Cassarah
Thankfully, dinner went off without further incidents, and we enjoyed our meal with the king, queen, and Prince Phillip.
It was decided he would remain at the castle with the king and keep an eye on things.
We arranged it so my people would follow along with us since we were leading everyone to believe I would be out there for some time.
The king would have men ready if they needed to come to our aid, but my feelings were this battle wouldn’t be an all-out attack.
Abbott and Cole spent the night with me, and we did little else but hold each other as we slept, needing the reassurance that everything would be all right.
I kept waking as nightmares plagued my dreams of all the people who’d died the past few days.
Their dead eyes and condemning words made my sleep fitful.
Each time I would awaken, sweating and panicked, Abbott would soothe me, humming a song I didn’t know.
His tone was deep, and sometimes he would whisper the words of hope and love in my ear, chasing away the shadows.
Cole buried his face in my chest, wrapping his arms around my middle, holding me tightly so I knew I wasn’t alone no matter what.
I was thankful when the sun rose in the sky, and I could get up, ending my losing battle.
Washing my face with cold water and shocking my system seemed to help.
Becka had packed my things last night, leaving out what I was going to wear or need for the day.
It was refreshing to wear my leather pants and billowy shirt with the leather vest that fit snuggly instead of the heavy fabrics and corsets.
The guys were still asleep, so I wandered out to the balcony to take in the view and breathe in some fresh morning air.
My father and I had talked about taking a trip to see the Caleden Sea before I was introduced to the court and married off.
Of course, Mother squashed that plan, saying it was improper and much too far to travel with a girl so young.
It made me wonder what caused Mother to be so fearful of the world around her that she dared not step out of turn.
The sound of someone walking up behind me made me pause, but I knew it was one of my men the moment they settled their hands on my hips. “Did you end up getting any sleep last night, little mouse?” Cole asked.
I let out a heavy sigh. “I suppose some, but it wasn’t a great night for rest, that’s for sure.”
His lips pressed to my head as he wrapped his arms around me. “I should have gotten Izel to come sleep with us so he could help. Today is going to be an important day, and you being tired is a risk.”
Turning in his hold, I slipped my arms around his body.
“Everything will be fine, Cole. We don’t even know that Henry will come after us right away.
News of our journey wasn’t announced until late, and it takes time to gather people.
I doubt he has as many dragon riders as he would like.
Vasin had to push rather hard to get us there and back as fast as he did.
It’s not possible for that many people all at once. ”
“Forever the optimist.” Cole chuckled. “Come on, let’s get some energy in you and see if that helps to perk you up.”
“Can we eat in the room? I don’t want to join the castle for a meal,” I requested.
Cole tucked a hand under my chin, lifting my head to kiss my lips. “That is something I can make happen. Stick close to Abbott while I’m gone, please. It makes me feel better knowing there are two of us with you, but he’s formidable enough on his own.”
I nodded as I followed him back into the room, where Abbott was pulling on a fresh shirt.
“I’m going to get food sent up… stick close,” Cole called as he left the room.
Abbott walked over to me, scooped me up, and settled us in an armchair. “Finally, some time alone. I know things are different right now, needing to keep a closer eye on you, but can I just say I’ll be glad when this is over.”
I let my head rest in the crook of his neck as he ran a hand along my thigh. “It’s crazy. We’ve been around each other all this time, but in a way, I still miss you.”
“That is exactly how I feel,” he commented. “Cassarah…”
Lifting my head, I met his gaze, concerned that something was wrong, but all I saw in his gaze was overwhelming amounts of love. “What is it?”
Abbott placed a hand on my stomach reverently. “I’m going to be a father…”
A smile pulled at my lips. “Yes, you are. I’m sure that one of them has to be yours. It’s the only thing that makes sense unless the fates have a way of making things happen faster than they should.”
“Did you know all I’ve ever wanted in life is a woman I love with all my heart and a son?” Abbott whispered. “Of course, I’d be happy with a daughter too. It’s just when I think about it, I always picture a little boy. Who would have thought I’d get everything I wished for?”
