“It’s not your fault. I tried to fulfill one of Albert’s wishes, tried to believe that there was good in some Wyverns, but there weren’t. I learned that the hard way and lost Dezi.”
My dad sighed. “I loved Albert like he was my own. Heaven knows he needed a loving father, but his love for scales and danger wasn’t something you could’ve beaten out of him.”
King Helmut chuckled.
“And you say I’m like him?”
The king laughed as Dad smiled at me, shaking his head as I took a bite of my toast.
“Yeah, no,” a guy’s voice said, and the queen laughed as they both exited the door.
“Lucian,” King Helmut said and got up. The guy came over and hugged his father. They were very affectionate.
My eyes flickered to him. He was tall, had lean muscles, with blond hair combed over. His smile made my stomach all twisty and my heart beat faster. He wore jeans, a branded shirt with a leather jacket draped over his arm. I wiped my sweaty palms over my shorts. His painting didn’t do him any justice.
A bulldog paddled up the steps.
“Hello, my boy.” The prince got on his haunches and the bulldog wiggled his entire butt as Lucian scratched him.
“Cat!”
“He is just saying hello, Cruella.” He spoke to his mom.
I snorted.
“Yeah, not while we are eating breakfast. Between you and your father feeding him bacon and whatnots. The dog already has a hard time breathing. Overweight would cause another ailment.”
“I’ll take him for a walk.”
“I want you to meet someone,” the queen said.
“Oh, I wonder who that can be?”
The queen laughed. “Stop it.”
He got up from his haunches and the queen came over to Dad and I.
“This is Jako Lemuir. King Louis’s dragon. You were almost three when he left.”
Lucian shook Dad’s hand, and I wiped my sweaty palms down my shorts again.
“Nice meeting you.”
“Likewise. You turned into a strappy young man, I see. Do I have to keep an eye on you?”
“Dad!” I hissed, and everyone laughed.
“And have the Rubicon hunting me down, no thanks.”
Everyone chuckled, but that was one of my fears that just became a reality. He was like everyone else, and wouldn’t stand in the way of the mighty beast.
“Lucian, this is Elena,” the queen said.
“So you are the girl that they send an entire fleet to bring home.” He touched my hand and shook it.
“It was scary.”
“I’m sure it was if Emanual was among them.”
