The Last Dragon King (Kings of Avalier #1)(63)

“It won’t be like that with them. I won’t kiss them, I’ll barely touch them, just enough contact to get the job done.”

A single tear slid down my cheek, running behind my neck and I realized that our marriage was doomed from the start. I’d never truly be okay with this arrangement. It would fester inside of me until I exploded. I learned in that moment that I was a horribly jealous woman who didn’t want to share one inch of my husband. Not even to save a kingdom.

But I said nothing, because I knew if I did he would back out of the arrangement, and Adaline and everyone I loved who carried dragon magic would die.





The next morning we made love two more times, staying in bed until midday. Finally, we bathed and got dressed to have lunch in the dining hall. Drae promised to take me on a two-day trip to Grim Hollow. I’d never seen the shipping port, which was famous for its wares from beyond the realm and was full of trader stalls and markets.

We were going to have lunch and plan out the trip, but when we stepped into the dining room, Cal and Falcon burst in through the other doors just as the horns of war blew from the city gates.

Without hesitation, Drae took off running toward where Cal and Falcon stood.

They murmured something to him and Drae looked at me. “Stay here, my love!” he shouted, and they all ran down the hall, presumably for the barn to ride to war.

Like Hades I’m waiting here! Just because I was his wife didn’t mean he could tell me what to do. I jogged after them, grateful I’d worn trousers and a small tunic today.

“The Nightfall queen has taken Middle Bridge. Our army is keeping her back, but barely,” Cal said as they ran.

I jogged up beside the three of them, passing Annabeth on the way, who flattened herself against the wall in fear as we passed.

“The king and I will fly to lend aid,” I said.

Drae stared at me and shook his head. “You must stay back and keep safe.”

I growled, an almost inhuman growl which caused all three men to glance over at me in shock. “I am still a member of the Royal Guard, sworn to protect you. I will fight and you will not tell me what to do.”

His eyes narrowed. Cal looked like he was hiding a grin.

“The queen has spoken,” Falcon said. “We could use her power, sir. Especially after losing Regina.”

Her name hung in the air like a tangible thing. Her loss was felt deeply in that moment. She would know what to do, she would call the shots. Drae hadn’t even replaced her yet. I believed a part of him didn’t want to accept she was really gone.

“A queen who fights in the Royal Army?” Drae said as we burst outside to the chaos of the entire Royal Guard suiting up for battle.

I nodded. “That’s right.”

He just sighed in resignation but said nothing. We stepped into the barn; the others stayed outside to give us privacy while we shifted. I no longer turned away from him, this time taking off my clothes before him while he watched me with yellow glowing eyes.

“Are you sure it’s okay that you use your magic to shift?” I asked him.

He inclined his head. “I’ll just attempt a partial shift of my wings. We could use two fliers.”

I pulled on my magic and then was thrust forward as the shift took over my body. I was on my hands and knees as I heard Drae grunting above me, bones snapping as he completed his own shift.

A growl of frustration ripped from Drae’s throat. I looked over at him in my dragon form now that my change was complete. He was shirtless, on his knees, half of a wing protruding from his back, black scales on his face and one hand turned to a claw.

My heart plummeted into my chest. ‘What’s wrong?’ I asked, using our mental link.

His chest heaved up as he stared at me with pure shock marring his beautiful features.

“I… I can’t shift.” His words slammed into me like arrows and I stumbled backwards until my tail hit the backside of the barn.

No. No… we weren’t ready for this. Not now, not while we were under attack.

He seemed shocked into silence, and so I channeled my inner Regina and took charge. I looked him right in the eyes. ‘Get dressed. Get my saddle, and ride on my back as a bowman.’

He stood there wide-eyed, as if hoping something might change. He’d waited too long to have an heir. His parents only had one child before his mother died in labor with their second.

We were out of time.

“My men will wonder why I don’t ride in my dragon form,” he said, shame marring his deep voice.

‘Tell them your wing is injured. Or better yet, tell them not to question their king. Let’s go!’ I urged him. Every second we stood here talking, the Nightfall queen got closer to taking our Middle Bridge territory.

He got moving then, changing his one hand and wing back to human and then throwing on clothes. Within moments, he had secured my saddle and sat on my back holding a bow. As I walked out to the rows and rows of men dressed for battle, my heart was with my husband, my king. The queen was retaliating for her son, and I wasn’t going to let anything happen to Drae in his weakened state.

If he died, if they all died, I would be the only one with dragon magic left… and that thought was too terrifying, so I pushed it aside.

The men looked confused for a moment at seeing Drae riding on my back, but he started to bark orders and they quickly fell into line.