Page 16 of Ash and Burn

"Your Majesty." Cevryn's voice carried its usual measured politeness. His pale eyes swept over Arvid with clinical assessment before returning to Calix. "And our unexpected guest."

The emphasis on 'unexpected' landed like a blade between the ribs. Calix felt his jaw tighten, his dragon stirring restlessly beneath the surface as protective instincts flared higher.

"Arvid Jasper," she said, stepping forward with confidence that came from military training and a complete lack of intimidation by political theater. "I understand you have concerns about my presence."

Cevryn's smile remained perfectly controlled, revealing nothing. "Indeed. It seems our king has made a unilateral decision regarding Ashvorn's security protocols within the past twenty-four hours."

Here we go.

"I brought Dr. Jasper here because people are dying." Calix's voice carried the authority of fifteen years of kingship but underneath lay something rawer—the desperation of a man watching his people suffer while politics demanded procedure. "Ash Fever is worsening daily. There was no time for committees and votes."

"Crisis does not eliminate the necessity of proper channels, Your Majesty." Cevryn settled back into his chair, his fingers steepled in a gesture that managed to convey both patience and condescension. "Authorization protocols exist for reasons beyond mere bureaucracy. They protect Ashvorn's interests."

The familiar weight of political maneuvering settled over the room like smoke from the Caldran's vents. Calix recognized the dance—he'd been forced to perform it countless times over the years, navigating between what needed to be done and what the council would permit. Usually, he possessed the patience for such games.

But today felt different.

"What are you suggesting?" The question came out sharp, his dragon's influence bleeding through his carefully maintained control.

"I'm suggesting that bringing an off-world scientist into our territory, granting her access to sensitive medical data, and housing her in the royal estate without council approval represents a concerning pattern of impulsive decision-making."

The words hit their target with surgical precision. Calix felt the familiar sting of having his judgment questioned, and the subtle implication that emotion had compromised his leadership. His hands clenched at his sides, knuckles whitening as he fought the urge to remind Cevryn exactly who held ultimate authority in Ashvorn.

"Perhaps Dr. Jasper should return to Earth until proper authorization can be secured," Cevryn continued, his tone suggesting the matter had already been decided. "I'm certain we can expedite the approval process."

Like hell you will.

The thought blazed through Calix's mind with startling intensity, his dragon roaring in agreement. The idea of Arvid leaving—of losing the only potential solution they'd found and losing his fated mate at the same time—felt like watching his territory and his future burn while holding water.

But before he could voice his objections, Arvid spoke.

"I'm not leaving."

The certainty in her voice cut through the political posturing like a blade. She stood straighter, her shoulders squaring in a way that transformed her from visiting scientist into something that looked remarkably like a soldier preparing for war.

"The outbreak is accelerating," she continued, her tone carrying clinical authority. "Organ failure changes the entire treatment paradigm. I've already identified similarities to research I was conducting on Earth—research that could save lives here if we act quickly."

Calix watched her face as she spoke, noting the way her eyes had gone dark and focused—the same shift he'd witnessed earlier that had made his dragon take notice. She barely knew these people, had been in Ashvorn for less than a day, yet somehow she already sounded like someone willing to fight for it.

His dragon became unbearably pleased.

"Delays cost lives," Arvid finished, her gaze never wavering from Cevryn's. "I won't allow preventable deaths because of procedural concerns."

Cevryn's expression remained perfectly composed, but Calix caught the slight tightening around his eyes—the first crack in his political armor. "Good intentions are admirable, Dr. Jasper. However, helping and having permission are not the same thing."

"Arvid stays."

The words left Calix's mouth before he'd fully formed the decision, carrying a certainty that surprised him.

"We need her expertise. We cannot afford to lose time to politics while my people suffer." The truth of it blazed through him, though he refused to examine why defending her felt so natural, so necessary. "She remains in Ashvorn."

Cevryn studied him for a long moment, his pale eyes calculating. When he spoke again, his tone carried the satisfaction of someone who had maneuvered his opponent exactly where he wanted them.

"Very well. Dr. Jasper may remain." The concession came too easily, setting off warning bells in Calix's mind. "However, given the... irregular nature of her arrival, she will require supervision. Constant supervision."

"Absolutely not." Arvid's response came sharp and immediate. "I don't need a babysitter."

Calix's first instinct blazed through him.