Chapter 5
Warin felt more than a little conflicted about North.
He was confused at his reactions to the young mage, confused at North’s reactions to him, and it left him with nothing but questions.
He didn’t know how to respond half the time, and it was usually instinct that moved him before he could think it through.
He lay in the lower bunk of the sleeper car on the train, swaying a little back and forth with the train’s momentum.
Above his head lay North, although judging from the way he breathed and turned, he wasn’t asleep yet.
They were on an overnight train heading toward Munich.
It meant a little backtracking toward Sonthofen, but there was no direct route, and getting out of Brussels had been the priority.
Gunter was in the next car up from them, probably researching things instead of sleeping. North had chosen to sleep in the same car as Warin, and had done so without asking either for their opinion. But then, he seemed to cling a bit to Warin. And that was part of what confused him.
Why had North gravitated toward him instead of Gunter?
Gunter came off as a bit strange sometimes, sure, but it wasn’t like North knew him any better.
Warin hadn’t made a good first impression on North.
Or at least, he hadn’t thought so? But North kept leaning into Warin’s personal space.
Didn’t Americans have large personal bubbles? North certainly didn’t.
And why, why did Warin react like this to North?
After that initial demand for his scale back—which hadn’t been what Warin meant to say, not at all, but it had tumbled free of his mouth anyway—he’d found himself arrested by sky-blue eyes.
Warin’s instincts had tripped over into ‘protective’ so quickly it had left his head spinning.
His dragon was in perfect agreement on this: protect the mage at all costs.
Which, fine, of course a mage must be protected.
It was the second corollary his dragon demanded that confused Warin.
Because his dragon side wanted to curl right around North and nuzzle into him.
And, well, lick him. In fact, the crazy lizard was quite jealous North had gotten to lick Warin, but he’d not gotten the chance to lick North.
Warin tried to reason with himself. North was clearly capable of fighting even the Jaeggi off to some degree, as he’d kept himself out of harm twice today with his wits alone.
He wasn’t entirely defenseless. But his dragon wasn’t having it.
North needed protection, and Warin needed to be that protection. Final word.
It was probably how North looked at him, with wide-eyed wonder and delight. Sometimes there was a hint of heat there, of curiosity, as if he wanted something from Warin that wasn’t so innocent. And it made Warin’s blood run hot, that look.
“Warin?”
He’d just known the mage wasn’t asleep. “Yes, North?”
“I’m, um, a little cold. Can I sleep with you?”
That wasn’t at all appropriate. “Of course.”
Warin sighed to himself. His dragon had just hijacked his mouth, apparently. That was clearly the answer. He never would have agreed otherwise.
North lost no time in dropping out of the top bunk, bringing his pillow with him. Warin shifted, drawing the blanket back, but then realized it meant North would be near the door. His protective instincts flared in protest. He shifted out and gestured North in.
The mage hesitated, giving him a questioning look.
“I need to be between you and the door,” Warin explained simply.
“Oh.” There it was, that pleased blush and shy smile as if he’d said something sweet, something North wasn’t used to hearing.
Dammit. That expression was killing Warin slowly.
Hadn’t anyone ever shown this man how precious he was?
Why was such a simple, thoughtful gesture enough to evoke this reaction?
North climbed in before he could question him, and Warin bit back the query, sliding in next to him.
The bed was narrow—there wasn’t enough room for two grown men—but they lay on their sides and made do well enough.
Then North turned, situating himself so he lay chest to chest with Warin, and that was better.
And worse. Warin realized he might have miscalculated.
In an attempt to get comfortable, Warin slid his left arm under North’s pillow and the other man immediately snuggled closer, one of his hands coming to rest on Warin’s chest. As they lay so close, every inhale brought hints of North’s soft floral shampoo, and he could so easily hear the happy little sigh that escaped the mage.
He’d only thought to keep North warm and close, because that was all his dragon wanted.
But now that he had North here, snuggled into his arms, he felt other instincts rise.
More base instincts that whispered tantalizing suggestions of other things he could be doing with a cute man pressed enticingly up against him.
