“And here is that exciting thing…” King Stormvale says, grinning. “We have learned that when a dragon male chooses his mate, their dragon riders will end up together. Meaning, Princes Lucien, Gareth, and Alaric will be marrying Harper Nightborne of Pennyvale.”
There’s a moment's hesitation, likely as they collectively process what’s just been said. And then there’s cheering. All eyes are no longer on my father, but our group. It makes things official and pulls this connection between us out from the darkness and into the light. The strange thing is that I can’t say I’m upset to have Harper publicly claimed as our own, even if it means sharing her with my brothers.
“Now, just a minute!” someone says, angrily, pushing his way through the crowd. It’s the blond who arrived here with Arthur. He comes to stand between us and our father. “Harper ismyfiancé. She belongs to me, Lord Tesson Montclair, and I won’t give her away so easily!”
What?My brothers and I exchange glances.But we thought–
“Wait, isn’t Arthur your fiancé?” Lucien asks beside me, sounding as confused as I feel.
Harper gives a funny little smile. “No, Arthur’s my best friend.”
My brain just kind of sputters to a stop.
Then she turns to our father. “Lord Tesson and I have already formally called off our engagement.”
King Stormvale waves a hand. “It wouldn’t matter anyway. This thing with your dragons trumps any handfasting you might have engaged in. Harper will marry my sons.”
“But–” Tesson begins stupidly.
My father’s gaze snaps to the other man, a hint of his ruthless nature in his gaze. “The decision is final. Now, Lord Roland, bring this man to his room. I think he’s in need of a little rest for the evening.”
I’d laugh, if my head wasn’t still whirling. Arthur is not her fiancé? Not the love of her life? He’s just a friend. The instant the thoughts are processed, a heavy weight lifts from my chest. It’s a weight I hadn’t even realized was there. As much as I don’t like the idea of my father, or my dragon, choosing who I’m going to marry, I’m not upset about their choice. Maybe because of the bond between us due to our dragons. I really don’t know. But I get a picture of her walking down the aisle in a white dress, making her way toward me, and my lips curl into a smile.
“Now, this is where things get really exciting,” the king says, lowering his voice, making everyone lean in. “Peace has been attempted with the Hollowborn several times in the past, and it’s always failed, but I’ve decided that we will be making peace with them again, even given the risk. Their information is too valuable to ignore. But we will do things differently that they were done in the past. Instead of peace being forged on paper alone, it’ll be forged through marriage this time.”
Wait. What is he saying?
“Harper will not only marry my sons, but she will marry the leader of the Hollowborns.”
His words strike me like a blow.No, he can’t be serious. He can’t expect her to marry a Hollowborn, and he can’t expect us to be in a harem with one. This is asking too much of us.
“Although this deal is different from what they will expect, it will be the only deal I’ll accept. And given how desperate the Hollowborn always are for resources, I know the peace agreement will be made.”
And he’s right. It will be made. The Hollowborn have little to no resources on their continent. They have to steal from us to survive. They’ll jump at this opportunity, regardless of the fact that they won’t want to be in a harem with us either.
“You, Harper, will bring them the offer, and if they agree to it, bring back their leader, alone, to sign the documents and to havethe ceremony. Tomorrow, you’ll even be fitted for your wedding gown, that’s how sure I am of this working! We will take a few days to prepare everything for the celebration, and then you will go to deliver the message!” he exclaims, leveling Harper with an intense stare before looking away. “This will be a new beginning. We’ll have an end to the war between our great nations. A peace treaty will be created through an unbreakable bond. Through marriage.”
Unable to help myself, I glance at Harper. She’s pale as a ghost. The hand that I’d been using to clench her arm softens, and I find myself rubbing her skin gently. I don’t know how else to offer comfort. As much as I can’t wrap my head around being in a marriage with a Hollowborn, as much as I loathe the idea of sleeping with one eye open until they ultimately betray us, I’m worried for Harper. She may be a woman, so she’s a person who has been prepared for the possibility of marriage without love or connection since she was a small girl, but I wouldn’t wish being married to a Hollowborn on my worst enemy.
There’s a long moment of silence, followed by cheering, clapping, and laughter. All around us the people are just thinking about how much better their worlds would be without the Hollowborn lingering in the shadows, a constant danger. None of them are considering what this will be like for Harper and my brothers.
“Has father lost his mind?” Lucien asks softly.
“Completely,” I say, then look at Harper again, concerned by how fragile she looks. “Are you okay?”
She glances up at me with those big hazel eyes. “I didn’t want to marry anyone.”
It’s like a knife turning in my gut. “I know.”
“Is there any way out of this?”
I wrack my brain and come up with nothing. “When my father decides something, it’s decided.”
She gives a shaky nod. “Then I guess this is happening.”
I want to tell her that it won’t be so bad. That as big of assholes as we’ve been, we won’t treat our wife poorly. This goes beyond trying to get an untrained woman out of our academy. This is the rest of our lives. Harper is going to be the woman we come home to every night. She’s going to be the mother of our children. Not only will we treat her kindly, we’ll kill the Hollowborn if he’s unkind to her.
But I don’t know how to say all of that.
