Chapter 30
Thirty
Shaye
It's the day before Ronan and Viella's wedding and the only progress made on the war front is the Bavans have agreed to join us, making them kingdom three out of five.
Unfortunately, there's been no word on the Dwarves or the Hydrans involvement.
Should the Dwarves decline to help, it would be a major blow to the cause.
The expert craftsmen can produce the weaponry and armor we need to have a chance at winning this war.
In my mind, the Hydrans won't join. They don't seem to be the go-the-extra-mile type, but their queen also thinks the answer is my head on a plate.
So, they aren't exactly high on my list of potential allies.
I nearly fall off Seraxes' back when she twists to the left. Focus, focus. I internally chastise myself. Politics can wait. I need to be present during these flight training exercises. If I'm unseated, Thrane is sure to snap.
My cousin is in a mood this morning. He's short tempered – well, more than normal – and pushes all of us to the extreme during training.
I'm sure he's under quite a bit of pressure being the new Frost King and having to hold his own against the kings and queens of the realm.
But I know my life being threatened rubbed him the wrong way.
We have a plan. I am being watched over all day every day.
Even though that would normally frustrate me because it's simply suffocating, I welcome the added layer of vigilance. I'm in no rush to die.
"Run the drill again!" Thrane screams the second we complete the course.
"The dragons need a break," Kamari yells back.
"The dragons or you?" His eyes narrow. A finger points up to the sky. "I said, run the drill again."
The Frost Dragons are compliant and spear back into the sky for one more run, but Vidarr refuses to budge. In fact, he lands in the arena, mere feet from Thrane. My cousin doesn't flinch.
Atlas has no control over the dragon or the situation.
And how could he? Vidarr is an ancient dragon who doesn't take kindly to being ordered around.
His act of defiance is essentially him telling Thrane to fuck off and I can't say I blame him.
I wish I had the bravado to throw Thrane the middle finger.
Artax growls behind Thrane. Though he's significantly smaller than Vidarr, Artax won't be backing down from any fight if he has anything to say about it. He certainly is exactly like his rider.
Thrane stretches a hand out to Artax, silently ordering his dragon to stand down. My cousin smirks up at the beast, not deterred or frightened by Vidarr's fangs. I've never seen Thrane back down before, but it seems he's reconsidered his brutal training stance.
"Rest up," he says after a stretch of silence, tension thick in the air. "We will resume training after Prince Ronan's wedding. Don't show up drunk."
With that, Thrane motions for Artax to follow him and the beast obeys. Though not before baring his fangs at Vidarr one last time. Artax won't permit Vidarr to touch what he deems his. Dragons are protective.
The rest of us land, sweaty and in need of a good shower. I slide my helmet off and wipe strands of wet hair from my face. Atlas is already waiting for me on the ground. I slide down Seraxes' side and into his awaiting arms.
"I need a shower," I say between kisses. "Bad."
"I think you look great," he winks.
"I didn't say I was ugly," I shoot, teasing in my tone. "I said I need a shower. I smell like sweat and dragon. No offense," I appease Seraxes before she huffs at me.
"I know you're tired, but I was hoping you'd be up for an adventure."
There's a sparkle in his eyes that causes me to rethink immediately declining his offer. Typically, I would ask him what he's up to or demand we wait until I'm presentable, but what the hell. Let's be spontaneous.
I nod with a smile. "What did you have in mind?"
A dragon race wasn't what I had in mind when Atlas asked me to join him on an adventure. But here we are, zipping through the sky as the sun sets.
Seraxes is the fastest of her kin, but even she struggles to keep up with Vidarr.
His size is deceiving. He's the largest dragon in the bunch but his speed is unmatched.
I'm exceptionally curious to see Vidarr use his purple fire and turn creatures into pillars of salt.
I've never seen or heard of such a power until Atlas shared the lore with me.
But his display of power will have to wait until we have something or someone for target practice.
Atlas and Vidarr circle around to fly beside us. "I would challenge you to another race but that seems unfair." He teases, and my competitiveness flares.
"We may not be able to keep up with you, but Seraxes and I have plenty of tricks up our sleeve."
"Is that so?" he arches a playful brow. "Like what?"
As if Seraxes detects disbelief in his tone, she spears straight up into the clouds.
Thrane and my mother haven't caught us practicing this because if they knew what we were doing, we'd get an earful for sure.
When Seraxes finds herself in a horizontal position, I stand and run the length of Seraxes' spine to the tip of her tail and dive off.
Free falling no longer scares me and I trust Seraxes will catch me.
And without fail, my dragon dives after me and snags me. My upper body has gotten stronger so I'm able to climb up to reclaim my seat on her back.
Atlas' mouth drops open. "When did you learn to do that?"
