Page 98 of Connor and the Dragons

Oallian enjoyed having a job. He rushed about gathering a plate of leftovers from the table and pouring a cup of water, and he drank a large swig of it himself before he offered it to me. Then he climbed into bed in front of me and made absolutely sure I ate and drank.

“I liked that,” I said. “You both said my name when you came. It makes me feel powerful.”

“I don’t remember saying anything at all,” Oallian said, grinning.

“You were quite lost in him,” Connor said. “I love watching the two of you. Our family.”

“It has been a very long time since I have had a family,” I said.

“You’ve got one now.” Connor kissed the back of my neck. “We love you, Kess. We’re not going anywhere.”

“I know. I am practicing believing it.”

We stayed tangled together for a long time, their hands roaming gently over my body, which was still shaking with an occasional aftershock, and I wondered if their seed was deep enough inside me to start an egg. It was probably too soon. We needed to be fully resonant for it to take.

But I liked the idea anyway.

“No more hoard runs,” I muttered, and Oallian laughed.

“I didn’t know how much you needed me,” he said. “I would never have left if I knew.”

“But why would you give in to the urge and risk it?” Connor asked.

Oallian blew out a breath. He reached down beside the bed, picked the tiara up off the floor, and turned it over in his hands. “I think it was the influence of the dragon. Vyranthos wanted to.”

“You do not usually do what Vyranthos wants you to,” I said.

“No. But I’m preparing.”

“For what?” Connor asked.

“For a time when you don’t have me. When I can’t be there to take care of you.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, pushing up on one elbow.

“Seeing the Queen, seeing how wounded she is by Emberrick’s absence, made me think. There will be a day when I cannot hold Vyranthos back. He’s still there. I do think he’s just as in love with you as I am, but that doesn’t mean he’ll make the choices I would.”

“You don’t need to worry, sweetheart. We have you,” Connor said.

“But—”

“We have you,” I said, and I took his hand. “And I need you.” I had my court voice on, the one for reading terms to hostile delegations, and it did not match the fact that I was naked and dripping. “Truly need you, and it’s not just the heat. The heat is a condition, and it will pass, but this will not. I love you, and I will do anything in my power to keep you both.”

Oallian’s mouth opened, then closed again. I had never seen that happen before.

“I have considerable power, I am a dragon and the most trusted advisor to the Queen of Qoksmere.”

Oallian grinned. “That is true.”

Connor turned my face toward him and kissed me, slowly. “I love you too, sweetheart.”

“Me too,” Oallian said, when his voice came back. “Both of you. Enormously.”

Connor reached across me and kissed Oallian. “We’re not promising he won’t come back. He’s going to come back. We’re promising we’ll be standing there when he does, we’ll be there to wake you. Kessrin can reach you now, too. Remember?”

“We’re resonant,” Oallian said. “But what happened with the Queen and Emberrick, then? If my brother can leave, so can I?”

“I intend to find that out,” I said. “But in the meantime, we’ll keep you close. Emberrick was on a ship in the ocean when he disappeared, and the Queen was here, in Feravael. You cannot be that far from us.”