A Kingdom of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales Book 3)(118)

“Finally,” Dash said as I walked out, taking a quick peek at Father. He had a thick bandage around his neck with no blood running through. He’d be fine, too, thank the goddess for her protection.

No, actually, thank Nyfain for his protection. I’d gotten my family into this mess. Nyfain had nearly sacrificed himself to save them, even though he must’ve known I was coming to get them out.

The heat in my core throbbed harder. I felt his dragon stir, and their answering desire for us. He wouldn’t be able to avoid me forever. He never could resist me for long. I’d never minded the way that truth enraged him.

“Finley.” Weston walked through his smattering of shifters either drinking the elixir or lying back to rest and recuperate. None of them had bothered with the trampled clothes.

I waited for him to reach me, spying Micah heading toward the shed on foot by way of the castle. I didn’t want to see him right now. My core throbbed for Nyfain. I needed to put in the face time with these guys, and probably Tamara and the others—they’d saved us—but…I had to be filthily honest, I wanted to get that big alpha dick up in my cumquat.

My dragon preened. Told you.

Weston stopped in front of me, oozing power and authority and confidence. His presence prickled my skin in not totally unpleasant ways, but this was definitely not a man you wanted behind your back. He could surely be dangerous if he wanted to be. His prowess at keeping his pack in line showed that much.

“Thank you for helping with this, Weston,” I said, keeping eye contact, refusing to be distracted by Nyfain’s pounding desire pumping through the bond. “We were outnumbered even with the help from your pack and the extra dragons. If not for your superb leadership and ferocity, we wouldn’t have been able to pry this kingdom away from Dolion.”

Weston studied me for a moment. “I’m anxious for you to break the curse everyone speaks of. I want my memories of this place back. For the demon king to have such an incredible interest in it, it must have been mighty once. I suspect it will be mighty once again.”

I lightly shook my head and looked at the castle, noticing Micah slowing, stalling, waiting for me.

“I don’t know. We’ve lost so many people. Some were taken, as you know, but I think a great many more were either killed or died from the sickness. I’m not sure we will become much of anything, even if Dolion doesn’t return and finish what he started.”

“About that. Listen, I knew you weren’t like normal dragons when I first saw you in that cage. I’ve come across a lot of dragons in my days, and while some were rougher than others, like those in Vemar and Micah’s villages, they all have a certain pride. A certain sense of superiority. They aren’t easy to work with. They aren’t pack animals, though I now realize they can work together quite well. It’s obvious they don’t much want to work with wolves or other animal shifters.”

I remembered what Nyfain had said about the uselessness of “dogs” and his passing negative comments about bear shifters. He did tend to look down on other shifters. Before, having put dragons on a pedestal most of my life, I might’ve gone along with it. But I felt differently after working with the faeries and the wolves. We were much stronger with them.

“I saw something different in you,” he went on. “As did Calia. We saw the glue that could bring us all together and get us out of that awful place. So did Govam, if I’m honest. What I didn’t see until later was the respect and loyalty you engender in those closest to you. I can see why now. You are willing to sacrifice yourself for the wellbeing of others. You did it for this kingdom, and you did it again after the battle. Instead of getting back to your dragon prince, you came here to help the ailing.” He put his fist to his heart. “You have my loyalty, Finley. You are a friend of my pack. We will always help you in times of need.”

My eyes prickled with heat.

“All I know is survival,” I told him, bracing my hands on my hips to keep from throwing them around his neck and sobbing uncontrollably. It seemed I was a little fragile at the moment. “To survive, you must pull together as a community. I wasn’t raised a dragon. So no, I’m not like them. And I’m not like the people in my community either. They’re mostly wolves, although I’m not sure about all of them. I always felt different, though. I never fit in. I’m a dragon in wolves’ clothing, maybe.” I shrugged, wishing I was half as eloquent as he was. “You didn’t need to put yourself in danger to bail out a kingdom you couldn’t remember, yet you put yourself—and your pack—on the line. That took a lot of guts and trust. I don’t have a pack, or really much of anything, but if you ever need help, I’ll come. I have no fucking idea how, but I’ll make it happen.”

His smile was slight. “You seem like a person who never knows the how of things when she starts something but always gets where she wants to go anyway.” He paused for a moment. “You can hug me, if you want. It’s not really something we do in the pack with non-mates, but…you’re a dragon, so I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“How’d you…” I didn’t bother finishing the question before I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, squeezing him tightly for a moment, so fucking grateful to him. I didn’t let myself cry, though. I had to have some respect, after all.

Thank fuck for that, my dragon thought drolly.