It was a fight to keep his right hand resting on his hip rather than closing the circle and wrapping his right arm around North.
It would be so easy to pull him in tight and slide one knee between both of North’s legs.
What sounds of pleasure would escape him?
A need rushed through Warin that he hadn’t felt in too long. But it was more than sexual desire. He couldn’t get over how perfect North felt cuddled against him. It was as if his smaller form was made to fit just right against Warin’s body.
And then there was how excited his dragon was becoming over the feel of North in his arms. If the beast could dance, he would be doing a jig on each of his brain cells.
“I’m sorry my seeking spell was so annoying.” North’s words were a whisper against the bare skin of Warin’s throat. “Did it hurt?”
“No,” Warin answered softly. The dim lighting in the room encouraged them to speak in hushed tones. “I knew what it was. I’ve felt it before. It was just alarming, as I didn’t know if it was friend or foe trying to find me.”
“Sorry.” North sighed again, and his hand at Warin’s waist tightened for a moment, as if in a hug. “I was just trying to prove a point.”
“That dragons are still alive?”
“I hoped you were alive. I gave it fifty-fifty odds. I just kept thinking, I’m a mage, and they say mages don’t really exist anymore either.
If everyone was wrong about me, then why were they right about dragons?
But if dragons are alive, then it would mean I really I am a mage and magic is real.
It means I can find a way to live my life as a mage and help bring magic back to this world. ”
“You were right to doubt. Your grandfather, you said, he believes too? You mentioned that he’s a mage.”
“Yeah. He’s the only other one who believes dragons are alive, and that our magic is needed for this world.” North paused for a moment, and Warin had a feeling he was frowning. “If the Jaeggi are after mages, does that mean he’s in danger too? Will you need to protect him as well?”
“He should be safe for now, but we’ll need to bring him under protection soon, yes.” A grandfather, eh? Well, they already had a grandmother, so why not a grandfather, too?
“Can I ask you some questions?”
“Of course.” Warin made his tone encouraging, as he didn’t want North to walk into the castle completely blind.
“You said your king’s consort joined this summer? And they were married then?”
“Yes. We were incredibly happy to find Cameron. Before him, we feared the mages had died out completely. Although we’ve been slowly discovering more since his arrival.
And on a personal note, I’m glad to know him.
Cameron’s a brilliant man, and fun, and an incredibly good mate to my king.
He’s a blessing to us in more ways than one.
” Warin wasn’t surprised this was North’s first question, as of course he’d be curious about the mages.
“That’s really cool. So, um, same-sex marriages are okay with you dragons?”
Oh, that’s what that question led to. “Indeed it is. All dragons are pansexual, you see.”
North startled in his arms. “Get out, you are not.”
“We truly are,” Warin said in amusement. “We don’t care what gender our mates are. Male, female, non-binary, gender fluid, all of it is fine. The soul of the person is what matters.”
“That’s beautiful.” North sounded a little husky. “I wish everyone could see it that way.”
Uh-oh. That boded ill. “Have you not experienced such acceptance yourself?”
“Hell no. It’s part of the reason why I went on this quest. I needed out and I wanted to prove them wrong, on something, at least. No, I’m…
gay, and my family’s not okay with it. They tolerate me, I think is the best way to put it.
And people in my hometown, they kind of put up with me for my family’s sake.
I’m from one of those places where everyone knows everybody else, and there’s no secrets, y’know?
And it gets really stifling there. And they’re so boring, God.
All they can talk about is sports and hunting and it’s enough to make me scream. ”
This sounded good, on one hand, because it meant North had no inclination to return home.
On the other, it saddened Warin. Was it any wonder North had reacted as he had to them, having finally found dragons?
Proof that ordinary life was extraordinary after all?
“I can take you to a place that talks about magic and dragons and wonder.”
“Sold. Done. Take me, I’m yours.”
Warin chuckled a little, trying not to interpret those words in a way not intended. It was a little hard at the moment with North pressed so tightly against him.
“So, um, are you married? Or mated, I guess is the proper way to say it.”