Chapter 2 #2
Amos didn’t understand how someone could treat another person the way some of the men treated the women. Alice assured him it wasn’t that way in the other kingdoms and that when he was king, he could change the laws here. He planned to do exactly that.
Amos led his horse through Dragon Village with his face glamoured to look like someone else.
At his age, most people wouldn’t recognize him, but he didn’t want to chance it.
Announcements with portraits of the royals were sent out periodically, and he had no idea how closely those in this small mountain ranching village looked at them.
After dropping his horse off at the public stable and paying them handsomely to take care of his mare for the day, Amos pulled a map from his pocket. Taking off his hat, he ran a hand through his sweaty hair, unsure how to proceed. What if the family had moved since the last population check?
Placing his hat back on his head, he trudged into the post. The older man working smiled. “Hello, young man. What can I help you with today?”
“I’m looking for the Ambroses.” He laid the map with the address written at the top on the counter. “Can you confirm this is still their address?”
The man adjusted his spectacles and scanned the paper. “Yep. That’s Marcus’ place. Need directions?”
Amos tried not to look as relieved as he felt. He’d been afraid they’d ask why he needed to know. The thought that someone would give out his mate’s address so freely made him frown. “Yes, please.”
The man, who was all too happy to assist, showed him on the map where to go. “You can’t miss it. Tell Marcus that Fulton said hello.”
Amos grabbed the map and forced a smile. “I will. Thank you.”
Once back outside, he followed the directions Fulton provided, praying it wasn’t as far as it looked on the map. He’d need to glamour himself invisible at first to observe the family and get a feel for them first, and he didn’t trust his horse, Ingrid, to not make noise.
Amos didn’t know how long he’d been watching Clover spar, but he couldn’t look away. A teenage boy stood to the side, watching. He’d called Clover’s sparring partner Ruth, and from what Amos gathered from the boy’s teasing, the two girls were sisters.
When Amos had arrived, he’d made himself comfortable on the ground not far from their makeshift sparring ring, mesmerized by his mate’s skill.
Ruth’s strength outmatched Clover’s, but his mate’s speed made up for her disadvantage. Around and around they went, all the while Ruth and the other boy gave Clover tips when she’d make a mistake.
Amos had yet to hear his mate speak, and he wanted nothing more than to hear her voice. Occasionally, she’d stop and rub her chest, and he could feel her confusion down the bond. Trying to suppress his awe and pride while watching her proved difficult.
He itched to join and experience her skill himself. Flashes of their future together, laughing and circling each other in the ring warmed his chest.
She was really pretty with long, curly blonde hair that seemed to float when she fought. Her cheekbones were high, and he thought she might be the prettiest girl he’d ever seen.
Luckily, the other boy didn’t flirt with her or speak to her in any way that hinted at interest, or Amos might have killed him. Another thought turned his warmth to ice: did Clover have a boyfriend? His mate held up her hand and backed away from Ruth, rubbing her chest.
Crap. He needed to keep his emotions under control.
Her sister murmured something to her, and she nodded.
Ruth and the boy shared a knowing glance.
Did they suspect what she was to Amos? Standing, he decided to leave.
Getting a handle on his emotions didn’t come easy around his mate, and he needed to vet the rest of her family before approaching them.
Things had been too peaceful, and he’d been too caught up watching the two girls. He should have known good things never lasted for him. A shadow overhead made them all look skyward just before Sasha landed gracefully beside him.
Father knows, he thought, horror creeping in.
Clover clutched at her chest and looked at Sasha with wide eyes. Her fear matched his, and he didn’t know if it was because of him or the dragon. Probably both.
“Does my father know?” Amos demanded, not caring when the others’ heads whipped in his direction. Remembering they couldn’t see him, he dropped his glamour, and the other boy sprinted to protect Clover alongside Ruth.
Ignoring them, Amos stepped between Sasha and the others. “Sasha.” He hated the desperation in his voice, but he needed to know if his father already knew. “Does my father know I’m here?”
The dragon shook her head, and Amos put his hands on his knees, breathing deeply.
He’d never been more scared in his life. “Did you follow me?” he asked, straightening to look at the dragon. She nodded. “If he tries to see through you… he can’t know about her. Please.”
Sasha looked from Amos to the trio standing behind him. “Sasha won’t let the king see us,” the boy said matter-of-factly.
Amos whipped around. “How would you know? What if she doesn’t realize he’s there fast enough?” Sasha chuffed, and he peered at her over her shoulder. “No offense, but I won’t chance it.”
