“Geris, enough,” Rian growled.
“Um.” I squeezed Rian's hand.
“What is it, Mate?”
“Geris fetched me.”
“Oh. Yes, you said.”
“He heard you saying the name Umelamo, and he came to find me. Geris is the reason I'm here.”
Rian looked at Geris. Geris looked away.
The Dragon King let go of my hand, went to Geris, and yanked him into a hug. “Thank you, my friend. Thank you. I know that would have been hard for you.”
Geris gaped at me over Rian's shoulder, then closed his eyes and hugged Rian back. The hug went on for several long seconds, Rian squeezing Geris tighter.
“Um, you're welcome, Your Majesty,” Geris said. “And no offense, but you stink.”
Rian let Geris go with a laugh. “Perhaps I should bathe before I send word to the enclaves.”
“You're still summoning them instead of visiting?”
“A king summons his subjects, Geris. He doesn't go running to them like a child who has misbehaved. They will see that I've returned to my senses when they come for the presentation.”
Geris sighed. “Then I will see to the summons, Your Majesty.”
“Thank you, Geris.” Rian gripped his shoulder. “You could have abandoned me to my pain, but you stayed and fought for me. I will never forget that.”
“Nor will I,” I said gravely. “I'm sorry I ever doubted your loyalty.”
“Yeah, sure,” Geris muttered and stormed away.
I snorted a laugh. “Come on, Vash. We've got a new home to check out.”
Rian gaped at me. “But I thought . . . I don't want you upset again, Mate.”
“I'll get over it.” I took Rian's hand. “If you can go through all of that for me, I can deal with my past for you.”
Rian pulled me into his arms and kissed me. Within that kiss was triumph, not only over our obstacles but also over ourselves. And there was hope, a firm hope. But most of all, there was love. I tingled with it when the kiss finally ended, and I went boldly with Rian to the stairs, knowing that my memories of trauma were already fading. Rian had conquered them for me. He fought them from a cell.
“Welcome back, Your Majesty,” one of Rian's guards said as we passed between them.
“And congratulations on recovering your mate,” the other said.
“Thank you.” Rian nodded to them, lifted his chin, and escorted me upstairs to the royal apartments—our home.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Rian didn't release my hand, not once during our long walk. Nor had he hurried. He strolled with me as if we were shopping, but the only thing he wanted was me. His stare never left me, roaming my face and body, down to the tips of my wings. His guards followed at a discreet difference, more guards joining their number as we went. The Dragon knights fell into formation with barely concealed smiles and lifted their chins as they escorted us up to Rian's sanctuary.
The royal apartments were more sumptuous than King Dhrostan's, but that didn't surprise me. Rian was a hedonist at heart. He loved his fine clothes, fine food, and fine furnishings. I assumed he had chosen every piece of carved, polished wood in the many rooms that made up his private quarters. There was the salon, the library, the dining room, his office, and then the bedroom with its four-poster set atop a tiered dais. Yes, that, I recalled from my first visit. The fabrics were silk in several renditions—velvet, damask, and charmeuse. Everything begged to be touched, but none more so than the Dragon King himself.
I felt no fear upon entering the apartments. I knew this wasn't King Dhrostan's home. I had known it before, but my mind hadn't listened. Now, my mind and heart were full of Rian. I could barely look at the rooms we passed. Even the bed didn'tdemand my attention beyond noting that Vashana had claimed it. So focused was I, that I looked around and suddenly realized we were alone. The knights had inspected the apartments and left.
“You're too beautiful for me in this state,” Rian said as he led me into the bathroom.
“I prefer a lover less attractive than me,” I said haughtily. “I want to be the one stared at.”
