Chapter 52
It was always Rhyel saving her from her nightmares.
Kal's growl was always nearby, but her mind always conjured Rhyel to shield her from her family's torment.
Maybe it was because he was real or maybe it was because she wanted him to be her dragon. She wanted to be curled up beside him with his arms wrapped around her like a warm safe cocoon—just like this.
Lying in his bed with the soft morning light cascading into his bedroom while they enjoyed each other's company and silence.
She never wanted to wake from this dream.
"This is nice," she murmured, sighing as she snuggled against Rhyel's warm, hard chest and breathed in his soothing pine scent.
"I'm glad you think so."
A smile tugged at Sana's lips as she looked up at him and a blush burned up the back of her neck as she realized they were nowhere near his bed.
They were in Grensea.
With the sounds of the ocean crashing against the shore and the sea salt air blowing softly against the sheer white drapes around the bed.
Her throat dried as she gazed into his sleepy blue eyes and the heat burning on her neck spread through her body at the feel of his gentle heartbeat against her palm resting on his chest beneath the open 'v' of his tunic while he cradled her against his side.
Rhyel was here.
In...in bed.
With her.
She swallowed. "This...this isn't a dream," she whispered.
"No, it's not. You had a nightmare and I must've fallen asleep while I was calming you," he said, sliding his hand to her cheek. "I'm sorry I didn't ask for your permission to sleep like this."
"It's...it's okay." She bit her lip. "I don't mind this.
Thank you for calming me," she said, praying he couldn't feel her heart pounding.
"I'm sorry you had to do this." She slowly slipped her hand away from his chest. She couldn't believe he slept in a bed for.
..for her. "Did...did you have nightmares too? Of the witch?"
"Mm," a languid smile tugged at his lips. "I hadn't thought about that until now, but no. I didn't dream of the witch," he said, catching her hand and pressing a kiss to her palm. "And I'm not sorry for sleeping beside you. I'd do it again any time you're in need."
But what if she were in need to wake up like this all the time? And what if she yearned for more than the kisses he left on her cheeks and hands? What if she wanted that kiss she was sure he was going to leave on her lips last night?
Those questions burned to leave her mouth, but doubt sealed her lips like it always did when it came to telling him what she wanted.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Rhyel said, caressing the back of her hand.
Her heart thumped and her skin tingled where he caressed her. "T-talk about what?"
Could he see it on her face? Did he know she ached for this every morning?
"Your nightmare," he said, massaging the back of her neck. "You were really struggling last night."
"Oh," she said, slipping out of his arms as she sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. "It was another nightmare about my family."
"Mm, I see," he said, sitting up and curling his arm around her waist, cocooning her against his side, much like Kal did with his tail. "And did it have anything to do with what Kai said to you last night?"
She nodded, digging her nails into the blanket wrapped around her knees.
"I shouldn't have embarrassed him in front of Rivo and Galia.
" Her lip trembled. "I don't want him to.
..to take me away f-from Darcanos or...or you.
" She shivered as fear wrapped its icy claws around her heart.
"I-I don't want to be sold," she whispered as her nightmare rose to the forefront of her mind.
Heavy chains wrapped around her limbs, shackling her to the cold stone floor of the old storage room while her father whipped her for disgracing her brother. And while she lay there crying, pleading for him to stop, he told her she would never return to Darcanos or see Rhyel again.
He would sell her as a servant like Kai threatened her last night.
"Sana, I would never let that happen," Rhyel said and the low husky rumble of his voice tingled over her as her ring and dragon's breath hummed against her skin. "Kai doesn't have the power to decide whether you stay or leave Darcanos and he certainly doesn't have the right to sell you."
"B-but he could break the alliance..."
"Yes, he could do that." Rhyel curled his fingers around her chin, gently turning her face to his. "But that doesn't change your status," he said, caressing her bottom lip. "You are my fiancé and in Darcanos, that holds more weight than a betrothal between our Houses."
Sana frowned. "I-I don't understand."
Her father got rid of her and sent her to the north because marrying Rhyel was the only useful thing she could do.
He never wanted her to become a well respected Lady.
She was never meant to outshine her siblings or feel brave enough to speak to them so brazenly and she wasn't so na?ve to believe he would give up his right to take this life from her for acting like one of them.
Rhyel leaned away from her and flicked his wrist drawing a tray of steaming tea and two cups to settle on the bed before them.
