Chapter 34
This was a horrible idea.
How dare Alric even consider it, let alone put it before the other kings for a vote. It should never have been discussed. They should have come up with another solution.
Yes, Gunter was fine with Nikki going into battle with him. But the key words there were: with Gunter. Not going in alone. Just the idea of Nikki going in by themself was enough to make Gunter’s heart seize with panic.
Gunter didn’t know who to strangle first, Alric or Nikki.
Gunter paced their bedroom, vaguely aware Nikki sat on the end of the bed, watching him like a caged animal at the zoo. Not that he was acting much better than a wild, bloodthirsty beast.
“How could he betray me like that?” Gunter snarled for the third—or maybe fifth—time. “You’re my mate. If he’s plotting to put you in danger, to risk your life, he should have spoken to me first.”
Nikki barked out a loud, derisive laugh.
Gunter swung around to face Nikki and was shocked to find them glaring at him. Like he’d done something wrong.
“What?”
“Are you kidding me? You’re upset Alric didn’t consult you first about what I was willing to do? What I volunteered for? And yet, he failed to consult me about how you’ve volunteered to fly into battle against the Jaeggi. Last I checked, no one asked my feelings about that.”
“But, Liebling, it’s not the same thing.”
Nikki’s pale eyebrows flew up, and they hopped down from the bed.
Shit. He’d very clearly stepped in it now.
“Not the same thing?” Nikki repeated in a deceptively cool voice as they closed the distance between them.
“How is it not the same thing? Because you’re a big, strong dragon and I’m just a lowly mage? ”
“No! Of course not!”
“Because you’re older, wiser, more experienced?”
Okay, that was a tempting yes, but it also felt like a trap. “No.”
“Then what, Gunter? Why do you have autonomy over your person but I don’t? Why do you get a say in my decisions?”
Gunter stared at Nikki for a moment, his mouth hanging open, but no words came out.
Even if he knew what to say, the sound couldn’t possibly crawl past the lump in his throat.
His dragon was in full-blown panic mode, and his heart was breaking apart at the idea of Nikki sneaking into the Jaeggi encampment without anyone there to watch their back.
He’d already been so close to losing Nikki once, before they’d even met.
He’d battled with Nikki’s urges to leave for weeks before they finally pushed through it.
Gunter had only just settled back into his own skin and felt like he’d finally won this amazing person over, and yet…
and yet it was all being threatened again.
Gunter felt as if his heart rested on a house of cards.
After a moment, he stumbled over to a wingback chair and collapsed into it. He hung his head and blinked back the tears that had swelled, but a couple still escaped. He didn’t care.
“Nikki, I can’t lose you,” he whispered.
“Gunter—” Nikki started, but Gunter shook his head. He had to get this out. Even though he’d lost this fight, Nikki needed to understand.
“When I fly into battle, I will have my brothers at my back to help keep me safe. When you walk through that ward, there will be no one to protect you, and that idea is killing me and my dragon.” He lifted bleary eyes to take in Nikki’s worried expression.
“My entire existence is dedicated to the protection of my mate. The idea of you going anywhere without me there to protect you is abhorrent. I’d rather die a million times protecting you than risk you getting hurt just once. ”
“No.” Nikki’s voice cracked. They surged forward and clambered into Gunter’s lap, wrapping their arms and legs around him like a koala clinging to a tree.
“No, you’re not allowed to die. You promised me centuries together.
And we’ll have that. I promise you, I’m not being reckless.
I’m buying us the chance we need to end this once and for all.
And I have every intention of coming back to you. ”
Gunter held them tight, burying his face in their neck.
He breathed in their sweet scent mixed with the charge of power that came from being a mage.
He never wanted to go a day without their scent filling his nose, didn’t want to know a day where he didn’t feel Nikki’s arms around him or hear their wild laughter.
“I love you, Nikki. My joy. My reason for existing.”
“I love you, my Gunter. My dragon.” Nikki’s voice was muffled against his shoulder, and fingers dug into his back.
“I apologize for earlier. You’re right. This is your choice, and I have to respect your choice. You have a right to your revenge against the Jaeggi as much as I do. You have a right to get justice for all the other mages who were hurt and killed by the Jaeggi.”
Nikki lifted their head to meet his gaze. “You mean it?”
Gunter reached up and framed that beloved face tenderly. “I do. I will never be happy about this decision, but I will support you.”
