“What about Soren?”
I frowned, momentarily distracted. “What about him?”
“He’s been in a mood ever since you left. Frankly, we’ve all come close to running him through with something or another. Pardon, my lord. He requested,” she said through gritted teeth, “that you speak with him upon your return.”
Waving a hand, I said, “Fine, invite him to the study as well.” I didn’t have time to dwell on our resident misfit vampire prince.
“Of course, my lord, right away.”
“Thank you, Merry.”
I followed the tug on the link between us, my feet taking me to her without conscious thought. Elena looked up as I reentered the stairwell with the garments in hand. Her own palms were at her stomach as though she felt the same strengthening in our bond as I did.
“Here,” I said, choosing not to comment on the change. If I chose not to acknowledge it, it wouldn’t be real. “It’s time to meet my clan.”
17
Elena
Dragons were members of the Avian Clan, like my family and I, but they were ancient, more ancient than any other Avian. They’d been ostracized due to their resistance to capital culture, but were coveted for their power and strength and the fact that men ruled their clans instead of women like the rest of Aurelian shifters. Unlike the Avians in the capital, Dragons were steadfast in their loyalty to members of their clan. They didn’t backstab, power grab, or try to outmaneuver. No doubt they wouldn’t take kindly to me, but there was nothing I could do about that.
I’d faced adversity before and I likely would again. Provided they didn’t try to kill me, I would fare better than I had in the castleI hoped.
Rhys watched as I stripped out of his cloak and the rest of the clothes he’d ruined. Was I mistaken or was that satisfaction I saw in his eyes as I discarded the dress and underclothes in exchange for the borrowed ones? The throbbing connection between us hadn’t abated like I thought it would after our fevered coupling in the aviary. It pulsed as though our lovemaking had intensified it. An ouroboros of desire. The more we fed it, the more hungry it became.
Once I finished, he took my hand and pulled me out into the hall. Everything about it was grand and worn slightly as things did when they had been well used, but well made. The stone floors were soft with use and the great ceilings softly cream with age. Sconces magicked with flame flickered, turning us to shadow as Rhys led me down the hall to a grand staircase that fed several of the main levels, emptying out into the center of the castle itself.
Everyone stared.
Rhys either didn’t notice, or didn’t pay attention to the gawking as we traveled down the main staircase. My cheeks must have been blood red by the time we finally reached the first floor. I was meeting his people in a borrowed dress with aftershocks still running through my system. Maybe Rhys had the right attitude. He wouldn’t care. Maybe I shouldn’t either.
I was still a princess, and I’d be damned if I let anyone else make me feel like less than what I was due.
I’d done that enough my entire life, from the Council to the temple. Even in my relationship with Gideon, now that I thought about it. He’d always looked at me like I never quite lived up to his expectations.
Well, no more.
I wasn’t going to be ashamed to be by my mate’s side. He’d given me every reason to be proud to be his, and I wanted his people to know I accepted him with my full being, if not quite yet, with my heart. The heart in question was in my throat as he pulled me into a cavernous room.
I noticed nothing other than the books from floor-to-ceiling. I’d never seen anything like it, not even at the temple, which had a room full of religious texts that only the priests read. I’d never had much time for reading, preferring to be outside making mischief or working later when I lived at the temple. In fact, this room reminded me a lot of the temple. There was a mystical, reverent quality to it that made me want to worship.
Rhys let go of my hand and moved into the room, but I was too busy turning in circles, gaping at my surroundings. The shelves were a burnt umber, a deep, rich brown with red undertones and a glossy coating. There had to be dozens of shelves all the way up to the cathedral ceiling. They stationed ladders on rails on each wall for easy access. Jewel-colored glass speckled some shelves. Decorations, maybe? I itched to take a closer look, to explore the volume and discover why Rhys felt they were important enough to collect.
I felt you could learn a lot about someone based on the books that lined their libraries. Were they dry tomes about history and philosophy? Or were they drama-filled fantastical stories with delicate illustrations? I’d have to sneak down here one dayand find out.
Catching myself inching toward the closest shelf, I pulled back the hand that had already risen up to snatch a book and glanced around guiltily. My breath caught when I realized we weren’t alone. There were two men standing at Rhys’ side.
To his right was a man so beautiful it hurt to look at him. Hair the color of fine-spun gold, eyes as green as emeralds, and ears which curved delicately upward. Those eyes danced with amusement, as though someone had told a particularly funny riddle. But it was the faintly purple incandescent rune tattoos on his hands that gave away his immortality. He was one of the fair folk. A faerie. What was a faerie doing in the Northlands? It was rare, very rare, to see one outside The Vale.
If I was surprised at the Fae, one glance at the other man to Rhys’ left took the strength right out of my legs and struck fear into my heart. He hadn’t bothered to stand from the lush, velvet seat where he sprawled elegantly. One hand toyed with a deadly dagger and the other rested on his thigh, one black-tipped nail tapping out a rhythm as he smirked at me. But it wasn’t the dagger or the black striations that spider-webbed across his skin that scared me. It was his eyes. Blood red and gleaming, they bored into me as though he could see through my skin to the life-giving blood underneath. The vampire licked his lips as though he could read my mind.
Adragon, afae, and avampire sounded like the beginning to a very bad joke, but there was nothing funny about having the three of them in the same room.
Rhys crossed to me and wrapped a hand around my waist. With him by my side, I was able to move closer to the two imposing men. Recalling my vow to remember who I was, I straightened my spine and looked from one to the other, not shying away from meeting their eyes.
“Elena, I’d like you to meet Soren… an aquantaince, and Alaric, my second-in-command.” He placed a hand on the blond fae’s shoulder and squeezed. Alaric gave me a gentle smile as though to say he were harmless. “If you have any concern, he’s the one you should go to.” I noticed he didn’t say I should go to Soren.
“Lovely to meet you,” I said and tilted my head. The questions I burned to ask were on the tip of my tongue.
