But when I arrived, panting and disheveled, the garden was empty. The decorated archway stood forlorn, flower petals scattered across vacant chairs.
No guests.
No officials.
No dragon king.
“Oh, no,” I moaned, turning in a circle. The sun hovered on the horizon, giving the sky a bruised appearance. “They’ve all gone.”
“Not all of us,” said a stern voice behind me.
I spun around to find Sasha standing on the terrace, dressed in a flouncy bridesmaid’s dress, her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes flashed with a mixture of exasperation and concern. My cousin Victoria stood beside her, looking resigned rather than surprised.
“I’m sorry,” I said, rushing toward them. “I was working on thermal pattern predictions, and I lost track of time and?—”
“Of course you did.” Sasha’s voice came out soft despite her rigid posture. “When have you ever kept track of time when you’re working?”
Victoria nodded, though sympathetically. “You’re two hours late. That’s actually better than I predicted. I had you arriving around midnight.”
“The guests?” I asked weakly.
“Left an hour ago,” Victoria said. “With appropriate diplomatic excuses and gift baskets.”
“Oh ancestors,” I groaned. “And my intended?”
“Still here, strangely enough,” Sasha said. “Though I wouldn’t describe him as pleased.”
Victoria’s lips twitched. “I’ve never seen anyone stand so perfectly still while radiating such intense irritation. I thought he might accidentally setthe gazebo on fire.”
“He’s a dragon shifter,” Sasha told her. “He literally could.”
“Where is he now?” I asked, my stomach knotting with anxiety.
“In Grandmother’s private garden,” Victoria said. “She’s been entertaining him with what I can only assume are embarrassing stories about you, judging by his increasingly horrified expression.”
Sasha stepped forward and adjusted my tiara, which had slipped to a rakish angle. “Your buttons are misaligned, your hair looks like you’ve been struck by lightning, and…” Her gaze took in my entire frame. “Those aren’t even the shoes that match the dress.”
“I was in a hurry.”
“Clearly not hurrying enough,” Sasha said, but there was no real bite to her words. She’d always been protective of me, even when she was exasperated. “Let’s get you to your dragon before he decides this alliance isn’t worth the trouble.”
Victoria quickly straightened my dress. “Remember, this marriage is important. You’re forging the first alliance between our people and the dragon shifter world.”
“I know,” I said, though truthfully, I’d been more focused on the fact that dragon territories had excellent observation points for studying high-altitude weather phenomena.
They guided me through the gardens toward the secluded corner that was Grandmother’s private sanctuary, a place usually off-limits to everyone but her closest family. Fletcher trotted beside me, projecting encouraging thoughts that didn’t actually help.
He probably breathes fire when angry,he said.But I’m sure he wouldn’t burn his new bride rightaway.
“Not helping,” I hissed under my breath.
“This is going to go fine.” As we approached the garden entrance, Victoria squeezed my hand. “Just be yourself.”
“That’s what we’re worried about,” Sasha mumbled. She paused and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. “Good luck, sis. You probably need it.”
CHAPTER THREE
ADELE