"I have never liked arranged marriages or alliances forged between Houses by selling their daughters for the privilege," he said, pouring her a cup of tea before rolling up a napkin.
"That has never been how things were done in Darcanos.
So, I've always added a clause to any of the betrothals I've entered into. "
His eyes glowed in a blue hue and her heart thumped as the napkin elongated into a scroll. "How did you do that?" she said, trailing her fingers over the black ribbon enclosing the scroll Kai told her to bring to Darcanos.
"It's displacement magic. That napkin is where this scroll used to be," he said, untying the ribbon. "This is the contract of alliance and the agreement of your betrothal between our Houses."
He unrolled the beige paper. "I thought it would be easier to explain what I mean about our engagement if I can show you the stipulation your father and your brother agreed to," he said, scanning the thick fortified ink as she took a slow sip of her tea, waiting for him to find the stipulation he was looking for while hope bloomed in her heart.
"Ah, here it is." A proud grin curled over his lips as he cleared his throat.
"Due to the nature of alliances through betrothals not being recognized by Darcanos traditions, Lord Sirius and future head of House Lightbourne, Lord Kai, agree to relinquish any and all possession, power or claim over Sana Lightbourne as a condition of the alliance upon her acceptance of a traditional proposal of marriage by Lord Rhyel, Alpha of Darcanos.
Henceforth, Sana Lightbourne will live in autonomy under the protection and safety of House Darcanos. "
Tears pricked the corners of Sana's eyes as a swell of relief washed over her and hope tingled through her veins. "They...they agreed to that?"
"They did," he said, turning the scroll to her so she could see their signatures signed in gold at the bottom of the agreement. "They have no power over you."
A tear rolled down her cheek as she placed her cup on the tray and took the document with shaking hands. "Is...is that why you proposed to me?" she whispered as she read the clause again. "To give me protection from them?"
"That wasn't the only reason," Rhyel said, catching her tear on his thumb.
"I've never had to invoke that clause and I never thought I'd ever want to marry someone who isn't my mate," he said, pressing a soft kiss against her cheek that was achingly close to her lips.
"But I have no wish to be with anyone else, but you," he whispered.
"Will you still allow me the honor of proving myself to you? "
Sana shook her head as her heart melted for him. She didn't know what else he had to prove beyond this. He'd given her freedom and protected her from her father and brother's claim over her.
"You don't have to prove anything to me," she said, dropping the scroll as she wrapped her arms around him. "I don't deserve you as it is, but thank you," she whispered as happy tears rolled down her cheeks. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," he said, wrapping his arms around her in a comforting hug. "But you do deserve more than this and I intend to shower the sun, the moon and the heavens on you."
She stilled in his arms as he professed Kal's signature phrase. Her heart thumped as she leaned away from him. "Why...why would you say that?"
Twin flags of red stained Rhyel's cheeks as he chuckled softly. "It, um, sounded better in my head," he said, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. "I'm sorry."
"No, it's okay. I liked it," she said, laughing softly. "It's just my dragon says the same thing in my dreams."
"Ah," Rhyel said, nodding. "Well, it seems your dragon and I have something in common then."
"Yes, you do," she said, searching his eyes as if she'd see her dragon looking back at her, but that would be silly.
She knew it was impossible for Kal to be real and he certainly couldn't be Rhyel, but something deep within her soul unfurled at the possibility that it wasn't a coincidence that Rhyel spoke the same antiquated phrase as Kal.
"Sana," Rhyel said, taking her hand in his. "I know it's been an emotional morning, but if you don't mind and you feel up for it." He pressed her hand over his chest. "I'd still like to spend the day with you, if you still wish to spend it with me."
A smile tugged at her lips as she nodded, threading her fingers through his. "I'd like that very much."
And maybe...maybe they could pick up where they left off last night.
If Rhyel wished to give her the sun, the moon and the heavens, then surely after everything they spoke of, he would give her what she'd been desiring from him for quite some time.
A/N: I was giggling to myself when Sana woke up thinking she was still in a dream!
! Hahaha but THE ALLIANCE CONTRACT THOUGH!
???????? Sana's family can't say SHIT to her or threaten her with NOTHING.
Rhyel saw to that before he even knew what that kind of contract would mean to Sana.
Bless Darcanos for their traditions! I feel like there's nothing stopping Sana from shedding that shell she's been hiding in.
There's nothing holding her back now, right?