Chapter 9 #2
“I also want you working closely with Baldewin and his guards. We need spies sent into the surrounding cities. They’ve made a bold grab for Cameron once and have been watching him closely.
I don’t think they’ll leave until they have proof Cameron has left the area as well.
I want to know who they are and why they want Cameron. ”
“It will be done,” Dieter agreed with a bow of his head.
Gunter leaned forward, resting both of his forearms on the table. His long fingers were threaded together. “What about a seeking spell?”
“Lisette and the other mages are gathering what information they can from Cameron about him and his family. So far, our seeking spells have been…inadequate. They’ve struggled to identify Cameron and have been blind to these other mages.
I believe she’s hoping with Cameron’s help, they will be able to improve the spell. ”
Gunter sighed heavily. “But that takes time.”
There was a soft knock at the door and Alric called for Lisette to enter.
Lisette stepped in with a soft smile on her lips.
Closing the door behind her, she breezed lightly into the room.
At just the sight of his mate, Dieter sat up a little straighter in his chair, a look of pure joy lighting his face.
Alric watched his advisor from the corner of his eye as she made her way around the table to his side.
Dieter never stopped watching her the entire way.
That’s what Alric dreamed of. A love that never dimmed, never faded. He wanted a love that burned brightly for all his long years.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your meeting, Hoheit,” Lisette said as she came to stand between Dieter and Baldewin, her arm resting across Dieter’s shoulders. “I just wanted to tell you everyone is gathered in the hall for your address.”
Ravi sat up in his chair, staring down the table at Alric with interest. “Will Cameron be there as well?”
“Yes. It’s for the clan’s benefit as well as Cameron’s. He needs to see who we are, understand that we are a family, and we all will protect him.”
“Speaking of the young mage, will you bring him into the hall?” Dieter asked.
Alric shook his head before looking at Dieter’s mate. “Lisette, he trusts you. Would you bring him in?”
She smiled warmly at him. “I’d be happy to. Might I make another suggestion.”
“Of course.”
Her eyes narrowed on him in an instant, and her expression turned frighteningly serious. “Wear your bloody crown.”
Alric glared right back at her. He hated wearing that damn crown. It was only taken out for special occasions and state affairs like visiting dignitaries from other clans—not that it happened all that often. They were lucky to be on speaking terms with the Ice Clan.
“Lisette—”
“Don’t you ‘Lisette’ me. That sweet boy understands you’re the sexy man who rescued him and took him to a fancy restaurant. Now he needs to get a good glimpse of who you are to all of us. The true power and the strength of the Fire Clan.”
An old throb of pain went through his left arm, and Alric’s frown deepened. He had some serious doubts about Lisette’s description, but he kept them to himself. Now was not the time.
“Thank you for the suggestion,” Alric said tightly.
“And change your shirt.”
“What?” Alric looked down, plucking at his black shirt with his right hand. It was a nice, clean shirt. What was wrong with it?
“You’re the king of the Fire Dragon Clan, not some moody vampire prince. Wear something with a little color.”
Alric groaned, but he doubted anyone heard it over Baldewin, Gunter, and Ravi’s wild laughter.
He’d blushed when Lisette had described him as sexy, but now he was just thoroughly embarrassed.
He hadn’t sat in on a lot of meetings in this room with his father, but he couldn’t recall a single one where he’d been taken to task over his choice of clothing.
“Thank you, Lisette,” Alric ground out. She graced him with a smile and then walked back out of the room.
Alric pinned his advisor with a dark look the moment the door closed. The man appeared to be struggling to hold in his laughter. “Did she do this with my father?”
“No, your father always remembered to wear his crown,” Dieter replied, which only sent his friends into fresh peals of laughter. “But she did like to hound him about his shoes. Your father hated wearing shoes.”
A hint of a smile played across Alric’s lips. That he did remember about his father. The old king loved fancy clothes and shiny things but preferred to walk around barefoot.
Alric placed his right hand on the table and pushed to his feet. Everyone else rose at the same time. “Everyone has their assignments—”
“Hoheit?” Gunter interjected and Alric smiled.
