“I can come back and open it when we find a cure.” The Dragon King held my gaze. “And we will, won't we?”
“I think you mean I will.” I glanced at the door. “I can't guarantee it, but I will try.”
“That's enough for me, Master Sevarin.”
Chapter Ten
I had sex with the King that night, but left afterward. He accepted it with a minor pout. The next day, however, I didn't see him at all. Not at breakfast or lunch. Which was fine. We weren't lovers. I did not expect him to check in with me every day. Although I would have thought he'd be interested in my progress.
“Master Sevarin?”
I looked up from the bubbling pot to find a Lelurra man standing in the doorway of my lab. My mind turned to thoughts of Eliel, the mate of the Dragon King of Tabaa. This man looked nothing like the stunning Eliel, though he was still lovely, with long blond hair and black wings that set his locks to shining. Still, it was enough to make me think back, images of Eliel and King Raventar taunting me.
The memories should have been a warning. I'd seen firsthand what a Dragon mating bond was like. The King and Eliel had been inseparable. That alone made me cringe. I didn't want to be followed around by my lover. I certainly didn't want him growling at every man who looked at me for over two seconds. But within that intensity, I'd also witnessed a love that made my chest clench. Volpers fell in love like anyone else, but we were careful about it. Reason was used to temper love. The love King Raventar shared with Eliel was anything butreasonable. It had also been beautiful—a ballad come to life. It was the sort of love you think only exists in stories. As much as my reasoning scoffed at it, my heart ached for it.
The ache was a fantasy. I knew that. Living with a love like that would be tiresome. That kind of intensity couldn't be maintained without some kind of burnout. No, I didn't want that. Couldn't. It wasn't in my nature. If I were another man, perhaps. Living another life.
“Master Sevarin?” the man said again.
“Sorry.” I focused on him fully. “I was lost in thought. How can I help you?”
“The King sent me to escort you to dinner.” He bowed. “I'm Lord Caro.”
“Nice to meet you.” I looked down at my work. “I'm a little busy.”
“The King thought you might say that. He insists you take some time to eat.”
I grimaced. So, now, when I was in the middle of work, he wanted to see me. “Fine.” I turned off the burner and covered the pot on it. I didn't want anything accidentally falling in and ruining the experiment.
“Uh, perhaps remove the apron?” Lord Caro motioned to me.
I looked down. “Ah, yes.” With a quick tug, I untied the apron and then pulled it over my head.
The way Lord Caro blinked made me take another look at what I was wearing. It was simple—no sense in wearingsomething nice to work in—and there was nothing wrong with the black tunic and loose pants. If the court or the King judged me on my clothing, it wouldn't bother me. Maybe I could dine in peace.
“After you.” I waved at the door.
Lord Caro smiled and backed out, his wings folding in against his back. I shut the door and locked it. The last thing I wanted was a maid coming in to straighten up. That could be disastrous.
We strode down the corridor toward the stairs. My lab was on the floor just below the royal apartments, and the dining hall was on the ground floor. So we had three flights of stairs to descend.
“I hear you're from the Algrine Mountains,” Caro said.
“Yes, a village called Tuva.”
“I'm from Avarine.”
My eyebrows went up. “That's to the south of Tuva.”
“Yes, I think that's why His Majesty asked me to fetch you.” He grinned. “I've been to Tuva for the market.”
“And I've been to Avarine for ingredients.”
He chuckled. “And now you're going to save the kingdom.”
I sighed. “That's my hope.”
“This is only your second day here, right?”
