Chapter 19
Harper
Out in the training yard, Ebron is already ready.
His dark scales are shimmering in the early morning light.
Like me, he’s not necessarily excited about facing his enemies, but he understands that what we’re about to do could change the face of our world.
It could end in him having male dragons to carry on the dragon race, and he sees a value in that.
Prince Alaric and Prince Gareth stand beside me, two big men with big presences.
Standing next to them, I feel small and delicate.
It doesn’t help that they’re radiating a protective aura.
Many dragon riders train around the edges of the training yard, lifting heavy bags of rice or rolling heavy rocks.
Any time they look my way, the princes glare back, and the tension in the yard increases.
They’re all clearly here to see me take off to deliver the message, and the princes clearly don’t like it.
But I’m sure Prince Lucien will be even more annoyed, when he realizes I left without saying goodbye.
The thought troubles me, but not enough to go wake him up and drag him out here.
It seems too soon to see him after everything we did together last night.
I’m sure he’ll be calmer by the time I get back, and things will be less awkward.
As long as I make it back.
“Keep an eye on the sky,” Prince Alaric says. “Remember that they can come from any direction.”
“Okay.”
“And they can communicate silently with their bone wyrm, so watch them too. It’s not just the riders who can attack you.”
“Got it.”
“And their poison can hurt Ebron, but it can kill you a hell of a lot faster. Hide behind Ebron if you think they’re going to smoke you.”
Prince Alaric looks deep in thought, like he’s trying to remember absolutely everything and tell me before I leave, which is really kind of sweet. The big guy cares about me, even if he’s not really good at expressing that.
Moving toward him, I use my finger to steer his chin to look down at me. “Prince, are you worried about me?”
He blushes. “I just don’t want to see you hurt.”
Leaning up on my tiptoes, I brush my lips against his. “I’ll be fine.”
Then I step back. I don’t know why I did it. Maybe some reckless thing inside of me just craves trouble, but the shocked and happy look on his face makes me glad I did.
I glance at Prince Gareth and the envy in his face is so clear that it’s almost painful to see. My heart tugs, urging me toward him, but I know I shouldn’t. I should be smarter than that.
Moving to Prince Gareth, I place my hands on his chest and lean up. “Do you have any advice for me?”
His voice is as dark as the look in his eyes. “Just come back.” His hands move to my hips and pull me closer, so our bodies are pressed together. The heat of his skin makes my nipples harden, and I find it’s difficult to draw in an easy breath.
As I step away from him, I like the flash of longing I see on his face, because I know it’s just for me. Prince Gareth isn’t good at showing his emotions, so when he does, I find myself drinking them in, enjoying just the awareness that I’m starting to get to know him.
My body feels hot and uncomfortable like it did last night with Lucien.
My thoughts keep slipping over dangerous things I could do to these men when I should be focusing on my upcoming mission.
I turn away from them and start to circle Ebron, checking him for any injuries, even though I know he has none.
Are you ready? I ask
I am ready. Even though your mating kept me up last night.
Blushing, I explain. It wasn’t mating.
It was not not mating.
He has a point.
When I’m at Ebron’s back, Lucien suddenly appears around his side. He’s buttoned his shirt, but incorrectly, and his hair is a bit of a mess. Still, I’ve never thought he was more handsome.
Our gazes meet, and I jerk mine away, focusing instead on running my hand over Ebron’s scales.
The last thing I need right now is to see Lucien.
There’s no way I’ll be able to go into this with a clear head when he’s near.
Especially when I have so many questions about last night and about what it means.
“Harper,” he greets, as he comes up to me, huffing and puffing as if out of breath.
“Good morning, Prince Lucien,” I say, trying to sound formal.
He grasps my chin and turns me to face him. “Just Lucien.”
I look down at his chest. “Listen–”
“It was disappointing to find you gone this morning. I had a lot I wanted to discuss. A lot I felt I needed to say.”
“Sorry, I had responsibilities.”
“I could’ve sent for breakfast.”
“I know, I just–”
“Don’t run away from this, Harper.”
I glance up, and suddenly I’m swimming in the green depths of his eyes once more. “I don’t run. From anything.”
For a second, I think he’ll kiss me. And I think I’ll let him. But then, he says, “I spoke to my father this morning. He heard me loud and clear.”
I’m surprised. “About what?”
“About you. About all of this.”
“Really?”
“He had to listen to the truth about what I thought about our upcoming marriage.”
