He looks away, embarrassed.
Gareth raises his glass. “To King Sevrin. The bringer of peace.”
Everyone toasts. The air shifts, warmer and friendlier.
Alaric leans in to all of us, voice low. “I didn’t think they liked us…”
Queen Mariswen hears him anyway. “We don’t,” she says, deadpan. “But we’re willing to try.”
Princess Aeralyn grins at that, and Lucien laughs, and even I feel the knot in my chest loosen.
We eat and talk, and for a while, I forget why we’re here. I forget about the peace treaty, the dragons, and the constant, gnawing fear of tomorrow. Sevrin’s sisters and mother tell stories of him growing up in this strange place. And even though I didn’t feel like I could love him more before, I do now.
After dinner, Queen Mariswen leads me out to the back garden. The air is cooler here, the ground dirt instead of ash and lava rock. There are more plants, beans, squash, and something with purple flowers. The space for gardening here isn’t exactly plentiful, but they definitely use the earth they have access to.
She kneels and starts pulling weeds and putting them in a basket, hands quick and sure. “You like my son,” she says, not looking up.
“I do,” I say. “Very much.”
“He’s never been a man who falls in love easily,” she says. “But I guess he imprinted on you, so the fates destined you to be together.”
“I guess so. Luckily for me,” I say, and she laughs, a low, rich sound.
“He likes you too,” she says. “I can see it.”
I look at my hands, unsure what to say.
Queen Mariswen adjusts the weeds in the basket. “Don’t ever let him be lonely, Queen Harper. Not even for a minute. Remember that he’s giving up the life he knows, his friends, and his family, for you, and for peace.”
I swallow. “He won’t ever be lonely with me.”
She nods, satisfied, and goes back to her work.
When I return to the hall, the others are sprawled on the rugs, drinking and swapping stories. Princess Aeralyn has somehow convinced Gareth to arm wrestle her, and he’s losing, badly. Lucien and Princess Isaris are playing some game with colored stones, and Alaric is debating strategy with one of the Hollowborn men.
Sevrin catches my eye from across the room. I walk to him, and he grins, lopsided and shy.
“You okay?” I ask.
“Better than okay,” he says. “They adore you.”
“Adoremight be a strong word,” I tease. “But they’re not unhappy about us being together, which is enough, for now.”
He laughs, pulling me into a hug. “I love you,” he whispers, fierce and true.
I squeeze him back. “I love you, too.”
Closing my eyes, I hold on tight to this incredible man that I was lucky enough to find, and my gaze moves over my princes in the room. We might have a long journey back tomorrow, but for today, it’s nice just to all be together.
22
Sevrin
The oceanat night is flat, endless, and hard enough to kill a person if they fall from this height. That’s the first thing that runs through my mind when the moon rises over us as we fly on our dragons’ backs.Ourdragons. The moon washes Harper and the princes in silver light, making them look softer and more dreamlike.
The brothers, Gareth, Lucien, and Alaric, are flanking Harper in a protective triangle, their dragons gleaming against the night sky. She’s out front, as always, hair streaming and face set on the horizon, the kind of hope on her face that only a person who’s never watched their friends and loved ones die can feel. Behind us, the dragon females are trailing in a loose spiral. I’m not sure if they complain, but if they do, my dragon never tells me.
Rosanthra,mydragon, surges beneath me. She’s more restless than the others, especially since leaving Volcaris. I think because she’s finally found her mate, but we all have to be focused on the journey at hand. But even though my thoughtsare often on my mate too, I’m also thinking about Volcaris. About my two families meeting.
