I point at the couch. “Is he coming back tonight?”
“No, I don’t think so. It’s bad at Crest Wing. The king and queen didn’t think this through.”
“They’re manipulating Kieren and us into taking a mate. If we can’t find our thunder’s fated mate, they want us to just take any mate.” I’d rather live without a mate, but the Crest Wing royals aren’t going to allow that.
Evander takes a long pull on his Dragon Ale. “Oh, that part they thought through. But Kieren’s gotten word from spies in Firested and Rivulet. The other clans all think Crest Wing is up to something. Why else would they pull the princess from the academy halfway through the year? There’s low-level rumbling and panic among the courts of the other clans.”
“Have other students been called home yet?” I’m studying my Dragon Ale like it might give me the answers.
“No, but my contact at the academy says it’s only a matter of time. The head of school has sent out numerous scrolls trying to calm anxious parents, but it’s not going to be enough.”
“They have to send her back, or it’s going to end in war,” I say and lean forward. My elbows are on my knees. There’s just a sliver of light coming through the curtains, and thelong, low shadows of the fireplace dance around the shadows of the furniture.
“It might be too late. But Kieren is trying to talk some sense into his parents. The academy has always been one of the safest places in the realm. No clan would dare attack there.”
“Wars start because people live in the belief that others wouldn’t dare. People always dare. That’s the ugly nature of the realm, and this world too. Boundaries are made to be broken.” I fucking hate it, but it’s the truth.
Evander leans back in his chair, a tendril of smoke coming from his nose. The same comes from me. We sit in silence, our dragons letting off steam, and smoke gathers at the ceiling. Leopold will be frustrated with us in the morning. But right now, it’s keeping me from rushing upstairs and doing more than Evander’s make-out session with Raine.
“You’re going with her, sir?” Percy blinks up at me. He’s a loyal, mated, Crest Wing dragon. His mate is the head of housekeeping. They’re among the few who choose to live as Earthbound Crest Wing dragons. His other form is small—tiny. The longer you live in this realm, the weaker your dragon becomes.
“Indeed. I’ll be driving her.” I place the lunch that Leopold handed me on my way out on the front seat.
“You, sir? Forgive me, but Leopold said...Yes, of course. The keys are in the car.” His shoulders slump, and I remember what Leopold told me a few years back, how much Percy enjoys driving, that he didn’t mind driving me to Zurich so I could do clan business. Percy pivots on the gravel and walks toward the back entrance.
I shake my head, wondering what a sap I’ve become and what my father would think of me now. “Percy,” I shout, “I’ve changed my mind.”
“Okay.” Percy shuffles back to the car, getting into the front seat. I take the lunch box and move it into the back seat, closing the privacy screen while I’m there.
I’m leaning against the town car when Raine comes out the front door. Fuck me. She’s a vision. Dark trousers that hug her waist. A white button-up blouse with a simple tie at the neck that begs to be yanked off. I’m in trouble.
She has a ragged rucksack on her shoulder and a stack of binders hugged to her chest. She hasn’t spotted me yet. She is too busy staring at her phone. There’s a definite possibility that she’s going to run into the curb. I stand up straight, ready to dive for her when she does. But at the last minute she looks up, her eyes go wide, and she stumbles forward at the shock of seeing me instead.
“Whoa.” She lands on her feet after a few long steps. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I thought I would keep you company on the trip.” I smile.
“Oh, right.” She hugs the binders to her chest like a shield. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long? I normally don’t take so long to get ready. I tried on a half-dozen things, dresses, skirts. I was trying to find the perfect thing that says ‘don’t kick me out of the country.’”
“Your outfit is perfect.” A small kernel of guilt pokes at me, that I’ve caused her distress by setting up this meeting. “Looks like you were planning on keeping busy.” I take the binders and her bag from her and open the door. I’m tempted to put the work in the boot so I can have all of her attention, but I decide that if I can’t compete with a notebook, I’m already out of the game.
She gets in, and I shut the car door, jog around to the other side, and close the other door behind me with a thud.
I place the notebooks on the floor between us, her bag on top, then push the intercom. “We’re set, Percy.”
The car engine starts, and I notice Raine isn’t buckled in. I reach across her and pull the belt over her. I’m careful to not touch her like I want to.
“I guess we weren’t ready. Sorry, I was getting to it. Safety first.”
“Yes, safety first.” My dragon’s pushing at my skin.
“You didn’t need to come with me... but it’s nice to have company on a long car trip.”
“I’m glad I’m better than work.”
“Yes, much better than work. But . . .”
“But you want to work anyhow?” She really does remind me of Kieren.
