“You know what I am,” I say. It is not a question, and trepidation tightens in my gut. The Fae and the dragons are mortal enemies. I have too much power inside my beast for us to be anything else.
“We do, shifter.” The other guard, who is shorter than the first, nods. His tone is not entirely friendly, but he too bows. “We have taken from the unwilling for too long. The power is bitter. Harsh. I would rather languish and pass into the afterlife than sustain myself on it any longer. If we cannot return to our own realm, I can think of no better penance than to entomb ourselves in the rubble of this tower. We can destroy it. Once the human and the tortured prince are free, we will do that very thing.”
Aurelia tightens her arm around my waist. “I believe them, Roarke. They are not evil, even if they have done evil things.”
“Very well. But I am keeping the dagger close,” I say as the guards press themselves against the wall to allow us to pass.
Aurelia supports more and more of my weight as we descend the stairs, and when we reach the door that leads outside, she hesitates. “What if…?”
“You said his name, my love. You told him you would never love him.”
“But—“
I silence her with my kiss, and a burst of strength infuses my limbs. She is perfection. Her taste like the sweetest fruit, like the wind as my dragon flies free and unburdened, like pure sunshine. Taking her moan of pleasure within me, I let her feel the hard length of my cock against her belly, and the scent of her arousal swirls around me.
“I will not let anything happen to you, Aurelia. If the worst comes to pass, we will find a way to break the charm. Together.”
Her lips are swollen from our shared passion, and her eyes sparkle in the afternoon sunlight. With her pressed to my side, we take a single step onto the thick carpet of moss outside the tower, and Aurelia breathes deeply.
“I…” Tears tumble from her eyes, and she throws her arms around me and holds on like she may never let go.
Strong enough now, I scoop her up and cradle her to my chest. “Come home with me, mate. Your father is safe with a friend of mine, and I…need to rest with you in my arms. After that, if the barrier truly has been broken, we can go anywhere you wish and start a new life. Together.“
* * *
Rolling over,I stifle my groan. My injuries—those that remain—are healing, but the memory of the Fae’s torture will never fade. Beside me, Aurelia sleeps soundly. I fashioned a splint for her broken fingers, and when we mate, our bond will give her some of my strength—enough to mend the shattered bones at least.
She and her father had a stilted reunion. Keeping the secret of her true parentage from her… I was not certain she would forgive him. I never will. But they embraced before Crux allowed him to return to his cottage, and she promised we would not leave without saying goodbye.
The veil hiding this realm from the rest of the world has fallen, and many of the outcasts have already left. Those who stepped into the Fae’s charmed circle less than ten years ago were the first to go. We saw several of them carrying small sacks of their belongings and running into the forest as we made our way to my home.
“Roarke?”
Her voice soothes me, and I brush a lock of hair away from her face. “Yes, my love?”
“This is a dream.” Her eyes shimmer with unshed tears, and I cup her cheek and brush my thumb over her lips.
“No, Aurelia. This is no dream.” I cannot keep a hint of sadness from my voice as I gently lift her hand to examine her broken fingers. “In a dream, we would be whole.”
She feathers a touch over a healing patch of skin along my side. One of my larger…offeringsto the King. That wound gave him so much power, he could no longer walk a straight line.
“Will we ever be whole again?” she asks.
“We are together. Does anything else matter?” Leaning in, I press a chaste kiss to her lips. “You did not get to see the best part of this house last night. May I show you?”
She nods, and with our arms around one another, we shuffle into the bathroom. I worked for years on this room. In one corner, there is a lavish teak wood sauna, and in the other, a shower large enough for the both of us.
“Is there…warmwater?” Aurelia asks.
“My love…when you are with a dragon, there is always hot water. The boiler in back of the house took me decades to perfect. Wait here?” I ease her down onto the bench in the sauna, but her eyes widen, and she shakes her head.
“No. I want to stay with you. Please, Roarke.”
I should not have been so thoughtless. She has no cause to fear. Not now. But nor do I, and my nightmares woke me several times during the night. “Of course, my love.”
Leading her outside, I warn her to stay back, then let my dragon take control. The shift is only partial, just enough for him to call forth the flames that turn the metal of the boiler red hot.
Aurelia gasps, and I cut my gaze to her, worried I’ve somehow frightened her, but instead, she watches in awe. “You are magnificent,” she breathes, and my dragon preens as he retreats back to his dormancy.
