sire, we weren’t expecting you today,” the man said with a steady air. “How can I help you today?”
“Everly, this is my seneschal, Silas,” Alaric said. “Silas, this is my mate, Everly.”
If Silas was shocked, he hid it well. “Of course, sire. I’ll alert the staff to prepare the set of rooms next to your own.” He bowed to both of us and moved quickly away.
“He’s competent,” I said, and Alaric’s lips twitched in a smile.
“See, you’ve only been here a few moments and you’re already reading the room better than Shay could with a map.”
I laughed. “Poor Shay. You constantly tease him.”
“Oh, trust me,” Alaric said with a rueful grimace. “It goes both ways.”
“Some friends become family. From what you’ve told me, you and Shay have been friends so long you may as well be.”
He nodded. “It’s true. This is the kitchens,” he said.
We passed through a pair of swinging doors into the kitchen, where chaos reigned.
A stout woman was yelling at a tall, thin man brandishing a rolling pin like a sword.
Around them, cooks chopped, stirred, and darted through the haze of delicious smells.
No one noticed us, and Alaric pulled us back through the door before someone could. He grimaced. “Our baker and cook.”
I could still hear them shouting, even through the closed door. “I’m guessing they don’t get along.”
“They were college sweethearts, if you can believe it. But they’re both badger shifters, and badgers can be prickly sometimes.”
“Ah,” I said with a nod. I could actually believe it.
It had seemed like my girlfriends in college were always arguing with their boyfriends.
It had ruined many girls’ nights. Probably because of this, I was very much anti yelling.
Problems should never be solved by screaming at each other.
.. unless of course the house was on fire.
We hurried through the dining hall, past gleaming chandeliers, then up several flights of stairs. I lost count of how many doors and corridors we passed and finally gave up trying to remember the way.
“I’m going to need a map,” I muttered.
He chuckled. “This is the family floor,” he said, leading me down a wide hall.
“Shay’s rooms are on this level, aren’t they?” I teased, smiling when his ears flushed pink again.
The room was bright and airy, decorated in soft cream and emerald green. A massive bed stood before a bay window that overlooked the ocean far below.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around him. “I’m glad I’m here with you.”
“Me too,” he murmured, kissing me softly.
When Alaric kissed me I tended to forget everything happening around me, and just sank into the moment.
Which is why I jumped about eight feet like a startled cat when Shay barged in and said tensely, “I’m not sure I can save him. Do you have any ideas.” And then. “Oh, were you guys in the middle of something.”
“Yes,” Alaric said with a snarl. After I’d gotten my heart to restart, I gripped Alaric’s forearm so he didn’t do something hasty, like throw his best friend in the dungeon.
When I finally looked over at Shay, he was swaying on his feet.
“Whoah, whoah, whoah,” I said, moving quickly to catch him before he fell. “Alaric,” I said in distress. I didn’t know what I wanted him to do, I knew I just wanted him to fix it.
Alaric took charge. “Okay,” he said, coming up alongside his best friend, and slinging one of Shay’s arms around his shoulders to help him to his bedroom.
“You need sleep. You’ve expended a lot of magical power in the last few hours, you’re possibly hypothermic, and who knows the last time you ate something. ”
“I have to do something about the dragon, Alaric,” Shay said, his words slurring in exhaustion.
“And we will,” Alaric agreed. “Everly and I will put our heads together and come up with something. “You. Bathe. Eat. Sleep.”
“Caveman,” Shay scoffed exhaustedly, then collapsed onto his bed, stomach first, and snuggled in with his pillow.
I bit my lip, trying not to laugh.
“Get up and get in the shower,” Alaric said.
“Don’t... wanna.”
Alaric sighed. “You asked for it.” He hoisted Shay up one-armed and carried him into the bathroom, turned on the shower, tested the water, then dropped him in fully clothed.
Shay yelped. “Too hot!”
“It’s warm,” Alaric said, utterly unbothered. “Your skin’s just frozen.”
Green eyes glared at Alaric through a curtain of sopping, auburn hair. “Why are we friends again?”
“Because I’m the only person you could con into being friends with you?”
“No,” Shay said, shivering. “That’s not it.”
“Because you’re a masochist?”
Shay glared. “That’s not it either.”
Alaric increased the water temperature. “I give up. Why?”
“Because you’re a grump, and you needed some sunshine.” Shay’s skin was starting to look normal again, but he was still shivering.
Alaric snorted, adjusting the water again. “Are you implying you’re the sunshine?”
“Of course I’m the sunshine! It’s clearly not you!”
I grinned and left them to it, stepping into the hall and flagging down a member of the staff to order some food for Shay’s room as soon as possible.
I had the feeling that if he didn’t eat almost the moment he got out of the shower, he wouldn’t be eating for several more hours—he’d be too asleep to care.
Ten minutes later, after a few muffled curses, Alaric tossed some clothes into the bathroom for Shay to change into, then shut the door. His face was set in lines of grouchiness, and he was dripping water onto the floor.
I found a towel and handed it to him. “Shay got you, huh?”
He muttered under his breath as he dried off the best he could. Right as Shay staggered out—fully dressed in a sweatshirt, sweats, and socks—a staff member knocked and left a tray piled high with food. Shay fell upon it like a ravenous wolf.
Alaric stayed long enough to make sure his friend ate, but once Shay had nearly cleaned the tray, he started leading me toward the door.
“What,” Shay called from the bed, “I don’t get a tuck-in? A bedtime story?”
Alaric turned back. “If I tuck you in, Shay, it’ll be six feet under. Goodnight.” He shut the door on Shay’s sputtering laughter and shot me a mischievous grin.
I laughed. “He’s good for you.”
He shrugged and took my hand. “You’re better.”
“I’m pretty sure it isn’t a contest.”
His gaze warmed, full of heat and promise. “You’d always win, so no, it’s not a contest.”
Whew. Was it warm in this castle? I resisted the urge to fan myself, but it didn’t matter; Alaric was a dragon shifter and could scent emotions.
He smirked as he kissed me, and I barely resisted pinching him.
When we reached my rooms, we sat in the sitting room and talked about what we could do for the dragon. We tossed around a few ideas until the one I’d had while walking through town came back to me.
“What about Shiloh?” I asked softly.
Alaric frowned. “He won’t help. He doesn’t heal anymore, not even in emergencies.”
I ran my hands over the rough fabric of my jeans, thinking, then shrugged. “I’m willing to ask. It’s worth a shot.”
“I don’t want you near him alone,” Alaric growled.
“Shay said he’s not dangerous.”
“I don’t want you going alone,” he repeated.
I sighed. My mate was a broken record, but I tried to put myself in his place. He’d waited an awfully long time for me to come into his life. It would be a shame if I flashed briefly into it only to die within the first month.
I nodded. “Okay. You can come. But you’re intimidating, so you have to stand well away.” I held up a hand. “Close enough to intervene if necessary, just not… crowding him.”
He folded his arms, frowned, then finally nodded. “Deal.”