chapter 47

Grace

I took a breath… once I was outside the barrier…. Holy shit was it cold now that it was night. Even as my wolf, I could feel the bite of winter proper, being so far north…. Aureus was sitting at an unnaturally dark crimson fire. It had to be grandfather’s doing, but he seemed alone.

He waved, while I ran to him, shifting once I got close.

“Oh my Lady pass me my clothes…. And a coat.” I giggled.

“You’re lucky.” He sang. “I got the security service to get this before my parents left.”

“So how’s Freeya?” I asked, and he looked a little surprised.

“She went to the Light Court to petition having a courtesan. She feels it isn’t fair Apolis has multiple concubines, yet she must remain untouched. I have a feeling that the Night Court will deem it fair, on the condition that father still remain in hell. I don’t see them letting a former king sized elder dragon go.” He mumbled.

“That sounds about right, look at the fire.” I pointed.

I recognized the flickers. Grandfather approved what he’d said, but with the fire dying out, its warmth would be Gone, and I didn’t want to be here once it was. My mate stripped…. He looked like he’d just finished working out. He was in peak condition, though the cold made him nearly instantly hold gold scaled skin.

“You’re right. Let’s go.” He said shifting. He seemed…. Bigger…

[This is going to Suck.] he grumbled in draconic. [At least I can hold her close.]

[I asked Grandfather to give me understanding of Draconic.] I said with a small grin.

[At least I didn’t say anything horny, corny, or both.] He laughed. [What of original draconic?] He asked in the oldest words he could.

[Yup.] I responded, getting in his warm claws. He sat on his butt and haunches, letting his wings out for balance. [He agreed with me that since I live with dragons, I should learn it faster. There may come a time, like the meetings, where you all Need to speak your language.] I said fluently.

I think…. Draconic and Wolf Speech were like… Italian, French and Spanish…. Similar, but Different. I wonder did I have a wolfish accent?

[You Do. You sound hot.] He said cupping his hand, and taking off.

He roared a territorial roar, and with me warm, I could see that the sky parted a bit. I could see the stars…. The northern lights… and no moon…. She really Was being cheeky. The moon was parked on the other side of the world… where it was Day. She did that to be with grandpa.

[No little mate, I know they likely do business. If Mother’s in the Light Court, the Night King is likely there as well….]

He wasn’t Wrong. “Stop reading my mind.” I huffed.

[What do you want me to Do, turn my brain off?] He grinned.

He plummeted to the ground and I screamed a laugh. “STOP!”

[Nope, brain’s off.] He pretended to die, before swooping high in the air, and hovering a bit.

“What do you see?” I asked, and he opened his hand. The castle at night was magical. I could see the serpentine dragons fly our way, he met them half way.

[Your highness, where were you?!] Said Lord Andy as he bowed.

[Oh, don’t worry about it.] He said leaving out a lot… it was likely that they knew of the border of the In-Between, and they knew we’d crossed… but they wanted to know more.

He didn’t share because for his own peace’s sake, didn’t mention his mother. So many questions would likely be asked… so many more questions would be asked from the answers.

“Can we do the Inside?” I said to not just change the subject, but also it really was cold…. It had to be -25F… a temperature I’d never experienced.

[Oh, forgive me. It was not my place to interrogate you…] He said worriedly.

[You’re fine.] Said Aureus. We flew about 5 more minutes, and he shifted at the castle gate, that was opened for us.

The palace was so warm and welcoming that I immediately took off my jacket. The doorway, hall, and stairs were lined with a full staff of Omega servants, and Royal Guard.

“I’m using the hot tub, come join me.” Said my mate. He stuck his elbow out for me, and I took it.

“I would like that.” I said with a small smile.

I could tell by how he walked around so aimlessly, that he had no idea where the bathhouse room was, but I enjoyed the warm walk…. This place smelled of incense and campfire…. It was almost surreal that this was My home as much as it was his, not just visiting….

