Chapter 52
EVANDER
My wings ache from twelve hours of flying.
The two Firested won’t be around Raine, Cloud Rift, or our portal anytime soon.
But that’s the thing. I couldn’t get them to talk.
They wouldn’t reach out to me at all. Just a wild chase around to the coast. Until they turned south and didn’t follow me back.
I’m not old by any means, but younger me would have loved to give chase. Now? I just wanted to get back. To make sure that Roark had taken care of her. That Raine is safe. The damn Firested dragons were hard to chase off, and I’m tired.
They know something. I can feel it. Something is coming.
But I’m over it now. The last hundred miles, I’ve been pushing myself to fly faster. And I’m hallucinating now. Because it’s like I can smell her, chamomile on the wind. I coast up and down in mountain currents.
But then I see them: Roark and Raine standing on the southwest side of the castle.
And I push even harder until I remember the fear on Raine’s face when Kieren came after her.
I slow and stop a good distance away, shifting before I hit the ground.
I take off running as my feet emerge, pushing through the soft grass.
Raine runs toward me. My marks are on fire.
There is no way she’s not our mate. And I want to rush through the portal and grab Kieren, make him come home.
We don’t need the extra portal’s power from the realm.
She’ll have the lightning the second he touches her.
Am I a little jealous that I didn’t wait?
That I wasn’t the third? Roark was supposed to be.
Now Kieren will have the pleasure. I’m jealous.
Fuck it. Having her jump into my arms and squeeze me around my neck now is worth all the jealousy I’ll have of Kieren when he touches her and her lightning happens.
“You’re alive.”
“Of course I’m alive. I couldn’t be taken down by a Firested.” Inwardly I cringe when I say it. Because that’s exactly how all of Roark’s family died.
Raine presses her lips to my cheek, and I turn my lips to hers. Take in her scent. My dragon relaxes, knowing she’s alright.
“I’m so glad,” she says.
“I’m happy to oblige by continuing to live, Raine.”
“Oh . . .” She wiggles out of my arms. “You must be exhausted.” Her feet hit the ground. “Do you want something to eat?”
Fuck. “Yes, I do.” My tone has dropped.
“I mean food.” Raine points to the table by the Eisstocks court.
“Have you been playing?”
“Yes, I won the last game.”
“Against Roark? That’s impressive. I don’t think I’ve ever won against the big guy before.” I take her little hand in mine and walk across the yard to the table. Leopold holds out a summer robe, and I slip it on. “Thank you.”
From a tray, I grab a glass bottle of water and finish it. Roark hands me a second. I meant to take a quick dip in the lake before I came back, but I needed to see her more than I needed to cool down or rehydrate.
I sit on the metal chair, but she’s not close enough to me. I slide back and take her hand and pull her and her chair closer. I’d rather she sat on my lap. But I lift the cloche and eat the first of what I know will be a half-dozen sandwiches.
Roark’s waiting. They both are.
“The Firested were here for a reason,” I say. “I don’t think they knew about Raine beforehand. I could be wrong. But they kept trying to circle back. Honestly, I thought they might.”
“They’re gone? But the treaty is okay?”
I smirk. “If you’re asking if they’re alive, the answer is yes.”
“That’s good,” says Raine. “I mean, it’s good that no one got hurt. You’re not hurt, are you?”
“No, I’m not hurt.” Not really. I’ll have a few bruises later where Tweedledee and Tweedledum played smoosh-the-guy-in-the-middle, but nothing my dragon can’t heal in a matter of hours. “How was the rest of your visit with your sister?”
“Good. She’ll be glad to know you’re okay.”
I eat another five sandwiches.
“Are you going to sleep?” asks Roark. “I’m taking Raine to Tecorin.”
“Tecorin?” Raine asks, her forehead furrowed.
My eyes flash. It’s a surprise to her too. He’s not having her ride him, not in scales. Though if my nose is correct, she’s already ridden him the other way today.
“What are you smiling about?” Raine asks.
“Oh, nothing.” I tuck a clump of hair behind her ear. “I think I’ll come with you.”
“I already told you, Evander. You need to rest,” Roark says.
“Ho, rest. You talking about rest. That’s hilarious. I’m good. A day of sightseeing will be fun.” He just wants to have more time with her himself.
“Haven’t you seen enough for one day, friend?” Roark counters.
“No way. I’d love to see Raine’s reaction to the top of Tecorin.”
“Tecorin’s the mountain on the other side of Cloud Rift?”
“Yes. There’s a gondola to the top.”
“Like a real gondola? Oh.”
“Are you scared of heights?” I ask.
“No, not at all. It’s just I thought I should get some work done. But then Roark and I played Eisstocks and I lost track of time. But I should go on a gondola while I’m in Switzerland.”
“And you definitely have to go to the top of a snow-capped mountain at least once,” I say. Though my dragon’s got his scales all in a twist over her talking about one day not being here.
“What should I wear?” she asks.
“Layers. It can be cold at the top of the mountain for a human. But I’m willing to keep you warm.”
She playfully swats at my arm. “Right, I’ll be right back.” She takes off inside. But then the door opens again, her hand on the handle. “I’ve never been in this hallway.”
“I’ll show you. I’ll be right back,” Roark says.
I finish the rest of the food on the table before he comes back.
“What else?” he asks with his blue-eyed glare.
“Nothing. It’s just a feeling, though, that something big is about to happen.” It’s settled in my gut.
“Damn, it’s vapor and rumors. Those two being in our village is the first real anything we have. I don’t like it. Not one bit.”
“Just like you don’t want me to come with you up the gondola?” I raise my eyebrows at him. “And three’s a crowd or a thunder.”
“But she hasn’t had the lightning yet.”
“You know she’s going to.”
“Fuck.” Roark scrubs his hand over his face. “Fine, you can come with us.”
“What a generous offer. I accept.”
I shower and change and am coming down the stairs just as Raine leaves her suite.
“You’re sure you’re not too tired?” she asks.
“Never. Let’s have some fun.” I take her hand in mine and lead her out to the driveway, where Roark has the Rolls pulled up front. “You’re driving?” I ask him.
“Well, you’re not,” he growls in his Roark way. “Raine can sit up front.”
“The back seat is safer,” I say. He glares at me as I open the back door for her and then run around to the other side and get in beside her.
“Oh, Percy, you’ve gotten a little taller.
Your mama must be so proud.” I push the button for the privacy screen to go up.
But Roark puts it back down and locks it. “You’re no fun.”
I reach across Raine and pretend to buckle her up. She’s already buckled, but I know it will get under his collar.
Raine chuckles and it goes straight to my cock. “I’m already buckled, Evander.” But she slides her fingers up my forearm.
“Just need to do the safety checks, madam. We’re all set to go, driver.”
“I’d let you drive if I didn’t think you would get Raine injured.”
“I’m a perfectly safe driver,” I lie to Raine. Without my dragon shifter healing ability, I would have been in big trouble multiple times.
After an hour, Roark pulls into the lot for the gondola.
“Oh, are you sure they’re open? There aren’t many cars in the lot.”
“They’re open, Duchess.” Roark pulls the car to the front curb and turns the engine off.