Cassarah #2
I caught his chin in my hand and planted a firm kiss on his lips.
“It’s far more sensual to help a woman get dressed than it is to get her out of her clothes.
You know what’s under my dress that you got to touch what others can’t.
To know with each breath I take, my breasts press against the corset you helped to secure.
It’s also only something that can be done by someone that person knows intimately.
You don’t just let any man into your dressing room where you are bare and vulnerable to the world. ”
Knowing I was playing with fire, I let my hand glide down his chest until I cupped his cock in my hand. “One never knows what could happen when you’re all alone in just your underthings.”
“Jade!” Gavin yelled, his voice husky as it cracked. “Help!”
Seconds later, Jade was marching through the door, took in the situation, and removed Gavin from the room, leaving me alone.
Laughter bubbled up as I removed that corset and picked another one I could lace from the front.
The dress would hide the lacing just fine, and I didn’t think any of the guys could make it through the process.
I pulled the dress over my head and exited the dressing room.
“Can someone lace up the back of this dress? I managed the corset, but that’s where my abilities end. ”
Cole silently approached, brushed my hair over one shoulder, and got to work lacing up the back. “That was a mean trick, little mouse. I’m guessing you figured out the second part of this bet we made with Becka.”
“I wasn’t sure if it was a bet or just something you decided so you wouldn’t get distracted. It also crossed my mind you might think I’m too emotionally fragile for that sort of activity,” I reasoned.
When he was finished, I felt his lips kiss the back of my neck. “It could be a little of both, but if you really wanted one of us, we wouldn’t deny you.” Cole took a step back and waved at Dayson. “She’s all yours. Day’s going to do something with your hair.”
I walked over to the dressing table, sat on the stool, folded my hands primly, and waited for the big man to get started.
“You don’t mind braids, do you? That’s all I know how to do besides pulling the hair up into a horse tail,” Dayson remarked as he grabbed a brush.
“Whatever you manage to pull off will be fine with me,” I assured him. “You guys don’t need to do this. I’m going to be fine.”
Dayson used the back of the paddle brush to cover my mouth. “Nope, I don’t want to hear it. Let us look after you for once, all right? You’re always worrying about everything, so just sit back and let us handle this.”
As he moved the brush away, I made a show of turning the key, sealing my lips shut, and tossing it away.
Dayson grunted his approval and got to work on whatever master plan he had for my hair.
The feel of his hands in my hair was so soothing, I shut my eyes and drifted off into a sort of dreaming wakefulness.
“Oh, Dragon Queen, did you really think you could hide the fact you went home from me? That my dragon wouldn’t sense yours coming into our lands? How does it feel to be an orphan?”
I gasped, nearly falling off the stool as I jolted awake. My heart pounded in my chest as fear clawed at my throat, making it hard to breathe. Had Henry just spoken to me?
“Cassy-bear, what just happened?” Dayson asked, crouching down before me. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“He spoke to me, the Lost King. He spoke into my mind,” I said, stumbling over my words.
Shoving to my feet, I moved to the balcony and threw open the doors, gasping in the fresh air. A hand landed on my shoulder, making me scream and lash out, clipping whoever it was on the cheekbone.
“Shit,” Paxton swore. “Look, I’m all for taking hits that I deserve, but that one I did not.”
Tears pooled in my eyes as I realized what I’d done. “Pax, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hit you. My mind was elsewhere, and I panicked.” Reaching out, I ran my fingers lightly over the pink skin where I caught him.
Pax grabbed my hand and pressed a kiss to it.
“Please don’t cry about it, spitfire. I’m glad that your first reaction is to defend yourself.
If I really were a bad guy coming after you, I would know messing with you wasn’t going to be that easy.
Now that you’ve calmed down some, do you want to tell me what just happened? ”
Hearing those words playing over in my head, I lost the battle against my tears. “The Lost King, he spoke to me. I was almost asleep while Dayson was working on my hair, and he spoke to me. Henry knows I went home last night. His dragon sensed Vasin and the others.”
“That would freak me the fuck out too,” Pax murmured as he pulled me against his chest. “You are safe. He isn’t here, and whatever trick he used, I bet it cost him a lot of power to do so. Reach out to Vasin… see what he has to say about it.”
I wrapped my arms around Paxton’s waist, holding him tightly as I reached out to my dragon. “Vasin.”
“Yes, my dear Cass… what has you so worried?”
“Henry spoke to me in my mind, like we are right now. How could he do that?”
Vasin didn’t answer immediately, but I could feel him in my mind as if he were searching for something.
“When he dragged you into his dragon’s consciousness, he somehow managed to leave a piece behind.
Almost like a hook to make a connection easier.
He shouldn’t have been able to use it, though, from so far away. ”
“What if he isn’t? What if he’s closer than we think? This has to be tied to whatever he hid here in Creisal. It adds to his power.” That thought fueling me, I shoved off of Pax and strode across the room, yanking open the door.
The palace attendant standing down the hall spotted me and hurried over. “Can I be of assistance, Your Majesty?”
“I need to see the king right away,” I ordered.
He quickly bowed and gestured for me to follow. “Right this way.”
“Queen Cassarah,” Dayson bellowed as he exited the room. “What is going on?”
“I need to see the king right away,” I answered, not bothering to stop and explain myself.
The attendant led me into a sitting room. “Wait here, and I will inform the king’s aide you are here.”
“No, it can’t wait,” I said under my breath, charging past the man into the inner chambers of King Thomas’ rooms.
“Your Highness,” the aide gasped as he saw me rush past. “This is highly improper!”
“Where is he?” I demanded. “I need to know right now, or I’m going to search every room until I find him.”
“Please, calm yourself. He isn’t here,” the aide explained. “There was something urgent he needed to deal with before your lunch that isn’t for another hour.”
Pausing, I looked at the man and something about the way he couldn’t hold my gaze told me he was lying. “No, he’s here. You just don’t want me to see him.”
“Your Majesty, there is a simple explanation, but I’m not permitted to share the king’s personal life,” the aide explained, his tone begging me to understand.
“We are at war, and this man is supposed to be my ally. If I can’t count on him when I need him, then what the hell good is any of this?” I demanded, throwing my hand in the air. “I will find the king and speak to him regardless of his secrets. This cannot wait.”
“Cassarah,” Cole snapped from behind me as the rest of them caught up to me. “What the hell are you doing?”
The palace staff gasped at the way he was addressing me, but I didn’t care.
I had bigger issues to deal with. I spotted a set of double doors I would guess would lead to a bedroom.
If I had a secret meeting with someone, that would be the type of place where it would happen in my logic.
Marching up to the doors, I flung them open and found the king on all fours getting rammed from behind by none other than Sir Roulf.