“But there’s no substitute for good breeding,” Seraphina continued. “Or decorum. Weren’t you the one that fell from your dragon’s back yesterday?”
Protect your queen, ‘Fang snapped.This one, her mind is diseased. She intends?—
The way Seraphina folded her arms, that vicious smile. I didn’t need my dragon to warn me, because I knew the stuck up bitch was about to bite.
“The poor creature. Dragons aren’t made to carry such a heavy weight, are they?”
I was on my feet, putting myself between Fern and Seraphina, but that didn’t matter. My girl’s pained gasp, it echoed through my head. That’s why my dagger was jerked from my belt. My head knew I’d never raise my hand to a woman, but my heart? It beat hard, fast, telling me danger was near and I needed to protect what was mine. Stabbing it into the very nice table was a defensive measure.
One that stopped me from wiping that smug smile off Seraphina face.
“You can call me dumb, stupid, moronic,” I snapped, stepping closer. The way she was forced to crane her neck to maintain eye contact? Yeah, that was exactly what I wanted. “Better people than you have done so and will again. What you won’t do…” When I took astep forward, Seraphina was forced to shuffle back. “Is speak to my girl that way. She is a queen.” I was herding the woman back, away from Fern. “You are nothing more than shit on the sole of her shoe.”
“How dare you speak to me in this manner!” Seraphina squeaked. “I’m?—”
“I do not give a fuck about which poxy, highborn bitch birthed you, other than I wish you’d crawl back to where you came from. Keep away from Fern. Do you hear me? Keep the fuck away from my girl or you’ll find out exactly what the street rats of Coalbottom are capable of.”
“Lorien.”
I turned to see Fern standing there, and that tremulous smile? It was everything. All the exhaustion of last night, it was wiped away in that moment, replaced by a golden buzz. Seraphina muttered something, but I couldn’t give a shit, not when Fern was right there. I was moving towards her, my hands on her face, her hair. Smoothing it back felt like touching the finest velvet.
“Are you alright?” I asked, searching her face for signs because I couldn’t wait for her answer. “That poisonous little bitch. I shouldn’t have let her get within ten feet of you.”
“I’m…” She blinked as her smile widened. “I’m fine, really. If I allowed wretches like Seraphina get to me, I’d never dared leave my father’s home, let alone ride to the keep with Auren.”
“She won’t get anywhere near you going forward,” I growled. “If anyone else has something to say, I’ll sort them out too.”
“My knight in shining armour,” she said, clasping her hands to her chest in a theatrical manner.
Except I wasn’t. A knight might pick up a lady to whisk her to safety, whereas I just wanted to drag her to some undisturbed corner of the library to see if I could make that fine flush stain other parts of her body as?—
“Is everything alright here?” Christian appeared from behind the bookcase, then took the two of us in with a frown. “I’ve just had the daughter of Baron Ashbourne at my desk, making outlandish complaints.”
I was just about to try and talk my way around the librarian when his eyes narrowed, spying my dagger buried point first into the table.
“She dared to insult my lady,” I said, yanking the dagger free, “and we were just going.”
“Lorien—!” Fern yelped as I wrapped my arm around her waist and steered her towards the door.
“Well, I thought I’d come by and tell you I’ve sent a letter to a colleague at the university who specialises in ancient dragons,” Christian said. “Asking if he’d be willing to speak to you.”
“Send word if you get a reply,” I said, not taking a full breath until we left the library. “Now, there is nothing more that I want than to spend the day talking about old bones and dragon tombs, but…” My thumb brushed her cheek. “If you want to do a more hands-on investigation of Drathnor’s cave, I need to leave you and go and catch up on some sleep. I’ll meet you on the keep roof at daybreak?”
“Of course. Auren and I will be there, waiting.”
I could’ve left things there, but some devil had me moving forward. My lungs sucked in her scent, pretty, floral and reminiscent of wild roses, right before I pressed my lips to her cheek. That just made me want more, more, but while impulse control wasn’t my strong point, some part of me knew rushing Fern was not the way.
You have to let your queen declare she is ready to mate before you can give chase, ‘Fang advised.
And maybe that would happen over the three day trip to Blackreach.
“Dress warmly,” I said, my hands on her arms. “And pack a few changes of clothes. It’s quite the journey.”
“Until tomorrow, Master…” She sketched a brief curtsey. “Just Lorien.”
That buzz carried me away from my girl and up the stairs, tothe barracks. It didn’t even register the snores of my brothers, but then Dain’s eyes flicked open.
“Where’d you get to?” he croaked.
