“Gwenyth and I have things to do. Mother. Father.” He offered his parents a respectful nod.
Gwenyth studied his parents. Both appeared young, not much older than Leo. Perhaps shifters aged slower than humans. She’d have to ask later.
His mother rose, as did his father. They were both tall like Leo. Unlike Leo, the garments they wore were of top quality. Gwenyth felt scruffy in her oversized black trews and baggy shirt, both handoffs from Leo.
“What is so important that you must interrupt our meeting?” Leo’s mother asked. Her chin rose, her nostrils flaring as she glowered at Leo. After her first glance of distaste, she ignored Gwenyth.
“I’d like to introduce Gwenyth,” Leo said in an even tone. “She is my wife.”
Leo’s parents stared at him, and his father laughed.
“Stop joking around, boy. You would have us believe you have married a human?”
“Gwenyth is my beloved wife,” Leo repeated. “Telus knows this. Gwenyth told him the day he delivered your summons. Did he not divulge this information? You never gave me a chance to tell you about Gwenyth. As you can see, we are married.” He lifted Gwenyth’s hand to show them the ring he’d made himself and gifted to her to celebrate their marriage.
“You gave her a Marquess ring?” his mother demanded, her voice edging toward shrill.
“My Gwenyth is worth the price of an expensive ring,” Leo replied. “She deserves much more.”
“How could you afford a ring of this quality?” his father scoffed.
The frown broke on his mother’s face. “It’s a fake,” she crowed.
Anger built in Gwenyth. She hadn’t believed his parents were as awful as he’d described, but they were worse. She glanced at Leo but had trouble reading him. Although, he’d stiffened at the insult.
“I assure you this is a Marquess. I have the paperwork for the piece,” Leo stated.
“Marriage to a human is impossible,” his mother snapped. “We dragons do not marry humans. We take them and use them as they have destroyed us in the past. We fuck them for pleasure, but we do not join them in matrimony. Prove you’re married.”
“Don’t bother,” his father said in a snooty voice. “I don’t care what you say. The betrothal to Nandag will proceed, and that is an end to it. Nan and her people arrive tomorrow to sign the official contract. The wedding will take place on the following weekend.”
Gwenyth frowned. Leo had told her the betrothal and the marriage took up to a year. This seemed uncommonly quick. What was the hurry?
Leo was correct to suspect his parents’ actions. Their plan reeked to high heavens.
“I am legally married to Gwenyth. I love her and do not wish to have another wife. Gwenyth is my other half.”
His father puffed up, his shoulders expanding until his garments strained at the seams. A ring of smoke exited his flared nostrils.“The old tales of soulmates are rubbish. There is no such thing as a soulmate. I thought we knocked that nonsense out of you years ago.”
Gwenyth had difficulty standing her ground and masking the fear that flashed through her. Leo’s parents were scary. Their uncaring attitudes didn’t signal reasonable or a willingness to listen to a convincing argument.
“This is not a discussion, Leonidas,” his mother snapped. “We’re not stupid. You married this human to place a barrier in our way. You have always been a tiresome child. Nothing like your brothers.”
“Why must Leo marry Nan, The Strongminded?” Gwenyth blurted. “Why can’t one of his older brothers get betrothed to her?”
“You dare to speak to our rulers?” Telus thundered.
Gwenyth froze, wishing she hadn’t inserted herself into the conversation. She quivered, and Leo placed his arm around her waist. He drew her closer until their bodies touched. She took comfort from his proximity and pressed her lips together, so she didn’t repeat her mistake.
“Gwenyth raises an excellent point. None of my older brothers are wed. Offer one of them as a match with Nan. Why does it have to be me?”
“Tudoarreo, The Dragon Lord, andQille, The Taker of Life, do not answer to you,” Telus thundered. “They are the absolute power in this castle, and your betrothal is their choice to make.”
Leo’s mother gave a contemptuous sniff. “Telus has the right of it. We make the decisions. Everyone follows our rules.”
“I do not live here,” Leo snapped. Neither his parents nor Telus deflated Leo’s courage. “I have not lived at the castle for years.”
“No, you prefer to dig in the dirt, despite your advantages,” his father snarled. “You bring shame to our clan. Others laugh at your common activities. But runt, in this, you will follow our directive. You will sign the betrothal papers and you will marry Nan, The Strongminded. The deal is struck, and nothing you do or say will make me change my mind. Are you clear?”
