Dragons Against Them (Kingdoms of Fire and Ice #2)(15)
“Ye knew it was but a matter of time before the lass asked ye to train her.”
Zayne turned to throw a scowl at his stealthy friend. “As did I know it would be but a matter of time before my mother hen came to heckle me about it.”
“So now ’tis my fault she wishes to learn our ways?” asked Brom.
“If you had not spoken so highly of warrior training on our last visit, perhaps she—”
“She what, sire? Would continue to spend all her energy doting on you?”
“Do not put words in my mouth, Brom.”
“No need when they are so plainly written upon your face.”
Instinct had Zayne curling his fists to strike; wisdom had him taking a pace back from his most trusted warrior. For Brom was right—Zayne had grown accustomed to being the center of Addie’s attention, to being the perpetual source of her delight. But how long would that continue before she grew tired of him and longed for more? Or for another? His fists tightened further.
“My lord, Princess Addie has chosen you over all else. Has left behind her childhood home to entrust you to meet her needs. Do ye truly not wish for her to be able to defend herself, lest danger strikes while you are away?”
The memory of Addie’s kidnapping poured over him like scalding water to an open wound. He had been both blind with rage upon learning of her disappearance and stricken with guilt for leaving her unprotected in the first place. But Edana’s wizard had helped Zayne rescue her. In the end, Berinon’s actions served to rescue them both.
“You know I have sworn never to let that happen again.”
“Aye. And never a week goes by when you do not repeat that promise.” Brom stepped forward and placed a hand upon Zayne’s shoulder with a sigh. “I know you desire to be one with her day and night, but you know as well as I that duty will call you away. To leave her unprepared, unprotected, sire, will only cloud your decisions in battle with worry.”
Zayne felt the fight leave his body at the undeniable wisdom in his friend’s words. Whether a peace treaty was to be struck between Forath and Edana or not, there would always be smaller uprisings. Villages who foolishly sought freedom from rule, or power over one another. To be consumed by worry and die in battle would leave his Adelaide unprotected the rest of her days. He could think of no greater failure.
Motion drew his gaze to the far end of the stables, then. Tristan emerged from a side stall, then immediately exited the rear doors. As did Quinn…and King Jarin.
A king? In the stables?
“Very well,” said Zayne, easing out from under Brom’s grasp and stepping toward the same door Forath’s royalty had just passed through. “And as you seem so keen on the idea, I am entrusting you to teach her the basics.”
“Sire?”
“Take great care of my betrothed, Brom,” he murmured as he stepped past his frowning confidant. “If she returns to me with even a scratch, there will be hell to pay.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Zayne made for the far door, his worries for Addie’s safety lessened. If anyone could be trusted to keep his less than graceful fiancée safe, it was Brom. And with her safe, his thoughts were freed to consider other areas of import…like what the devil her family and their highest guard were doing, sneaking around a stable this time of day.
Chapter 8
Adelaide sat beside her bedroom window, staring out into the starry night and savoring the quiet that had fallen across the castle’s inner courtyard as she did most every night. Because in the silence, she could look to the darkened skies and almost imagine that she was back in her world, in her time. That her life was once again normal.
Normal—a state she feared with each passing day in this strange new world that she might never experience again.
Addie had jumped at the chance to stay in this world, to stay with Zayne. He was the only person she’d ever known to truly accept her at face value. To not suggest she change anything about herself, or act like someone she wasn’t. But this escalating family drama was getting in the way of it all.
Family.
Oh, she thought she’d hit the jackpot. A father she hadn’t known existed, who had nearly wept upon her return? A twin brother, someone who shared her chromosomes and might actually understand her thinking, her actions? Sadly, it seemed she might have set her expectations a bit too high. There’d been no jackpot, only a brother she had yet to connect with on an emotional level, and a father who seemed to grow more distant with each passing day. Neither had bothered to make an appearance at dinner tonight, which left her in the company of a sullen Zayne, a grouchy Brom, and the nosy servants who milled about them.
She ran a hand through her hair and let out a long sigh. Maybe she was expecting too much too soon from her father and brother. After all, she’d been gone for nearly twenty years; her rejoining their family was probably as big an adjustment to them as it was for her. For now, she could do nothing but hope that in time, they might grow to accept her as one of their own.
But there was one person who accepted her as she was within their castle walls—the man she planned to marry in a few short weeks. Even though it would be highly improper for her to seek out Zayne at this hour, the need to be held by him, to hear his assurance that everything would be fine, urged her from her seat and toward the door. Sure, he’d been short-tempered before dinner and unusually quiet during their meal, but maybe he’d been suffering from low blood sugar after all the flying he had done today. For the million and one daily questions she threw at the poor guy, the least she could do was give him the benefit of the doubt tonight.