Chapter 69
KIEREN
Ido a somersault out of the portal. I’m not sure if it’s from being around my sister’s lack of coordination or screaming at my parents for what feels like the hundredth day in a row.
Part of me wanted to keep Aisling here. Away from them.
Away from a terror that might happen when the Firested attack.
Though there’s always a possibility they’ll attack on Earth.
It hasn’t been done in a long time. And I wanted to look in my parent’s eyes when I told them no, they’re not forcing me and my thunder into a mating from a ball.
Raine’s our mate. I can feel it in my dragon heart.
It’s calling out to her. Even now as I smack myself on the tile of the foyer.
And the other half of me knows she has to go back.
She needs to finish her education, even if she doesn’t become queen. Aisling deserves it.
Evander left hours before me. I glance up at the window in the tower above the foyer. Moonlight shines on the far wall. It’s past midnight.
“Mr. Alder,” Leopold says. A tray is in his hand, a glass of cremira resting on it—a warm, spicy, chocolate liqueur popular in the realm.
“Thank you.” Only when I have the metal cup in my hand do I realize how cold the winter in Crest Wing is this year. More so than years before. Aisling’s been complaining about it every time I’ve seen her. But today was the first time I noticed how cold it is. Then coming back to a warm fall . . .
I take a swig of the drink. All I want is to get back to Raine.
But letting the warm liquid slide down my throat slows me down.
Fuck, it’s the best thing to keep me from overwhelming her.
Consuming her. I need her more than I need anything.
The politics of home have gotten me nothing but a headache.
But the ball? Yeah, that was too much. Kidnapping my sister and putting her in the tower and then throwing her into the portal? I guzzle down the rest of the drink.
“Thank you, Leopold.” The metal cup clicks against the tray, rattling as it wobbles until Leopold puts his hand on the top of it. “Where are they?”
“Upstairs.”
“Thank you.”
Leopold stares with his deep-set eyes. His mouth is a firm line.
“Is there something you would like to say?” I raise my eyebrows at him.
His cheeks twitch, and I think he’s going to tell me no. “Yes, sir. Miss Fischer isn’t like any of the other candidates.”
“No, she’s not.” I nod at him.
“She will leave. She’ll leave without asking for anything.”
“No.”
“Forgive me, sir, but you are wrong.”
“No, you’re right. And no to her leaving. I will do everything in my power to make her stay.”
Leopold breaks eye contact with me.
“What?”
“It might not be enough.”
My eyebrows shoot up even more. In all the years I’ve known Leopold, which is my entire life, he’s never given me his opinion.
True, he was the one to find Raine. Perhaps he feels more invested in her success than that of the other candidates, but it’s not like we expected her to be the one.
We gave up those expectations a long time ago.
I never imagined I would feel this way about her.
Never imagined that I would give my hoard for her to be the one.
Damn. Even thinking about it doesn’t give me any stress. That’s how I know I want her to be the one. “What do you mean, it might not be enough?”
“She has a sense of responsibility. She saw your sister––”
“And now she knows my parents are crazy and it could put Aisling in danger if I don’t do what they want.”
“I would never call the king and queen crazy.”
“No, you wouldn’t.” The interesting thing is my nanny once told me that Ancestrals have more power than a dragon shifter or the fae. “I would never say that you did.”
There’s a slant in Leopold’s closed-mouth smile. “I believe they are waiting for you. Good luck.”
“Thank you.” I’m up the stairs and down the corridor to her suite. I don’t knock and it’s not locked.
Roark rises on his elbow, a finger to his lips. Do you need to tread with such noise? You’re louder than a pack of dragonets racing for the playground.
Louder than Roark looking for leftovers in the kitchen, Evander adds.
I glare at them both.
She just fell asleep, so be quiet and strip off your clothes. Evander turns on the mattress. He cocks his head to the side when he sees that I’m already naked. Get in bed already.
Move over.
I’m not moving, Roark says.
Me either, Evander adds.
Fine. I crawl to the end of the bed and curl around her feet, giving Roark’s large feet a push.
There aren’t instructions on how to sleep as a thunder, and I never experienced it growing up since my parents had a thunder of two.
They also weren’t the sort of parents who allowed us to tumble into their bedroom during a thunderstorm.
They barely saw us, what with their duties of the crown.
Evander has told stories of how his fathers like to sleep around his mother.
How their bed is so big it takes up the entire room.
It’s fine. I can sleep here for now, as long as I can be near her.
Move your foot. I give Roark another push.
Deal with it. I’ve got big feet, big everything. There’s a lightness to Roark, one that wasn’t there when I left through the portal. One that I’m not going to deny I wish I had.
I lift my head, and Roark glares at me. No, move over. I need to sleep next to her.
Roark puts his hand on her hip. It’s clearly a dare. All members of a thunder are equal, he pushes at me.
Fuck this. I sit up. I’m about to dive between Raine and Roark when Evander places his foot on my leg.
Don’t. She’s just settled down. He rolls back. Move to this side. Evander rolls away, and Raine’s nose wrinkles as he does.
Don’t wake her up, prince. There’s less levity in Roark’s tone now.
I’m not planning on it. I lower myself next to her, taking in her chamomile scent. A relaxing wave comes over me. I settle my hand on her hip above Roark’s. I might not sleep. Watching the slight movements of her face is better than getting sleep myself.
We’re finally settled with all the movement on the bed when her blue eyes blink at me.
“Kieren,” she says sleepily. “You’re back!”
“I am. And I’m not leaving anytime soon.”
“No, you have to take care of your sister.”
“I have to be here.”
“You have responsibilities through the portal.”
“I have responsibilities here,” I say. She opens her mouth, and I put my lips on hers before she can try to tell me I don’t. She tastes sweet. Like home. I’m on fire. I want her so much, but I can feel the weariness radiating off her. I break the kiss. “You need to sleep.”
“Sleep, Raine. We can figure out the rest in the morning,” I say.
She nods. Her hand is in the middle of my chest. Having her hand on me while I sleep is all I need. Her breathing changes, and she drifts off again. I’ll tell her in the morning.
Iwas sure I wouldn’t sleep at all, so I’m surprised when I open my eyes to see her watching me. Roark and Evander are gone.
“You slept a long time. I’m glad you did, though. You’ve been pushing yourself too hard.”
I inwardly laugh because I feel like I haven’t given enough.
There’s so much more I can do. Things I haven’t done.
I’ve spent too much time trying to sway the king and queen, and they’re immoveable.
It’s foolish to even try anymore. Keeping Aisling secure and Raine in my life—those are the only two things I need to do anything about. Any more than that is pointless.
It’s time. Time to show her what I’ve been doing.
Her thumb swipes at the side of my lips. “I like your smile.”
“You put it there. Come.” I jump out of bed and pull on her arm.
“Kieren, wait.”
“I can’t wait. I need to show you something, and I need to show you now.”
“Well, unlike you, I don’t walk around Cloud Rift naked. I need a minute. More like fifteen. Can I take a shower and get dressed?”
I stare at her perfect breasts. It’s a reasonable request. But then, I don’t feel like being a reasonable male. I grab a robe from the hook next to the bathroom door and throw it over my shoulder. I step toward her.
“Kieren!” she squeals and darts towards the bathroom, but I cut her off and throw her over my shoulder.
“This can’t wait. And you smell delicious.” I place my hand on her butt, holding her securely to my shoulder.