Home.
I smile.Yes, home.
You don’t sound happy.
I am. I’m just worried. Our entire future is determined by how this goes.
One future is determined by how this goes, not all. Even if this goes badly, there will be tomorrow. There will be other things to look forward to and other things to worry about.
Ebron is way too smart for his own good.How do you feel about everything?
I was looking forward to fighting our enemies, but raising my hatchlings without war, because of their own father’s role in it, is its own kind of victory.Not that I will ever be friendly with a bone wyrm. Using magic to raise the bodies of my dead kind is unnatural. No dragon will tolerate it.
That’s fair, I wouldn’t want the bodies of my friends walking around with me either,I admit.
But I am looking forward to seeing my mates. To finally claiming them. Now that you’re marrying their riders, there’s nothing to stop us.
Hearing the joy in his voice hurts just a little. I can’t say with one hundred percent certainty that I’m looking forward to marrying the princes.
But all I manage to say is,I’m glad.
My stomach turns as we fly lower. I need things to go well today for the sake of Sevrin’s peopleandmy people. They deserve peace. They deserve to stop seeing their loved ones go off to a pointless war. We can make that happen, as long as we watch what we do and behave in an intelligent way.There will be no room for emotions today.
And yet, it’s not that easy.
I keep picturing Sevrin and I standing before the king, the peace treaty in hand, everyone ready and willing to put the days of fighting behind us, and then some small thing creeps up that reminds everyone about how much they hate each other, and suddenly, there’s no more peace. Just Sevrin. My husband. Surrounded by enemies.
That won’t happen. I can’t let it.
And then my thoughts ricochet to Lucien, Gareth, and Alaric. Our relationship has been a complete disaster so far, and that’s without the added trouble of Sevrin being thrown into the mix. I’m not sure exactly how they’ll handle him, but I know it won’t go well, no matter what I do. I just need it to not go terribly.
“You’re worried.” Sevrin’s words are a statement, not a question.
“I am.”
His arms unwind from around my waist, and he begins to rub his hands up and down my arms. “You’re not alone now. We’re facing this together, and we will face it well.”
“So much can go wrong.”
“We won’t let it.”
I release a slow breath, strangely comforted by his confidence. “You might want to let me lead. I know my people. I know the princes and the king.”
He kisses my shoulder. “My Heart, you are everything to me, and a leader in your own right, but your people need to see me as the King of the Hollowborns. They need to respect me. They need to fear me, at least a little. This treaty won’t happen if they sense any kind of weakness, and if I’m standing behind you, that will be seen as a weakness. You’re welcome to walk by my side, never behind me, but I can’t walk behind you either.”
I’m surprised. I hadn’t thought about the implications of my request like that, but now that he’s explained himself, I can see why having me lead everything might be a bad thing. What’s more, it’s unexpected that he wants me to walk by his side. I feel like the princes always want me walking a few steps behind.
Is this what respect feels like?If so, I like it.
“Okay, I understand.”
“I just want to deal with this and get back to our room,” he says, pulling me back a little, and harder against his ever-present erection.
I laugh. “Is it ever going to calm down?”
“It?” he asks, amused.
“I mean, it can’t just be hard all the time.”
