He must not have hidden his anger completely, for the three men before him paled. Drystan realized smoke was pouring out of his nostrils, and he hastily extinguished the fire in his chest. He needed to get a firm hold on his temper, or he was no better than hisfather.
“You mentioned the Black Cloak Brotherhood earlier,” Lord Renflaw said, speaking a bit more gently than before. “Our sources tell us that they have preachers wandering the outlying provinces, spreading anti-dragon propaganda. They claim that dragons are anachronistic, relics of a bygone past, and that it is time for humans to ruleDragonfell.”
“Humans?” Drystan sputtered. “That’s preposterous. It is calledDragonfell for areason.”
“Maybe so,” Lord Brimlow said, “but in view of all this unrest, it would be wise of you to court favor with your vassals. As dragon born, we too do not wish to see humans overthrow the current regime, but as you mentioned”—he shrugged a shoulder—“they do make up themajority.”
“I see,” Drystan said, and really, he did. The councilman was saying, in not so many words, that Drystan needed them more than they needed him. And until he recovered the treasure and Dareena, the councilman was right. Sighing, he settled into his chair and prepared to listen to the rest of their grievances. He couldn’t reverse his edict about the soldiers’ tax exemption, not without creating even more civil unrest. But he could promise to consult with them before making any other decisions. As much as he didn’t like being questioned, he had to playball.
He only hoped the council wouldn’t back him into a corner as far as his relationship with Dareena was concerned. He knew the idea of all three brothers sharing the throne, and the Dragon’s Gift, was unheard of. But Drystan didn’t care. His family came first, and the gods help any man who tried to stand in hisway.
8
It tookhours for the rain to let up, and even then, Dareena and Alistair were forced to make the rest of the journey in that open cart while a steady drizzle continued. Normally, Alistair would have been able to keep them warm with his dragon fire, but with the enchantment sapping his strength, he was barely able to sit upright. By the time they arrived at Enethar, Elvenhame’s capital city and home to Castle Whitestone, Alistair was shivering, his brow hot withfever.
“Help me get him inside,” Dareena urged the guards as they pulled up in front of the castle. It was late at night, and far too dark for Dareena to appreciate the castle’s splendor even if she had been in any mood to doso.
The guards smirked a little as they beheld Alistair in his sorry state, but the duchess ordered them to do Dareena’s bidding. It seemed that she, too, was tired from their long journey, for she swept into the castle without a word, presumably heading to her room for the night. The steward, a tall, reed-thin elf with black hair, showed them to adjoining rooms that were modest for their rank but not uncomfortable. Dareena barely noticed the surroundings at all—the moment they were alone, she opened the adjoining door and hurried into Alistair’sroom.
“Come now,” she said, grabbing his hand. He’d collapsed onto the bed, his big body shaking. “We need to get you out of theseclothes.”
“S-so c-c-cold,” he chattered, his eyes squeezedshut.
It took Dareena a few minutes, but she managed to coax him upright and get him out of his sodden clothes. Once he was naked, she stripped off her own clothing, then burrowed under the covers withhim.
“Let’s get you warm.” She pressed her naked body flush against his. His skin was scalding in some places, ice cold in others, but she let none of that deter her as she wrapped her arms around him and rubbed his back with slow, soothingmotions.
Alistair muttered something incomprehensible as he buried his face in her neck, and she nuzzled hischeek.
“There now,” she said as his shaking gradually subsided. “You’re starting to feel better, aren’tyou?”
“Much,” he mumbled into her neck, and she laughed. Her laugh subsided as he skimmed his hand down her bare back, then gently squeezed her bottom. “You feelgood.”
Dareena shivered as his hard length pressed into her belly. “You should get some rest,” she whispered, even as her nipples began to pebble. He shifted a little, and she bit back a moan as his chest scraped against herbreasts.
“I had plenty of rest in that accursed wagon,” he said, nudging her legs apart. Dareena gasped as he slid his fingers between her thighs and cupped her. She was already growing wet, her tender folds aching as he massaged her, and she arched into his touch when he found herclit.
“I guess…a little sex…wouldn’t hurt…” she managed as he played with her. A moan tore from her lips when he bent his head and bit down on the sensitive spot where her neck and shoulder met. After all, sex strengthened her dragon princes, didn’t it? Perhaps a tumble in the sheets would drive away some of the foul magic plaguing Alistair and replenish hisstrength.
“That’s it,” he breathed as she came, clutching at his broad shoulders while she shook from the force of it. Rolling her onto her back, he kissed a scorching path down her chest, then traced slow circles around her nipples until she was gripping fistfuls of his hair, urging him lower. Her hips shot straight off the bed when he took her clit in his mouth, sucking hard, and she clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle her scream as she flew off the deep endagain.
“Again,” Alistair demanded. He slid two fingers inside her as he continued to lick the sensitive nub, driving her absolutely wild. Unable to control herself, Dareena stuffed part of the sheet in her mouth so she could grab his hair again, urging him on. She was on fire, burning from the inside out with need, and she wouldn’t have been surprised if her entire body glowed from the force. Her mind was saturated with need, her heart full to bursting, and she couldn’t get enough, shecouldn’t—
“Mine,” he growled, finally slamming into her. She screamed his name as he filled her, stretching her to the fine line between pain and pleasure, and he ripped the impromptu gag from her mouth. He kissed her fiercely, filling her with the taste of him, his tongue deep inside her mouth as he fucked her with single-minded determination. The bed shook so hard beneath them that he gripped the headboard with one hand, and Dareena sank her fingernails into his luscious arse, urging him faster, harder, deeper. The air around them hummed with power as their souls, for a brief moment in time, strained toward each other, determined to becomeone.
“Yes,” she moaned into his mouth as the edge rushed up to meet her. Theorgasm hit, a tidal wave of pure pleasure that had her eyes rolling back into her head. Alistair stiffened, and then he came, his entire body vibrating from the force of it. Dareena smiled against his mouth, her walls clenched around his cock as she milked him for all he wasworth.
“Mine,” he growled again, tucking his face into the crook of her neck. He bit down on her shoulder, a gesture that was somehow possessive and tender all atonce.
“Yours,” she murmured in his ear as he collapsed on top of her. A soft warmth spread through her as he rolled onto his side, cradling her back against his chest, and she smiled as he nuzzled herneck.
“Yes, I’m definitely feeling much better,” he said, and she laughed. “Thank you.” He pressed a gentle kiss against hercheek.
“You don’t have to thank me.” She twisted her neck so she could stick out her tongue at him. “I’m not doing you a favor. This is a mutually beneficialarrangement.”
“An arrangement, is it?” He nipped at her earlobe, making her squirm. “I’ve got some news foryou.”
“Oh?” She stilled at the serious note in his voice. “What isit?”