The boy crossed his arms with a smirk Amos wanted to knock off his stupid face.
Amos sized him up. The guy had beige skin tanned from the sun, dark brown hair poking out from under his hat, and disturbingly light blue eyes.
He was taller and broader than Amos, but as a royal, Amos should have been able to best him in a fight.
“Because Sasha wouldn’t do that,” the boy clipped, “and a bonded can’t see or hear through their familiar unless the familiar wants them to.”
“How would you know any of that?” Amos scowled. Even he didn’t know if familiars could cut off their surroundings, short of closing their eyes.
“First, tell me why you’re here, prince.”
Clover moved to the side to peek around Ruth’s shoulder, and Amos’ gaze caught hers. “I can’t say it in front of Sasha.” Sasha stomped her foot, clearly miffed, but Amos couldn’t look away from his mate.
“Sasha, can we trust him?” the guy asked.
Sasha nodded and nudged Amos’ side, throwing him off balance.
“He’s young,” Ruth protested. “People change as they age.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Amos shot back, trying to think. He hadn’t planned on revealing anything until he’d seen everyone who lived with Clover and assessed them. “And shouldn’t I be asking Sasha if I can trust you? How do you even know her?”
Sasha nodded again and walked forward to nudge the boy. Traitor.
Amos sighed, knowing he was cornered. All he could do was trust Sasha’s word. Meeting Clover’s gaze again, he motioned to her. “Clover is my mate.”
Clover gasped, Ruth went into a defensive stance, and the guy muttered, “I should have seen that coming.”
Ruth whistled, the sound making Amos flinch. The sound of a door slamming open came from the large two-story house behind him, and he whirled around to see a bald, stocky man in his early 40’s with ruddy beige skin barreling toward them. “What’s wrong?”
“Marcus, take Clover inside,” the boy told the man.
Marcus didn’t look surprised to see Sasha, but he eyed Amos with suspicion. “Rainer, who is this?”
“Take Clover inside and then join us,” the boy—who Amos assumed was Rainer—instructed.
Who was he to be ordering around adults?
Amos studied him, looking for a clue. He wore clothes and a hat similar to Amos, a common style in the Desert Kingdom, but he had no obvious traces of being anyone of importance.
“I deserve to stay,” Clover protested, her angelic voice hitting Amos square in the chest. He could only stare at her, and she laid a palm over her chest, glancing at him with drawn brows. She stepped away from Ruth, exposing herself fully. “If you’re going to talk about me, I should get to stay.”
Everyone gawked at Clover, and Amos moved fast, pushing her behind him before one of the men could react. “If you try to hurt her, I’ll gut you,” he warned.
Ruth tried to lunge at him, but Rainer grabbed her around the waist. “I would never hurt my sister,” the woman spat. “You’re the stranger here.”
“It’s not you I’m worried about.” He glared at Rainer and Marcus. “She is my mate, and she can speak her mind whenever she wants.”
Ruth relaxed and shared a knowing look with Rainer.
“She’s your what?” Marcus demanded.
Clover tried to move out from behind Amos, but he blocked her. “Stay back. I won’t let them hurt you.”
She huffed and punched him in the kidney, making him double over. “They won’t hurt me, and I can protect myself.” Amos gingerly rubbed his back and grinned down at her. Her nose scrunched. “Do you like being hit?”
Rainer burst out laughing and Marcus huffed. “Someone explain what’s going on.”
“It seems our little mouse is not the Mountain Prince’s mate,” Rainer said. He motioned to Amos. “She’s his.”
Marcus turned toward Amos, staring hard. “Amos Stratton,” the man said and released a string of curses.
Amos narrowed his eyes at Rainer. “Why would the Mountain Prince be her mate?”
Rainer looked smug, and Amos considered attacking him. “Because she’s been feeling someone else’s emotions in her chest for the last few days, and she shares a birthday with Prince Rennick.”
The Mountain Prince and I have the same birthday? Amos filed that information away for later.
“Your birthday isn’t for another couple of weeks,” Rainer pointed out, “but something tells me that’s not true.”
Amos glanced at the others, unsure how to explain without telling them about Amelia.
“I can feel his worry and indecision,” Clover said quietly. “When Sasha landed, he was scared.”
“Not of Sasha,” Amos assured them. “I was afraid that her being here meant my father knew where I was.”
“I don’t think I’ve heard you speak this many sentences in a row, little mouse,” Rainer told Clover, earning a glare from her in return.