“A threat!”
“I promised you would be safe. Let me keep that promise, please.” She touched my face.
The door opened after a few minutes and Dad came rushing back in. The color on his face disappeared as he brushed his hands through his hair.
“You okay?” I asked as he looked at Queen Maggie, who sat next to me on the bed.
“You didn’t tell me he was already that big.”
I squinted.
“His growth spurts are amazing. I wish there was a way to stop it, only for a few months or a year.”
Growth spurt. I swung my feet from the bed and pushed myself on the balls of my feet. In a few strides, I reached the window. I drew back the curtain.
The beast was enormous, much bigger than the ones laying in the courtyard. He had tendrils covering his face, like a mane, and his color was one I hadn’t seen before.
Dad’s scent caressed my nostrils as his figure brushed against my back. “Meet your dragon, Bear.”
My gaze flickered to him. “That is him?”
Dad nodded as his eyes twitched, staring at him.
I looked back down at the beast. “What is he doing here?”
“Not harming you. He is here fulfilling his duty to protect you.”
“Protect me?” But Fox said he wanted to kill me.
I walked away from the window and sat down on the bed again. He was bigger than Emanual, how the hell was I going to tame that?
Dad put on the news. Queen Maggie got up. “I’m going to make us some tea. Would you like a cup, Elena?”
“I would love one, thanks.”
She smiled and exited my room.
Reporters started showing up, and the spotlights danced off the drawn curtains in my room. Ever since I came to Paegeia, they have been begging King Helmut and Dad for an interview, but Dad said not yet. I wasn’t ready, and I doubted that I’d ever be ready.
The woman on TV speculated the Rubicon had an agenda to see how close he could get before killing me.
“Dad!”
“Reporters are reporters, Bear. Both worlds suck things out of their arses when nobody speaks.”
“Then why is he here?”
“Rubicon business, I promise you. He is not here to hurt you. Helmut would not allow that and me either.”
“He’s as big as a house. None of you are going to stop him if he has an agenda or tries to fool you.” I was close to tears.
“It’s not why he is here.”
“Then why, Dad?”
“He has many enemies. Someone wants him to do something he doesn’t want, and they threaten to grab you.”
“What?” That was even worse.