I shrug. "During a few unsanctioned flying sessions." I blink. "Are you going to tell my mother?"
He shakes his head. "No, but I have a feeling she's going to find out sooner or later." A smile appears on his face. "We're here."
Vidarr zips ahead, beelining for the tiny islet Atlas and I practiced our Nox and Lumos forms. That seems like a lifetime ago. But this isn't much of an adventure. As we land, I steel my features, so he doesn't see the gleam of disappointment.
He slides off Vidarr's back with ease, landing on his feet.
My heart flutters at how sexy he looked dismounting his dragon. He notices. "You ride well."
"I had a good trainer," he smirks.
"I'm sure Thrane will be happy to hear that," I slip my gloves off and shove them in my pockets.
Atlas meets me between our dragons. "Not Thrane. Although he did help quite a bit." He slips his hand around my waist and tugs me close. "I meant you."
"Me?"
"I was learning to ride a dragon long before I had one just by watching you and Seraxes." He kisses the tip of my nose.
"Well, I'm flattered," I run my fingers up and down his back. "I suppose you can call me Professor Basilius-Sol."
His eyes brighten, as if the most wonderful idea just popped into his head. "What if I want to call you Professor Harland instead?"
I click my teeth. "Then I suppose you'd have to marry me."
"I intend to," he whispers, sliding down on one knee.
My mouth drops and a small gasp escapes me. "What are you doing?"
"In Elowen, you chose me," he starts, looking up at me, grasping my hand in his.
"Since then, we haven't really spoken of our engagement and what it all entails, but I wanted to ask you for myself.
" He takes a steadying breath. "I promise to fight for you, protect you, and love you with every fiber of my being until I breathe my last." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small box.
He flips the top open to reveal a sparkling circular diamond ring surrounded by golden spikes.
It shimmers, reminding me of the sun. "Aurelia Basilius - Sol, will you marry me? "
If the proposal didn't steal my breath, Atlas using my birthname for the first time does. I thumb tears from my face and a chuckle slips through.
"You… you called me Aurelia."
His smile is radiant, his eyes hopeful. "If I'm to ask you to be my wife, I think it's only fitting to use the name you were born with."
My face softens, my insides warm from his thoughtfulness. I kneel before him, placing my palms on either side of his face and smile. "Of course, I will marry you, Atlas."
His lips find mine and I'm lost in the dream of him. With swift and accurate hands, he slips the ring on my left hand. I wiggle my fingers, admiring the custom-made piece.
"I hope you like it," he says lowly, and if I hadn't looked at him, I might have missed the droop of his shoulders. It's the first sign of nerves I've seen from him. "If not, I will have the jeweler redesign – "
I press my mouth against his, silencing him. "It's perfect."
Seraxes huffs, drawing our attention. She drops her head over us, sniffing the ring. As if she senses a shift in our dynamic, she nudges Atlas's shoulder.
"I think she approves," I laugh and Atlas tugs me to his chest in a hug.
"So, what should I call you?" He pulls back just enough to meet my gaze. "Mrs. Harland? Lady Harland? Professor Harland? Princess Harland?"
I bark out a laugh, resting my forehead against his chest.
"In all seriousness, do you prefer me to call you Aurelia or Shaye?"
I have so many names and titles. His question causes me to think. All this time I thought I had to decide on one name, but the truth is both make me who I am. I don't have to give up either one.
"I'm Shaye to you," I say simply.
"But what about your birthname?" His face is filled with confusion.
"To the world I am Aurelia Basilius – Sol. But to you, to our family, I will always be Shaye." I shrug a shoulder. "Consider it my nickname."
Atlas smiles and whispers, "Shaye," lovingly in my ear. "Mine," he growls, his chest vibrating against my own. "All mine."
Our romantic moment is short-lived when a Frost Dragon pierces through the clouds, descending toward us. I squint, the sun behind the rider's back. But finally, I make out Kamari and Syrinx and hop to my feet.
I run toward her when she lands. "Is something wrong?"
"Wrong?" Her brows furrow. "No."
"Then what are you doing here?" I ask, a twinge of irritation lacing my words.
"Thrane wants to see you," she reports.
"Now?"
She grimaces. "Afraid so. Said it's important and can't wait."
If Kamari is saying it can't wait, then Thrane is probably already inconvenienced I'm not there this very moment.
I groan, shooting Atlas an apologetic look. "I'm sorry."
He waves me off. "We'll see what he wants and then celebrate tonight," he says with a mischievous wink that sets my heart ablaze. "I have a few ideas on how."
With an incentive dangling before me like meat on a hook, I march to Seraxes and mount her back. First thing is first. Find out what Thrane needs so desperately and then go home with my fiancé to celebrate our engagement in all the glorious ways he desires.