Nikki slammed their mouths together in a brutal kiss. Gunter groaned as their tongues tangled together. He needed to get lost in the touch and taste of Nikki while his heart ached and pounded with fear.
Reluctantly, Gunter broke off the kiss as a new thought occurred to him. It might not make Nikki too happy, but it would give Gunter some peace of mind and could save Nikki’s life down the road.
“I have one request,” Gunter said quickly when Nikki tried to snag his mouth again.
“What?”
“I want to be bonded to you before the battle.” Nikki’s eyes went wide with surprise and Gunter knew he had to start talking fast. “I know you want a big, beautiful ceremony, and we will do that, but—”
“Yes.”
Gunter blinked. “Yes? Yes, you want a big ceremony?”
“No, yes,” Nikki laughed.
Gunter just blinked again. His brain had clearly broken at some point in the night. “You’re not making any sense.”
Nikki continued to laugh while they grabbed his face and kissed the corner of his mouth. “Yes, I will bond with you before the battle. But I also want a big, amazing ceremony later. You’re not getting out of that.”
“Really?” Gunter’s brain was never going to recover. He’d already mentally planned out four important bullet point arguments on why it was critical they bonded now rather than later. Nikki had agreed that easily?
“Yes, really. I want to be bonded to my dragon right now, forever and always.” Nikki’s nose wrinkled, and they twisted around to look at the clock on the nightstand.
“But it’s already after nine in the evening, and tomorrow night we’re leaving to attack the Jaeggi.
The preparations will keep everyone busy tomorrow. ”
Gunter had been about to tell Nikki he was willing to move heaven and earth to get this done, but a brisk knocking at his door cut off his words.
With a growl, he reluctantly detached Nikki from his person and crossed the room to answer the door.
Now was not the time. Plans needed to be made, people rousted from their beds.
Pulling open the door, Gunter found Alric standing on the other side, looking worried and upset. Excellent! Just the dragon he needed.
Alric’s head popped up and he frowned. “Gunter, I thought we should talk about Nikki and—”
“I’m sorry, Hoheit, but we have no time to talk about that. You need to bond us. Now.”
“What?” Alric’s question came out as sort of a yelp as Gunter grabbed his right arm and hauled him into the room.
“Yes, Nikki is going to take down the ward. I’m angry, and there’s nothing I can do. But I can be bonded to them before that happens. Tonight.”
Alric sort of blinked mutely at him for several seconds, like his brain was struggling to catch up to events. Gunter had suffered from the same thing until he’d decided to just shut off his brain and let his heart handle decisions; at least until tomorrow.
“Now? Here?” Alric asked. “Just the three of us?”
“Couldn’t we invite the other dragons and mages?” Nikki asked as they crossed to the main living space of the apartment, their cellphone clutched tightly in both hands.
“That would be nice. Also, I wonder if the kitchen has any tarts or sweets. It’s not a bonding ceremony without something sweet.” Gunter’s hopeful look faded as he looked down at Nikki. “But it’s late. It would be difficult to pull people together, and then food too.”
Nikki’s face split into an enormous grin. “Not if I text Ravi.” They turned the phone screen around to face Gunter and Alric where they could clearly see Nikki’s text of:
HALP!!!!! Getting bonded to Gunter RIGHT NOW but I need my dragon and mage family with me.
Ravi had already replied with an explosion of hearts, crying, shouting, and other random emojis that had sort of devolved into gibberish. The translation being Ravi was excited and happy to help.
There was a rapid-fire knock on the door, but before Gunter could command the person to enter, Ravi burst through in a blur, swooping right past him to collide with Nikki.
“Really? Seriously? Tonight? You’re getting bonded tonight?”
“Good grief, Ravi. Did someone let you have caffeine again?” Alric muttered.
“Ha ha, Hoheit. Are you ready for this? I’m thinking we need to do this in the throne room. It’s the only room in the castle big enough to accommodate all the mages and dragons in the castle right now.”
Alric nodded. “That would be perfect. Start spreading the news. Get Cassie to help you. She’s good at those mass message things. Tell everyone they have twenty minutes to get down to the throne room.”
Ravi had already been moving for the door but stopped suddenly. “Twenty minutes? That’s it?”
“It’s getting late, and you know every bonding ceremony demands at least a small celebration afterward. The sooner we get them bonded, the sooner they can celebrate, and the less worried I will be about hungover dragons going into battle tomorrow night.”