It was bizarre in the extreme to be the focus of so much warmth and admiration from people who were so important. She’d gotten used to Taevas, but she also hadn’t really believed him when he told her who he was. Now it was all very, very real, and that meant she had to act like it didn’t feel like a fever dream to have the leaders of a territory treat her like she was important.
Somehow it felt more natural when it was just the dragons doing it. When the sovereigns looked at her like that, Alashiya had to fight the urge to squirm. Only Taevas’s steadying hand on her back stopped her from blurting out that she really wasn’t anyoneof note, that she’d just done what felt right, and that there was never any choice when it came to her husband.
Instead, she took a deep breath, straightened her spine, and replied, “Welcome to our home. I’m… I’m very happy I finally get to meet you.”
Her husband’s lips twisted in a rueful smile. “You’re going to love the part where I crashed through the roof of her barn.”
She gave the elf’s hand a shake before sidling a bit closer to Taevas. Theodore seemed lovely, but it was true that all elves carried with them a predatory aura. Just standing near him made ancient instincts bristle.
Probably because a few in her line had been eaten by elves, back when they could get away with that sort of thing.
Wrapping her arm around his waist, she fell back onto the manners ingrained into her DNA. “Have you two eaten? I haven’t found the kitchen yet, but I’m sure I can make us something if Taevas points me in the right direction.”
The reaction from the pair was instant. Theodore waved one massive hand, dismissing her offer, and Margot protested, “No, absolutely not. I can only imagine what you’ve been through in the last few days. There is no way you’re cooking for us. Besides, my husband only eats raw meat. I don’t know much about nymphs, but I’m pretty sure you’re vegetarian, aren’t you?”
Alashiya balked. “Ah, yes. I… I don’t know if I can do that.”
Theodore laughed. Running his claws through his wavy black hair, he teased, “You and my wife have that in common. It’d be an honor to be served a meal made by the new Emand, but I wouldn’t do that to you. That’s not why we came, anyway.”
Suddenly serious, Taevas asked, “You didn’t just come to see us, did you?”
Theodore clapped a hand on Taevas's shoulder. “No,” he answered, a peculiar note in his voice. “We didn’t.”
He turned toward the windows and gestured for one of the masked guards that had followed them inside to open the door.Alashiya and Taevas shared a glance as the elf lifted two fingers, his dark gaze fixed on the white aircraft across the roof.
From within the darkness of the open hatch door, a hulking figure emerged. Light glinted off metal-capped horns as a bloody and shackled Sergei was escorted down the steps by his own small fleet of guards.
Sounding grimly pleased, Theodore announced, “We brought you a present.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
It wentagainst every instinct he possessed to allow Sergei into his roost or anywhere near his mate, so after the initial uproar over his arrival died down, he was promptly moved to the Wing barracks. Situated at the base of Taveas’s tower, it was still far too close for his liking, but it would have to do for now.
“We caught him trying to cross the border,” Theodore explained, his arms crossed over his chest and his glare locked on the filthy dragon slumped over the table in the makeshift interrogation room. They stood shoulder to shoulder looking in through the small square window in the door. “Patrol didn’t know who they had until your people put out the alert this morning. They almost let him go.”
The muscles of Taevas’s jaw worked as he ground his teeth. “Has he said anything?”
“No,” Theodore replied.
“Did a mind healer check him?”
“Yup. No sign of any tampering.” Theodore sniffed. “You know this prick?”
“Not before this, no,” he answered, “but he’s one of Jaak’s sons.”
“Ah. That explains it, I guess.”
Taevas made a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat. He wasn’t so sure. The things Sergei said hadn’t made any sense. Revenge for his father’s death seemed the most logical reason for all of this, but he’d been adamant that Jaak’s death wasn’t the reason behind his kidnapping. Of course, there was always the chance that he was lying, but something in Taevas’s gut made him question that easy answer.
Theodore turned slightly. Giving Taevas a long look, he asked, “What’s going on with your wings?”
A spasm of feeling wracked his chest.
He didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to remember how Healer Cutner’s tone changed when he said his wings might never be the same.
To not be able to fly was one thing, but to not be able to embrace his Chosen…
He’d hardly had the chance to process his joy over beingmarriedto his Alashiya, but knowing they had that bond helped soothe some small measure of his rage and grief over his injury. It didn’t make it bearable, necessarily, but whenever he looked at that new, silvery scar on his palm, he was reminded that she’d claimed him in a way that could never be undone — all without the expectation of ever being wrapped in his wings.