I hugged Abbott around the neck, pressing our cheeks together before kissing him soundly.
He was quick to keep the kiss going, angling his head to deepen it with a moan.
My fingers curled into his long hair that was brushing his shoulders.
The silky feeling just added to the moment as I shifted to straddle him.
His hand grabbed my ass, keeping me pressed against him so I could feel his hardening cock in his pants.
He pulled back, breaking our kiss. “Little phoenix, we can’t. Cole will be back, and the others will be joining us…”
“They’ve all seen me naked. It won’t be anything new,” I countered. Sliding off his lap, I yanked open my pants and shimmied them off as quickly as I could. Before he could argue with me further, I loosened his ties and pulled his cock free. “You wanted time with me, didn’t you?”
“God, yes, but this doesn’t need to happen,” he answered with a grunt as I pumped my hand up and down his shaft.
Crawling back on his lap, I hovered over him, searching his face. “Tell me now if you don’t really want this, and I’ll stop.”
Abbott let out a strangled growl and pushed me down as he thrust up, impaling me on his cock.
I gasped as he filled me—the slight burn of being unprepared only added to the moment.
Here I was on the eve of a battle for the future of our world as we knew it, and all I wanted was to feel all that was good in the world.
My body craved to be fucked, loved, and filled with a reminder that I was growing life inside my womb.
Each time he thrust up, I met the motion, rocking into it, forcing him as deep as he could go.
My body burned with delight as our breaths became quicker.
There was nothing romantic about this—it was need-driven and reassurance that we didn’t die without showing how much we loved each other.
Abbott pulled me close, cupping my face in his hands as he devoured my mouth.
Our tongues battled and twisted around each other, neither winning, but that wasn’t the point.
“Shit,” Cole swore.
I lifted my head to see him standing there holding a tray full of food. His gaze was hungry, even if he looked slightly uncomfortable. I reached out to him and curled a finger, beckoning him over.
He hesitated for a moment before setting down the tray and coming over.
I paused in my movements to twist so I was now sitting on Abbott’s cock, my legs between his.
When Cole joined us, I grabbed his pants and tugged him to stand before me.
Undoing his ties, I reached in, pulled out his semi-hard cock, and licked my lips.
Looking up at him, I held his gaze as I took him in my mouth.
With him not fully hard, I could get the whole thing in my mouth and kiss the base of his shaft.
It didn’t take him long to harden and become just slightly too much for me to handle.
His hand slid into my hair and helped keep me at a steady pace as Abbott thrust up into me.
I was quickly becoming a fan of having two of my men sharing me at once.
There was just something about being able to control two men while watching them crave my touch as we exchanged pleasure.
Cole tossed back his head, moaning as I swirled my tongue around the crown of his cock.
He was no longer able to hold himself back from thrusting into my mouth, and I enjoyed every moment of it.
Abbott pushed me forward so I was now standing as he pumped into me.
My hands on Cole’s hips kept me from crashing into his chest from the force of Abbott’s thrusts.
The pressure began to build low in my body, alerting me that I was heading for a climax.
Needing both men to finish along with me, I clenched on Abbott as I sucked and hummed around Cole.
“Fuck, mouse, I’m gonna come,” Cole warned me as he tried to pull out, but I dug my fingers into his skin, holding him still. “Little mouse, you don’t need to do this.”
My eyes flicked up to his, and I tried to tell him to shut up and let me finish this.
I wanted him to come in my mouth, to know that I drained him and found pleasure in what I did to his body.
Abbott started to lose his rhythm, which was a good sign he was getting close as well.
Then, as if something tipped the scales, Cole shot off down my throat, and Abbott slammed home one last time, throwing me off the edge into a world of ecstasy.
“Oh God, she’s clamping around me so tight it’s like she’s trying to drain me dry. If she wasn’t pregnant with my child already, she would be now,” Abbott muttered and pulled me off Cole and sat back on the chair.
Still with him inside me, I relaxed into him, curling my arms around his neck so I could comb my fingers through his hair. “That was exactly what I needed,” I shared with a sigh. “I need to remember that sex is wonderful for dealing with stress.”
