“The curtains can be fixed,” Kieren says from outside our little bubble. “I’d give all the curtains in the realm to watch that every day.”
Icrawl out of bed. Roark’s long gone. He slept at the foot of the bed. Raine is right; he needs to apologize to Percy. But I’m not upset that I didn’t have to fight to stay at her side. My giant thunder mate likes to wait until Kieren or I are asleep and then move next to Raine.
The curtains are missing from the window and the floor. I’ll have to see if Leopold wants help with them today. I know he won’t, but I’ll ask.
Kieren’s asleep, his hand loosely over the top of Raine’s waist. I’m not going to wake him. This is one of the first days this week he hasn’t gone through the portal to fight with his parents.
I’m coming down the stairs to the dragon’s eye foyer when the curtains flutter, something that happens beforethe portal opens. There’s a light rumble in the distance, the mountains around us complaining. I hit the bottom step as Leopold rushes down the hallway. He grabs one side of the tapestry, and I grab the other side. The portal is already open, the inky darkness quivering. “Do you want me to close the gate, sir?”
I have no idea who could be coming through the portal. We schedule visits through the portal to keep its use to a minimum. Too often, and magic causes disturbances in the area. We’ve had a few spring avalanches, but this time of year, things are relatively safe.
I reach out to Kieren and Roark.The portal is opening.
On my way,Roark says. I feel darkness around him.Might take a minute.I’m in the caverns.
Kieren doesn’t answer. He’s still asleep.
“Leopold, can you get Kieren from Raine’s suite?”
“Yes.” Leopold takes off up the stairs. I’m still staring into the void. Waiting for whoever it is to come through.
63
KIEREN
I’m jolted by Evander’s voice in my head and Leopold’s voice in the room. “Mr. Alder.”
“Leo?” Raine pulls the sheet up around her.
“The portal is open,” Leopold says.
I’m out of bed in a flash and grab my trousers on the way out the door. “Stay here,” I shout over my shoulder. I don’t expect she will. Raine has too much curiosity to actually do as I tell her to.
My dragon rumbles against my skin. I told everyone in Crest Wing that we would keep the portal closed today, to keep things safe. Our portal has been acting oddly. And our intel says that others have been too. Elderglen and Rivulet both have said that their portals have been shooting extra power around.
I take the stairs two at a time. The curtains are pulled back. Roark comes down the hallway as I hit the bottom step. Evander’s standing staring at the open portal.
“No one’s come through?”
“Nothing,” Evander says.
“Could be malfunctioning?”
“Maybe.” I button my trousers as I hear Raine on the balcony. “Watch from there,” I say without turning around. I’ve heard many conversations my parents had, ones I wasn’t meant to hear, standing in the same spot.
“Okay.”
A tumble of sky-blue robes drops out of the blackness and thumps onto the tile, followed by a rush of my native language in a voice I know all too well. “Oh, for crying out loud, can’t I at least do one fucking thing right?”
“Aisling? How did you get here?” Evander says before I can move.
She’s struggling with her robes. Female dragons wear a lot of layers in the realm since their dragons can’t keep them warm all the time. The silk and wool flutter around her. It snaps me out of my trance.
“They let you out?”
“Yes, well, they kicked me out of the tower to come deliver a message to you.” She switches to English halfway through the sentence, straightening the braid on her head and then the sleeves of her dress under her robe. While I wait for a hug.
“Give me a hug, sister,” I say louder than I need to. I’m sure Raine can hear me, but I’m not doing anything to hurt her, not even for a second. I want the lightning to happen more than anything. And females in my realm get jealous easily. I’m not sure Raine would be the same, but it’s fantastic to see my sister—shocking, though. My parents must have at least backed down enough to let her out of the tower.