“Sorry, Gunter. I want you to make yourself available to Dieter and Lisette. Anything they need researched, be ready. Also take note of anything interesting they might find. Maybe once she learns more about Cameron, his family, and their original clan, we might be able to do more about the seeking spell.”
Gunter nodded, his gaze distant as he mentally ran through all the books in the library. “Yes. Of course. I think I’ve run across some variations on the seeking spell that might be of use now.”
“Bring in help if you must. You’re not to spend all hours of the night and day digging through those books.”
“I’ll check on him between missions for Baldewin,” Ravi offered. Gunter did not look thrilled. Ravi was walking chaos, and Gunter did not like the dragon anywhere near his books.
“Thank you. I’ll see you all in the hall,” Alric murmured. The four men around the table bowed their heads and filed out of the room.
Once alone, Alric glanced down at his shirt and frowned. He did not dress like a moody vampire prince.
* * *
Oh god, what had he gotten himself into?
Lisette had mentioned something about a clan meeting and that he should attend.
She had made it sound like it wasn’t a big deal, but now he was standing near the front of the hall, looking around at all the people.
There had to be more than fifty here. Fifty freaking dragons in one place!
That was exciting and sad at the same time.
Less than a week ago, he’d been sure they were extinct.
But his history class had taught him that at one time there had been thousands of dragons. Now Alric’s clan was down to just fifty.
And there were even fewer mages.
It was a miracle and a tragedy all wrapped into one.
His mind tossed that aside when he realized nearly every eye in the room was trained on him. No one looked hostile. Just extremely curious.
“Are you sure I should be here?” Cameron whispered when he leaned closer to Lisette.
“Oh, most definitely!” she replied with her usual warmth and cheer. “You don’t want to miss this.”
Cameron turned his eyes away from the people watching him to take in the vast room he stood in.
He was in an honest-to-god throne room. It was enormous, with enough space to comfortably hold three times as many people.
The walls were a pristine white while the ceiling soared at least three stories above his head.
Dragons could have flown into the room if not for pillars that rose up at regular intervals.
Pennants and banners hung from the ceiling similar to the ones he saw at the restaurant, but where those looked worn and faded with time, these looked brand new.
No wonder Alric was so familiar with them and all their symbols.
Down the center of the room was a long red carpet with gold edging that looked like a line of tiny gold dragons in flight. It all led up four short stairs to a dais and a black throne easily three times the size of Alric.
Cameron leaned close to Lisette again. “Is…is that throne made of onyx?”
Lisette grinned broadly at him. “Solid obsidian.”
Of course, he thought, smirking at the throne. Obsidian was volcanic glass.
He wanted to make a comment, but the sound of doors opening at the back of the room had everyone turning at once. He couldn’t see who entered but he had a guess. Silence fell over the room, but it only lasted a couple of seconds and then it started.
Softly, like a low rumble, the chanting steadily grew.
He couldn’t understand what they were saying.
Did dragons have their own language? He’d never learned about that in school.
It sounded old. Older than the stones that made this castle.
Older than the mountains and the sky. He could feel the weight of the words down in his bones.
The sound caused goosebumps to break out across his skin and his breath to catch in his throat.
The chanting grew louder as Alric walked slowly down the center aisle, his head held high and his shoulders back. A golden crown gleaming with rare gems winked in the sunlight pouring through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Cameron was speechless.
This was the man who’d walked through the festival, talking about dragons as if he didn’t have a care in the world. This was the man who’d treated him to a private dinner. The man who’d teased him until he blushed. Who’d rescued him, risking his own life.
He was a king.
A king to all of these people. No, dragons and mages.
A leader.
And it took only a brief glance at their faces as they watched their king approach the dais to see that they loved him. They respected him. They trusted him with their future.
As he reached the front of the room, Alric turned his head just slightly and looked straight at Cameron.
The tiniest of smiles grew on his lips, and he winked.
He fucking winked at Cameron as if he just knew Cameron’s knees were weak and his head was spinning.
This was the man he’d daydreamed of kissing.
Holy shit! This was the man he’d shouted at.
The chanting stopped as Alric reached the top of the dais and turned to face the assembled people. He smiled at them for a moment before lifting his lovely voice so it carried across the vast room.