As a Princess, I’d been treated like one… as much as I didn’t like it sometimes…. I have always been royalty… I have always been some kind of leader everyone looked too, even under the shadow of Tyson especially… He worked so hard to earn his place in grandfather’s castle…. And I worked so hard to be recognized as an equal among my peers…

It made me thankful that none of my family played a part in that…. But regardless, that upbringing still made me better off.. I was raised to lead. I knew how. It made this easier… it made masking how I felt to those who could and probably would use my heart easier too… I cannot show emotion to whatever my mate told me.

….I’d never thought of what it meant to be a Queen, or have anything to do with leading a people… ones that were mine now. With my might, I would do what I can for them. They are a strong people…. A proud one too… and I knew Aureus by his silence, he wanted to talk to me in private, and I would let him.

When we Did find the hot tub, I knew it would be more than that there. It seemed to be complete with massage chairs, an old fashioned steam rock the size of a boulder…, and a deep pool made of white granite. He was still naked and went right in. I undressed and dipped in with him.

“I can literally feel the magic roll off me.” He said taking a single lap around the hot pool, and rested on the edge… This place was made for and by dragons. I wasn’t surprised that it was so grand…

Servants came in and a guard heated the large boulder. That was the steam stone… I’d seen one before, but I never got a chance to use the one in my uncle’s meditation sauna.

They poured water in a little curved indentation in the large white stone, and they immediately left.

“Now that we’ll have some privacy. I wanted to talk about something serious.” He mumbled….

“I see you wear the earrings too. Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad.” I mumbled.

“While you were gone… Saiyoken told me that their negotiations went completely south….I really did try…. King Tyson wishes to handle his brother. He did at least establish peace though. We don’t have Kaizen after all…. I know by now though, if he has any sense, he’s on Some king’s lands…. Out the jurisdiction of the wolves.

“I felt the faintest connection to them both in the In-between.” I said seeing him nod. “They’re both fine.” I made my way to him. I sat in his lap.

“I figured that though.” He mumbled. “But more importantly…. Now that we’re alone I wanted to say… I don’t think I could do this without you… The In-Between is tempting…. It likes to keep you there... it likes to hold onto your soul and have you wonder to your afterlife, even if you’re healthy…. Thank you for coming back… I was a little afraid you would like it too much… and I cannot go to the Moon Goddess to try an convince you.” He said somberly.

“That’s touching...” I said kissing him on the cheek after I turned around. “As tempting as it was, I didn’t want to leave my mate all alone.” I smiled. “I also wanted to ask something…” I mumbled the last part…

“Anything.” He said pressing his forehead to mine.

“…. Did you see your first wife?” I asked.

“I did…” He said looking away. “Just her… I apologized, though her eyes looked through me, rather than At me… so… so full of Hatred. I don’t know what it means, but she wasn’t a strong enough spirit to appear as father did.” He mumbled.

That sounded hard… I knew he still blames himself for her death. The In-Between, or any spiritual place can sometimes reflect back what you Think you’ll see… rather than who or what you want… but it’s also believable… She did die a horrible death….

“That’s understandable… your father was the strongest living dragon until You defeated him… I assume she was just a normal dragon.” I said putting my hand on his stubble… He’d have to shave soon. Since his hair was gold, he usually did it by melting it off…

“The way she looked at me though…” He said looking away. “She blames me.”

“Then she is a Fool. What could you do by yourself and not even there?” I said firmly. “Even if you were, you would have been outnumbered.”

“That’s also true…. But when I saw her, the desire to be with her wasn’t there. I didn’t see any of our eggs either…” He pulled me in closer. “I just… is it alright if I just want you baby?” He asked in my ear.

“It’s alright.” I said hearing him rumble deep enough that it rippled the hot water.

We sat like that a long time. Our phones had been taken, so I didn’t know or care what time it was. He seemed like he’d been taxed. I felt spent myself.

Servants bowed

“This was a nice vacation.” I mumbled.

“It really was.” He agreed.