He grabbed me and forced me to turn to him, yanking me into his arms and holding me firmly. I wanted to push away. I wanted to reestablish that boundary. But I was terrified. Not to die. Not to fight dragons, but to be responsible for one more person’s death. I buried my face in his chest, and he didn’t say a word, only held me and waited until I was ready. Something my father would have done. I could still feel my mother’s concerned eyes watching me as I held him, though.
“I can’t let any of you go any farther,” I whispered. “I can’t be the reason any of you die.”
“You don’t get to decide that. I won’t let you cross that gap alone. You know that. We can figure this out together.”
“We made a deal, Fen. If I said you couldn’t come any farther, you couldn’t.”
He moved until I was pressed up against the wall, then lifted my chin and kissed me so gently it was like a whisper.
“What if they die? What if you die?”
“Draconians don’t fear,” he answered, leaning down to look into my terrified eyes.
“Fae do.”
“Do you want to turn around? We could walk back down the mountain range, cross the other gap, and come back on the other side.”
“You would do that?” I asked.
He brought his forehead to mine so I could just see the outline of his face in the dark. “I would move this mountain one rock at a time for you, Ara. I would slay a thousand dragons. I would travel to The Mists a hundred times. Whatever you wish of me, I will do it, as long as you don’t ask me to let you go alone.”
“Okay, Prince.” I held him tightly. “Let’s go make a plan.”
“Five more minutes,” he protested, kissing the tops of my sensitive ears.
“So, I guess science is out the window?”
“Was it ever really there?” He ran his hands down my arms, and I stood, stunned. “Have I ever told you about what happened the first time I saw you?” He leaned in and kissed my neck. My very sensitive neck.
“You might have mentioned something vague about a sea queen and a rage-filled prince.”
“You enthralled me the moment I laid eyes on you. I spent my whole life wondering what you would be like, what you would look like, but never in a million lifetimes did I think you would be as beautiful as you were the day you turned around and walked out of that ballroom, straight toward me.”
“Did you know?” I asked. “Did you know it would be like this between us?”
“I had hoped for it. But then I thought I’d screwed all of it up trying to protect you. When you were in Aibell’s cottage and wouldn’t wake up, I didn’t sleep at all. Kai and Greeve had to get me roaring drunk just so I didn’t lose myself in that rage. You were so beautiful and I assumed delicate. I thought for sure I’d lost you before I even had you.”
“And when you saw me in the tavern?”
“I thought I felt you there the night before, but I couldn’t be sure. But the next night, when you were barely dressed and sitting at that table, I could have killed every male there who wouldn’t take their eyes from you.”
He shifted, brushing his fingers down my cheek.
“When we watched you punch that male and drag your friend out, that was it for me. That was the night you won Kai and Greeve over. They had watched that asshole bring female after female into the tavern, get them drunk and haul them home. The moment you took the proper stance and clocked him, I had to convince Kai he wasn’t actually in love with you.”
“Your five minutes are up, Prince. Are you trying to distract me right now?”
“Is it working?” he asked, moving his hands gently down my body.
“Nearly,” I whispered. “Come on. We have a horde of dragons to slay, Prince Overwhelming.”
“How many nicknames do you have for me?” he chuckled.
“Get me past those dragons and I’ll tell you the first one.”
“Let me guess. Prince Asshole?” Kai asked as we joined the others.
I smiled as we sat down. “No, but close.”