A knock on the door had Cole stuff himself back into his pants and jog over to see who it was.
He cracked open the door, his shoulders relaxed, and pulled it open enough to let the rest of my men in.
When they caught sight of my legs splayed, filled with Abbott who was softening, letting his cum leak out of me, they groaned.
“That’s so not fair,” Pax muttered, adjusting himself in his pants. “There is no way we have enough time for us all to get a taste.”
Cole just grinned. “She’s pretty great at taking two at a time. It might happen.”
Laughing, I kissed Abbott deeply one last time before I stood up and sauntered my way into the bathing chamber to clean up before putting my pants back on. While sex was amazing, wet leather rubbing up in some sensitive places wasn’t.
With my hand over my eyes, taking in the courtyard of the castle where we were staging things, just as we had when we landed in Creisal.
This time, I would mount up last, ensuring my guard was ready to protect me as we flew.
My additional dragon riders were happy to be on the move, not enjoying city life after the quaint normalcy of Sheca.
The summer home was out in the kingdomside farther south, leaving plenty of open space for the dragons to roam.
King Thomas came to stand beside me. “Are you sure it’s safe to allow my wife to go with you?”
“Nothing about this is safe, but we need to keep it believable,” I reasoned.
“The Lost King can’t have reason to suspect we know what’s hidden at our destination.
He has eyes and ears everywhere, and I’m assuming all the staff there is his.
They will be the hardest to work around until we know what we’re dealing with.
Leaving the children here, keeping you out of the situation, along with Philip, is the best we can do.
Your wife doesn’t have a clue what she’s done, and they know that.
It will be interesting to see how they deal with her at this point. ”
“You make it all sound so simple when it’s anything but,” King Thomas shot back. “I’m supposed to be your ally, but all I’ve done is create terrible messes you keep cleaning up.”
“Once Henry is out of the picture, you can rebuild your kingdom. I have a few dreams of how I would like to reinvent our world, so maybe I can share them with you later?” I offered.
He looked at me with amazement. “Here you are, walking into what could be a trap or certain death, and you’re dreaming of the future?”
“If we don’t have the future, what do we have?
” I asked with a shrug. “I refuse to believe after everything I’ve been through and the things I’ve learned, that Henry will take me down so easily.
If we destroy what we need to, then his trump card is gone.
He’ll be as human as I am… the only difference is I have others I’m protecting.
” I rested a hand on my stomach, trying to picture what it will be like as it grows bigger to make room for my babies.
King Thomas turned and bowed deeply to me, pressing a hand to his heart.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be in your trust, Queen Cassarah. I wish you safe travels, and may the fates bless your mission, for it is one that will save us all.” Saying what he needed to say, he returned to the castle without a backward glance.
Since the queen was traveling by carriage, she’d left much earlier in the morning while we had time. A dragon roar filled the air, one I knew well. Vasin landed, spreading his wings wide as he shot a burst of fire into the sky.
“Goodness, did you wake up on the wrong side of the roost?”
“This is war, Cass, and all us dragons know it. This city has been asleep for far too long, distancing themselves from the rest of the world. It’s time they return, join the united front, and allow dragons to coexist.”
“Have the dragons been avoiding this palace?” I inquired as I walked over to him, double-checking the harness. Taking a moment, I secured the supplies I wanted to keep close at hand, including my sword.
“They were the first to break the treaty and abuse us. We quickly cut them off and chose to shun their people, but with the new agreement with dragons, it might be time for those who are willing to come pay a visit. The kingdomside is teaming with life, and dragons are a good judge of character, which isn’t found here. ”
“I couldn’t agree with you more. This city needs to be purged, and everyone’s roles in the world shuffled about. That, however, is a job for later. First, we need to keep the world from being taken over by an evil dictator.”
Mounting up, I strapped myself in and gave him a pat on the neck, taking hold as he launched himself up into the sky.
The sight of my dragon riders filling the horizon was something I don’t think I’d ever find anything but awe-inspiring.
These were my people— brave, true, and loyal.
They didn’t know the whole story but trusted I would guide them wisely.