That makes my stomach flip. They said they’d been trying to get out of this marriage every day. Is that what he ran off to do this morning? To try to get out of it again?
The truth is, I have no idea how he feels.
Lucien is a man accustomed to having a different woman in his bed every night.
I’d be foolish to think last night meant anything important to him.
And if he was still arguing about not marrying me, then I can be sure that it meant nothing.
That he doesn’t think one night of sex ties us in any way.
“I think I finally managed to get him to hear me. To know for certain what we want, even though he still won’t bend on you delivering this message, or seeking a peace agreement with the Hollowborn.”
I swallow around the lump in my throat. “Of course.”
But the thing is, I want to ask him what he means. These men are confusing. They’re possessive, jealous, and a little insane, but they also don’t always seem to like me, and they definitely seem to resent their father marrying them off to me.
“Lucien,” I say, choosing my words with care as I straighten my shoulders and meet his gaze. “What exactly did you say to your father? Did you–?”
“Harper Nightborne!” I hear the bellowing sound of my name and already know who it belongs to.
We step away from each other and hurry around Ebron to find the king, his advisor, and a small gathering of people near the two princes.
The king is dressed in his finest, and has a big grin on his face.
The people around him look like they’re there for a party rather than to send me off to their enemies to deliver a message that may or may not cost me my life.
“Harper!” the king says again, opening his arms. Awkwardly, I come closer, and he folds me into a hug before releasing me and stepping back. “Today is the day! A day of celebration! It’s the beginning of a new time of peace, when two great nations will come together.”
I can see it on the princes’ faces. They don’t believe a word of what their father says.
They don’t think this will bring a time of peace.
They have enough experience with the Hollowborn to believe this will end badly.
Whether today, or in many days from now.
But the looks of anger on their faces are nothing compared to the look of pure outrage on the king’s advisor’s face.
I actually shiver and look away from it.
The older man certainly doesn’t approve of the king’s choice.
“We are excited for you to deliver our message and to enjoy a golden age of peace where male dragons will be plentiful.”
The group of lords and ladies clap, laughing, obviously drunk or high, even this early in the morning. It’s not very reassuring seeing them, the leaders of our nation, in such a state.
“Now, I should say that I was a little concerned about this plan at first. Not because I doubt myself, or the magic of the female dragon rider, but because of my sons.” He looks at them, grinning like a mad man.
“Each day since I made the decision that you should marry, they’ve come to me and begged to be released from their engagement.
In truth, their words almost swayed me. But each day, they seemed less and less convincing, more and more like the idea of your marriage didn’t bother them so much.
Yet it was today that I knew for sure, when Prince Lucien came to see me, that I had made the right decision.
My son actually told me that he approved of the marriage, and would marry you without complaint, if only I sent another messenger today. ”
My head jerks to Lucien, and I see Prince Gareth and Prince Alaric staring at him in confusion too. Lucien simply stares back at me, emotions plainly written across his face. However, they are emotions I don’t feel like I’m prepared to handle at this moment.
“Unfortunately for him, I do not think that starting this treaty by going against their only wish will go over with the Hollowborn, so you will be going today. And you will be going alone, as per their request. But to see my son, Prince Lucien himself, so overcome by a woman, well, it warmed my kingly heart and told me that I was absolutely making the right decision.”
The lords and ladies are grinning and whispering.
King Stormvale is looking way too proud of himself, and Prince Alaric and Prince Gareth are watching us with far too much interest. My stomach does a little flip, and I avoid their eye contact, not wanting them to read the truth on my face, to realize that what they felt last night was Lucien and I together.
The king comes closer to me and takes my hands, lowering his voice.
“You, Harper Nightborne, have defied all odds. You saved a dragon. You became a female dragon rider. And you stole my son’s heart.
You will do this too, and do it well, I believe in you.
Now, go to the Hollowborns. Tell them that we will agree to their terms. There will be peace between our two nations as long as their leader agrees to marry you and enter into a relationship with you and my three sons.
If they agree to this, you should bring their leader back alone, we will sign the documents, and the marriage will take place.
Have him come back on Ebron, because we don’t want the bone wyrm within our city. Do you understand?”
I nod, worry wiggling through my belly.
“Then, it’s time!”
Everyone begins clapping and cheering. I see the three princes. They don’t look happy. They look worried. If we were alone, I might say something to them. But as it is, I turn away and Ebron uses his wing to help me get onto his back. I scramble into the saddle, and take a deep breath.
Ready?
I’m ready.
Then let’s do this.